Do Now

On the next slide, answer the open-ended question in COMPLETE SENTENCES (incomplete sentences will not be graded).

What are the similarities between a train and a persuasive essay?

What is the purpose of a train?

Let me tell you a story

Once upon a time, there was a train company--Sam Houston Railway Company. Sam Houston Railway Company carried freight, usually coal. Many times Minecraft Coal, a coal company (obviously), would call Sam Houston Railway Company and request a journey to be carried out so that the coal could get from the mine in Seattle, Washington to a bustling city like Houston. The conductor of the Sam Houston Railway Company train would ask many questions: Where are we going? How much coal are we transporting? When does it have to get there?

When the conductor had received answers from Minecraft Coal for all of his questions, he sat down and began to map out the journey. He would have a lot to think about. He carefully ordered the freight cars from heaviest to lightest, putting the heaviest closer to the engine car where it could be more easily pulled forward. He calculated how much fuel he would need to get the train to its destination without stopping, but also without taking up unnecessary space and creating extra weight. He was always so careful because miscalculations meant derailments. And derailments meant loss of coal, money, and sometimes lives.
Fortunately Sam Houston Railway Company was a great company and so most of their journeys were perfectly successfulmeeting goals and impressing the world with their efficiency. Woo-Hoo! Yay! Winning! The End.

A persuasive essay is a train.

What is the purpose of a train?

For this metaphor, the purpose of a train is

to carry something from one place to another.

In the coming slides, I will show you how my story of SHRC and Minecraft Coal is so similar to the journey of a persuasive essay

Minecraft Coal The Prompt

The prompt, like the customer (Minecraft Coal), guides the writer.
It tells the writer where to go (topic), what to carry (purpose), and how much to take (length 26 lines). Carefully looking at the prompt helps you identify key words and important concepts to include.

Like the smart conductor, a good writer knows what questions to ask.

The Conductor The Thesis Statement/ You

When writing, you and your thesis statement are one. You guide the thesis statement, but also, it guides you every step of the way as you write. Your thesis statement is a PROMISE. You PROMISE to PROVE whatever you state in your thesis statement. DO NOT let your reader down by failing to keep your promise. RUBRIC: In the rubric it states, You have a clear position. All of your reasons and evidence are strongly TIED to your position.

Position = Thesis Statement!

Engine Car The Introduction

The engine car, like the introductory paragraph, propels the train forward. We trust a trains ability to get cargo where it is going based on the engine car. It is judged first and can make or break a journey (paper).

What does an introduction (engine) need?

1. Hook (the initial power, first burst of fuel) 2. Background information (the stores of fuel that will carry us for the rest of the journeybackground information is necessary preparation for the rest of the paper.) 3. Thesis statement (the conductor stands at the back of the engine car, driving the cargo cars behind it)

Next, the cargo carscarrying the coal.

Cargo Car Body 1

The cargo car is important because it carries the products that make the conductors job necessary. Your body paragraphs carry support for your thesis statement. The conductor guides the cargo cars in the same way that your thesis statement guides your body paragraphs.
What does your body paragraph/cargo car need? 1. A transition from the paragraph above 2. A solid Concrete Detail (example) to support your thesis This should be an supporting example from the news, history, pop culture, or literature. 3. An explanation of your CD On the RUBRIC it says, Your argument is well developed because you used well-chosen and specific details and examples. As you can see, it is important that you explain all of your ideas are explained in depth. 4. A concluding sentence that ties your argument back to your thesis

Cargo Car Body 1

One thing to remember about Body 1 Just like the front cargo car should be the heaviest/fullest, so it is close to the engine supplying the power, your first body paragraph should have your strongest argument.
What does your body paragraph/cargo car need? 1. A transition from the paragraph above 2. A solid Concrete Detail (example) to support your thesis This should be an supporting example from the news, history, pop culture, or literature. 3. An explanation of your CD On the RUBRIC it says, Your argument is well developed because you used well-chosen and specific details and examples. As you can see, it is important that you explain all of your ideas are explained in depth. 4. A concluding sentence that ties your argument back to your thesis

Cargo Car Body 2

Body 2 will have your second best argument/concrete detail, but still be formatted the same way as Body 1.
What does your body paragraph/cargo car need? 1. A transition from the paragraph above 2. A solid Concrete Detail (example) to support your thesis This should be an supporting example from the news, history, pop culture, or literature. 3. An explanation of your CD On the RUBRIC it says, Your argument is well developed because you used well-chosen and specific details and examples. As you can see, it is important that you explain all of your ideas are explained in depth. 4. A concluding sentence that ties your argument back to your thesis.

Cargo Car Body 3/ Counter-argument

Body 3 is special because it contains your counter-argument and rebuttal.
What does your body 3 paragraph/cargo car need?
1. A transition from the paragraph above 2. A concession - when you acknowledge or recognize the opposing viewpoint, conceding something that has some merit Readers are more likely to listen to you if you show you can see his/her point of view before you counter that argument. 3. A counter-argument last semester we called this the turn against (explaining the opposing viewpoint) In one sentence, briefly explore an argument against your thesis statement. The counter-argument is important because you cant ignore compelling opposing evidence. You must address strong arguments on the other side; if you dont, it looks like you are not well prepared and have not looked at the issue you are writing about from all perspectives. 4. A rebuttal your comeback to the counter-argument Prove them wrong and defend your thesis statement. 5. A concluding sentence that ties your argument back to your thesis

Because we havent worked with this much

Example: Thesis Students should be able to listen to music through headphones during school. Sample Body 3 It is true that students should not have headphones on when their teachers are giving a lesson (concession recognize opposing view). Students listening to music through headphones may keep them from hearing their teachers (counter-argument explain opposing view). However, when every member of the class is working individually after important information has already been given, listening to music can be a helpful learning tool. It would create a more relaxing, calm environment for learning (rebuttal explain why your thesis is correct). Some students can concentrate and work better while listening to music (conclusion).

Caboose - Conclusion
The caboose of a train ties up loose ends. It carries random tools and gauges and systems to check that the train is working. The conductor might climb to the roof to analyze the rest of the train.

Like a caboose, the conclusion ties up loose ends. Since you have spent the rest of the paper convincing readers that your thesis statement is correct, not you ask them to do something about it. 1. This is called the call to actionurge the reader to get up and do something. Sometimes it is a real action
(Example: Please consider approaching the administration of your high school and advocating that headphones to be allowed in school.) (Sometimes it is hard for schools to accept new policies that go against older ideas of what is best. Consider if this is a case of reluctance to give into new ideas.).

Sometimes it will be to think about something or consider something new

2. The last part of the conclusion should be the reworded thesis remind the reader of your position and why you are right!

Derailments Getting off topic

Something to remember: When you get off topic (not following the course set by the thesis statement/conductor) the train is at risk of running off the tracks! People could die!

At the end of your journey/paper, you must ask yourself, Did I get where I was attempting to go?