Transcript Power Paragraphs - Brookwood High School

Asserting your topic.
Providing evidence.
Coming to conclusions.
A Power Paragraph is an 11-sentence
paragraph which is very focused on a
specific topic. It provides evidence
from literature, connects that
evidence to the topic, and then closes
with a summarizing concluding
statement.
Sentence 1
 The first sentence in a Power Paragraph is a
topic sentence.
 It answers the prompt or question…
 …or it asserts your thesis statement.
Sentences 2, 5, & 8
 These sentences include concrete details which
you directly quote from your sources—either
your research or the piece of literature you are
using.
 They “prove” your topic sentence or thesis
statement
 Always include your source and/or page numbers
in parentheses at the end of these sentences.
Sentences 3-4, 6-7, & 9-10
 These sentences are commentary sentences that
you write to make the connection between your
thesis or answer and the concrete detail clear.
 This is where your opinion is defended.
 These sentences need to work together in pairs.
Sentence 11
 This is your concluding sentence that wraps up
your ideas.
 It should echo or restate your first sentence.
Outline/Graphic Organizer
 Topic Sentence/Answer to question/Thesis statement
 Concrete Detail 1


Commentary/Connecting Sentence A
Commentary/Connecting Sentence B
 Concrete Detail 2
 Commentary/Connecting Sentence C
 Commentary/Connecting Sentence D
 Concrete Detail 3
 Commentary/Connecting Sentence E
 Commentary/Connecting Sentence F
 Concluding Sentence
How to Use This in Your Research
Paper (Body Paragraphs)?
Sentence #1: Argument – what you’re trying to prove in this paragraph
Sentence #2: Supporting Statement 1 – the first point that supports your argument
Sentence #3: Example – a quote or specific example that proves sentence 2
Sentence #4: Explanation – explain how the above example proves sentence 2
Sentence #5: Supporting Statement 2 – the second point that supports your argument
Sentence #6: Example – a quote or specific example that proves sentence 5
Sentence #7: Explanation – explain how the above example proves sentence 5
Sentence #8: Supporting Statement 2 – the second point that supports your argument
Sentence #9: Example – a quote or specific example that proves sentence 5
Sentence #10: Explanation – explain how the above example proves sentence 5
Sentence #11: Conclusion – wrap up your supporting argument (sentence #1) by rewording sentence #1
with a twist (be creative…make it different)
Example
How does Stephen Crane use
the characteristics of Realism in
his short story “The Episode of
War”?
Sentence 1
 Stephen Crane’s “An Episode of War” portrays the
characteristics of Realism, for although he wrote
the story a number of years after the Civil War had
already taken place, Crane wished to capture the
harsh realities facing soldiers during this
tumultuous period of great pain and suffering.
Sentences 2, 3, & 4
For instance, Crane uses historical details
from the time period of the Civil War,
such as a soldier trying “to sheathe a
sword held by the left hand, at the middle
of the blade, in a scabbard hung at the left
hip,” to make the story believable (Crane
477).
During the Civil
War, the use of
swords was
common.
This is a detail which
brings a sense of
Realism to a story
from this era.
Sentences 5, 6, & 7
Furthermore, a description of a wounded
lieutenant shows that the soldier “hung
his head, feeling, in this presence, that he
did not know how to be correctly
wounded” (Crane 480).
This gives the
reader a glimpse
into the true
feeling of what
being wounded
may actually be
like for a soldier
who has had
such an
experience.
The wound may not be a
sign of heroic glory, as
many might assume, but it
might instead be a badge of
confusion and shame.
Sentences 8, 9, & 10
Finally, Crane depicts a realistic setting with
“a dispute of some kind raging on the steps
of the schoolhouse” and a man resting “with
his back against a tree…serenely smoking a
corncob pipe” (480).
Realistically, every
event that happens
during wartime may
not necessarily be as
one depicted in a
painting or a scene
from a movie where
all soldiers are
engaged in bloody
battle against the
enemy.
There may in fact be various events
occurring simultaneously, such as
the ones here in which people are
arguing and some are even resting.
Sentence 11
Thus, Stephen Crane’s “An Episode of
War” successfully illustrates the qualities
of Realism, which seeks to portray the
harsh and true realities of everyday life.
Characteristics of Realism in Stephen Crane’s “An Episode of War”
Stephen Crane’s “An Episode of War” portrays the characteristics of Realism,
for although he wrote the story a number of years after the Civil War had already taken
place, Crane wished to capture the harsh realities facing soldiers during this tumultuous
period of great pain and suffering. For instance, Crane uses historical details from the
time period of the Civil War, such as a soldier trying “to sheathe a sword held by the left
hand, at the middle of the blade, in a scabbard hung at the left hip,” to make the story
believable (Crane 477). During the Civil War, the use of swords was common, and this is a
detail which brings a sense of Realism to a story from this era. Furthermore, a
description of a wounded lieutenant shows that the soldier “hung his head, feeling, in
this presence, that he did not know how to be correctly wounded” (Crane 480). This gives
the reader a glimpse into the true feeling of what being wounded may actually be like for
a soldier who has had such an experience; the wound may not be a sign of heroic glory,
as many might assume, but it might instead be a badge of confusion and shame. Finally,
Crane depicts a realistic setting with “a dispute of some kind raging on the steps of the
schoolhouse” and a man resting “with his back against a tree…serenely smoking a
corncob pipe” (480). Realistically, every event that happens during wartime may not
necessarily be as one depicted in a painting or a scene from a movie where all soldiers
are engaged in bloody battle against the enemy. There may in fact be various events
occurring simultaneously, such as the ones here in which people are arguing and some
are even resting. Thus, Stephen Crane’s “An Episode of War” successfully illustrates the
qualities of Realism, which seeks to portray the harsh and true realities of everyday life.
Example
Characteristics of Realism in Stephen Crane’s “An Episode of War”
Stephen Crane’s “An Episode of War” portrays the characteristics of Realism, for
although he wrote the story a number of years after the Civil War had already taken
place, Crane wished to capture the harsh realities facing soldiers during this tumultuous
period of great pain and suffering. For instance, Crane uses historical details from the
time period of the Civil War, such as a soldier trying “to sheathe a sword held by the left
hand, at the middle of the blade, in a scabbard hung at the left hip,” to make the story
believable (Crane 477). During the Civil War, the use of swords was common. This is a
detail which brings a sense of Realism to a story from this era. Furthermore, a
description of a wounded lieutenant shows that the soldier “hung his head, feeling, in
this presence, that he did not know how to be correctly wounded” (Crane 480). This gives
the reader a glimpse into the true feeling of what being wounded may actually be like for
a soldier who has had such an experience. The wound may not be a sign of heroic glory,
as many might assume, but it might instead be a badge of confusion and shame. Finally,
Crane depicts a realistic setting with “a dispute of some kind raging on the steps of the
schoolhouse” and a man resting “with his back against a tree…serenely smoking a
corncob pipe” (480). Realistically, every event that happens during wartime may not
necessarily be as one depicted in a painting or a scene from a movie where all soldiers are
engaged in bloody battle against the enemy. There may in fact be various events
occurring simultaneously, such as the ones here in which people are arguing and some
are even resting. Thus, Stephen Crane’s “An Episode of War” successfully illustrates the
qualities of Realism, which seeks to portray the harsh and true realities of everyday life.
Class Example
 Turn to your elbow partner and review the story
of “The Three Little Pigs”.
 Decide as partners what the main lesson of this
story might be.
 Think about three details or events in the story
that help teach that lesson.
 Be ready to share your ideas in a large class
discussion.
What lesson is taught
by the story of “The
Three Little Pigs”?