Warm-Up - Fragments A fragment is only a piece of a complete thought that has been punctuated like a sentence. Fragments can be phrases or dependent clauses or any incomplete word group. Study the following examples: 1. Ann walked all alone. To the store. 2. Because she exercises regularly. She is in good condition. 3. Walking to the store. She saw a car accident. There are several ways to correct fragments. These are the three most common ways: 1. Connect the fragment to a compete sentence. ex: "Ann walked all alone to the store." 2. Remove words to make the fragment a complete sentence. ex: "She exercises regularly. She is in excellent condition." 3. Add words to make the fragment a complete sentence. ex: “She was walking to the store. She saw a car accident."

Warm-Up (Tuesday, 10/28/14) Directions: Fix the sentence fragments below. 1.Marcus passed the exam. But got the last five questions wrong. 2.Even though it scared her to death. 3.Robert has met his long-lost daughter. Who had been searching for him over twenty years. 4.Blew off the tree because of the wind.

Warm-Up (Tuesday, 10/28/14) Directions: Fix the sentence fragments below. 1.Marcus passed the exam but got the last five questions wrong. 2.Even though it scared her to death, Brittany went on the roller coaster. 3.Robert has met his long-lost daughter who had been searching for him over twenty years. 4.The bark blew off the tree because of the wind.

Announcements Thank you!! Syllabus for the 2 nd Nine Weeks 4 th and 6 th Periods – I am out again Thursday afternoon. Sorry!! 

Organizing your Expository essay Thesis Statements A thesis statement is crucial to writing a strong essay. Without a thesis your reader will not understand the purpose of your writing.  Definition: a single sentence that expresses what you want your readers to understand; the controlling idea of your essay and road map for your paper  Last sentence of your introduction

Organizing your Expository essay Thesis Statements What does a thesis look like? (Basic organization of a thesis) Main idea of paper (uses words from the prompt) + transition word + topics/reasons of paper. Examples: Prompt: Explain the types of changes a student may undergo from middle school to high school. Many students undergo changes from middle school to high school such as becoming more responsible and feeling more stress. Prompt: Explain the importance of being involved in your community. Being involved in the community is important because it helps people stay connected and gives people pride in their community.

How do I prove my claims? Evidence Definition: a specific example used to justify/support your answer. Just like a lawyer wouldn’t go to court without evidence, you can’t write a paper without something to prove that your ideas are true! Types of Evidence 1. Facts and Data: - information that you would research and cite from reliable sources. Ex: 80% of American households have internet access. (from Face the Facts USA) 2. Historical or Literary examples: - using well known examples from history and literature to prove a point Ex: Rosa Parks demonstrates how one woman’s involvement in her community impacted not only a single city but an entire country. 3. Personal examples: - using your own life experiences to relate to your audience Ex: Having to balance school work and basketball practice was one element of my high school experience that caused an increased amount of stress for me.

How do I prove my claims? Analysis Your audience can’t read your mind. It is up to you to explain how your evidence proves the point you are trying to make. Definition: explaining to the audience how your evidence connects to your thesis. How do your ideas connect to the lives of each reader? Using the middle school/high school changes prompt: Good analysis: Many students experience similar juggling acts as I did, trying to succeed both academically and with extra curricular activities. Many students lack the time management skills needed to balance all these activities, leading to an amount of stress that was not experienced in middle school. Weak analysis: Trying to keep up with all my stuff was just crazy. It was really hard to stay focused on all the things I was supposed to do. I don’t remember feeling that way in middle school.

Let’s Practice Thesis! Prompt 2: Write an essay explaining why it is sometimes necessary to make sacrifices.

Let’s Practice Evidence! Prompt 2: Write an essay explaining why it is sometimes necessary to make sacrifices.

Let’s Practice Analysis! Prompt 2: Write an essay explaining why it is sometimes necessary to make sacrifices.

Body Paragraph Organization Body paragraphs should follow this basic outline: 1.) Topic Sentence – shows the main idea of the paragraph 2.) Evidence– facts/data, quotes, examples 3.) Analysis– your analysis, explanation, or interpretation of your evidence. 4.) Concluding/Transition Sentence – wraps up the main idea of the paragraph, or leads the reader into the idea of the next paragraph

Body Paragraph Organization An example of an entire paragraph: One negative change that many students experience from middle school to high school is an increased amount of stress. Having to balance school work and basketball practice was one element of my high school experience that caused an increased amount of stress for me. Many students experience similar juggling acts as I did, trying to succeed both academically and with extra curricular activities. Many students lack the time management skills needed to balance all these activities, leading to an amount of stress that was not experienced in middle school. Even though the increased stress can be difficult, learning those time management skills are a valuable life lesson for students.

Purpose: Your reader needs to see how your ideas connect or where your ideas are about to change. Here is a toolbox of strong transition words to use in your writing ThereforeEven though HoweverConsequently FurthermoreThus, Hence Strong Transitions