📝 Writing Introductions
Hook → Background → Thesis
⏱️ Mini-Lesson: ~25 minutes
🪝 📚 🎯
🏗️ The 3 Parts of an Introduction
1
🪝 HOOK — Grabs the reader's attention
2
📚 BACKGROUND — Gives context about the topic
3
🎯 THESIS — States your main idea + preview
Every introduction needs ALL THREE parts!
🪝
Part 1: The Hook
Quick review — you've done these before!
🪝 What's a Hook?
Hook
The first sentence(s) of your essay that grabs the reader's attention and makes them want to keep reading.
Think: What would make someone say "Ooh, tell me more!"
🪝 Types of Hooks You Can Use
❓ Question
"Have you ever wondered how a cheetah runs so fast?"
🤯 Surprising Fact
"The deep ocean is darker than the darkest night on Earth."
💭 Imagine/Picture This
"Imagine standing in an arcade in 1980, quarters in hand..."
💥 Bold Statement
"Without adaptations, no animal could survive."
⚡ Hook Tips
✅
Keep it short — 1-2 sentences is perfect
✅
Connect to your topic — Don't hook about something random!
❌
Avoid: "Hi, my name is..." or "Today I will tell you about..."
📚
Part 2: Background
Help your reader understand before you dive in
📚 What's Background Information?
Background
1-3 sentences that give your reader basic information they need to understand your topic.
It's like giving someone a quick tour before showing them the details!
🤔 Why Do We Need Background?
🎬
Imagine watching a movie that starts in the middle of a car chase. You'd be confused! Who are these people? Why are they running?
Background is like the opening scene that sets up the story.
📝 What Goes in Background?
✅ DO Include:
- Define key terms (What IS an adaptation?)
- Give general context (Where? When? What?)
- Explain why the topic matters
- Set up what's coming next
❌ DON'T Include:
- Specific details from your sources
- Statistics or numbers (save for body!)
- Everything you know about the topic
- Your opinion
📚 Background Examples
❌ Too Vague
"Animals are cool and do cool stuff."
Doesn't explain WHAT stuff or WHY it matters
VS
✅ Just Right
"Adaptations are special features that help animals survive in their environment. Over time, animals have developed amazing ways to find food, avoid predators, and stay alive."
Defines the key term, explains what it means
📏 How Long Should Background Be?
1️⃣ 2️⃣ 3️⃣
1-3 sentences is the sweet spot!
Too short? Reader is confused.
Too long? You're giving away your body paragraphs!
🎯
Part 3: The Thesis Statement
The MOST important sentence in your whole essay!
🎯 What's a Thesis Statement?
Thesis Statement
The last sentence of your introduction that states your main idea AND previews what your essay will cover.
It's like a roadmap that tells readers where you're taking them! 🗺️
💼 The Thesis Has TWO Jobs
1
State your main idea — What is this essay ABOUT?
2
Preview your points — What will your 3 body paragraphs cover?
Your thesis = Your 3 codes combined into one powerful sentence!
🔧 The Thesis Formula
For YOUR essay:
[Your Topic] + [Code 1] + [Code 2] + [Code 3]
👎 Weak vs. Strong Thesis 👍
❌ Weak
"Animals have adaptations."
• No preview of points
• Too short and vague
• Doesn't guide the reader
VS
✅ Strong
"Animals survive using special body parts, camouflage, and learned behaviors."
• Clear topic (animal survival)
• Previews all 3 points (B, C, H)
• Reader knows what's coming!
📝 More Thesis Examples
🌊 Ocean Zones:
"The ocean is divided into the sunlight zone, twilight zone, and midnight zone, each with unique conditions and creatures."
🎮 Video Games:
"Video games have evolved through three major eras: the arcade age, the console revolution, and today's modern gaming."
🚀 Thesis Starter Phrases
"[Topic] includes three key aspects: ___, ___, and ___."
"There are three main types of ___: ___, ___, and ___."
"[Topic] can be understood through ___, ___, and ___."
"From ___ to ___ to ___, [topic] shows..."
🚫 Thesis Mistakes to Avoid
❌ DON'T Say:
- "I will tell you about..."
- "This essay is about..."
- "In this essay I will..."
- "I think that..."
✅ DO Say:
- Jump right into your statement!
- State it like a fact
- Include all 3 main points
- Sound confident and clear
📋 Steps to Write Your Thesis
1
Look at your codes — What are your 3 main sections?
2
Turn codes into words — B, C, H → body parts, camouflage, behaviors
3
Add your topic — What's the overall subject?
4
Combine into one sentence — Use a starter phrase if needed!
✨
Putting It All Together
Let's see complete introductions for each topic!
🦎 Animal Adaptations
Hook Type: ❓ Question
Example Introduction
Have you ever wondered how a polar bear survives in freezing temperatures, or how a cheetah catches prey that runs almost as fast as a car? The answer is adaptations—special features that help animals survive in their environments. Over millions of years, animals have developed incredible ways to find food, hide from enemies, and handle harsh conditions. Animals survive using three main types of adaptations: body parts, camouflage, and behaviors.
🌊 Ocean Zones
Hook Type: 🤯 Surprising Fact
Example Introduction
More than 80% of our ocean remains unexplored—there are places on Earth darker and more mysterious than outer space! The ocean is not just one big body of water; it's divided into different layers, or zones, based on how much sunlight reaches them. Each zone has its own unique conditions, from bright and warm to pitch-black and freezing. The ocean can be understood through its three main zones: the sunlight zone, the twilight zone, and the midnight zone.
🎮 Video Game History
Hook Type: 💭 Imagine/Picture This
Example Introduction
Imagine walking into a dark room filled with glowing screens, the sound of electronic beeps and excited shouts filling the air—welcome to the 1980s arcade! Video games have come a long way since those early days. What started as simple dots on a screen has transformed into realistic virtual worlds that millions of people enjoy every day. From the arcade era to the console revolution to today's modern gaming, video games have evolved in incredible ways.
✅ Introduction Checklist
Before you finish, check:
- Does my hook grab attention? (Not "Hi, I'm going to tell you...")
- Does my background explain the topic basics?
- Does my thesis state my main idea?
- Does my thesis preview ALL 3 body paragraphs?
- Is my introduction 4-6 sentences total?
🪝 📚 🎯
Remember!
2. BACKGROUND — Give context
3. THESIS — Main idea + preview 3 points