English 2-3

Workshop #1 Assignment

Please complete the exercises by following the directions for each and typing directly on this document. You will find the Conclusion Paragraph Practice directly after the Introductory Paragraph Practice.

Introductory Paragraph Practice

The purpose of this exercise is to give you practice in writing introductory paragraphs, which, for some people, are the most difficult paragraph of the entire essay. For this exercise, you will write an introduction for the following topic:

Due to the shootings that have happened in our country, our nation is contemplating ways to stop future mass shootings. Some say that gun control is the only answer, while others suggests that taking guns away from citizens punishes those that follow the law and leaves them unable to protect themselves and their families from those that intend to do harm. Those in favor of gun control argue that if guns are taken from our of society, then these shootings will go away, while those against gun control argue that criminals will always find a way to obtain guns, so if guns are outlawed, only law abiding citizens will be without them. The debate is never-ending. What do you think? How should we, as a nation, stop future mass shootings? In your paper, argue how future mass shootings should be stopped. Include reasons and examples that support the argument in your thesis.

1-Attention Getter:

2-State the Problem/Issue:

3-Bridge/Linking Sentence(s):

4-Thesis Statement (should include Topic + Opinion + Reasons/Justification) :

6-Put it all together:

Please put your introduction paragraph pieces into paragraph form. You may need to revise (R.A.D.aR.) (Replace, Add, Delete, Reorder) to improve your paragraph and to help it to flow.

Concluding Paragraph Practice

For this portion assignment, you will use the Sample Essay with only Introduction and Body paragraphs below to form a concluding paragraph. First, create each part individually, then put them all together to form a conclusion.

Sample Essay:

Ninety percent of all the people in the world have taken a shower at one point in their lives. Anonymous, when he stated that “taking a shower is awesome, it makes you feel nice and clean, makes you sound like a great singer, and helps you make all of life's decisions,” is implying that showers are important because they can help people to improve their lives. Though becoming a great singer is not very important, some of Anonymous’s other points about showering are. Anonymous is correct when he refers to showers as important because showers relax people after a long day, and because some of the most important decisions are made during showers.

One of the reasons that showering is important is because it helps to relax people after a long day. Not all people end their day with work; some people have other responsibilities once they get home, and showering can aid people with these responsibilities. For example, when I get home, my wife and children are expecting to spend quality time with me, whether that is helping my children with homework, or even playing games as a family. If I am grumpy and irritable due to being tired and sore, not only will my family not want to be around me, but, most likely, I won’t be able to do these activities very effectively. Due to the soothing steam and the pressured water rhythmically massaging my sore neck, shoulders, and back, taking a shower helps to relax and rejuvenate me after my long day so that I am happier and more patient for my family, and we can enjoy the rest of the day together.

Finally, and, perhaps, most significantly, showers are important because some of life’s most crucial decisions are made during shower-time. During showers, for the most part, one is alone and can concentrate on oneself. It is during this time of peace and quiet that important decisions can be made because of the lack of interruptions. For example, as President of the United States, John F. Kennedy made all of his most important decisions in the White House shower. He claimed that because he had such a hectic schedule with numerous people surrounding him daily, the shower was one of the few places he could be alone to concentrate. Because of this place of solitude and reflection, President Kennedy was able to make decisions that enabled him to negotiate peace during the famed Cuban Missile Crisis.

7-Restate the Thesis:

8-Recap all of the main points:

9-End with a concluding statement:

10-Put it all together: