Building an Essay

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Building an EssayFirst, Pre-write its
important!

• Consider the prompt and decide how you want to
  organize your essay.
• What is your thesis or main idea? Write a thesis
  statement to guide your essay.
• What are your supporting details? Can each
  expand into a paragraph?
• Graphic organizers can be helpful to organize
  ideas.

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Use some type of graphic organizer to map out
your ideasVenn Diagrams work well for Compare
ContrastWeb maps work well for determining
thesis and supporting ideas. A simple flow
chart can also map out thesis and supporting
ideas.(See blog for more examples)
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How to begin the rough draft

• Refer to your prewriting and choose a hook or
  lead to engage the reader?
• Do you want to start with a statistic? Some
  interesting facts? An anecdote?
• Experiment with different leads or hooks.

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Then, give some background on your topic.

• Why is this topic important? What supporting
  ideas will you use in your essay?
• Dont give too much detail in the introductory
  paragraph just enough to pique interest.
• Your easing into your controlling idea

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End your introductory paragraph by stating your
thesis or controlling idea for the essay.

• The thesis or main idea for your essay is best
  placed at the end of the introductory paragraph.
• All paragraphs that follow will back up the
  thesis statement.
• Lets look at the prompt

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• Writing Situation
• Your principal is considering adding a new class
  to the connections schedule. She is taking
  recommendations from the student body.
• Writing Prompt
• (Expository)
• Ms. Lyons has chosen you to select a connections
  class to solve the problem of student apathy.
  Describe the class and how it will motivate
  apathetic students.
• (Persuasive)
• Write a letter persuading your principal to
  incorporate your idea for a new connections class
  into the schedule. Focus on the potential for
  this class to contribute to the overall future
  success of the student body.

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Your task

• Write an introductory paragraph for the
  persuasive prompt.
• Write an introductory paragraph for the
  expository prompt.
• The paragraphs will begin with different hooks
  and will have different thesis statements. Some
  background information might be similar.

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Next, use the key ideas that support your thesis
statement to craft body paragraphs.

• Each paragraph will detail one of your supporting
  ideas.
• For example, I chose Abnormal Psychology as my
  connections class. For the persuasive prompt, I
  mentioned that students could learn about new
  terms, concepts, and case studies. My body
  paragraphs will discuss each of those ideas.

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(Persuasive Sample)Intro Paragraph

• Delusion disordersomatic disorderdissociative
  disorder. Are you intrigued, Ms. Lyons? I
  thought so. And so will students who take the
  soon-to-be announced new connections
  classAbnormal Psychology. That is if you choose
  to add it to this fresh perspective to our
  curriculum. Abnormal Psychology will expose
  students to new terms, fascinating concepts, and
  disturbing case studies as they delve into the
  dark and twisted world of the human mind.

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1st Body paragraph

• In the beginning, students will need learn the
  basic terminology of Abnormal Psychology.
  Phrases like personality disorder, coping
  strategies, and dual diagnosis will seem
  unfamiliar. However, understanding the language
  of human behavior will enable middle schoolers to
  better understand complex concepts.

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Second Body Paragraph

• Once students get familiarized with the
  language, they will be able to consider concepts
  like nature versus nurture, which explores the
  ongoing debate over how much of human behavior is
  inbred and how much is determined by experience.
  Imagine the lively discussions that will erupt
  when students are exposed to such intriguing
  debates.

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Third Body Paragraph

• Undoubtedly, further deliberation will follow
  when students delve into the fascinating case
  studies as they discover background of Abnormal
  Psychology. What teenager could resist up close
  analyses of criminal minds like Jack the Ripper,
  who terrorized London in the 1800s or Lizzie
  Borden who gave her mother forty whacks. They
  will lining up to sign up for this class.

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Conclusion

• Looking at the big picture, Ms. Lyons, students
  need to get more excited about education. The
  class I propose will add spice to the curriculum.
  You will walk through the halls and hear
  intellectual conversations about Abnormal
  Psychology. Maybe a future ground breaking
  psychiatrist will be able to say, It all started
  at McCleskey Middle School during connections
  class. Lets make a positive change now to
  ensure a better future for our student body.