The 5 Paragraph Essay. 4 Easy Steps to Writing a 5 Paragraph Essay...

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Dale Chapman
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1 The 5 Paragraph Essay 4 Easy Steps to Writing a 5 Paragraph Essay...

The Secret To Getting an A in School... Are you ready to learn the secret to getting an A in English, history, science, and debate for the rest of your Middle School, High School and College career?

2 The Secret To Getting an A in School... Are you ready to learn the secret to getting an A in English, history, science, and debate for the rest of your Middle School, High School and College career? Are you ready to learn how to ace any standardized writing test that comes your way? Are you ready to wow your parents and your teachers with your writing skills? Then you are ready to learn about.

3 The Five Paragraph Essay

4 The Introductory Paragraph... There is one, very simple trick that will get you on your way to writing an impressive 5 paragraph essay...and that is knowing how to write an excellent introductory paragraph...

5 The Introductory Paragraph... The introductory paragraph of your 5 paragraph essay should include: I. Create a WEB II. HOOK III. THESIS IV. BLUEPRINT

6 Part I: Creating a Web When you are given a 5 paragraph essay writing assignment, always begin by creating a web of your ideas!

7 Create a WEB of Ideas about the Following Topic: Ways to Annoy a brother or sister.

8 Create a WEB of Ideas about the Following Topic: Chores I hate to do.

9 Create a WEB of Ideas about the Following Topic: Things to do over summer vacation.

Part II: Developing a Thesis Once you have completed a web of ideas, you are ready to move onto developing your thesis statement. Your thesis is the heart of your paper.

10 Part II: Developing a Thesis Once you have completed a web of ideas, you are ready to move onto developing your thesis statement. Your thesis is the heart of your paper. A thesis statement is basically your opinion about the essay topic you have assigned. A thesis statement is not something you should come up with quickly. It takes time to formulate a thoughtful thesis statement.

11 Steps to Writing a Thoughtful Thesis: When given a topic for an essay, always begin by creating a web and brainstorming ideas about the topic. After you have constructed a good web, it is time to form your thesis. Here are the steps involved in forming a strong thesis: Steps to writing a thoughtful THESIS: 1. Look at your web and form an opinion about the topic. State your opinion clearly. Do not be wishy-washy. (*You do not need to include I believe; I think; in my opinion etc. in your thesis statement. This is implied.) Your thesis statement should not be broad. It should be specific. 2. Next, create three main points you will use to defend your stance. These will be used as the blueprint of your essay and will be used as the basis for the next three paragraphs of your essay.

12 Example of a Thoughtful Thesis Statement: An example of a thesis statement might be, "As the world's population continues to grow, the need for lawmakers to step up to protect fragile ecosystems in order to maintain biological diversity is at an all-time high." **A thesis statement is made by taking a specific statement and creating a position that may be opposed or challenged.

13 Example of a Thoughtful Thesis Statement: An example of a thesis statement in favor of human cloning is: "Human cloning allows people who would not otherwise be able to reproduce have genetically related children." A thesis statement opposed to human cloning is: "Human cloning reduces the inherent uniqueness of the individual by creating an exact copy."

14 Tips on writing a good thesis...

15 A Good Thesis Is Not Too Broad A good argumentative thesis is focused and not too broad. It s important to stay focused! Don t try to argue an overly broad topic in your essay, or you re going to feel confused and unsure about your direction and purpose. In an essay about fast food in America: *Don t write, Eating fast food is bad and should be avoided. This statement is too general and would be nearly impossible for you to defend. It leaves a lot of big questions to answer. Is all fast food bad? Why is it bad? Who should avoid it? Why should anyone care? *Do write, Americans should eliminate the regular consumption of fast food because the fast food diet leads to preventable and expensive health issues, such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. In this example, I ve narrowed my argument to the health consequences related to a diet of fast food. I ve also chosen to focus on Americans rather than everyone in the universe. (Because, as we all know, inhabitants of the faraway planet Double-patty 5 require the starches and fats inherent in fast food to survive).

A good thesis is centered on a DEBATABLE topic... In an essay about homeless people in Berkley: Don t write, There are high numbers of homeless people living in Berkeley, California.

16 A good thesis is centered on a DEBATABLE topic... In an essay about homeless people in Berkley: Don t write, There are high numbers of homeless people living in Berkeley, California. No one can argue for or against this statement. It s not debatable. It s just a fact. An argument over this non-debatable statement would go something like this: There are lots of homeless people in Berkeley. Yes, there sure are a bunch of them out there. Yup. As you can see, that s not much of an argument

17 A good thesis is centered on a DEBATABLE topic... Do write, Homeless people in Berkeley should be given access to services, such as regular food donations, public restrooms, and camping facilities, because it would improve life for all inhabitants of the city. Now that s debatable: Opponents could easily argue that homeless people in Berkeley already receive adequate services ( just look at all those luxurious sidewalks! ), or perhaps that they shouldn t be entitled to services at all ( get a job, ya lazy loafers! ).

18 A good argumentative thesis picks a side. Picking a side is pretty much the whole entire point of writing a thesis statement Just as you can t root for both the Yankees and the Mets, you can t argue both sides of a topic in your thesis statement. Don t write, Secondhand smoke is bad and can cause heart disease and cancer; therefore, smoking should be outlawed in public places, but outlawing smoking is unfair to smokers so maybe non-smokers can just hold their breath or wear masks around smokers instead. A wishy-washy statement like this will make your reader scratch his head in puzzlement. Are you for smoking laws or against them? Yankees or Mets? Mets or Yankees? Pick a side, and stick with it! Then stick up for it.

19 Pick a side and stick with it! Then stick up for it! Do write, Secondhand smoke is just as harmful as smoking and leads to a higher prevalence of cancer and heart disease. What s worse, people who inhale secondhand smoke are doing so without consent. For this reason, smoking in any public place should be banned.

A Good Thesis Makes Claims That Will Be Supported Later in the Essay It s important to first include a summary of your claims in your thesis statement.

20 A Good Thesis Makes Claims That Will Be Supported Later in the Essay It s important to first include a summary of your claims in your thesis statement. During the course of your essay, you will back each of your claims with well-researched evidence. Don t write, Humans should relocate to Mars. This statement doesn t include any supporting claims. Why should humans move to Mars? What are the benefits of moving to a planet without oxygen or trees? Do write, It is too late to save earth; therefore, humans should immediately set a date for their relocation to Mars where, with proper planning, they can avoid issues of famine, war, and global warming. This statement includes some (three) thought-provoking claims. The reader will wonder how the author plans to defend them. ( Famine, war, and global warming can be easily avoided on Mars? Go on )

Examples of Good Thesis Statements *These are not necessarily the views of your teacher Why Vaccinations Should Be Mandatory Today, nearly 40% of American parents refuse to vaccinate their children

21 Examples of Good Thesis Statements *These are not necessarily the views of your teacher Why Vaccinations Should Be Mandatory Today, nearly 40% of American parents refuse to vaccinate their children due to a variety of unfounded fears. Vaccinations against diseases such as polio, rubella, and mumps, should be mandatory, without exception, for all children of the U.S. who wish to attend school. These vaccinations are critical to the control and eradication of deadly infectious diseases.

Example of a Good Thesis Our School Is Too Dependent on Technology Our school s dependence on technology has caused students to lose the ability to think independently.

22 Example of a Good Thesis Our School Is Too Dependent on Technology Our school s dependence on technology has caused students to lose the ability to think independently. This dependence has caused a greater prevalence of mood disorders, memory loss, and loneliness. Educators should combat these issues by requiring students to participate in regular technology detoxes.

23 Example of a Good Thesis: The U.S. Media Should Update the Depiction of Traditional Families The U.S. media depicts the traditional family as being comprised of a mother, father, and children; however, this notion of the traditional family is outdated and can be harmful to children who look to this as the gold standard. The U.S. media should, therefore, expand and redefine the definition of the traditional American family to include divorced and remarried parents, extended families living together, and families with same-gender parents. This will increase the overall sense of happiness and well-being among children whose families don t necessarily fit the mold.

24 Part III:The Hook English teachers often read 100 essays per week. Employers often read hundreds of resumes a year. College admissions officers often read 50 essays for each spot that is available at their University.Record labelers often listen to hundreds of artists before choosing the one they will sign. Movie directors often receive thousands of movie scripts a year. All good writers, song writers and reporters know how to hook their readers. Many do not read/listen past the first line! MAKE YOURS COUNT! Hook your reader! Once you know what your thesis statement is going to be, you can hook your reader!

25 Expository Grabbers : Use one of these to hook your reader! Rhetorical Question: Why do adults insist that kids have to go to bed so early on school nights? Mystery Statement: Deep down in the ocean lurks a dangerous killing machine. Strong persuasive statement: Every kid who cares about the future of the Camera Club should vote for Jackson Tyler as the new club president. Opinion: Mountain biking is more fun than going to the mall or playing video games.

Ask a Question... How many times have you been told to move your lazy derriere from the computer and exercise instead? The truth is, computers are a huge part of everybody s life.

26 Ask a Question... How many times have you been told to move your lazy derriere from the computer and exercise instead? The truth is, computers are a huge part of everybody s life. From business offices to your own living room, computers are everywhere. In contemporary society, computers are everywhere. In contemporary society, people must be computer literate to survive. Used to type documents, access the Internet, and communicate, the computer has become a necessity to survive.

Start with an Analogy. -Pounding. Forever pounding the anvil is the hammer. The clash of steel and iron as they meet on the cold, rusty anvil permeates the air and echoes through it.

27 Start with an Analogy. -Pounding. Forever pounding the anvil is the hammer. The clash of steel and iron as they meet on the cold, rusty anvil permeates the air and echoes through it. All the while, the sturdy, resilient anvil provides the support needed to withstand the blows of the hammer. It is forever the broad base to be bashed and smashed to make the ireon stronger and to giver the hammer strength in return. In Great Expectations by Charles Dickens the lower class of nineteenth-century England is the anvil; the upper class is the hammer. Through this portrait of the social classes, Dickens illustrates that social rank causes people to act foolishly, misjudge character, and lose themselves in order to conform to society s expectations..

28 Use a Quotation.. -Use a quotation- To err is human, to forgive is divine, Alexander Pope s words are relevant in contemporary society and in Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.

29 Create an Interesting Simile Example: Growth without experience is like a bridge without support. In Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, the protagonist, Pip, struggles to bridge the gap between the lower and upper classes as he strives to attain higher social status. Dickens illustrates that true growth can only happen in stages. Thus, as Pip s expectations shatter, he discovers his internal weaknesses, removes his blinders, and becomes a true gentleman.

30 Practice Writing a Hook for the following thesis statement: Americans should eliminate the regular consumption of fast food because the fast food diet leads to preventable and expensive health issues, such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.

31 Practice writing a hook for the following thesis statement: Schools are too dependent on technology.

32 Practice Writing a hook for the following thesis statement : The best Holiday of the year is Christmas.

33 Summative Assessment: Practice Writing a Hook for the following thesis statement: People should become vegetarian to save the planet. **Please turn this in on Google Classroom! Your piece should include a thoughtful hook and the prompt!

34 Step III: The Blueprint The blueprint, typically found in the thesis paragraph, is a list of the topics you plan to cover in order to prove your thesis. The rest of your paper will be spent dedicated to defending your thesis through the exploration of these three topic.

Excellent Blueprints... Here are some examples of excellent blueprints: Thesis statement + This paper will explore the economic, racial, and religious messages in Huckleberry Finn.

35 Excellent Blueprints... Here are some examples of excellent blueprints: Thesis statement + This paper will explore the economic, racial, and religious messages in Huckleberry Finn. Thesis statement + The Great Depression s lasting impact on the structure of the working class family, the goals of public school education, and the social attitudes of a whole generation explain why [refer back to thesis]. The biography Black Elk Speaks challenges the Western genre s stereotype of the savage Indian through its attention to cultural detail, its use of Indian words, and its direct quotes from Black Elk. In Charlie Chaplin s Modern Times, his character The Little Tramp symbolizes the simple human values that are threatened by industrialism: leisure, self-reliance, and compassion.

36 An Excellent Blueprint: Thesis statement + This paper will explore the economic, racial, and religious messages in Huckleberry Finn.

37 An Excellent Blueprint: Thesis statement + The Great Depression s lasting impact on the structure of the working class family, the goals of public school education, and the social attitudes of a whole generation explain why [refer back to thesis].

38 An Excellent Blueprint: The biography Black Elk Speaks challenges the Western genre s stereotype of the savage Indian through its attention to cultural detail, its use of Indian words, and its direct quotes from Black Elk.

39 An Excellent Blueprint: In Charlie Chaplin s Modern Times, his character The Little Tramp symbolizes the simple human values that are threatened by industrialism: leisure, self-reliance, and compassion.

40 Write a blueprint for the following thesis statements: The best Holiday of the year is Christmas.

41 Write a blueprint for the following thesis statements: It is important for students to read for 20 minutes/night.

42 Write a blueprint for the following thesis statements: Recycling is important.

43 Put it all together in our THESIS STATEMENT THROWDOWN!!!!!!! Are you ready for a thesis statement throwdown?? Write a paragraph that includes a hook, thesis statement, and a blueprint. (To Teacher: Play Eye of the Tiger/Have three students face off at the board.) Topic #1 Should College tuition be free? Topic #2 Should zoos be abolished? Topic #3 Should all people be vegetarian?

44 Summative Assessment Please write a hook, thesis, and blueprint for the following statement: It is important that students read for twenty minutes per night. Be sure that your hook is a thoughtful one. You can agree with the prompt, or you can disagree with it in your thesis statement. Finally, include a blueprint for your essay. Always revise and edit your work for spelling and grammatical errors.

ANALYZING NAPOLEON S ACTIONS: DID HE ADVANCE OR REVERSE FRENCH REVOLUTION?

ANALYZING NAPOLEON S ACTIONS: DID HE ADVANCE OR REVERSE FRENCH REVOLUTION? The Goals of the French Revolution as stated in the Declaration of the Rights of Man (1789) The power in the government comes