LDC Notes!!!
Remember…
• You are picking EITHER coal or agriculture.
• You are looking for BOTH a description of the problem and a solution.
• .org needs to be checked by me.
• .edu and .gov do not need to be.
• NO .COM UNLESS IT IS A NEWSPAPER.
Thinking about your Notes:
1. Go back and make sure that you have 4 Direct Quotes.
2. Go through lightly cross out any notes that are NOT ABOUT the
environment. (That way if you need it for background later you can
still see it.)
3. Pick one color of highlighter (for example yellow) and highlight all
the problem information.
4. Pick another color and highlight all the solution data.
5. Start outline
How to Use the Outline Worksheet
• Paragraph #1: Topic- Put in your topic sentence here.
Paragraph #1: Quotations to Use- Put all your notes in here.
Paragraph #1: My Thoughts- Organize your thoughts here. What will
you start talking about, how will you transition.
Why an Opening Paragraph?
Start off With Something
Interesting
Transition to Your
Topic (Coal/ Ag)
Finish with
your Thesis
Ways to Start off With Something Interesting
• Give background. (Here’s a change to use that extra information you
found that is not about the environment.)
• Tell a story. (It can be a story from your life, from someone else’s life
or just a lie.)
• Surprise them with a good or bad fact. (This can be similar to the
background information. You most likely want to use 2 or 3.)
• Use a quote from someone famous. (A quote is a great way to start a
paper, just make sure that it is about the paper.)
Do NOT!!!
• Act like you don’t know anything.
• Say, “In this paper I will…” or the “The purpose of this letter is to…”
Writing Your Body Paragraphs
• Body paragraphs start with a topic sentence and focus ONLY ON THAT
TOPIC.
• Generally, the paragraph follows this pattern.
• Topic sentence.
• There are many reasons why pollution in Smogtown is the worst in the
world.
• If your topic contains a large amount of information, you may need
a sub-topic sentence.
• Two important reasons are the factories and the sewage leaks.
• Follow your outline and talk about each idea individually.
• Factories release large amounts of air pollution, including 5 billion tons of
carbon dioxide each year. They also release soot and ash. In addition to
the , the sewage treatment plant needs to be updated. The leaks in
building result in e. coli being released into our water system. Last year, e.
coli cases increased 200%.
Writing your Conclusion!
• Restate your thesis.
• Summarize your findings.
• Leave the reader with something to think about.
Putting it in the Right Context
• Make sure that you put the letter in the right format. There is a sample
letter in your “outline” packet.
• Pick someone to send your letter to:
• State Representatives:
http://www.lrc.ky.gov/Find%20Your%20Legislator/Find%20Your%20Legislator.html
• (After your house comes up, click on the map near your house.)
• National
• Andy Barr: U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
• Mitch McConnell: 317 Russell Senate Office Building Washington DC 20510
Washington, DC 20510
• Rand Paul: 67 Russell Senate Office Building Washington DC 20510
Washington, DC 20510
Works Cited Page
• Feel free to use an online program like easybib.
• https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/12/