Sample Introduction Paragraphs for Grade 6 – 8 Directions:
1. Using three different colored highlighters: Highlight the HOOK, the BRIDGE, and the THESIS in the following introductions.

Student C:
The Metamorphosis of a Meanie
Christmas as many know it today would not exist without Ebenezer Scrooge. Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has been very popular since it was first published, and many people believe that this novel’s popularity has shaped many of our current attitudes and rituals at Christmas time. One of the main reasons readers still enjoy this story is because of the dramatic changes that occur to Scrooge’s attitude in just one magical night. In the beginning of the story he is a mean old man who treats people badly and has no friends. On Christmas Eve the ghost of his former partner, Jacob Marley, visits him and warns him about the consequences of his behavior. He also foretells the visit of three ghosts, suggesting that Scrooge can avoid a terrible fate if he is willing to change. At the end of the novel Ebenezer Scrooge is a completely different man who has learned valuable lessons and who treats people the same way he wants to be treated.

Mean to Nice
In our dreams we only see faces that we have already seen in our lives before. You dream every night, even if you do not remember it. Massie Block, from the book The Clique, has a life that is like a dream someone might have. She lives in a big mansion and has a maid and a private driver. At the beginning of the book, Massie is very mean and judges people by their clothes and looks. At the end of the novel, Massie is now a less judgmental and nicer person who has learned valuable lessons and who realizes she should not judge others by appearance.