Today

1
Todays Agenda

• Review how to write effective introductions
• Identify types of introductions
• Explore challenges of 7th graders
• with research articles
• W7.2a Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what
  is to follow organize ideas, concepts, and
  information through the selection, organization,
  and analysis of relevant content.
• Its almost Summer Break!

2
Introductions MustHook the Reader
Action
Academic
Personal
Quote
Creative
Ask a???????? Question
Dialogue
3
Make your writing a page turner!

• The lead (beginning or introduction)
• establishes the direction your writing will
• take. A good lead grabs your reader's
• attention and refuses to let go. In other
• words, it hooks the reader.

4

• Hooking a reader is like a movie trailer.
• You want to give a little bit of the content,
  but you really want them to buy the ticket.
• Let the Show Begin!

5
REMEMBER THE RULE OF 3!

• You should accomplish 3 things with your
  introduction
• Get the readers attention
• Present your topic and purpose
• Connect with your audience

6
1. Creative Introduction

• Catches the reader off-guard with an opening
  statement
• Leaves the reader smiling or wondering what the
  rest of the essay contains.

7
WHAT IF I COULD OFFER EACH OF YOU
500,000?
8
NO, you will not have to do anything illegal!
9
So, would you like to know how to get it?
10
2. Academic Introduction

• Answers one or more of the six basic questions
  who, what, when, where, why, and how.
• Used in formal essays
• Often uses statistics or data

11
GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL!!!!

• Studies show that people who graduate from high
  school will earn at least 500,000 more in their
  lifetime than people who do not.
• Staying in school will determine whether or not
  you get the 500,000.

12
3. Question Introduction

• Rhetorical questions are not meant to be
  answered. They draw the reader into wanting to
  read further to discover the answer to the
  question.
• Ask an interesting question that you will answer
  in your essay.

13

• Acne, baldness, sterility. Sound attractive,
  fellas? Or ladies, how about a deep voice, facial
  hair, and kidney damage? All of these appealing
  attributes, along with many others, are side
  effects of using steroids, yet people continue to
  use them!

14
Have you ever wondered how you would survive if
you found yourself alone in the jungle? How would
you defend yourself against predators? What would
you eat? Where would you find water? Read Lord
of the Flies to see just how a group of teenagers
manage to survive!
15
Sample Questions to AVOID!

• AVOID meaningless questions that dont ask
• the reader to think critically a question you
• dont expect the reader to answer.
• Examples of Meaningless Questions
• Do you hate school uniforms? I do.
• Do you have a favorite season? Well I do.
• Have you ever wondered why people believe in
  school uniforms? Well, Ill tell you.

16
4. Personal Introduction

• Take the reader directly into your mind.
• It says, This is what it is like to be me.
• Let me take you to my little world.
• Often uses descriptive
• language.

17
Use a Personal Experience

• I walked into the antiseptic, crisp-white
  room on April 23, 1992. The beeping of the
  machines echoed immensely in my head and I knew
  that noise would haunt me for the rest of my
  life. I walked in further to join my family that
  stood beside the bed. I hung my head in grief and
  through tears got one last look.
• What words help re-create this experience?

18
Use a Personal Experience

• I walked into the antiseptic, crisp-white
  room on April 23, 1992. The beeping of the
  machines echoed immensely in my head and I knew
  that noise would haunt me for the rest of my
  life. I walked in further to join my family that
  stood beside the bed. I hung my head in grief and
  through tears got one last look.

19

• 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 It was my first basketball game
• and I had the ball with the clock ticking away.
  I
• was standing on top of the world. However, to
• get to that point, I had to go through pre-game
• jitters, the embarrassing shot, and the
  opponents
• hard stares. Yes, it takes determination to
  succeed.

20
5. Quotation Introduction

• Open with a quotation that is well-known (but be
  sure to put quotation marks around it).
• You can also use a quotation from someone that is
  not famous. It could be from a song, movie, or
  one of your own.

21
WHAT PHRASE IS THIS GREAT CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER
MOST FAMOUS FOR?
22
I Have a Dream
23
Examples of Famous Quotes

• A penny saved is a penny earned.
• Benjamin Franklin
• All that glitters is not gold. Shakespeare
• Student Example
• John F. Kennedy once said, "Ask not what your
  country can
• do for you, ask what you can do for your
  country." I think
• today's Americans have forgotten Kennedy's
  message. We
• expect our country to take care of us, but we are
  not taking
• care of our country.

24
6. Action Introduction

• Takes the reader into the middle of an action
  sequence.
• By not building up to the story, it forces the
  reader to read on to find out whats happening.
• How could you describe
• this action-packed scene?

25
Do you know what historical event is being
described?

• The race came to an abrupt holt as the sound of
  firecrackers filled the air. Runners suddenly
  collapsed as limps were shred to pieces. Cries of
  spectators
• billowed through the crowd.
• The smoke-filled street was
• mass chaos.

26
7. Dialogue Introduction

• Like the action introduction, this also brings
  the reader directly into the action.
• Used more often in narrative essays.
• The dialogue introduces the characters before the
  reader knows who they are.

27

• May the force be with
• you, Han Solo
• proclaimed to Luke.
• The attack on the
• Death Star Battle
• Station was about
• to begin.

28
As you can see, hooking the reader is the
key to success in writing!

• BUT.
• Dont forget the following tips.

29
Tip 1 Do NOT use the following phrases

• In this essay
• I am going to tell you about
• I will write about
• The first reason is
• The second reason is

30
Tip 2 Spend time developing the introduction

• Its the first impression
• the reader will have
• of your writing.

31
Tip 3 Keep it straight forward.

• The introduction should be easy to understand
• Dont go overboard on details.
• You dont have to say everything in the
  introduction.

32
Tip 4 State your topic

• Dont assume the audience knows what you are
  talking about.
• But dont go to the other extreme and include a
  summary of your topic.
• Think middle ground.

33
Tip 6 Revise, Revise, Revise

• The first time is NOT
• the charm!