Activator: Strengths and Weaknesses

INSTRUCTIONS: First, read and review the comments and corrections made on your Summer Reading Character Analysis Essay, as well as on your rubric. Next, complete the chart below, determining what your writing strengths and weaknesses are.

Strengths Weaknesses

How to Write a Strong Essay

Principles, Guidelines, and Examples

How to Write a Strong Introduction and Thesis Statement

Introduction Paragraph Structure and Model Introduction Paragraph

Introduction Paragraph in Three Steps •Step 1-Hook: Grab your reader’s attention with a general statement about your topic. •Step 2-Explain: Briefly explain in 2 to 5 sentences what the essay will be about by introducing your topic and the texts you will discuss throughout the essay. BRIEFLY summarize each of them. •Step 3-Thesis: End your introduction with a strong thesis statement that tells your reader what you intend to discuss in your body paragraphs.

Thesis Statement Key Features•One way to think of a thesis statement is as a road map; it is a map that tells the reader where the essay will go. •You should not begin writing the body of your essay until you have written your thesis. Without a “map,” you cannot know where your essay will go.

•These are the four key features of explanatory essay thesis statements: 1. States the main idea of the essay in a complete

sentence, not a question.2. Located at the end of the introduction paragraph.3. Lists subtopics in the order that they will appear

in the essay.4. Does not directly announce the main topic.

Model Thesis Statement•The thesis statement provides the reader with a “map” for the essay by listing three subtopics.

Even though in both Perrault’s “The Little Glass Slipper” and the Grimms’ “Cinderella” the Cinderella character faces many of the 1) same obstacles, they have 2) different godmother figures and 3) magical transformations. •Subtopics 1, 2, and 3 provide the “map” because the writer will address the points in this order in the essay. • Subtopic 1 = Body Paragraph 1• Subtopic 2 = Body Paragraph 2• Subtopic 3 = Body Paragraph 3

Model Introduction Paragraph

A beautiful young woman is treated cruelly by her wicked stepmother and stepsisters, but her fairy godmother makes all of her wishes come true, and she lives happily ever after with her Prince Charming. Sound familiar? This sums up the classic story of “Cinderella,” brought to life by Disney. However, there are multiple versions of this fairy tale from different cultures around the world, all with similarities and differences. The French version of “Cinderella” by Charles Perrault is romantic and happy, where the Cinderella character forgives her evil stepsisters by finding them husbands and allowing them to live with her in the palace. In Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm’s German tale, the stepsisters are violently punished for mistreating Cinderella. Even though in both Perrault’s “The Little Glass Slipper” and the Grimms’ “Cinderella” the Cinderella character faces many of the same obstacles, they have different godmother figures and magical transformations.

This vivid description of

the Disney story hooks the

reader.This middle

section briefly explains what the essay will be about and

summarizes the two versions.

This thesis statement

expresses the main idea of

the essay in a complete

sentence.

How to Write a Strong Body Paragraph

Body Paragraph Structure and Model Body Paragraph

Body Paragraph Structure• T: Topic sentence-Start with a transitional word or phrase, and then provide a clear and specific statement of what the subject of the paragraph will be. • For your first body paragraph, your topic sentence should

introduce the first similarity or difference that you listed in your thesis statement.

• E: Evidence-Provide at least two properly cited direct quotes from one or both of your texts, along with additional specific supporting examples and details from the stories. The evidence that you include should support/prove your topic sentence.•A: Analysis-Explain and discuss how the evidence that you provided supports the topic sentence. •S: Summarize-Provide a summary of this paragraph’s point, therefore providing a sense of closure. This sentence should clearly indicate that you are moving onto your next point and smoothly transition to the next paragraph.

Model Body ParagraphFirst off, in the French and German

versions of the “Cinderella” story, Cinderella must overcome similar obstacles. The chores which both Cinderella characters must perform are perhaps the most comparable obstacle between the two tales. In the French text, Cinderella “scoured the dishes, tables, etc., and cleaned madam's chamber, and those of misses” (Perrault). The German Cinderella “had to do hard work from morning until evening, get up before daybreak, carry water, make the fires, cook, and wash” (Grimms). Both Cinderella characters are forced to complete household chores for their stepmother and stepsisters on their journeys. Not only must both face these same obstacles before they can reach their “happily ever after,” but both must also receive help from their godmothers.

Topic Sentence: Clearly states that

the topic of the paragraph will be

how the obstacles are similar.

Evidence: Quotes that support that the

obstacles are the same: household

chores.Analysis: Explains how the Evidence supports the Topic

sentence.Summarize Sentence:

Summarizes the paragraph’s point

about the obstacles, and transitions to

the next paragraph, which will be about

the godmother figures.

Direct Quotes•You must put any direct quote in quotation marks and quote it word for word, followed by a parenthetical citation. •For your “Cinderella” Compare and Contrast Essay, your parenthetical citations will include one of the following:• Author’s or authors’ last name• Shortened text title

•You enclose one of the above in parentheses, which is followed by a period.• (Last name). = (Perrault).• (“Title”). = (“Cinderella”).

How to Write a Strong Conclusion Paragraph

Conclusion Paragraph Structure and Model Conclusion Paragraph

Conclusion Paragraph Structure1. Restate your thesis in a new

way.•Do not simply rewrite it; come up with a fresh way to remind your reader about your essay’s objective.

2. Summarize.• Summarize the essay’s main ideas by revisiting some of the evidence you provided and the points you made in your body paragraphs.

3. “So what?”• Address the greater significance of your topic. In this case, think about how the similarities and differences you covered in your essay reveal either different or similar themes. You need to make sure your reader knows why your thesis is important and isn’t left asking “so what?” about your point.

Model Conclusion Paragraph

Even though Perrault’s “The Little Glass Slipper” shares similar obstacles with the Grimms’ “Cinderella,” the godmother figures and magical transformations are very different. Both stories’ Cinderella characters must overcome the obstacle of performing dirty housework. Though both have godmother figures, the French version’s godmother is the classic fairy godmother, while the German version’s godmother is a white bird who grants Cinderella’s wishes. The magical transformations which cause Cinderella’s wishes to come true are different as well. Perrault’s fairy godmother uses her magic wand to transform animals and Cinderella’s clothes, but the Grimm brothers’ white bird simply gives Cinderella the garments she needs to attend the festival at the hazel tree. All in all, despite the dissimilar cultures and elements of the tales, there are enough similarities so that they both carry a very similar message: treat others the way you want to be treated, a message which rings true no matter what culture one comes from.

The 1st sentence

restates the thesis in a new way.

The middle summarizes the essay’s

main points.The end

addresses the greater

significance: despite cultural

differences, the message remains the

same.