This activity helps students understand how to engage readers, provide context, and present a clear central idea while developing their interviewing and writing skills.
Students will practice writing effective introduction paragraphs by interviewing and introducing a classmate using the classic three-part essay introduction structure: hook, bridge, and thesis statement.
Instructions
Step 1: Partner Up (5 minutes)
- Find a partner you don’t know well or would like to learn more about
- Sit together where you can have a conversation
Step 2: Interview Each Other (15 minutes)
Take turns interviewing your partner. Ask questions to gather information for each part of your introduction:
For the Hook (choose one approach):
- Vivid Description: What’s something unique about how your partner looks, acts, or presents themselves?
- Metaphor: What animal, object, or natural phenomenon reminds you of your partner? Why?
- Provocative Question: What interesting question could you ask about your partner that would make readers curious?
- Story: What brief, interesting story or moment from your partner’s life could you share?
For the Bridge (gather the 5 W’s and H):
- Who: What’s your partner’s name and role (student, athlete, worker, etc.)?
- What: What does your partner do, study, or enjoy?
- When: What time periods are relevant (age, year in school, how long they’ve been doing something)?
- Where: Where is your partner from? Where do they spend their time?
- Why: Why does your partner care about certain things? What motivates them?
- How: How does your partner approach life, learning, or their interests?
For the Thesis Statement:
- What would you say is your partner’s “superpower”? This could be a talent, personality trait, skill, way of thinking, or unique ability that makes them special. The thesis statement should take this form: [your partner’s name]’s superpower is ______________________________.
Step 3: Share Introductions (15 minutes)
- Take turns reading your introductions aloud to the class
- After each reading, the person being introduced can add one interesting detail that wasn’t mentioned
Example Introduction Structure
Hook: Like a detective with an infinite curiosity about the world, she asks three questions for every answer she receives.
Bridge: Sarah Chen is a junior at Lincoln High School who has been passionate about marine biology since she visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium at age seven. Originally from San Diego, she spends her weekends volunteering at the local aquarium because she believes that understanding ocean ecosystems is crucial for our planet’s future. Sarah approaches every conversation and classroom discussion by digging deeper than surface-level answers.
Thesis Statement: Sarah Chen’s superpower is her ability to ask the perfect follow-up question that makes everyone think more deeply.