Power Introductions

1. Address the audience at beginning of prompt or in introduction (Dear School Board, Welcome to the Commencement Ceremony, Dear High Point Enterprise Editor, etc.). You will not lose points if you skip this step.

2. Begin with an attention getter

Anecdote-short story/tale (fiction or non-fiction) connected to Big Idea of paper o A-1 Human Rights Prompt: The night is warm and dry with a slight breeze, it feels as if God has rapped a blanket over Northern Iraq and every once in awhile a cool air is coming through the sheets. A beautiful young girl lays her ebony curls on the sand and looks up at the millions of stars, like nightlights in the sky. She daydreams about becoming an astronaut and soaring through night sky. She has her eye on one star that is brighter than the others, it seems to be moving closer to her. She closes her eyes and makes a wish. When she opens them, she is met by an explosion and just like that, her dreams are gone. This was a depiction of the bombing of the Kurds in the late 1980s and 1990s. Saddam Hussein took away these peoples basic human rights of freedom, life, liberty, and happiness, by not allowing them to be free and murdering almost the entire race. o A-2 Causes of Rising Dropout Rate: Ill always remember her as the most beautiful girl Ive ever known. She was everything I wanted to be; she was a straight A student, blonde with blue eyes, funny, and excited about life. She wasnt just any older sister-she was my idol. At least she was until she turned sixteen, when she dropped out of high school and left behind her straight As in favor of the drug-induced stupor she had come to enjoy. As students here at Trinity High School, it is our responsibility to understand why so many of our classmates are dropping out. Could it be the high rates of teen pregnancy and births, the lack of safety in public schools, or the addictions to drugs and alcohol that develop so quickly in teenagers? In any case, the question still remains, why are so many teens dropping out of high school? o A-3 Human Rights Prompt: Dear Trinity Newspaper, Everyday they got on the bus, and everyday they were sent to the back. Not because of a lack of space, but a lack in human rights. Human rights are a lifestyle that consist of standing up for what is right, surviving at all cost, and unchaining yourself of any demoralizing shackles. The true meaning of human rights is an eternity of freedom. Description and use of Imagery-a showing, not telling description of a place, event, or character and Detail (an attentive, focused look at something in particular) Interesting Facts or statistics-some noteworthy evidence o A-4 Causes of Rising Dropout Rate: Welcome students, classmates, and friends. How is it possible that only two-thirds of the students that enter high school graduate? Being the greatest nation in the world, one would expect a lower drop-out rate. Today I will talk with you about the causes, influences, and reasons behind why high school students drop-out using my observations, readings, and experiences.

o A-5 Effects of Television Prompt: Dear Archdale-Trinity Parent Guardian Association, Did you know that 28 percent of all childrens shows contain four or more incidents of violence per show? Startling Statement-a shocking, astounding, extraordinary, or unusual statement o See above Drop Out example, A-4 Question-a query that elicits thinking about your topic or theme o What is love? o See above Drop Out example, A-4 Quotation-a passage, excerpt, or selection from a recognized source or person o A-5 Human Rights Prompt: What are human rights? Websters Dictionary defines rights as that which is just, legal, morally good, or appropriate. When this term is applied to humans, id develops a very important meaning. Based on my observations, readings, and experiences, human rights is a condition that involves equality among all humans, freedom without distinction, and respect for others.

3. Explain or connect to your attention getter

Answer question o Love is the common human element connecting people from all countries, races, and cultures. o See A-5 Explain significance of statistic, fact, or term o See A-4 Connect anecdote to topic o See A-1, A-2, A-3 Explain and connect quote with topic o See A-5 Explain and connect startling statement or description to prompt o See A-4, A-1, A-2, A-3

4. Complete introduction with thesis statement that includes your 3 Big Ideas from pre-writing: Based on my observations, readings, and experiences, a No Pass No Play policy has multiple effects on students. These include higher academic achievement, an increased sense of responsibility, and a commitment to success both in and out of the classroom (Cause/Effect). CLEARLY STATE IF YOU ARE DISCUSSING CAUSES OR EFFECTS Based on my observations, readings, and experiences, love is an emotion in which individuals make a commitment to each other despite all obstacles, sacrifice for one another, and encourage each other through lifes journey (Definition Sentence Strip = Term + Class + 3 Features) 1. There must be a hook that gets the attention of the audience. It may take the form of a rhetorical question, interesting statistic, or hypothetical situation. 2. The introduction may explore the idea that the term is interpreted in several ways. 3. It may explain the significance of the word or the students reason for defining it. 4. It must contain the three-part thesis (term, class, feature) 5. It may provide the audience with an idea of the organization strategy used.