Transcript Document 7276734

Jane Schaffer
Writing Strategy
How to Write an Effective Paragraph
Created by Hollie Gustke
A Fractured Fairy Tale
THE HAMBURGER:
A PARAGRAPH WITH
DETAILS
Get Ready to Color Your World!
How to Write an Effective Paragraph
• Materials:
When we write, we will use blue, red,
and green pens.
–BLUE is for Topic Sentences (TS)
and Concluding Sentences (CS).
–RED is for Concrete Details (CD).
–GREEN is for Commentary
Sentences (CM).
Step 1: TOPIC SENTENCE
• A Topic Sentence
(TS) is the top bun
of a hamburger.
TS = first sentence of the paragraph.
It shows the main idea.
Usually a mildly controversial
statement--something that you have
to prove.
Example Topic Sentence (TS)
1) In the fairy tale
“Cinderella,”
the main character feels
mistreated.
Step 2: CONCRETE DETAILS
• Concrete Details
(CD) are the meat of
the hamburger.
• CDs = facts, quotes,
examples, etc. from
the text.
• CDs can’t be argued with—a CD is
evidence that supports your point!
Example Concrete Detail
(CD)
2) For example, Cinderella
must do all of the cooking and
cleaning for her family.
Step 3: COMMENTARY
• Commentary
Sentences (CM) are
the “extras” on the
hamburger—the
tomato, cheese,
lettuce, mayo—they
make it delicious!
• CMs = your analysis, interpretation,
explanation, or insight into the text.
Example Commentary
Sentences (2 CMs)
3) These chores keep her
isolated and friendless. 4) The
stepmother is thus able to give
Cinderella even more work
which prevents her from going
to the ball.
Step 4: CONCLUDING
SENTENCE
• A concluding
sentence (CS) is
the bottom bun of
the hamburger.
• A CS wraps up the paragraph.
It rephrases the main idea.
Example Concluding
Sentence (CS)
5) Therefore, Cinderella
feels abused by the very
people who are supposed to
love her.
Step 6: A Whole Paragraph
In the fairy tale “Cinderella,” the
main character feels mistreated. For
example, Cinderella must do all of the
cooking and cleaning for her family. These
chores keep her isolated and friendless.
The stepmother is thus able to give
Cinderella even more work which prevents
her from going to the ball. Therefore,
Cinderella feels abused by the very people
who are supposed to love her.
Let’s try another.
Choose a Fairy Tale Character.
The Big Bad Wolf in Little Red Riding
Hood.
Point to prove: He was framed. He didn’t
really attack Red.
TS: The Big Bad Wolf in the fairy tale
“Little Red Riding Hood” was framed. He
never attacked Red and her granny!
Concrete Detail
• For example, everyone in town knew that
Little Red Riding Hood was holding a
grudge against the wolf. She was still
angry about him pushing her hood over her
head in Kindergarten.
Commentary (2)
• Since she was holding a grudge, she
purposefully teased Mr. Wolf in the woods
by showing him her grandmother’s goody
basket.
• It was common knowledge that poor Mr.
Wolf was starving out of his mind since
becoming a Vegan, and she was “taunting”
him.
Concluding Sentence
• So, looking at the cold, hard facts. It is
easy to see that Mr. Wolf may have not
been the aggressor in this attack. It very
well could have been a set-up that was
master-minded by a vengeful little girl.
All together now…
•
The Big Bad Wolf in the fairy tale “Little Red
Riding Hood” was framed. He never attacked Red and
her granny! For example, everyone in town knew that
Little Red Riding Hood was holding a grudge against the
wolf. She was still angry about him pushing her hood
over her head in Kindergarten. Since she was holding a
grudge, she purposefully teased Mr. Wolf in the woods
by showing him her grandmother’s goody basket.
• It was common knowledge that poor Mr. Wolf was
starving out of his mind since becoming a Vegan, and she
was “taunting” him. So, looking at the cold, hard facts, It
is easy to see that Mr. Wolf may have not been the
aggressor in this attack. It very well could have been a
set-up that was master-minded by a vengeful little girl.