Writing an Informational Paragraph Slide 2 Lesson 1 Paragraph
Structure Slide 3 Paragraphs: consist of one or more sentences
about a single thought. usually have more than one sentence. never
have more than one idea. (Sentences must be related to the main
idea.) Slide 4 Example Paragraph Scientists disagree about how long
earthworms have inhabited the Earth. Worms are soft bodied
creatures with no bones or shell. Due to this few fossils of worms
have been found. Scientists have found trace fossils in India.
These are fossils of tunnels that many scientists believe to have
been made by worms. Not all scientists agree with this. Some say
the tunnels may have been made in other ways. Scientists do agree
that annelids, soft bodied worm-like animals, have been on Earth
for 500 million years. Well-preserved annelid fossils have been
found in Mazon Creek near Chicago. Can you believe that some
scientists believe that worms have been on the Earth for more than
a billion years? Slide 5 Structure of a Paragraph Part of a
ParagraphReasonExample Topic Sentence To generate interest States
the main idea (1)Scientists disagree about how long earthworms have
inhabited the Earth. Details First Point and Support Introduces
Main Point #1 and gives information or examples (2)Worms are a soft
bodied creatures with no bones or shell. (3)Due to this few fossils
of worms have been found. Details Second Point and Support
Introduces Main Point #2 and gives information or examples
(4)Scientists have found trace fossils in India. (5)These are
fossils of tunnels that many scientists believe to have been made
by worms. (6)Not all scientists agree with this. (7)Some say the
tunnels may have been made in other ways. Details Third Point and
Support Introduces Main Point #3 and gives information or examples
(8)Scientists do agree that annelids, soft bodied worm-like
animals, have been on Earth for 500 million years.
(9)Well-preserved annelid fossils have been found in Mazon Creek
near Chicago. Conclusion Restates the topic sentence Often leaves
the reader with something to think about. (10)Can you believe that
some scientists believe that worms have been on the Earth for more
than a billion years? Slide 6 Questions What is the main idea of
this paragraph? What is the concluding sentence What do you notice
about the first line of the paragraph? Do all the sentences in the
paragraph support the main idea? What is the first main point?
second main point? third main point? Which sentence(s) support(s)
the first main point? second main point? third main point? Slide 7
Activity In your How to Eat Fried Worms packet complete page 85.
Slide 8 Lesson 2 Making an Outline Slide 9 OutlinePart of a
ParagraphParagraph I. How Long Have Earthworms Lived On Earth? The
main topic is used to build the topic sentence. Scientists disagree
about how long earthworms have inhabited the Earth. A. Few fossils
a.no bones b.soft bodies Details First Point and Support Worms are
a soft bodied creatures with no bones or shell. Due to this few
fossils of worms have not been found. B. Trace fossils found India
a.tunnels made by worms b.scientists disagree if made by worms
c.some say made other ways Details Second Point and Support
Scientists have found trace fossils in India. These are fossils of
tunnels that many scientists believe to have been made by worms.
Not all scientist agree with this. Some say the tunnels may have
been made in other ways. C. Annelid Fossil Found a.fossils found in
Mazon Creek near Chicago b.500 million years old Details Third
Point and Support Scientists do agree that annelids, soft bodied
worm-like animals, have been on Earth for 500 million years. Well-
preserved annelid fossils have been found in Mazon Creek near
Chicago. Conclusion Can you believe that some scientists believe
that worms have been on the Earth for more than a billion years?
Slide 10 How to Make an Outline Write a title that lets the reader
know the subject of the report. Main topics are listed using Roman
numerals and periods. Points or facts are listed under each topic
using capital letters and periods. Subtopics are extra information
that is needed to clarify a point or fact. They are listed under
each fact as needed. Subtopics are listed using lower case letters
and periods. Slide 11 Questions What is the main topic in the
paragraph above? How many points are made in this paragraph? Did
each point need additional clarification? What do the Roman
numerals represent? What are the capital letters used for? How many
points were made in the paragraph? Slide 12 Activity In your How to
Eat Fried Worms packet complete pages 87-88. Slide 13 Lesson 3
Topic Sentences Slide 14 Read the paragraph. After making a bet
with his friend Alan, Billy must eat fifteen worms in fifteen days.
With $50.00 in prize money Billy plans to buy a minibike. Alan and
his friend Joe do everything possible to keep Billy from eating
these worms. They look for the biggest worms in the barnyard. By
dipping the worms in everything from ketchup to horseradish sauce,
Billy downs the worms with no trouble at all. Realizing that he is
actually going to lose, Alan plans one scheme after another to
trick Billy right down to day fifteen. Read this hilarious book to
see if Billy can outsmart Alan and win the bet. Slide 15 Questions
What is the main idea of this paragraph? Can you find a sentence
that tells you the main idea? This sentence is called the topic
sentence. The topic sentence usually comes at the beginning of a
paragraph, however, some writers may place the topic sentence at
the end. Slide 16 Activity In your How to Eat Fried Worms packet
complete pages 89-91. Slide 17 Lesson 4 Supporting or Detail
Sentences Slide 18 Rule The first sentence of a paragraph tells the
main idea. It is called the topic sentence. The sentences that
follow the topic sentence explain or tell more about the main idea.
These sentences are called supporting or detail sentences. Slide 19
Read the following paragraph and discuss. Earthworms may be placed
in large plastic jars or small terrariums. First you need to fill
the container with alternating layers of sand, soil, and peat moss.
Next add enough water to make the soil mixture moist but not soggy
wet. Add fresh leaves to the top of the soil. Next place the
container in an area away from sunlight. This area must stay
between 55 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Finally cover the outside of
the jar or terrarium with a dark colored paper. After about five
days, you may remove the paper and observe what has happened Slide
20 Questions Why do these sentences make a paragraph? What is the
topic sentence of the paragraph? How are you able to identify the
topic sentence? Read the five detail sentences. What is the purpose
of the detail sentences? Slide 21 Activity In your How to Eat Fried
Worms packet complete pages 92-94. Slide 22 Lesson 5 Sentence Order
in Paragraphs Slide 23 Sentences in a paragraph should be in the
correct order. If they are not, the paragraph will not make sense.
Slide 24 Read the following paragraph. Here is a wonderful worm
treat that I'm sure you'll really love to bake. You must have the
following ingredients: 1-20 ounce package of refrigerated sugar
cookie dough and 3 cups crushed fruit-flavored cereal. First
combine the dough with half a cup of the cereal. Second divide the
dough into 32 balls. Next refrigerate the dough mixture for one
hour. Before you bake the worm treats preheat the oven to 375.
While the oven heats, roll the each dough ball into six to eight
worm shapes. Next roll the worms in the remaining cereal to coat.
Then curl the worm into an interesting shape. Place the worms two
inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Finally bake the worm
treats for 10 to 11 minutes until they are lightly browned. These
worm treats are really delicious. Slide 25 Questions What is the
topic sentence of this paragraph? Which words in this paragraph
show you order? What would be wrong with putting the tenth sentence
before the fifth sentence? Slide 26 Here is a list of transitional
words you may use when writing a paragraph to show sequence:
firstsecondthirdafter finallythenlastnext beforewhileaftercurrently
previouslyafter a few hoursduringin the future at the same
timeimmediately beforeimmediately afterlater untilas soon
aseventuallymeanwhile Slide 27 Activity In your How to Eat Fried
Worms packet complete pages 96-97. Slide 28 Activity Billy's mom
began to help him think of yummy ways to eat worms even though she
did not agree with him eating worms in the first place. Can you
help Billy's mother? Come up with your own worm recipe. Write your
recipe in paragraph form. Be sure to include a topic sentence,
detail sentences, and a conclusion sentence. Write your recipe on
the card below. (Note: INDENT) See recipe card in your How to Eat
Fried Worms packet on page 98. Slide 29 Lesson 6 Staying on Topic
Slide 30 What have you learned about paragraphs? A paragraph is a
group of sentences that tell about one main idea. The topic
sentence tells the main idea of a paragraph. Details tell more
about the topic sentence. Sentences in a paragraph should be
written in the correct sequence. Slide 31 Activity In your How to
Eat Fried Worms packet complete pages 99-101. Slide 32 Lesson 7
Concluding Sentences Slide 33 Most paragraphs end with concluding
or closing sentence. A concluding sentence lets the reader know the
paragraph is coming to a close. It restates the topic sentence in a
different way and ties the paragraph together. Slide 34 Activity In
your How to Eat Fried Worms packet complete pages 102-103. Slide 35
The rules: 1. Start your paragraph with a topic sentence. Topic
sentence = a sentence that explains what you are going to write
about. It should have a subject, a verb, and a main idea. 2. Add
supporting sentences. Supporting sentences = more information about
your topic. 3. End with a concluding sentence Conclusion = an
ending sentence that explains what your paragraph is about. You are
restating your topic or point. This keeps the reader focused. If
you want to, you can add a concluding comment after the concluding
sentence. Slide 36 Activity After making mud cakes the students
will write directions in paragraph form to practice with
sequencing.
