1. Do Now
Renaissance 360
Please use the instructions on your table to complete the Renaissance 360 reading screener.
As a grade booster, I will add a 100 for a quiz grade into the gradebook when/if this is completed correctly. This is mandatory.
Do not move on to today’s persuasive essay assignment until you have completed this!

2. Announcements Make sure you are checking every page of our website.
Make sure you have joined YOUR CLASS PERIOD on vocabulary.com and YOUR ENGLISH CLASS (2, 3, or 4) on NewsELA.com!
A little something to remember: Curves and all means of extra points are a privilege and NOT a requirement. Show effort. Monitor your attitude. Both will play a major role in how you are treated in life and, subsequently, how successful you will be.

3. Brainstorm a list of reasons for and against the issue or position.
Against banning books:
--the Constitution allows us the freedom of speech, freedom of press
--students need to learn to make responsible choices about what they read
--students should not be sheltered from controversial world news
--students can find inappropriate material on the Internet
--the question of appropriate reading is debatable, it cannot be determined by one individual
For banning books:
--students are too young to make decisions about what they read
--librarians don’t want parents mad at them
--students should only read about pleasant and non-controversial topics

4. Activity 1 Arguing Both Sides
Write three points for both sides of each argument.

5. Before you write anything else, focus on answering the prompt by writing a position statement, also known as a thesis statement. Rearrange words from the prompt into a statement, then follow it with “because” and then add two reasons. (THIS IS THE ROAD MAP FOR THE REST OF YOUR ESSAY!)
School librarians should not ban books from the school library because students need to learn to choose for themselves and it goes against the American Constitution.

6. Now go back and create the introductory paragraph and plug the thesis statement into the end.
The first sentence is the “hook.” Re-read the information before the prompt to find the general subject. Think general and broad. How does this topic affect “the world” or “life”? Question what would happen “without”…
--What would the world be like without books?
The second sentence, the “bridge”, must “draw a line” from the hook to the thesis. Think of what the two have in common, which is usually the end of the hook.
--While books are very important, it can be easy to overlook the value of books that have disagreeable or inappropriate subjects.
Put the three sentences together to make the Intro Paragraph.

7. Introductory Paragraph
Hook: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Line (Bridge): ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sinker (Position/Thesis Statement):
State your position on the argument *because* <<reason 1>> and <<reason 2>>.

8. Complete Introduction Three Sentences
What would the world be like without books? While books are very important, it can be easy to overlook the value of books that have disagreeable or inappropriate subjects. School librarians should not ban books from the school library because students need to learn to choose for themselves and it goes against the American Constitution.

9. Activity 2 Persuasive Introductions and Thesis Statements
Create an introduction with a thesis statement for each of the following topics.