A paragraph is all about one idea. In it, you teach something about that idea, explain it, or prove why it is the right one. One effective question to ask yourself is “What do I want my reader to know about this topic?”
A Note: When one student used this chart to write a paragraph about a type of shark, she saw that she needed a section in her paragraph to describe the shark’s appearance. So she added that between the main idea and the first statement.
A Filled-in Paragraph Chart This is the paragraph, all written out:
Cats are polite. They walk quietly through the house, minding their own business. They purr softly instead of barking their heads off. In fact, my cat Dixie never jumps at me with muddy paws. Instead, she rubs against my legs until I pick her up.
Notice how the main idea, “Cats are polite,” becomes the topic sentence.
Paragraphs in the body of your essay, not the intro or conclusion, need a topic sentence and two or three sentences to explain or prove your topic sentence. These sentences answer “Why?” or “Prove it!”
You can use examples, facts, logical statements, true stories, and so on. In the cat example, this student uses statements (walk quietly and purr softly) and one example from her own experience with Dixie.
If you are writing an essay, you’ll want to fill out one chart for each paragraph in the body of your essay. Most essays have at least three paragraphs in the body.
After you fill out one chart for each of your paragraphs, move the charts around to see which order you want to put your paragraphs in. When you have decided on the order, write an introduction, then your three paragraphs from your charts, and then a conclusion.
Now it’s your turn: Choose one of the following options.
Do you disagree with the paragraph about cats? Then fill in the chart and write a paragraph about dogs!
Choose an animal you love or can’t stand. Next, think of reasons why this animal would make a great pet (or a terrible one). Then fill out the chart. Finally, use the information you put on the chart to write your own paragraph.
HIGH SCHOOL PROMPTS We honor our U. S. veterans on Veterans Day every year. Do you know someone who has served in the U. S. Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, National Guard, or Reserves? Chances are you know quite a few men and women who have served, defended, and protected our country and…
I’m sharing this infographic with you to use with your students as you teach the sticky, dull, boring subject of when to use commas in a compound sentence that is joined by a coordinating conjunction. After the infographic, you’ll find an exercise you can give your students to reinforce the material they’ve just learned. The answers follow the sentences.
MIDDLE SCHOOL PROMPTS So, when is the best time to make friends? The famous actress Ethel Barrymore (great-aunt to Drew Barrymore) has an idea about that:
Are you the clown who entertains the crowds? Or the ringmaster who announces the acts and controls the flow of the entertainment? Is your life more like the wild animal tamer because there are people or emotions in your life you’d like to tame? Could you liken your life to the employee who cooks snacks for the crowds, taking care of their physical needs? Write about your life in terms of a circus employee.
SHARON’S BLOG Students will follow along as I guide them through my experience with making stained-glass butterflies. As they read, they’ll be learning how to write a how-to and then insert transitions into the essay to move their readers easily through the process. Suitable for students in 5th – 12th grade. My stained-glass how-to essay…
