Transcript 5 Paragraph Essay Activities Mrs. Hill 8

5 Paragraph Essay
Activities
Mrs. Hill
8th Grade Language Arts
Clear Lake Middle School
Review:
6+1 Traits of Writing
 Ideas
 Clear, focused, and interesting
 Important details
 Learn something new
Activity
Each one of the paragraphs has a problem. Identify the problem.
1. Albert Einstein was a very famous
science fiction. His feather and mother
were born in Peruvian. He discovered
the Law of the Relationship. Albert
Einstein had a fat green period named
Lara.
Paragraph 1
1. Albert Einstein was a very famous
scientist. His father and mother were
born in Peru. He discovered the Law of
Relation. Albert Einstein had a fat green
parrot named Lara.
Paragraph 2
2. I woke up in the morning, looked in the mirror,
and I wasn’t there I was invisible and I couldn’t
see myself so I went downstairs to eat
breakfast but my mother couldn’t see me so
she screamed and I thought what can I do now
and so I went to the living room and decided to
read the newspaper but my younger sister
thought I was a ghost she screamed and ran
out of the room and I went to school and no
one could see me so I decided to play tricks on
my friends and it was a fun time.
Paragraph 3
4. My paragraph is on cats. Some people
like cats. Other people, however, think
that they are boring animals. I agree.
There is nothing interesting about them.
But they have four legs and fur. In
ancient times, Egyptians loved their cats.
Today, cats hang around the house and
do nothing. So now I am finished with
my paragraph.
Composition:
Supporting Details
Directions:
Read the topic sentence and the list of
details following each topic sentence. On
your piece of paper, identify the details
that are pertinent to the topic.
Composition:
Supporting Details
1.
Charles Lindbergh was called the Lone Eagle,
because he flew a single-engine airplane to France.
(a) The aircraft was "The Spirit of St. Louis".
(b) His mother was a devout Christian.
(c) Most bald eagles are also lonely eagles.
(d) He landed in Paris, France, in 1927.
Composition:
Supporting Details
2. The orange pumpkin was in front of the house on
Halloween night.
(a) Dew was forming on the blades of grass.
(b) A lighted candle was inside the pumpkin.
(c) The pumpkin wore a black hat.
(d) The boys played football until 10:00 at night.
Composition:
Supporting Details
3. The devastating flood left debris littered in its wake.
(a) The roaring waters boiled over the sandbags.
(b) The postman waited for the next mail delivery.
(c) The Red Cross assisted homeless families.
(d) Several blood donors had waited in lines all
morning.
Composition:
Supporting Details
4. The judge questioned the prisoner about the
contraband in his possession.
(a) The police searched the prisoner.
(b) Other prisoners were in the same courtroom.
(c) The prisoner insisted he was innocent.
(d) The judge had lunch with the officer.
Composition:
Supporting Details
5. This man was somewhat short in stature, with a
tremendous chest and long wiry arms.
(a) Most of the men were interested in bowling.
(b) His legs were bulging muscles of strength.
(c) He reminded one of a tough competitor.
(d) The boys scheduled their next football game.
Composition:
Supporting Details
6. Lake Arrowhead was named by a tribe of Indians who
once shaped arrowheads along its banks.
(a) This was a war-like tribe of Indians.
(b) Some tribes have ancestors in Asia.
(c) All Indians believed medicine men could heal.
(d) Old arrowheads can be found near the lake today.
Composition:
Supporting Details
7. Spiders travel in many different ways. Some of them
can run very rapidly on foot. Some are expert
swimmers and divers. Others can walk on the water.
Other spiders can even travel great distances through
the air in parachutes which they make out of their
webs. Spiders bite many times.
(a) Spiders bite many times.
(b) Some spiders travel through the air.
(c) Spiders travel in many different ways.
Composition:
Supporting Details
8. One kind of fish has no eyes. These fish are small, only
about four inches long. These fish are good to eat.
They have no skulls and no bones. In place of bones
they have segments of cartilage. They seem to know
when anyone is coming close to them, for they swim
away rapidly when a person gets near.
(a) These fish are good to eat.
(b) One kind of fish has no eyes.
(c) They seem to know when anything is coming close.
Composition:
Supporting Details
9. The early people of Peru founded a powerful nation.
They accomplished this because they did things much
better than other people of their time. The people of
Peru are friendly. They dug ditches which carried water
to the desert. Here planting was carried on. No other
people have ever made more beautiful pottery or
textiles.
(a) They did things much better than other people.
(b) The people of Peru are friendly.
(c) The early people of Peru founded a powerful nation.
Composition:
Supporting Details
10. The simple plants of the first group have neither roots,
stems, nor leaves. Most of them are very small and
have a very simple body. The group is subdivided into
two classes: algae and fungi. Flowers are from seed
plants.
(a) The group is subdivided into two classes: algae and
fungi.
(b) Simple plants of the first group have neither roots,
stems, nor leaves.
(c) Flowers are from seed plants.
Composition:
Details which do NOT support
Directions:
Read the following paragraphs and the
list of ideas which follow. On your answer
sheet, mark the letters which represent
an idea that does not support the main
idea.
Composition:
Details which do NOT support
1. The woods are colorful in springtime. The leaves unfurl
many shades of rich green. Flowering trees add
splashes of pink and white. Early wild flowers--gold,
red, and violet--peek through the darker browns,
blacks, and greens of the forest floor. Here and there a
jay or a cardinal flits in a blur of blue or red against the
jade backdrop of trees.
(a) Summer and fall are also gorgeous seasons.
(b) Birds add to the beauty and color of the woods.
(c) The variety of color adds to springtime beauty.
(d) Jays and cardinals fly south in the fall.
Composition:
Details which do NOT support
2. A cornfield in July is a sultry place. The soil is hot and dry; the wind
comes across the lazily murmuring leaves laden with a warm
sickening smell drawn from the rapidly growing, broad-flung
banners of the corn. The sun, nearly vertical, drops a flood of
dazzling light upon the field over which the cool shadows run, only
to make the heat seem more intense.
(a) The dry corn leaves make rustling sounds in the wind.
(b) In July, the sun shines bright and hot.
(c) August and June are much worse than July.
(d) The July rainfall cools things off.
Composition:
Details which do NOT support
3. A crow, so thirsty that he could not even caw, came upon a pitcher
which once had been full of water. But when he put his beak into
the pitcher's mouth, he found that only a little water was left in it.
He tried to break the pitcher, then to overturn it, but his strength
was not equal to the task.
(a) Other birds had no trouble getting water.
(b) The hot sun overhead didn't help matters any.
(c) The crow was weak because he was thirsty.
(d) The water level in the pitcher was very low.
Composition:
Details which do NOT support
4. Every desert animal can live somehow for months without liquid
water. A few, including snails and frogs, remain underground
between rainfalls. Most get water from plants. Others manufacture
water to survive on smaller animals.
(a) All animals can live for months without water.
(b) Nature enables some animals to manufacture water.
(c) Snails and frogs are desert animals.
(d) Jungle animals need lots of water to survive.
Composition:
Details which do NOT support
5. Once a playful mouse ran across the paw and up the nose of a
sleeping lion. The lion awoke, caught the mouse, and was about
to kill him when the mouse begged forgiveness, saying he might
one day return the kindness. Amused, the lion forgave him. Soon
afterward the lion was caught in a net by hunters. The mouse
heard the lion roar, recognized his friend's voice, and came to
help. His sharp teeth cut the ropes, setting the lion free.
(a) Lions and mice usually make good companions.
(b) Mice frequently play with lions.
(c) The mouse returned the lion's kindness.
(d) The lion thought he might never need the mouse.
Composition:
Details which do NOT support
6. German women take cooking as seriously as shopping. In some
villages, they will bake sour-dough bread in community ovens.
Baking is a German art, evidenced by such delicacies as
gingerbread, spices, butter and almond biscuits, and potato
pancakes served with applesauce and blueberries. German
housewives take pride in making their own cakes and cookies
from "secret" family recipes.
(a) German women enjoy cooking from their own recipes.
(b) Housewives in Germany view baking as an art.
(c) Most European housewives follow examples of German
women.
(d) Sour-dough bread was introduced by the French.
Composition:
Details which do NOT support
7. I had a sleepless night(1). The neighbor's dog began to
bark(2). The neighbors keep their dog in a doghouse
outside(3). There was a severe thunderstorm(4). A loose
window pane was crackling in the distance (5). The whole
evening was climaxed by the sound of screaming sirens in
response to a fire two blocks away(6).
a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4
e) 5
f) 6
Composition:
Details which do NOT support
8. Everyone loves to hear a story(1). Just as soon as a
speaker begins to tell a story, lagging interest perks
up(2). A well-told story always fires the imagination(3).
The listeners begin to anticipate the end, and they
listen patiently to learn whether they guessed the
outcome correctly(4). My sister likes to read mystery
books(5).
a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4
e) 5
Composition:
Details which do NOT support
9. When you fill out an application blank for a job,
one thing to be careful about is your
spelling(1). Your prospective employer may
think that a careless speller will be careless at
work(2). Be sure to dress neatly for your
interview(3).
a) 1
c) 3
b) 2
Composition:
Details which do NOT support
10. When you write a letter in reply to an advertisement
for a job, keep these rules in mind(1): (A) use white
paper of standard size, usually 8 1/2 by 11 inches; (B)
type the letter or write it with black or blue ink; (C)
center the letter on the page, and have uniform
margins on both sides and at the top and bottom(2). Do
not crowd a short letter at the top of the sheet(3). The
Help-Wanted section of your newspaper has many job
advertisements(4).
a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4
Composition:
Details which do NOT support
11. All the guests had worn Western costumes(1).
However, Fred thought that Jeff's was the best(2). The
birthday cake was chocolate with white icing(3). Jeff
had come as an Indian(4). He wore moccasins, Indian
pants, and a full headdress of feathers(5). He even
painted lines on his face to look warlike(6).
a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4
e) 5
f) 6
Writing Your Own
Paragraph
 Use the following topic sentence to write
your own paragraph using ONLY
supportive details.
 The football team was labeled as
the underdog for the big game.
Composition:
Choose Your Own Detail
Directions:
Read each topic sentence. Think of
details that would relate directly to this
sentence. For each topic sentence, list
three details that support the sentence.
Topic Sentences
 Every successful football player must undergo
strenuous physical exercises.
 A high school graduate stands a much better
chance of getting a job than a high school dropout.
 Plants are very useful to humans; they provide
food and numerous natural resources.
 Oxygen is a vital content of air and is extremely
useful in industry.
 All mammals are warm-blooded and exhale
through their lungs.
 Snakes and crocodiles belong to the reptile family;
they are cold-blooded.
 The ability to read is a necessary skill in the world
of work.
Composition:
Choose Your Own Detail
 1. Topic Sentence: Every successful
football player must undergo strenuous
physical exercises.
 (a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
Composition:
Choose Your Own Detail
 2. Topic Sentence: A high school
graduate stands a much better chance of
getting a job than a high school drop-out.
 (a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
Composition:
Choose Your Own Detail
 3. Topic Sentence: Plants are very
useful to humans; they provide food and
numerous natural resources.
 (a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
Composition:
Choose Your Own Detail
 4. Topic Sentence: Oxygen is a vital
content of air and is extremely useful in
industry.
 (a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
Composition:
Choose Your Own Detail
 5. Topic Sentence: All mammals are
warm-blooded and exhale through their
lungs.
 (a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
Composition:
Choose Your Own Detail
 6. Topic Sentence: Snakes and
crocodiles belong to the reptile family;
they are cold-blooded.
 (a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
Composition:
Choose Your Own Detail
 7. Topic Sentence: The ability to read is
a necessary skill in the world of work.
 (a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
The 5-Paragraph Essay
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Formula for an instant essay organization
Simplistic and formulistic
Always use good content and think about your
readers
Useful for timed essay exams
Sample topic: What is the purpose of a
college education?
The 5-Paragraph Essay
Introduction
 Lead or Hook.
 Thesis statement.
 Point 1.
 Point 2.
 Point 3.
 When most students graduate
from high school, they are
tired of school. They do not
want to go to school for four
more years. However,
without a college degree, it is
hard to get a good job. In my
opinion, the purpose of
college is to prepare you for a
good career. Cal Poly
Pomona prepares you
because it has many popular
degree programs. It also has
many good teachers and a
“learn by doing” philosophy.
The 5-Paragraph Essay
Body 1
 Topic Sentence about
point 1.
 Supporting details: facts,
reasons, examples,
arguments.
 Concluding/Transition
Sentence
 The degree programs at
Cal Poly lead directly
into good jobs in
industry. For example,
the Hotel and Restaurant
Management program
prepares students for a
career in the hospitality
industry. The Electrical
and Computer
Engineering program is
also popular in our high
tech society. (Add more)
The 5-Paragraph Essay
Body 2
 Topic sentence about
point 2.
 Supporting details: facts,
reasons, examples,
arguments.
 Concluding/Transition
Sentence
 Another benefit at Cal
Poly is the high quality
faculty. For example,
my Engineering
professor worked for
many years in industry,
and really knows what
companies are looking
for. (Add more)
The 5-Paragraph Essay
Body 3
 Topic sentence about
point 3.
 Supporting details: facts,
reasons, examples,
arguments.
 Concluding/Transition
Sentence
 In addition, Cal Poly
has a hands on,
“learn by doing”
teaching
philosophy. This
means that students
work on real projects
with real materials,
plants, and
animals. For
example . . . (Add
more)
The 5-Paragraph Essay
Conclusion
 Brief summary of
information.
 Restatement of thesis.
 Concluding Sentence
 Refer back to lead/hook
 Leave the reader with
something to think about
 Choosing the right
college or university
can make a big
difference in preparing
you for a career. Cal
Poly Pomona is the
right university for me
because of its attractive
degree programs, good
teachers, and hands on
teaching methods. It
might be the right
choice for you, too.