OPEN WITH A HOOK•Use an anecdote•Use a description•Use a statistic or fact•Use dialogue•Use a rhetorical question•Use a quotation•Use an unusual detail

Example of anecdote:

Idling in an unending line of smog infested cars, Mrs. Brown waited to pick up Molly, once again asking herself “Why don’t I just make her ride the bus?”

WRITING SITUATION: DUE TO GROWING CONCERNS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, YOUR LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD HAS MANDATED THAT STUDENTS MUST RIDE THE SCHOOL BUS FOR MORNING AND AFTERNOON COMMUTES. THUS PARENTS CAN NO LONGER SIT IN CAR RIDER LINES.

WRITING PROMPT: WRITE A LETTER TO THE SCHOOL BOARD TO EXPLAIN AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN ALLOWING FOR AUTOMOBILE TRANSPORTATION, WHILE STILL BEING CONSCIOUS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS.

Quote:

“Give me your tired, your poor,Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free;The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,Send these, the homeless,Tempest-tossed to meI lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

WRITING SITUATION: YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT IS NOTING A RISE IN IT’S IMMIGRANT POPULATION, ESPECIALLY THOSE IMMIGRANTS WITH STUDENTS OF SCHOOL AGE. THE SCHOOL BOARD IS LOOKING TO IT’S CURRENT STUDENT BODY TO HELP REACH OUT TO THOSE FAMILIES.

WRITING PROMPT: WRITE AN ARTICLE FOR YOUR SCHOOL PAPER DESCRIBING WAYS THAT YOUR STUDENT BODY CAN HELP TO REACH OUT TO THOSE FAMILIES AND WELCOME THOSE STUDENTS INTO THE SCHOOL IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY WILL FEEL WANTED AND BE SUCCESSFUL.

Brush Strokes:

Nose twitching, ears listening, the koala, a small bundle of grey fluff, clung to the eucalyptus tree.

WRITING SITUATION: YOUR LOCAL ZOO IS GOING TO ADD A NEW EXHIBIT. SCHOOL CHILDREN IN THE AREA ARE BEING ASKED TO OFFER SUGGESTIONS ABOUT WHICH ANIMAL TO CHOOSE.

WRITING PROMPT: WRITE A LETTER TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE ZOO TO CONVINCE HIM OR HER TO PICK THE ANIMAL YOU HAVE CHOSEN.

Question with statistic:

Did you know that 72 percent of Emperor Penguins dance as part of their daily exercise ritual?

WRITING SITUATION: THE PENGUINS AT THE ZOO ARE GETTING FAT LYING AROUND. RESEARCHERS ARE SEEKING IDEAS TO GET THE PENGUINS IN CAPTIVITY TO BE MORE FIT, LIKE THEIR WILD COUNTERPARTS.

WRITING PROMPT: WRITE A REPORT EXPLAINING THE HABITS OF PENGUINS LIVING IN THE WILD AND OFFER SUGGESTIONS ON HOW THOSE ACTIVITIES COULD BE TRANSLATED TO THE ONES IN CAPITIVITY.

MAKE IT BELIEVABLE

Grey squirrel

Red Squirrel

Make up questions to consider before you write.1. How many grey squirrels get hit by cars in suburban neighborhoods

each year?2. How far can red squirrels fly when they leave the tree limb?3. What do the local park rangers have to say about the grey squirrel

populations at the park?4. Are red squirrels native to the USA?

Believable Answers to made up questions 1. 67.4% of all grey squirrels meet their

demise by being on the business end of a motor vehicle.

2. Red squirrels are able to soar over 6 feet when they expand the skin flap

between their front and rear legs. This allows them to move through high tree tops and avoid predators on the ground.

3. Ranger Ron said in a recent interview “Grey squirrel populations have gotten so high that their existence has made it hard for patrons to enjoy the picnic areas. Something needs to be done to control them.”

4. Red squirrels are native to coniferous forests in England, Scotland and Norway, and can be found at higher elevations in Ireland.

NOW YOU TRY….

How can you use the big bad wolf as a hook for your paper? Be creative.

Writing Situation: Your school is having an increased problem with student bullying. Your principal and counselors have reached out to you to come up with a campaign to help stand up to bullies and cut down on the problem.

Writing Prompt: Write a letter to the principal in which you explain your plan and suggest ways to get students to buy in to the anti-bullying campaign.

Possible shows to pull from for a hook: DexterBreaking BadSpartacusThe Following

Or use a video game like Call of Duty.

Writing Situation: Many people believe that television and video game violence has a negative effect on society because it promotes violence. The local television stations are considering removing all television that has violent content from their stations schedule until after midnight. They plan to put their proposal to a vote on the next state wide election ballot for parents to offer their input.

Directions for writing: Write an editorial for the local paper in which you try to convince the local voters that changing the local programming is either good or bad. Be sure to provide support for your position.

ALWAYS CLOSE WITH A RESTATEMENT

•Remember it is just as important to end a paper strongly as it is to begin one. You can do this by reminding the reader what

the paper was about. Here are some ideas:

• Bring back some idea from your introduction • Summarize your thoughts

• Ask a question• Give a charge or Call to Action for a persuasive

• Look back at your hooks and think about how you could bring those ideas back into your conclusion to wrap up your paper.