Heroes

Frederick Douglass Booker T. Washington

Bill Cosby

Writing Paragraphs

Well-organized writing follows a formula. If you know the

formula, your writing will be excellent and easy to

understand. Organization is the key!

Let’s play with a formula….

1. Topic 1. Ice Cream 2. Support 2. Chocolate 2. Support 2. Vanilla

NOTICE that the 2’s DESCRIBE the 1’s!Now you try…..

1. Sports 2. ___________ 2. ___________

Now you make one of your own…..

Take it up a notch….1. Topic 1. Ice Cream 2. Support 2. Vanilla 3. Elaboration 3. Jamal’s favorite 2. Support 2. Chocolate 3. Elaboration 3. Jenny’s favorite

NOTICE that the 3’s DESCRIBE the 2’s, which DESCRIBE the 1’sNow You Try…. (hint—write both 2’s first, then the 3’s)

1. Vacation Spots 2. 3. 2. 3.

Now you make one of your own....

So how does this relate?

A paragraph is a group of sentences that convey a unified message.

The main idea of the sentences is the first sentence called a Topic Sentence or 1st Power Sentence. It directs all the information that follows it.

It is followed by Supporting Sentences (2nd Power) and Elaborating Sentences (3rd Power). They tell who, what, where, when, why, or how. They provide Concrete Details like Examples, Facts, Statistics, Sensory Details, or Illustrations

1-2-2 Formula:• A 1-2-2 formula means that the paragraph will have one

_________________and two_________________________ sentences.

• The 1-2-2 paragraph will have _______ sentences total.

• Example 1-2-2 paragraph: • (1) There are two places I would love to visit if I could go

anywhere in the world. (2) First, I would go to sunny Puerto Rico. (2) Second, I would go Ireland.

Now you try….

Write a 1-2-2 paragraph about a topic of your choice.

1-2-3-2-3 Formula:• The 1-2-3-2-3 formula means that the paragraph will have one

____________________ sentence, two _______________________ sentences, and two ___________________________ sentences.

• The 1-2-3-2-3 paragraph will have ________ sentences total.

• In the 1-2-3-2-3 paragraph, the ________________ sentence always comes after the __________________________________ sentence.

• Example 1-2-3-2-3 paragraph:• (1) There are two places I would love to visit if I could go anywhere in

the world. (2) First, I would go to sunny Puerto Rico. (3) I love the beach, and I know that Puerto Rico has beautiful, sandy beaches. (2) Second, I would go Ireland. (3) My ancestors came from Ireland and I want to go there to see where I came from.

Now you try…

Write a 1-2-3-2-3 paragraph about a topic of your choice.

Think of a clothesline….

1st PowerTopic Sentence

2nd PowerSupportingSentence

3rd PowerElaborationSentence

Outline of a Paragraph….1. 1st Power Topic Sentence

2. 2nd Power Supporting Sentence3. 3rd Power Elaborating Sentence

2. 2nd Power Supporting Sentence3. 3rd Power Elaborating Sentence

Ex.1. The students in English 1 will learn a great deal this year.

2. First, they will learn how to write paragraphs.3.. This will help them do well on future assignments.

2. Second, they will learn how to analyze literature.3. This will help them increase their critical thinking.

The basic paragraph formulas of 1-2-2 or 1-2-3-2-3 work well if you have one main idea and two major details, but what if you have three things you want to change about the world, five favorite foods, or just one important person in your life?

Mix it Up!

Think of all the possibilities!

1-2-21-2-3-2-31-2-2-31-2-3-3-2-3-31-2-2-2-21-2-3-3-31-2-3-2-3-3-2-2

The combinations are endless!

Coherence is created with

•Transitions•Direct References•Unity•Organization

Making it flow w/ transitions…

Successful writers use transition words in their

paragraphs and their essays to increase coherence.

Words and phrases that begin a #2 sentence, or major detail:

First Second Third Even more Moreover More than that Equally Importantly Above all

Aside from Furthermore Also Likewise Next Then To begin With that said Another

Again In addition Lastly Finally Some believe Others say Still others

believe

Words and phrases that begin a #3 sentence, or supporting detail: For example That is to say Namely Like As Just as Specifically To be specific In such cases This is made clear

by Because of this

In the same manner

For instance In other words This can be

explained by To explain To clarify To be more

specific

How do you wrap it all up?

Use a Clincher (closing) Sentence!

Words and phrases that begin a #4 sentence, or conclusion: In conclusion To sum up In closing

In summary Finally To conclude

Create Coherence withDirect References:• Direct references refer to a noun or a

pronoun used earlier. You can do this 3 ways:• 1. using a pronoun that refers to a noun

used earlier.• 2. repeating a word used earlier• 3. using a word or a phrase that means

the same thing as one used earlier.

Circle the direct references• In this photograph of Rosa Parks, she is

sitting in the front of a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. At one time, the front of the bus had been for white people only—until one day when Rosa Parks sat there. She was arrested. After that arrest, a boycott took place and, as a result, the law was eventually changed. Of course, this brave woman did not change the law by herself, but she took the courageous first step.

UNITY• A Paragraph has UNITY when all the sentences work together

as a unit to express or support one main idea. Unity means that you stay on-topic, and each support directly proves the thesis.

Cross out the sentence that destroys the unity of the paragraph.

• Driver’s education courses taught in high school promote highway safety. Driver’s education courses give students the opportunity to practice with a trained teacher. They help students familiarize themselves with the rules of the road. Seat belts may save the lives of thousands each year. The more teenagers know about cars, roads, and the laws governing both, the safer they will be in their cars.

Create Coherence with Organization

• Four ways to organize your support

1. Chronological Order 2. Spatial Order3. Order of Importance4. Logical Order