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What does it mean to be a good citizen?

Citizen: an inhabitant of a city or town; especially: one entitled to therights and privileges of a freeman (Websters Dictionary)

All one has to do to be a citizen of a town is inhabit, or live in it.

If you live in the town, you are naturally afforded the rights andprivileges of a citizen of that town.

The question that remains isIf you live in a town and are affordedthe freedoms and privileges of that town, what can you do to make thetown a better place for all?

It is easy to live in a city and not make an impact on it. People do itevery day. They wake up, eat breakfast, go to work or school, come home,eat dinner, watch TV, go to bed and do it all over again the next day.

How can we be different? How can we find ways to express ourselvesand provide meaning to our lives? One answer lies in good citizenship.Citizenship is a broad word, and can mean many things. People throwaround the terms good citizen and positive contribution to society all ofthe time without really understanding what they mean.

One persons idea of what citizenship means can vastly differ fromanothers. Moreover, a persons idea of citizenship will vary depending onwhere they fall in the Freedom Box quadrant. One person might think beinga responsible citizen means instituting government programs to helpindividuals; however, another may feel citizenship means less government in

the lives of the people.

Your first writing unit will focus on the question of what it means to bea good citizen. Additionally, you will learn how to write a Mel Con paragraphand become familiar with the College Readiness Skills of Main Idea andSupporting Details.

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Definition of a Citizen

Directions: Answer the following questions in completesentences. Be sure to think about your answers before you write

them down.

1. What is YOUR definition of a citizen?

2. What does citizenship mean to you?

3. Tell of a time when you exemplified good citizenship.

4. Why it is important as a community to be good citizens?

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Peer Analysis/Evaluation

Writers name: _______________________________________________

Evaluators name:____________________________________________

1. Underline the main idea. (remember, it can be more than 1 sentence)

2. What is the KEY WORD in the main idea in which the writer must LINKhis/her evidence?

3. Find and list at least two of the writers transitions:

4. Does the writer have a good CON statement at the end? Underline it.

5. Are there any assumptions made or evidence used that isnt true? List ithere:

6. What is one thing the writer did well?

7. What confused you or do you think needs to be improved?

8. Did the writer follow the guidelines for writing a good MEL-Conparagraph? (check one)

______ Excellent ______ Good ______ Fair ______ Still needs work

Below is for teacher use only

Is peer editing sheet filled out thoroughly? _____ yes _____ no

If yes, add 5 points to editors essay

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A STRONG Mel-Con paragraphDirectionsRead the following example. There is an abbreviation after eachtype of sentence in the paragraph. Follow the key at the end for

an explanation of each type of sentence and why each sentenceis effective.

One aspect that exemplifies good citizenship is community(TS). The first example of community is sharing with one another.When people in a town or city are willing to share theirpossessions, time and money with one another it shows that theyare committed to the well being of others (EV). Sharing alsopromotes a sense of bonding and unity among a group and servesa vital purpose in fostering community (EV). Another aspect ofcommunity is spending time with members of your community(EV). Members of the community are not only neighbors andfriends, but family members too (EV). Spending time withcommunity members is precious, but rare in todays busy society(EV). When a group gathers together for food, music or just tohang out it strengthens the groups relationship (EV). The goal oflife is not about acquiring money or possessions; it is aboutbuilding relationships with others (EV). Taking time out of your

busy day to do so helps achieve this (EV). Sharing and spendingtime with loved ones are examples of good citizenship becausethey illustrate elements of a strong community (L). When peopleshare and spend time with each other it shows that they careabout each other (L). Caring for others is at the heart ofcommunity, or good citizenship (L). So, when the topic of goodcitizenship is discussed, dont forget that the secret lies incommunity (Con).

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TS = Topic Sentence The first sentence should be your topicsentence in a Mel-Con paragraph. It should tell you what the restof the paragraph will be about. We know that the paragraph willfocus on one aspect of citizenship: community. The topic

sentence also uses a strong verb, exemplifies, which is betterthan a be verb.

EV = Evidence The sentences labeled EV are the evidencethat supports the main idea. Evidence can come in the form offacts, reasons, statistics, or personal anecdotes. Each Mel-Conparagraph should have at least two pieces of evidence to supportthe main idea. Notice in this paragraph there are eightsentences of evidence to support the main idea. If a studentsMel-Con paragraph fails it is usually in the evidence department.

Many writers fail to develop their evidence sentences and limittheir support to only one, two, or three sentences. Also, yourevidence should contain transition words to signal to the readerthat you are changing gears or moving on. One example, andanother example serve as transitions in the above paragraph.Remember, the evidence section of your Mel-Con paragraphshould be well developed and thoroughly support your main idea.

L = LinkThe sentences labeled L serves as the links in the

paragraph. The link portion of your paragraph tells how yourevidence supports your main idea. The link is the toughest partof the Mel-Con paragraph, and is the place where most studentshave difficulty. Up until now the writer does not have to think toomuch to put together the paragraph. Granted, you need afocused topic sentence and developed evidence to support it, butthe link is where the writer can strut his or her stuff. The link isthe place where the writer shows that she knows what she istalking about because she can explain how the evidencesupports the main idea. Notice how the link in this paragraph isnot limited to one sentence, but three. Mastering the link portionrequires thought and practice, but is vital to the success of a Mel-Con paragraph.

Con = ConclusionThis is the concluding sentence of theparagraph. This sentence should wrap up your paragraph. Briefly

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review for the audience what you wrote about in the paragraph.If possible, leave the audience with a memorable thought or light-hearted piece of advice. Notice the concluding sentence in thisparagraph summarizes what the paragraph is about while

playfully reminding the audience that sharing and spending timetogether are aspects of community.

A WEAK Mel-Con Paragraph

DirectionsRead the following example. There is an abbreviation after eachtype of sentence in the paragraph. Follow the key at the end foran explanation of each type of sentence and why each sentenceis ineffective.

An aspect of good citizenship is community (TS). Sharingwith one another can be considered good citizenship (EV).Sharing time, money, and possessions illustrate good citizenship.Spending time with members of ones community fosterscommunity relations. (EV). These examples show goodcitizenship because this is what people in a good community do(L). If you are trying to be a good citizen dont forget these two

aspects (Con).

TS = Topic Sentence This is not a terrible topic sentencebecause it tells the reader that the paragraph will be aboutcommunity aspect of citizenship. The writer uses the be verbis which should be substituted for a stronger verb.

EV = Evidence The evidence that supports the main idea islimited to two sentences. Remember, the effective paragraph

had eight sentences of support and the weak paragraph only hastwo. This is a red flag that the evidence in this paragraph isprobably sparse and underdeveloped. The evidence also lackstransitions, which are vital to an effective paragraph. Dont forgetto develop your evidence; it is better to write too much ratherthan too little.

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L = LinkThe link is only one sentence and is undeveloped. Itdoes not effectively show how the evidence supports the mainidea and is vague. Show your audience that you know your

stuff by clearly explaining the link.Con = Conclusion The concluding sentence does notadequately summarize the paragraph or leave us with amemorable thought. Dont skimp on your concluding sentence.

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Writing Instruction: How to Write a Mel-ConParagraph

What is Mel-Con?

M= Main Idea (topic sentence)

E= Evidence (support/examples/proof)

L= Link (Explains how support proves the main idea)

Con = Concluding sentence (summarizes main idea and evidence)

Why should I care about Mel-Con?

1. Its a requirement of the school. So, you will have to use it in every classfor the rest of your high school career.

2. It will help you become a better writer.

3. Most importantly, it helps you to become a clearer and more logicalthinker. That is a skill that you will need for the rest of your life.

Applying Mel-Con

Lets try answering the following question using Mel-Con:What does it mean to be a good citizen?

MAIN IDEA: The first thing you need is a topic sentence. Thissentence will answer the question or respond to the prompt. Thissentence will always come FIRST.

TRANSITION & EVIDENCE: The next thing you need issomething that will support or prove your main idea, or evidence.What you can use as good evidence will depend on why you arewriting the paragraph. A good MEL-Con paragraph will alwayshave at least THREE pieces of evidence. All pieces of evidence

should have a well-chosen transition.

LINKS: The third thing you need is a link to go with each pieceof evidence. Evidence and links are always coupled together.Links must fully explain how your evidence proves your mainidea. One good link is always at least TWO SENTENCES LONG. If

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you have three pieces of evidence in a paragraph, then you willhave _____ links in one paragraph.

CON: The final thing you need is a concluding sentence. This

sentence should restate the main idea in a different way andinclude a summary of the evidence. You SHOULD NOT repeat theevidence and main idea word-for-word; YOU MUST SUMMARIZE.

This sentence should also have a well-chosen transition. Yourparagraph should include only ONE CONCLUDING SENTENCE.

Total it up: At least how many sentences should be in abasic MEL-Con paragraph?

11 sentences

Note: A good Mel-Con paragraph will have 12-15sentences because the links are usually longer.

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Guided Practice: Identifying the Aspects of aMel-Con Paragraph

Read the following Mel-Con paragraph and determine itsparts.

Underline the main idea (in blue or black ink)

Put a box around transitions

Highlight evidence/examples

Underline the links using a colored ink or

highlighter

Circle the concluding statement

The kids of the 1990s are definitely smarter than the kids

of the 1950s. The first statistic to support this idea is a chart

created by the U.S. Department of Education which shows ACT

scores of kids in 1959 and in 1999. The average score in 1959

was 18.6 and in 1999 it was 21.2. This statistic clearly shows

an increase in standard test scores. The ACT is a good

measure of a students capabilities and the increase of scores

between 1959 and 1999 of 2.2 means the kids in 1999 know

more on the same exact test, making them smarter. Another

statistic that supports this statement is also from the same

chart. The chart shows that over 80% of all females now

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attend college in 1999. In 1959, less than 40% went to

college. This means that overall, more kids total are going to

college. Because more are going, it only makes sense that

overall kids in 1999 are smarter than in 1959. The chart shows

that more kids are finishing school instead of working or having

children. This information is another indication that kids are

smarter. When more kids are going to school in 1999 for more

time, it can only mean that they would have more education.

The extra time has to mean that they will automatically be

smarter from more exposure. There is not question then that

kids in 1999 are much smarter than kids in 1959 because they

have higher ACT score, more girls are going to college, and the

high school dropout rate has declined.