The Coolest Person I Know:A 5-paragraph essay

English 9 – showing me what you can do

The Ancient Arrangement

Brainstorm first

Come up with your details – the meat of your thinking.Do it first – this will tell you whether you

have enough material to write the essay. It’s too hard to think of details when you’re

trying to think about making a good sentence.

Know your topic sentences BEFORE you begin writing the essay.

The Introduction

Begins with an attention-grabberAttention grabber can be more than one

sentence.Focuses attention from attention grabber

to thesis (a transition)Last sentence of introduction is thesis

The Attention Grabber

Ideas for attention grabbers: A startling statement A small story (anecdote) A quote A fact An interesting observation

Consider beginning by discussing your theme rather than your specific text

Make your attention grabber more than one sentence – it takes the pressure off

The Thesis

For a 5-paragraph essayBuild the thesis out of your topic sentences.Mention all three topic sentence ideas in

your thesis.Write it before you begin your essay.

You can rework it later to make it blend with the rest of your introduction.

Doing it before helps you focus your introduction.

Supporting Paragraphs

Each one begins with a topic sentence The topic sentences state the main ideas of the

paragraph – they mention all the ideas that are coming!

They also help make the transition from the paragraph before it.

Filled with details related to the topic sentence - that support/defend the claim

Finishes with a clincher statement, leaving reader with a reminder of the paragraph’s point

Concluding Paragraph

Always begins with the thesis statement Can be worded slightly differently than the first

time Go ahead – cut and paste it in the conclusion

Reminds reader about the main points This is often a recasting of the clincher sentences

Leaves reader with a thought to ponder This is the final statement of the essay Works well if this relates to the attention grabber

at the beginning