21 October: Sundiata Essay

1. Information was provided to students via PowerPoint about specific parts and details of their essay.
2. Students had time to work on their rough drafts.

Introduction: Sentence 1 = HOOK

• The hook gets the reader’s attention. This does NOT mean saying "Hey, reader, I’m going to tell you…"
• This is a sentence that makes your essay seem interesting. You have to make the reader WANT to read your essay.
• State an opinion related to your thesis.
• Create a visual image that represents your subject.
• Define a word central to your subject.
  

Introduction: Thesis Statement

• Last sentence in the introduction.
• 1 sentence stating the central idea of your essay.
• What is your main goal?
• What should be included in the sentence?
• Title of story (Sundiata or Sundiata. Why italicized/underlined instead of in quotation marks?)
• Something about the movie being a heroic quest, journey or something like this.
  Very basic example: The African epic Sundiata is a heroic quest story.
  Example: The story of Sundiata is about a journey taken by the hero Sundiata to save his country.

Body Paragraph 1: Topic = stages 1 & 2

• Topic sentence should include
  1)Call to adventure
  2)Toolkit
• Detail sentences (RENNS)
  Tell specifically what the call to adventure is.
  Give details about Sundiata’s toolkit (what helped him to defeat Soumaoro?)

Body Paragraph 2:Topic = stages 3, 4, and 5

• Topic sentence should include:
  Monstrous world
  Tests and trials
  Supreme ordeal
  Example: On his quest to save Mali from the evil sorcerer Saumaoro, Sundiata must brave many obstacles.
• Details (RENNS)
  Give specific details about the obstacles (tests and trials)

Body Paragraph 3:Topic = stages 6 & 7 (reward & recognition)

• Topic sentence should include:
  1) Reward = peace in the land
  2) Recognition = master of the world
  Examples:
  All is well in Mali after Sundiata defeats Saumaoro.
  After Sundiata defeats Saumaoro, peace is restored to the land and he becomes the master of the world.
• Details (RENNS)
  Give specific details about the reward and return.

Conclusion: Thesis restated Do NOT copy and paste your thesis from the introduction.
RESTATE (rephrase) it.

Conclusion: final statement about the story: You may want to add your thoughts about the story, characters, quest, etc.

Conclusion: insightful thought

• Give the reader something to think about without writing "You should think about…"
• This shouldn’t be about the story itself, but about the theme of the story.
• You may want to:
  Give a symbolic or powerful fact or other detail or
  Strike a note of hope