Can One Person Make a Difference WOD Essay

“Can One Person Make a Difference? ” WOD Essay English 9 Mr. Cambra Perry High School

The Prompt ▪ In a well-developed essay, develop a position on whether or not one person can make a difference in society.

Introduction Paragraph ▪ Hook- pique the interest of your reader ▪ Thesis- address the prompt & let your reader know what you believe

Hook Example 1 (metaphor) ▪ Hook- pique the interest of your reader A little bee makes a big difference to its hive. Bees pollinate flowers, build the hive and protect the queen. People also make a big difference in their society.

Hook Example 2 (quote) ▪ Hook- pique the interest of your reader Elie Wiesel, a holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner, calls individuals to take action against oppression when he states that "if we forget, we are guilty, we are accomplices. ”

Hook Example 3 (anecdote) ▪ Hook- pique the interest of your reader She was a mother to all that needed her. She helped the poor, fed the hungry, operated over 500 missions in more than 100 countries. This extraordinary individual went by the name of Mother Teresa.

Hook Example 4 (analogy) ▪ Hook- pique the interest of your reader As one stone dropped in water ripples out to the entire lake, so does one person's ideas affect change throughout the world.

Hook Example 5 (historical anecdote) ▪ Hook- pique the interest of your reader When one person refused to give up her seat on a bus it changed everything. Rosa Parks made a difference for all African-Americans and their human rights. Rosa Parks is the perfect example of how one person can make a difference in society.

Thesis Statements ▪ Thesis- address the prompt & let your reader know what you believe ▪ Try starting with a concession (acknowledging the opposition) ▪ Start with “Although …” or “[Statement]; however, …”

Thesis Statements “Although some may think that the University of Arizona is the best school in the state, ASU has proven to be the best for many reasons. ” You try: “Although

Thesis Statements “Dunkin Donuts hosts an impressive selection of donuts, tasty coffee and a relaxed atmosphere; however, Krispy Kreme has a wider variety of donuts that are the best tasting and freshest in all of Arizona. ” You try: “[Statement]; …”

Thesis Example 1 ▪ Thesis- address the prompt & let your reader know what you believe Although improving the issues that challenge our society often require the cooperation of thousands of people, one dedicated person of integrity can make a huge difference.

Thesis Example 2 ▪ Thesis- address the prompt & let your reader know what you believe Making a positive difference in our society today is often challenging and time-consuming, but one dedicated person of honor can make a strong impact in the community and nation.

Thesis Example 3 ▪ Thesis- address the prompt & let your reader know what you believe A single upright person can make a world of difference in his or her society if he or she is willing to pledge time and effort to the cause.

Thesis Example 4 ▪ Thesis- address the prompt & let your reader know what you believe Despite the numerous difficulties facing our world today, an individual person of decency can affect society in a real and positive way.

Intro Paragraph Example 1 As one stone dropped in water ripples out to the entire lake, so does one person's ideas affect change throughout the world. Although improving the issues that challenge our society often requires the cooperation of thousands of people, one dedicated person of integrity can make a huge difference.

Intro Paragraph Example 2 Elie Wiesel, a holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner, calls individuals to take action against oppression when he states that "if we forget, we are guilty, we are accomplices. ” Making a positive difference in our society today is often challenging and time-consuming, but one dedicated person of honor can make a strong impact in the community and nation.

Intro Paragraph Example 3 A little bee makes a big difference to its hive. Bees pollinate flowers, build the hive and protect the queen. People also make a big difference in their society. A single upright person can make a world of difference in his or her society if he or she is willing to pledge time and effort to the cause.

Intro Paragraph Example 4 When one person refused to give up her seat on a bus it changed everything. Rosa Parks made a difference for all African-Americans and their human rights. Rosa Parks is the perfect example of how one person can make a difference in society. Despite the numerous difficulties facing our world today, an individual person of decency can affect society in a real and positive way.

How to Cite the Sources ▪ A quote from a book: –“ … a fine example of a person who cares” (Wiesel 42). ▪ A quote from an article w/no author: –“… a fine example of a person who cares” (“Wangari Maathai” 1).

How to Cite the Sources (cont. ) ▪ A quote from a PSA: –A public service announcement created by the Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, shows two elementary students standing in a classroom, one holding a assault rifle and one holding an egg. The PSA …

How to Cite the Sources (cont. ) ▪ A quote from a PSA: – … tries to promote the message that assault rifles are dangerous to children, and that they should be regulated more closely.

Body Paragraphs ▪ Topic Sentence- statement that clarifies your focus for the paragraph ▪ SEE-set- statement, example, explanation ▪ Concluding Sentence- commentary that ties these SEE-sets back to your topic sentence

SEE-sets ▪ S—Statement about your topic that you are going to prove and explain. ▪ E—Evidence that proves your topic (*source-based) ▪ E—Explanation or Elaboration of that evidence that connects it back to your original statement. *Source Evidence-This is evidence taken from a text. It must be punctuated AND cited appropriately.

SEE-set Exemplar Statement Evidence Explanation ▪ Arizona State University is the best college in the state of Arizona. U. S. News & World Report, ASU is ranked #2 nationally on its list of schools that are making the most innovative changes in the areas of academics, faculty and student life. ASU is a leader in student entrepreneurship, knowledge delivery and student support services, and is continually offering new degrees in emerging fields. No other school from the state of Arizona made the list.

Tr an sit ion Topic Sent. Statement Evidence Explanation Body Paragraph Example 1 One way in which individuals can make a difference is by creating organizations that work to bring about change. For example, an African woman named Wangari Maathai created the Green Belt Movement (GBM) to help conservation efforts, women’s rights and other social issues in her home country (“Wangari Maathai”). Maathai admits that “It took [her] a lot of days and nights to convince people that women could improve their environment without much financial resources” (“Wangari Maathai”). Even though it was difficult and Maathai suffered physical abuse and arrests by authorities, she proves with her actions that one person indeed can make a difference- she has been elected a deputy environment minister and leader of the GBM.

Tr an sit ion Statement Evidence Explanation Conclusion Body Paragraph Example 1 (Cont) Another example comes from Danny Mendoza, a young man from California who witnessed his 9 year-old cousin struggling with homelessness. Mendoza created the Together We Rise Organization that aims to help children in foster care by providing support, music education, sports and job readiness (“Do Something”). Danny Medoza used his resourcefulness and determination to provide a better opportunity for the long-term success of foster children. Both Wangari Maathai and Danny Mendoza serve as great role models for people wanting to enact change. They worked hard to create organizations that assisted their communities.

Tr an sit ion Topic Sent. Statement Body Paragraph Example 2 Another way in which individuals can make a difference is by taking action when there is a problem. For example, [introduce evidence from a source that exhibits “taking action”]. Evidence [Provide evidence from your source and cite (ie. source B)]. Explanation [Explain in detail HOW this piece of evidence supports the topic sentence. ] Conclusion [Include another SEEset like the one above. ] [Write concluding sentence here. ]

Conclusions should give a finished feeling to the essay. It should come full circle, completing the ideas begun in the introduction. However, the conclusion should NEVER simply repeat the information from the introduction paragraph (boring).

Conclusions Try one of these techniques: ▪ Restate thesis USING NEW WORDS (paraphrasing) ▪ Connect back to your hook but put a spin on it, add wit. ▪ A final statement that is a call to action (argumentative).

Conclusions Try one of these techniques: ▪ Use a rhetorical question: “Can American businesses change their culture of greed? ” Then answer the question and include a call to action. ▪ Refer back to your intro anecdote or quote and then discuss them (connect back to thesis). ▪ Close with a simple analogy, allusion, metaphor or quote: For example, “Deciding to improve your community is like …”