One-Paragraph Essay? Laying the Foundation

Transcription

1 One-Paragraph Essay? Laying the Foundation

2 Basic Structure Topic Sentence Reworded Topic Sentence

3 Formula Topic Sentence

4 Boundary Waters Topic Sentence Reworded Topic Sentence The Boundary Waters Canoe Area, a wilderness park in northern Minnesota, is a refreshing change from the city. Away from the din of civilization, I have canoed silently across the waters for an entire afternoon and not heard a single noise except an occasional birdcall and the sound of waves beating against the shore. Also, my partner and I were able to navigate our way through a string of five lakes merely by following a single campfire s scent drifting through the pure air. Most refreshing, the park is so magnificently beautiful that even the voyageurs of old were willing to endure the hardships in order to settle there. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area is thus an ideal place to clear one s head of the congestion of urban life.

5 Boundary Waters Topic Sentence Reworded Topic Sentence The Boundary Waters Canoe Area is a refreshing change Quietness Purity of the air Beauty Ideal place to clear head of congestion of urban life

6 Grandmother s Farm Even though I have never really lived there, going to my grandmother s farm always seems like coming home. The feeling begins as soon as I cross the threshold of that quaint little house and tumble into the arms of waiting aunts and cousins. The sense of welcome overwhelms me. Then there are the cozy rooms the ceiling are no higher than six feet with their crackling fireplaces that make me want to snuggle down into the feather-stuffed chairs. But the memory that always lasts the longest is the smell of Grandma s biscuits and pastries cooking in her coke-fed stove. Yes, only in Grandma s house do I feel the warmth and welcome that always seems like coming home.

7 Grandmother s Farm Topic Sentence Reworded Topic Sentence Going to my grandmother s farm seems like coming home Greeting by relatives Coziness of house Smell of home-cooked meals Visiting Grandma s seems like coming home

8 How Much General Rule: 3

9 Distractions Three common electric distractions on my desk waste my precious study time at night. The most notorious of these distractions is the clock, constantly humming to remind me how little time I actually have. Another interruption in the course of an evening of study comes when the high-quality fluorescent desk lamp begins to buzz, flicker, and eventually go out. Finally, consider that fascinating little box, the calculator, that does all kinds of complicated math problems and even spells out words if held upside down. After stopping to worry about the time, fix my lamp, and play with the calculator, I am too tired to study, so I just go to bed.

10 Distractions Topic Sentence Reworded Topic Sentence Three electrical distractions waste my time The humming clock reminds me of passing time The desk lamp buzzes, flickers, and goes out The calculator is available for play After these distractions, I m too tired to study

11 Grandfather s Hands Old, stiff, and weathered, my grandfather s hands mirror the strenuous way of life he has known as a working man. Many hot summer days spent tilling the stubborn soil of West Texas have left their lasting mark in the form of a deep and permanent tan. Grandpa s hands are also covered with calluses begun when he split cordwood for two dollars a day in an effort to pull his family through the Great Depression. Most striking, though, are the carpenter s scars he has collected from the days of building his house, barn, and fence, and from unending repair jobs that still occupy his every day. Although only in a small way, Grandpa s hands bring back images of a time when men worked hard from dawn to dusk just to survive, a simple but respected way of life.

12 Practice 2-- Outline Topic Sentence Reworded Topic Sentence Grandfather s hands mirror his strenuous working life Work in the sun left a permanent tan Splitting wood left calluses Carpentry left scars Grandpa s hands recall his life of work

13 Self-Practice 1 Develop a paragraph from the working thesis Despite some very obvious differences, chickens and oranges are quite similar.