Argument Writing: Drafting the Introductory Paragraph
Great introductory paragraphs pull the reader in. Students will review the different types of hooks and practice writing effective hooks. Then students will study the structure of of the introductory paragraph and begin to craft their own.
Students will learn about the different kinds of hooks that writers use to start their essay or story.
Students will learn to write an effective introductory paragraph to an argument essay, including a hook, three supports, and their claim.
Introduction
(10 minutes)
Select 3-5 books from your class library that have good beginnings (first few paragraphs) that really hook the reader in.
Ask students: What do you think an author is thinking about when they write the beginning of a piece of writing, whether it be a story, an essay, or some other non-fiction?
Tell students that you will be reading just the beginning of a few books and after each one you will ask them to share how they think the author is trying to hook them into the story.
Read each beginning and follow up with a brief discussion about the hook.
Explain that they will crafting a “grabby” introduction to their argument writing today, and this lesson will walk them through it.