[jmiller4615]

Help! I am coming from kindergarten to 6th grade this year. The students need to learn how to write a 5 paragraph essay. How do I teach this? Does anyone have a format they use? I was thinking for their 1st paper I would have them write about the book we are finishing. Each paragraph would be a story element (character, setting, problem, etc). I can teach them that, but how do you teach it to a prompt? What do you have the kids include in their paragraph?

Hope this makes sense, leaving for work and wanted to jot down some questions! Thanks in advance!

[MiddlingAZ]

I have always used one of the many types of great graphic organizers for a multi-paragraph essay, but I recently saw a prewriting outline organized as short answers to questions. I thought this might be an easy introduction. I adapted it to a book we already read at the beginning of the year so they would have examples and be able to fill it in with phrases about their current novel. Next time we will use one of the types of graphic organizers I used in the past for a persuasive essay, but they could be used for a book report, too:

http://www.teachervision.fen.com/tv/...932080_075.pdf
(You can Google graphic organizer 5 paragraph essay for a lot of ideas)

After they filled in the outline, I did a lesson for each paragraph and modeled how to take the phrases from the outline and construct sentences and a paragraph. I saved the intro & conclusions for last and taught lead, thesis statement, and restating the thesis at the end of the conclusion. A sample paragraph using the examples from the outline transformed into paragraphs is on page 3 of the attch.

After the draft, then peer editing, revising/proofreading, final copy (following the Writing Process). I haven't assessed all of them yet, but it worked well.

[ajmm115]

PP gave good advice. Here are some student handouts I used, the A, B, C essay handouts were also on overhead transparancies (didn't get a smart boart until later) and we discussed as a class before students started.

[MiddlingAZ]

I can use this

[MrsCroak]

this is the organizer i use for 5 paragraph prompted essays.

http://www.mrscroak.com/files/WRITIN..._ORGANIZER.pdf

I first teach them the chant: I 1 2 3, 1 D D D, 2 D D D, 3 D D, C 1 2 3.

I model model model until they've got it, and once they do it's pretty easy for them to do. At the end of 6th, I have them upgrade to this organizer:

http://www.mrscroak.com/files/WRITIN...ANIZER_7th.pdf

it asks for a little more detail.

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Attached is a partial example of how my students go about filling it out. I completed it based on a prompt of "If you could meet anyone in the world, who would you meet?"...

In the parentheses are the transition words I teach them to go with each paragraph. Once they are done with the organizer, it is just a matter of copying onto lined paper and indenting when needed.

[Deanebeana]

Hi,
After spending my sunday afternoon grading unorganized work. I can not wait to try you ideas in my class. My students need help thanks,
Deane

[MrTall]

I REALLY like that graphic organizers. My kids are going to really hate me, but their work needs to get organized!!!!!!!