© Boardworks Ltd 2006 1 of 14 Icons key: For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation Teacher’s notes included in the Notes Page

© Boardworks Ltd 20061 of 14

Icons key: For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation

Teacher’s notes included in the Notes Page

Accompanying worksheet

Flash activity. These activities are not editable.

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Grouping SentencesYear 8 Sentence Starters


Contents

2 of 14 © Boardworks Ltd 2006

In this unit you will…

Revise topic sentences

Learn how to group sentences in paragraphs chronologically

Develop paragraphs using comparisons

Give examples to develop paragraphs

Consider how to structure a series of paragraphs

Write your own series of paragraphs


Writing non-fiction paragraphs

Hi Megan! Have you finished your history essay yet on the Romans?

Nearly. Have you finished it?

No, I know what I want to say but I’m not sure how to structure my paragraphs. Can you help me?

Yes, of course I’ll help you. Let’s look at a non-fiction paragraph…


Beginning non-fiction paragraphs

Read Megan’s paragraphs. What do you notice about them?

The Roman Empire was the largest Classical empire in the world and its effects are still visible today. It spanned from 31 BC, after Julius Caesar won the civil war against Pompey, to AD 1453. The Roman Empire controlled most of Western Europe, parts of Northern Africa and some of the Middle East – 2.3 million square miles in total! The population governed by Roman rule is not known but it is estimate to be anywhere between 55 and over 120 million people.

Historians argue over who was the first emperor: Julius Caesar or Octavian (later know as Augustus). Julius Caesar was know as Dicatator Perpetuus…

The Roman Empire was the largest Classical empire in the world and its effects are still visible today. It spanned from 31 BC, after Julius Caesar won the civil war against Pompey, to AD 1453. The Roman Empire controlled most of Western Europe, parts of Northern Africa and some of the Middle East – 2.3 million square miles in total! The population governed by Roman rule is not known but it is estimated to be anywhere between 55 and over 120 million people.

Historians argue over who was the first emperor: Julius Caesar or Octavian (later know as Augustus). Julius Caesar was know as Dicatator Perpetuus…Each paragraph begins with a topic sentence.


Topic sentences

Do you know what a topic sentence is Max?

Um, is it a sentence about a topic?

Yes, it’s a sentence which sums up what your paragraph is going to be about...

Topic sentences are the best way to open non-fiction paragraphs because they sum up what the paragraph is going to discuss.

They signpost to the reader the subject of each paragraph, making your purpose clear.

Try to write five topic sentences which Megan could use in her essay.


Did you know that the body of a paragraph needs to support the opening sentence?

In non-fiction, paragraphs usually begin with a topic sentence which introduces what the paragraph is about. You can develop paragraphs by grouping the other sentences to:

Grouping sentences

That’s called the

topic sentence,

right?

1. Describe an idea chronologically.2. Make comparisons of ideas or things:

use connectives to show similarities and differences.

3. Use examples to strengthen an idea or argument.


Writing chronologically

Writing chronologically means describing an idea or event in the order that it occurs, e.g.

The egg will hatch into a chick and then grow into a chicken.

Try to write a short paragraph describing an event chronologically.

When might you need to describe something chronologically?


Grouping sentences chronologically


Making comparisons


Write a paragraph to compare these two people using some connectives. Then share your ideas with the class.

Comparing people

When might you need to make comparisons?

What is similar? What is different?


Using examples in paragraphs


Think of a controversial topic. You may use an idea from the box below or think of your own (but ask permission first!).

Using examples

School uniform

Fox hunting

The death penalty

Motorway tolls

Think of an argument in favour of one side of the debate and sum it up as a topic sentence. Add more sentences to give examples to argue your point of view. Then use a connective to discuss the other side of the debate.


introduce each paragraph with an informative topic sentence make sure that the rest of the paragraph supports your topic sentence think about ways to develop your sentences, such as using relative and adverbial clausesarrange the sentences within your paragraphs in the best order: 1. chronologically

2. by making comparisons 3. by using examples

use your last paragraph to sum up the information.

Writing paragraphs

So far we have considered three ways of grouping sentences in paragraphs. You are now going to generate a series of paragraphs. Use the following guidelines:


Do some research on orangutans and then using your notes and the images above write a ‘documentary’. You can use the pictures in any order but you must write connected paragraphs.

Writing a series of paragraphs

Documents

© Boardworks Ltd 2006 1 of 14 Icons key: For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation Teacher’s notes included in the Notes Page