Developing the Main Idea Paragraph– Guided Practice

Objective: Learn about the construction of a paragraph. Practice planning and developing a main idea paragraph in persuasive writing.

How can we develop your Main Idea paragraphs? Using the EX-Team!

Lets look at our main idea paragraphs on the “Write to the Point” planner.

Developing the Main Idea Paragraph– Guided Practice

What could you explain?

What examples could you use?

Is there an experience to relate?

Any expert information to give?

Jot down words or phrases directly on the “Write to the Point” planner to remember what we decided to use – when we develop the paragraphs.

OREO – paragraph form

1) Main idea sentence.

2) Contains EX-Team to support the main idea.

3) Relate to main idea or remind reader of purpose.

Developing the Main Idea Paragraph– Guided Practice

Look at Emily’s letter (paragraph #3). The one about dismissal time.

Help me identify the “top” part of OREO—the main

idea sentence. The first sentence of the paragraph.

Next read the “middle” part of the OREO and notice how Emily used an experience as the EX-Team member.

Now identify the “bottom” part of OREO. The last sentence of the paragraph

How does it bring the reader back to the author’s purpose and main idea?

Example from Emily’s letter to Mr. K___.

Lockers would make dismissal time easier.

Experience of the time I couldn’t find my UofL hat. It wasn’t on the hook where I put it. I had to give up and go home. I got yelled at by the bus driver for making the bus wait. Mom was mad I lost my hat.

That wouldn’t have happened if we had lockers.

(Paragraph #3)

Developing the Main Idea Paragraph– Guided Practice

Work with your table and develop the first main idea paragraph for your class persuasive letter.

Use your “Write to the Point” planner to see what your first main idea paragraph is about.

Also use the OREO format to help you construct your paragraph (Reread your paragraph for fluency)

After you have planned out the paragraph with OREO, begin writing out complete sentences.

Last, be sure to reread your sentences to check and make sure sentences sound proper and makes senses.

Developing the Main Idea Paragraph– Guided Practice

Let’s decide who’s first main idea paragraph to use for your class persuasive letter.

Each table turn in a main idea paragraph.

We will vote on which table’s paragraph we will use for the persuasive letter.

May the best paragraph win!

We will do this method for each main idea paragraph. “COME WIT IT!!!”

Developing the Main Idea Paragraph– Guided Practice

Work with your table and develop the second main idea paragraph for your class persuasive letter.

Use your “Write to the Point” planner to see what your 2nd main idea paragraph is about.

Use the OREO format to help you construct your paragraph. (Reread your paragraph for fluency.)

Be sure to reread your sentences to check and make sure sentences sound proper and makes sense.

We will follow this same routine to complete the 3rd and 4th main idea paragraphs as well.

OREO – paragraph form

1) Main idea sentence.

2) Contains EX-Team to support the main idea.

3) Relate to main idea or remind reader of purpose.

Drafting a Closing Paragraph– Guided Practice

Objective: Learn more about writing a closing paragraph in a persuasive piece of writing.

The closing paragraph of a persuasive letter should have two things:

1) Remind the reader of the purpose.

2) Give some kind of a “call to action” to the audience.

Drafting a Closing Paragraph– Guided Practice

“If the intro paragraph is the important first impression, then the conclusion is just as important, and maybe more so.

It’s the Last Chance!

The last chance to make sure your audience knows the purpose of the letter.

The last chance to drive home your point.

The last chance to let your audience know how much this matters to you!”

Drafting a Closing Paragraph– Guided Practice

A professional author - Marcia S. Freeman says, “…the function of an effective ending, is to wrap it up…One way to do this is to begin the final paragraph in the same fashion as the beginning, using a variation of the (lead).”

Here’s an example:

A sixth-grader began her piece with “Reading takes you places you’d never go.”

Then she told why she loves books. When she wrote her ending she returned to talking about reading by saying, “Reading brings you friends you’d never know.”

Drafting a Closing Paragraph– Guided Practice

Ms. Freeman lists several models of ending paragraphs that she says work for most intermediate, middle, and high school students, including:

Remind the reader of the main idea. Restate how you feel about the subject. Raise a further question about the subject. Restate the main ideas in a different way.

“Be careful,” Ms. Freeman says, “not to hit the reader over the head when you restate ideas.” Writing something like, “I have told you the four reasons why I love books.” is a boring way to end a piece of writing.

Drafting a Closing Paragraph– Guided Practice

You can repeat the main ideas—just do it in an interesting way.

Let’s look at the closing paragraph in Emily’s letter to Mr. K___.

What type of conclusion did Emily use in her closing paragraph? She reminded the reader of the main ideas.

What transitional phrase did Emily use? “As you can see…”

Drafting a Closing Paragraph– Guided Practice

What other ways could Emily have written her conclusion?

What different ways could Emily have used a transition? Write them down and be prepared to share.

Now you will work with your table to construct a closing paragraph for the class persuasive letter.

You will write them on index cards and turn them in to be voted on.

Make sure you use a transition phrase at the beginning of the closing paragraph. Be sure to reread your paragraph!

Proofread, Revise, and Edit Now it’s time to proofread!

What all do we need to do to when proofreading? Reread, reread, reread, reread… Check for spelling errors Check for capitalization mistakes Check for appropriate punctuation Check for transitions

Check for correct grammar (Do the sentences sound right & make sense?)

Is your persuasive letter in Letter Format? Includes: Date, Salutation, Paragraphs, Closing, etc.