Hooks and Leads

Start Your Essay Off with a BANG!

Hooks, or How to Get a Reader’s Attention

Start Your Essay Off with a BANG!

Good writing starts with a good Hook. Whether it is a Narrative, a Response to Literature, or a Research Paper, there is no excuse to bore your reader!

Remember: You want to catch and keep your reader’s attention.

You will use Hooks to write your Essay

• For examples, today I am going to show you several different hooks for any paper. We will talk about the Black Death!

• This essay COULD be boring and have a very dull hook.

• But I am going to show hooks that will make this essay about death and diseases COME ALIVE!!!

POSSIBLE HOOKS:Two types of Hooks are:

Give a Fact or Statistic It is shocking to think that nearly 1/3 of the population of Europe was killed by the plague.

Describe the Tone or Mood The bodies piled up in the streets of London, untouched, uncared for, mourned by the frightened masses that were left behind wondering when it was going to be their turn to die.

More POSSIBLE HOOKS:Definition The Black Death was a horrible, unstoppable disease caused by the fleas carried by the rats that co-habitated with the people of Medieval Europe.

Onomatopoeia Sssssss. Sizzle. The fever

burned through the victim’s body.

Simile/Metaphor The Black Death swept across the land like a broom brushing away people as it would dirt.

In the Middle of the ActionThe trebuchet cranked back

slowly, then released suddenly, launching the stone up and over the walls of the city.

POSSIBLE HOOKS:Staccato three word lead Rats. Sewers. Filth. London was not a city of great cleanliness.

Lyrics “Ring around the rosie. Pockets full of posies.

Ashes, ashes, we all fall down!” This children’s rhyme was actually inspired by the death and destruction caused by the Black Death.Theme

Some people believed that the Plague was sent to punish the evil on Earth, but they would soon learn that the disease knew no such ethics. It did not distinguish its victims, but killed thousands without mercy..

And Finally…

• Start your hook with a question!

“Have you ever wondered how many people died from the Black Death?”

Now….

Step 1:Create yourgraphic organizer by folding your Paper into 4 boxes.

Step 2• Unfold the paper and draw a box in the

center. In the center box write your

Thesis sentence.

Thesis sentence

Step 3:Look back over the list of different Hooks.

• Fact/ Statistic• Simile or Metaphor• Begin in the Middle of

the Action• Set the Tone or Mood• Staccato three words.• Lyrics that connect• Theme• Definition• Onomatopoeia

• Step 4: Write 4 different Hooks for your writing using this list to help you.

• You will have plenty time to do this so think hard!

The Black Death and Swine Flu are more different than similar.

Hook 1: Simile/ Metaphor

The Black Death swept across Europe like a broom.

Hook 2: Middle of ActionThe trebuchet cranked back slowly, then released suddenly, launching the stone up and over the walls of the city.

Hook 3: Definition The Black Death was an unstoppable disease caused by the fleas carried by the rats that co-habitated with the people of Medieval Europe.

Hook 4: Sssssss. Sizzle. The fever burned through the victim’s body.

ASSIGNMENT• Look at your list of possible hooks. Mimic 4

different styles to start your essay in a powerful way.

• Pass your paper to the left and have the next person add at least 1 more possible revision and comment to your list of new hooks.

• Then pass your paper to the left again and have that person read the four hooks on paper and choose the one they find the most effective.

• It is your paper, so from that list of 4, pick the best hook and use it in your final draft.

The Black Death and Swine Flu are more different than similar.

Hook 1: Simile/ Metaphor

The Black Death swept across Europe like a broom.

Hook 2: Middle of ActionThe trebuchet cranked back slowly, then released suddenly, launching the stone up and over the walls of the city.

Hook 3: Definition The Black Death was an unstoppable disease caused by the fleas carried by the rats that co-habitated with the people of Medieval Europe.

Hook 4: Sssssss. Sizzle. The fever burned through the victim’s body.

This one is okay, but needs more EXCITEMENT! What if you said ‘deadly broom?”

I like this word!

Make this stronger! This is gross!