Green Words and Thesis DevelopmentAugust 2015

Warm-UpYOU HAVE THE “I HAVE A DREAM”

SPEECH IN FRONT OF YOU. YOU ARE ABOUT TO WATCH A RECORDING OF MLK JR. DELIVERING THIS SPEECH.

Please listen carefully for the author’s purpose and message.

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm S:\Senior English\I have a dream...[Martin Luther King].flv

Thesis development AFTER YOU WATCH THE VIDEO,

DEVELOP A COHESIVE THESIS STATEMENT ON WHY THIS SPEECH IS STILL SO IMPACTFUL TO AMERICAN SOCIETY TODAY.

Write this thesis down. Use the same piece of paper to take notes on this PowerPoint

Set the speech aside

What is a “GREEN” word?A “GREEN” word is

ABSTRACTHIGHLY CONNOTATIVEVALUE-DRIVEN

EXAMPLE:"Wealth" Is "wealth" an abstract idea?Does wealth have connotative

significance?Does your definition of "wealth"

say anything about what you value?

YOUR TURN Make a list of 10 words that represent

"green" concepts

So how does this help me write a better thesis?Your thesis should be driven by a

combination of strong green wordsBecause of their connotative,

value-driven nature, a “green” word-based thesis will automatically drive your paper toward persuasion.

Try this:Look at your list of green words.

Create a sentence utilizing three of these words. It can be about anything (school appropriate, of course!).

STOP!Did you just write a three-prong

thesis? If you did CROSS IT OUT!

Round 2: Write another sentence using three of your

green words, BUT this time follow this formula:

Create an “although” statement using ONE green word in the dependent clause (at the beginning) and TWO in the independent clause (back half).

Example for The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks:Although the Lacks children grew up in deprivation, their determination and drive to improve their living conditions led them to become more educated and involved citizens.

Rewind Go back to the “I Have A Dream”

speech Highlight (preferably in GREEN) the

GREEN concepts in his speech. This is an INDIVIDUAL activity

AFTER you have highlighted, pair up with someone at your table to debate the accuracy of your highlighted words

On your original paper: List 3-5 strong green concepts from the

speech REWRITE your original thesis on the

following: DEVELOP A COHESIVE THESIS

STATEMENT ON WHY THIS SPEECH IS STILL SO IMPACTFUL TO AMERICAN SOCIETY TODAY. Use your green words and formula this time.