Presented by Sabrina Carnesi, J amie Carpenter, and Karen DiGiorgio

1. Read the prompt carefully.

2. Write your three-part thesis sentence,
compose an attention-grabbing hook, and finish
the introductory paragraph by answering the
basic who, what, where, when, and why of your
topic.
3. Compose your support paragraphs based on
your three-part thesis sentence.
4. End with a concluding paragraph that restates
your thesis and summarizes your support
paragraphs.
Read the prompt
carefully
Prompt: The Commonwealth of
Virginia is considering raising
the age at which drivers can
obtain their license to drive
from 16 to either 18 or 21. Do
you agree or disagree with this
change? Write about what you
think is the appropriate age for
people to begin driving.
Prompt: The Commonwealth of
Virginia is considering raising
the age at which drivers can
obtain their license to drive
from 16 to either 18 or 21. Do
you agree or disagree with this
change? Write about what you
think is the appropriate age for
people to begin driving.
Answer the prompt
What is the prompt asking you to do?
What is the best age for driving 16, 18, or
21?
Do you favor some other age?
Do you think the age needs to change?
Do you think that a change is not needed?
What are your three reasons for favoring a
change?
What are your three reasons for leaving
things as they are?
Thesis Sentence
Attention-Grabbing Hook
Introductory Paragraph
The Three-Part
Thesis Sentence
Brainstorm!!!!
Brainstorm!!!
School sponsored
driver instruction
prepares teens to be
responsible drivers.
Brainstorm!!!!
School sponsored
driver instruction
prepares teens to be
responsible drivers.
Teens need to be able to
drive home after school
sponsored extra-
curricular activities.
Brainstorm!!!!
School sponsored
driver instruction
prepares teens to be
responsible drivers.
Teens are a valuable
part of the workforce
and need to be able
to drive to work.
Teens need to be able to
drive home after school
sponsored extra-
curricular activities.
Three-Part Thesis Sentence
Disagree/Dont Change the Driving Age
The Commonwealth of Virginia should not
change the age at which drivers can obtain
their license from age 16 because school
sponsored driver instruction prepares
teens to be responsible drivers, teens need
to be able to drive home after school
sponsored extra-curricular activities, and
teens are a valuable part of the workforce
and need to be able to drive to work.
Three-Part Thesis Sentence
Agree/Raise the Driving Age
The Commonwealth of Virginia should
change the age at which drivers obtain
their license from age 16 to 18 because
seniors gain more from driver training than
sophomores, the school provides free
transportation to students involved in after
school activities, and graduated seniors
can work full time allowing them to handle
the high cost of car ownership.
Attention
Grabbing
Hook
1. How would you like to have to wait
until age 18 to be able to drive?
2. Voting, marriage, and driving what
could these three things have in
common in the near future?
3. Happy sweet 16! Heres an IPod in
place of your drivers license!
4. Virginia thinks 16 is old enough to
hold down a job, yet the state wants
you to depend on Mommy for a ride
to work!
Your turn! What ideas do you have
for an attention-grabbing hook?
1.

2.

3.

4.
Introductory Paragraph
Should the Commonwealth of Virginia
raise the driving age from 16 to 18 or 21?

HOOK - to catch the readers attention
WHO does this change effect?
WHAT are the problems with the current
driving age?
WHEN would the age limit change?
WHERE will this leave teen employers?
WHY change the driving age?
THESIS sentence is the last sentence
Creating Support
Paragraphs Using
Four-Square
Support Paragraphs
Paragraph #2 (Reason #1)



Paragraph #3 (Reason #2)



Paragraph #4 (Reason #3)



Paragraph #5 - Conclusion
Restate thesis
Summarize paragraphs 2,
3, 4
Support Paragraphs
Paragraph #2 (Driver
Training)
Skilled instructors
Excellent curriculum
Stringent evaluation
Paragraph #3 (After School
Transportation)
Fewer bus stops
Dark after 5
After school activities
Paragraph #4 (Job/Work)
Parents cant transport
Bus stops fixed
Job starts after school
Paragraph #5 - Conclusion
Restate thesis
Summarize paragraphs 2,
3, 4
PARAGRAPH #2 Discuss
teen driver education program

Transition words :
To begin with
Initially, I would . . .
To begin
PARAGRAPH #3 Discuss
advantages of having own
transportation.
Transition words :
After that
After that, I would
Next, I would do


PARAGRAPH #4 Discuss
advantages of teens having
transportation to and from
Work.
Transition words :
My final
Finally


CONCLUDING Paragraph
Summarize paragraphs 2-4
and restate thesis.

Concluding sentence:
So as you can see,
In conclusion,
To conclude,
Should the Commonwealth of Virginia
raise the driving age from 16 to 18 or 21?
In conclusion . . .
Concluding sentences start with:

1.So, as you can see
2.As you have probably guessed
3.As you can see
4.In conclusion I
5.Thus, it is from these observations
6.Based on my observations I

Prompt: The Newport News
School Board is considering a
change in the school schedule
from five days, 8:15-2:50, to
four days 8:15-4:30. Do you
agree or disagree with this
change? Write about what you
think is the appropriate
schedule for Newport News
students.
Brainstorm!!!!
Three-Part Thesis Sentence

The Newport News School Board should
change the student schedule to four days
because ____________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________,
____________________________________
____________________________________,
and ________________________________
____________________________________.
Three-Part Thesis Sentence

The Newport News School Board should
leave the student schedule alone because
____________________________________
____________________________________,
____________________________________
____________________________________,
and ________________________________
____________________________________.
Your turn! What ideas do you have
for an attention-grabbing hook?
1.

2.

3.

4.
Prompt: The amount of graffiti
has greatly increased at our
school. The members of the
school board must find a way
to stop the graffiti and they are
looking for student input. Write
about what you think is an
appropriate way to resolve this
problem.
Brainstorm!!!!
Three-Part Thesis Sentence

The Newport News School Board can
resolve the graffiti problem at our school by
____________________________________
____________________________________,
____________________________________
____________________________________,
and ________________________________
____________________________________.
Your turn! What ideas do you have
for an attention-grabbing hook?
1.

2.

3.

4.