Bell WorkBell Work

Imagine that you were being required to Imagine that you were being required to write a narrative about your voyage from write a narrative about your voyage from your previous class to English (passing your previous class to English (passing period). period).

How would you begin your narrative?......How would you begin your narrative?......Now that you’re finished brainstorming, Now that you’re finished brainstorming, write the introduction to this narrative.write the introduction to this narrative.This should take 3-5 minutes.This should take 3-5 minutes.

Effective Beginnings!Effective Beginnings!

The beginning of your essay is The beginning of your essay is vitalvital to to drawing your reader into your piece.drawing your reader into your piece.

What writers do:What writers do: Good WritersGood Writers

Capture the readers’ Capture the readers’ interestinterest

Keep the readers’ Keep the readers’ interestinterest

Use elements of a Use elements of a personal narrative:personal narrative: F____ L____F____ L____ D____D____ I_____ M____I_____ M____ S____ D_____S____ D_____

Bad WritersBad Writers Use boring verbsUse boring verbs Do not use helping Do not use helping

verbs, adjectives, or verbs, adjectives, or adverbsadverbs

Do not use quotesDo not use quotes Do not use figurative Do not use figurative

languagelanguage

The The ANECDOTEANECDOTE

Most often used in narrative and Most often used in narrative and persuasive writing.persuasive writing.

To capture your reader’s interest, good To capture your reader’s interest, good writers could draw from:writers could draw from: current eventscurrent events historyhistory Personal experiencePersonal experience

The The ANECDOTEANECDOTE

A couple of nights ago, someone offered A couple of nights ago, someone offered me a cigarette at a party. I started to say me a cigarette at a party. I started to say no, but I had to reflect for a minute. Why no, but I had to reflect for a minute. Why don’t I smoke?don’t I smoke?

Analogy / ComparisonAnalogy / Comparison

Gets readers to contemplate a topic they Gets readers to contemplate a topic they might otherwise reject as unfamiliar or might otherwise reject as unfamiliar or uninteresting.uninteresting.

Pair seemingly unrelated conceptsPair seemingly unrelated concepts

Analogy / ComparisonAnalogy / Comparison

The Gods, they say, give breath, and they The Gods, they say, give breath, and they take it away. But the same could be said take it away. But the same could be said – could it not? – for the humble comma. – could it not? – for the humble comma. Add it to the present clause and, all of a Add it to the present clause and, all of a sudden, the mind is, quite literally, given sudden, the mind is, quite literally, given pause to think; take it out if you wish or pause to think; take it out if you wish or forget it and the mind is deprived of a forget it and the mind is deprived of a resting place.resting place.

Facts & StatisticsFacts & Statistics

Brief facts or stats to support the purpose Brief facts or stats to support the purpose of your essay.of your essay.

Be careful: while shock is an effective Be careful: while shock is an effective attention-grabber, don’t lie!attention-grabber, don’t lie! Don’t be Don’t be Fox NewsFox News and exaggerate ad and exaggerate ad

nauseum. nauseum.

Facts & StatisticsFacts & Statistics

Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln were born Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln were born on the same day – February 12, 1809. They on the same day – February 12, 1809. They are also linked in another curious way. Both are also linked in another curious way. Both must simultaneously play, and for similar must simultaneously play, and for similar reasons, the role of man and legend.reasons, the role of man and legend.

Twenty thousand teens will die this year from Twenty thousand teens will die this year from AIDS. Twenty thousand thought it couldn’t AIDS. Twenty thousand thought it couldn’t happen to them.happen to them.

Irony / HumorIrony / Humor

Signals to the reader that your story will Signals to the reader that your story will be entertaining to read.be entertaining to read.

Irony can indicate an unexpected Irony can indicate an unexpected approach to a topic.approach to a topic.

Irony / HumorIrony / Humor

In Moulmein, in lower Burma, I was hated by large numbers In Moulmein, in lower Burma, I was hated by large numbers of people – the only time in my life that I have been of people – the only time in my life that I have been important enough for this to happen to me.important enough for this to happen to me.

The desk is so untidyThe desk is so untidy, the student thought. , the student thought. I must do I must do laundry. Maybe I need to mow the lawnlaundry. Maybe I need to mow the lawn? He went ? He went downstairs and began talking with his mother, helping her downstairs and began talking with his mother, helping her put the groceries away.put the groceries away.

““Mom,” he said, smiling, “you want to watch Mom,” he said, smiling, “you want to watch Seventh Seventh HeavenHeaven with me?” with me?”

Sounds like a great person, right? Considerate? Think Sounds like a great person, right? Considerate? Think again. This is the procrastinator extreme. He would rather again. This is the procrastinator extreme. He would rather help around the house than complete his homework!help around the house than complete his homework!

AVOID IT!AVOID IT!

Apology: I am a student who is not an Apology: I am a student who is not an expert…expert…

COMPLAINT: I would rather write about COMPLAINT: I would rather write about something else…something else…

DICTIONARY: The dictionary defines…DICTIONARY: The dictionary defines… REFERENCE THE TITLE: As you can REFERENCE THE TITLE: As you can

see by the title, my paper is going to be…see by the title, my paper is going to be…

Review & PracticeReview & Practice

1.1. AnecdoteAnecdote

2.2. AnalogyAnalogy

3.3. Irony / humorIrony / humor

4.4. Facts / statisticsFacts / statistics

Describe your voyage from your previous Describe your voyage from your previous class to English (passing period) in an class to English (passing period) in an introduction paragraph (4-8 sentences). introduction paragraph (4-8 sentences).

Your PromptYour Prompt

Reflect on a time you remember being Reflect on a time you remember being responsible for yourself or for another responsible for yourself or for another person. What happened and what did person. What happened and what did you learn? you learn?