Paragraph as Sandwich

The Upper School model for paragraph writing.

12-Sentence Paragraph Recipe1. Topic sentence. (Establishes your thesis or your argument.)2. Further explanation, clarification, or elaboration on topic.3. Claim #1. (First example to prove your argument.)4. Quotation with context proving Claim #1.5. Commentary on Claim #1.6. Transition and Claim #2. (Second example to prove your argument.)7. Quotation with context proving Claim #2.8. Commentary on Claim #2.9. Transition and Claim #3. (Third example to prove your argument.)10. Quotation with context proving Claim #3.11. Commentary on Claim #3.12. Clincher sentence summarizing and restating thesis.

Topic Sentence

• Topic Sentence gives your Thesis.

• THESIS – Establishes your main idea. You are going make an argument and prove it.

• Support Thesis with “Quotation Sandwiches.”

The Quotation Sandwich

Recipe

1.The top slice: An argumentative CLAIM.2.The meat: A QUOTE that supports the Claim.3.The bottom slice: COMMENTARY about the

Quote.

CLAIM, QUOTE, COMMENTARY.

Claim, quote, commentary.• CLAIM – Makes an interpretive statement. You are

making an argument.

• QUOTE – Provides concrete, textual support for the Claim.

• COMMENTARY – Ties the Quote to the claim. Shows how the Quote proves your Claim.

• Claim and Commentary are the slices of bread that surround the meat (Quote) of the sandwich.

What is a Claim?(Top slice of bread.)

• A Claim is a statement that judges, interprets, or evaluates. A Claim is an arguable statement about the text.

• A Claim is an opinion about a text that can be argued or debated and proven or refuted based on evidence from the text.

• A Claim is the argument you want to make about the text. It is the point you want to make.

• Think of your Thesis as your main idea and then your Claims as your sub-ideas that prove your Thesis.

Support a Claim with a Quote.(Meat.)

• Use Quotes from the text to support or your Claim and prove your argument or make your point.

• Quotes are Evidence (a.k.a. “textual support” or “textual evidence”).

• Always provide Context for your Quotes .(Context is the Condiment!)– Context is an explanation of the who, what, where, when, why –

what is going on in the scene in which your quotation appears.– We’ve also referred to Context as “Background Information” –

what the reader needs to know in order to understand what you are writing about.

Explain a Quote with Commentary.(Bottom slice of bread.)

• Commentary is your interpretation or explanation of the Quote in your own words.

• In your own words, you explain what is being said in the Quote and why the Quote supports your Claim.

• We’ve referred to Commentary as “Interpret your Evidence.”– Explain what the Quote means and how it proves your

argument or makes your point. Show your readers what is important about the Quote and how it supports your Claim.

Condiments on the Quotation Sandwich(The mayo…or mustard, oil & vinegar, etc.)

Condiments• Quotes are dry when

they’re picked out of the text.

• You need to add flavor and spice them up when you use them in your writing!

• Add a condiment when you use a Quote:– The Dab– The Dollop– Lotsa Sauce

Condiment = Context• We’ve referred to Condiments

as “providing context” or “introducing our evidence.”– Explain where Quote comes

from. – Explain what readers need to

know in order to understand the Quote. Give background information and define terms. Your readers should be able to understand the quote even if they haven’t read the text.

THE DAB

Condiments on theQuotation Sandwich

Examples of a Dab:

• Scout explains, “…Calpurnia rarely commented on the ways of white people” (13).

The Dab – The simplest form of serving up a Quote.

The Dab provides just the bare minimum introduction to the Quote.

Use a Dab when you’ve already given the Context of the Quote, so now you need to just give the Quote.

THE DOLLOPExamples of a Dollop:

• When the Cunninghams pay Atticus in stovewood and hickory nuts instead of money, Jem and Scout begin to question their own access to wealth, prompting Jem to ask, “‘Are we poor, Atticus?’” (23).

The Dollop – Involves more writing than the Dab.

The Dollop provides important details from the text (the story).

Use the Dollop when you are explaining the Context of the Quote – including the details of the scene in which the Quote occurs.

LOTSA SAUCE

Lotsa Sauce – Requires extensive writing and uses just a small quotation, phrase, or important word from the source.

Lotsa Sauce uses your own Voice.

Use Lotsa Sauce when you are developing your argument and interpreting the source.

Examples of Lotsa Sauce:

• Scout’s seemingly innate ability to read is actually an indicator of class, as her reading, which in Scout’s words “just came to me” (20), is a result of a childhood spent among books, newspapers, and other stories. She explains that she cannot remember learning to read, that she cannot remember “when the lines above Atticus’s moving finger began separating into words” (20).

12-Sentence Paragraph Recipe1. Topic sentence. (Establishes your thesis or your argument.)2. Further explanation, clarification, or elaboration on topic.3. Claim #1. (First example to prove your argument.)4. Quotation with context proving Claim #1.5. Commentary on Claim #1.6. Transition and Claim #2. (Second example to prove your argument.)7. Quotation with context proving Claim #2.8. Commentary on Claim #2.9. Transition and Claim #3. (Third example to prove your argument.)10. Quotation with context proving Claim #3.11. Commentary on Claim #3.12. Clincher sentence summarizing and restating thesis.

Start a 12-sentence paragraph with…

• A strong topic sentence.

• Your topic sentence establishes your Thesis.

• Your Thesis is your main idea. You set up what your paragraph will argue and prove.

• Develop your Thesis with three Claims, each supported with a Quote that you explain with Commentary.

• Think of Thesis as the main idea and three Claims as sub-ideas.

• Order three Claims from least to most important so that you are building an argument and ending on your strongest point.

How many Quotation Sandwiches in a 12-Sentence Paragraph?

Quotation Sandwich RecipeThe top slice: An argumentative

CLAIM.

The meat: A QUOTE that supports the Claim.

The condiment: CONTEXT for the Quote that supports the Claim.

The bottom slice: COMMENTARY about the Quote.

• One sandwich -- Not good enough. Can’t prove anything with just one example. Won’t fill you up.

• Two sandwiches – Better, but still not enough proof. May still be hungry.

• Three sandwiches – Perfect. Proves your argument with multiple examples. Will definitely satisfy your hunger.

Let’s give it a try...

What THESIS could we construct?

Write a 12-sentenceparagraph about the itemsJem and Scout find in theknothole of the oak treeon the edge of the Radleylot.

Let’s give it a try...

• What CLAIMS could we make to support our Thesis?

• What QUOTES could we use to prove or Claims?

Write a 12-sentenceparagraph about the itemsJem and Scout find in theknothole of the oak treeon the edge of the Radleylot.

Thesis

What THESIS could we construct about CLASS in TKAM?

What THESIS could we construct about RACE in TKAM?

Claim

What CLAIMS could we make about CLASS in TKAM?

What CLAIMS could we make about RACE in TKAM?

Quote

• What QUOTES could we use to support our Claim about CLASS?

• What QUOTES could we use to support our Claim about RACE?

Context Condiment

• What CONDIMENT could we use with our Quotes about CLASS to provide the Context for the Quote?

• What CONDIMENT could we use with our Quotes about RACE to provide the Context for the Quote?

Comment

What COMMENTARY would we want to provide about our Quotes about CLASS?

What COMMENTARY would we want to provide about our Quotes about RACE?