1. Introductions Hook Author Title Context Heart
Capture the reader’s interest and attention
Consider the information that made you most interested about the book. Write a sentence that relates to that information.
Author
Title
Name the book and who wrote it
Make sure you include the author’s full name the first time, but use either the full name or just the last name after that (you’re not friends)
Book titles are underlined; “Article titles” are in quotations
Context
Give brief background knowledge to the reader
List the information the reader needs to understand for the rest of the essay to make sense
Heart
Claim/ Thesis
RTQ the focusing question, Theme, Reasons

2. Sample Essay Intro
Love can make people do things that they don’t want to do. Linda Sue Park’s novel, A Long Walk to Water tells the story of a girl named Nya, who must go through many challenges to help her family. Nya’s life is difficult because she lives far away from any water. Even after she walks hours to get to water, it is not clean or safe to drink. Yet, Nya deals with her struggles with water because she loves her family. Love made Nya get a thorn out of her foot, wait for water, and walk to a medical clinic because when you love someone, you’ll do anything for them, even if it isn’t pretty for you.

3. Sample Essay Intro Hook Author and Title Context Claim/ Thesis (Heart)
Love can make people do things that they don’t want to do. Linda Sue Park’s novel, A Long Walk to Water tells the story of a girl named Nya, who must go through many challenges to help her family. Nya’s life is difficult because she lives far away from any water. Even after she walks hours to get to water, it is not clean or safe to drink. Yet, Nya deals with her struggles with water because she loves her family. Love made Nya get a thorn out of her foot, wait for water, and walk to a medical clinic because when you love someone, you’ll do anything for them, even if it isn’t pretty for you.
Hook Author and Title
Context Claim/ Thesis (Heart)

4. Sample Essay Intro
Linda Sue Park’s novel, A Long Walk to Water tells the story of one of the thousands of Lost Boys of Sudan. These boys ran from their villages during the Second Sudanese Civil War in the 1980s and had to keep moving from country to country to escape the violence of the war. Park’s main character, Salva, is based on a real person who survived a terrible journey. Even though he faced the challenges of the war, the loss of his family, and the hostile environment of Southern Sudan, he still remained brave.

5. Sample Essay Intro
Linda Sue Park’s novel, A Long Walk to Water tells the story of one of the thousands of Lost Boys of Sudan. These boys ran from their villages during the Second Sudanese Civil War in the 1980s and had to keep moving from country to country to escape the violence of the war. Park’s main character, Salva is based on a real person who survived a terrible journey. Even though he faced the challenges of the war, the loss of his family, and the hostile environment of Southern Sudan, he still remained brave.
Hook Author and Title
Context Claim/ Thesis (Heart)

6. Claim = Thesis

7. Coming up with a Theme
Think about your three reasons. Find a connection between the three of them. Write a theme that connects to your reasons Remember: a theme is a lesson that you want to convey (explain) to your reader

8. Picking a Theme Bravery, Strength, Perseverance
When will I see my family again, thinking of Uncle dying, still walking to Kenya when he was sad because he wants to see his family
Connection: family
Theme: Wanting to find his family helps Salva survive.
Strength, Motivation, Hope
Thinking of his family helps him keep walking, thinking of Uncle’s death made him stronger, hope of a new future in America
Connection: future
Theme: Salva survives by thinking ahead to the future.
Bravery, Determination, Other People
School bombing and running away, Standing up to the soldier with the gun, Surviving the cold in America
Connection: Dangerous environments
Theme: Salva survives even in dangerous environments.

9. RTQ the focusing question.
How to Write a Thesis
RTQ the focusing question.
Include part of your theme (without repeating any information you might have already written in your RTQ).
List your three traits.

10. Thesis Example
RTQ: There are several factors that help Salva survive in difficult situations. Theme: Individuals survive in challenging environments in remarkable ways. Traits/ Reasons: Intelligence, perseverance, strength Claim: Salva survives in challenging environments in remarkable ways through intelligence, perseverance, and strength.

11. Thesis Example
RTQ: Salva is able to survive in A Long Walk to Water because of several factors.
Theme: Survival comes from within.
Traits/ Reasons: Bravery, hope, determination
Claim: Salva is able to survive in A Long Walk to Water because he uses qualities within himself, including bravery, hope, and determination.

12. Thesis Example
RTQ: The factors that made survival possible for Salva are...
Theme: People can only survive with help from others.
Traits/ Reasons: Luck, love, hope
Claim: The factors that made survival possible for Salva came from other people in the form luck, love, and hope.