2. AGENDA
S Change teams
S Presentation:
Review: Ngo and Toufexis
Friedman: Anecdotes; Compare and Contrast
Holmes: Illustrations and Examples
Basic Features
Discussion: Ways to begin your concept essay.
S In-Class Writing:
• Focusing your Concept
4. S
Concept Essay Reading Review
“Cannibalism It Still Exists” by Ngo
“Love: The Right Chemistry” by Toufexis
5. First, briefly summarize Ngo’s essay.
What is the concept about which Ngo writes?
Which extended anecdote does Ngo use to
help explain the concept?
What is his thesis?
How does he define and classify his concept?
Which are Categories? What are the
Types?
Find examples of each of his classified
concepts.
How does he define his concept?
6. Toufexis:
Answer These Questions
S First, summarize Toufexis’s essay.
S How does Toufexis “Hook the Reader”?
S How does Toufexis focus her plan?
S How does she create a logical plan?
8. Take five minutes to discuss
Freidman’s essay among
yourselves.
• First, briefly summarize the Freidman’s essay.
• What is the concept about which Friedman
writes?
• Which anecdotes does Friedman use to help
explain the concept to his readers?
• What other concepts does Friedman compare
and contrast to his concept? Why does he do
this?
• How does he focus his concept?
• Which terms does he define?
9. Then take five minutes to discuss “In The
Blink of an Eye”
by Bob Holmes
S First, summarize the essay.
S How does Holmes focus his
concept?
S Which terms does he define and
why?
S How do the pictures and graphs
work to enhance his explanation of
his concept?
10. Get Back Into Your Groups
S Read Aloud “Basic Features: Explaining a
Concept” pages 164-65
S When you finish, discuss each feature, noting
how you will integrate each one into your own
essay.
S Take notes about your own writing while you
discuss.
11. The Basic Features of the
Concept Essay
S A Focused Concept
S An Appeal to Readers’
Interests
S A Logical Plan
S Clear Definitions
S Appropriate Writing
Strategies
S Classification
S Process Narration
S Comparison and Contrast
S Cause and Effect
S Careful Use of Sources
12. A Focused Concept
S Concepts can be approached from many
perspectives (for example, history, definition, known
causes or effects), and you cannot realistically
explain every aspect of any concept, so you must
limit your explanation to reflect both your special
interest in the concept and your readers’ likely
knowledge and interest.
13. Remember, choose your concept, and then limit it. For example, if
you are writing your essay about the concept of games, focus on one
kind of game. For example, you might limit it by focusing on
playground games. You could also apply other limiters to the
concept of “games.”
1. Playground games
2. Drinking games
3. Board games
4. Card games
5. Role playing games
6. Arcade games
7. Video games
1. First person shooter games
2. Third person shooter games
The First Basic Feature:
Focusing your Concept
14. For your homework, you were to name the two concepts about which
you wrote paragraphs, find definitions for your concept, and find
examples from The Hunger Games that illustrate each concept, and
then explain how the example demonstrates, defines, or embodies the
concept. (Include page numbers)
Get out your Post #11. Make a list of two or three aspects of one of
your concepts that could become a focus for your essay, and evaluate
what you know about each aspect.
Under each possible focus in your list, make notes about why it
interests you, what you know about it already, and what questions you
want to answer about it.
15. Now choose a focus that looks promising. Try to split your limited
concept into two or three categories: Using the games example,
we might say games with a ball and games without a ball.
Then identify two or three types that fall under each of the
categories. For example, you might use kids games with a ball,
teenager’s games with a ball, and adult games with a ball. You
could use the same three type for “games without a ball.”
( If you choose not to use categories to organize your essay, you
will need another, clearly defined method to do so. See the other
essay examples in our text for help.)
Focusing your Concept:
Categories
16. Concept: Games
Limiter: Playground Games
Category 1:
Games with a ball
S Types
S Kids’ games with a ball
S Teenagers’ games with a
ball
S Adults’ games with a ball.
Category 2:
Games without a ball
S Types
S Kids’ games without a ball
S Teenagers’ games without a
ball
S Adults’ games without a
ball.
17. . Games: Playground Games:
Examples
With a ball (kids, teens,
adults)
S a kids game played with a
ball (kick ball; four square;
tether ball)
S a teen game played with a
ball (basketball, soccer,
baseball or fast pitch)
S an adult game with a ball
(slo-pitch or lawn bowling).
Without a ball (kids,
teens, adults)
S a kids game played
without a ball (tag, hide and
go seek)
S a teen game played
without a ball (kick the can,
red rover)
S an adult game played
without a ball (cribbage,
chess, checkers at the park)
18. HOMEWORK
S Read: HG through chapter 22
S Post #12: Finish and post your in-class
writing: focused concept, limiter, categories,
and types.
S Find three more examples of your
concept in HG. Endeavor to find examples to
represent your classifications or categories.
S Post #13 Choose another concept to
compare and contrast with yours for the
purpose of demonstrating differences.
