2. There are many ways to write an essay. I’m
presenting you one.
Remix as you like.
3. First Steps
• Read the book: that’s easy. If you miss something look it up on Wikipedia or
Shmoop/Sparknotes.
• Detailed Summary/S.W.B.S.T.: (The Lorax) wanted (the people to stop cutting down
trees), but (it continued) so (all the animals died off) then (one person learned the truth &
set out to bring nature back).
• Identify the kind of message the book sends: It is an environmentalist message on what
deforestation can do & how we can stop it.
• Thesis: The Lorax is an environmentalist warning about deforestation cloaked in a
children’s story.
• Prove that with evidence from the book.
4. Evidence
• Group them as you collect them.
• Look for the best evidence, not just any evidence. It strengthens your
argument and thinking.
• Quotes vs. References: focus on quotes though references in small amounts
look very professional. Quote: “I’m your teacher” (Powers, 2012). vs.
Reference: He told them that he was their teacher (Powers, 2012).
• Give them topic sentences describing each group & its connection to the
thesis.
5. Possible Evidence for Group #1:
It is Environmentalist.
It is Environmentalist.
• “When the grass was still green and the ponds
were still wet and the clouds were still clean”
(Seuss, p. 12).
• “I speak for the trees, for the trees have no
tongues” (p. 23).
• “You’re glumping the pond where the Humming-
Fish hummed... for their gills are all gummed” (p.
47).
6. Possible Evidence Group #2:
It is a warning.
It is a warning.
• “Thanks to your hacking my trees to the ground,
there’s not enough Truffula Fruit to go ‘round” (p.
35).
• “Business is business! And business must grow
regardless of crummies in tummies, you know” (p.
37).
• “They may have to fly for a month... or a year...To
escape from the smog you’ve smogged up around
here” (p. 40).
7. Possible Evidence #3:
It shows consequences.
It shows consequences.
• “No more tree. No more Thneeds. No more work to be
done” (p. 52).
• “All that was left ‘neath the bad-smelling sky was my big
empty factory... the Lorax... adn I” (p. 53)
• “The very last tree of them all” (p. 50)
8. Conclusion:
Critical thinking is key
Critical thinking is key• “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothign is going to get better. It’s not” (p.
58).
• (What would happen if we didn’t ever cut down trees? We, Californians, know: forest fires
like mad.) Sustainable logging (along with controlled burns) protects the forests from fires
(Personal Experience/Common (Local) Knowledge).
• As a children’s book, it’s audience is prone to generalize and demonize actions simplified
and vilified in a story; they’re children (Personal Experience/Common Sense).
• As a children’s book, the Lorax while demonstrating the dangers of reckless business
practices poorly handles its environmentalist message because it generalizes logging’s
relationship to our environment and could cause misperception.
9. Outlining
• Introduction:Thesis embedded in it somewhere.The Lorax though a children’s
story is an environmental warning that shows the consequences of
mismanagement of our natural resources.
• Body Paragraph #1:Topic Sentence: “The Lorax is a children’s story with an
environmentalist message.” Prove it with the evidence we gathered.
• Body Paragraph #2:Topic Sentence: “The Lorax is a warning to
environmentally reckless businesses specifically and to people in general.”
Prove with evidence.
• Body Paragraph #3:Topic Sentence: “The Lorax shows consequences of
irresponsible management of our natural environments.” Prove with evidence.
• Conclusion:“The Lorax while demonstrating the dangers of reckless business
practices poorly handles its environmentalist message because it generalizes
logging’s relationship to our environment and could cause misperception in its
target audience, children.
10. Writing
• First: write your Introduction so it controls all you write thereafter.
• Second: Paste in each paragraph’s Topic Sentence & Evidence.
• Third:Write Conclusion as completely as you can.
• Fourth:Add Analysis of each piece of evidence (just a sentence or two on why the evidence
proves both the topic sentence and the thesis).
• Fifth:Add any hooks to link the paragraphs that you can (sometimes this is hard).
• Sixth: Read it aloud & make corrections, so it flows.
11. Paragraphs
It’s layered:
Topic Sentence
Quote 1
Analysis 1 (Why this quote supports this topic sentence)
Quote 2
Analysis 2 (Why this quote supports this topic sentence)
Quote 3
Analysis 3 (Why this quote supports this topic sentence)
You are to write the bold sections. COPY all the rest from my presentation.
This requires typing not copy/paste. Each person should write a section.
Divide it evenly in a group discussion, and YES THERE ARE SPELLING
ERRORS: Fix Them. :)
12. Paragraphs
It doesn’t always have to be a rote (and
predictable) structure, but it needs all these elements:
at least 3 pieces of evidence per topic sentence, analysis
of all evidence, & 3 strong topic sentences that support
a thesis together. To begin with use the simple,
structured model I give you.
