Writing I (The Simple Paragraph)

The Simple Paragraph

One of the first writing assignments any student receives is writing a composed paragraph. Just about any topic you are teaching in class can be the subject of a paragraph. When you break the paragraph into smaller elements, your students will see that four to six sentences do not have to be overwhelming. The first element of a paragraph is the topic sentence. This sentence gives the reader the main point of the paragraph. The last sentence of a paragraph, when it stands alone, is a concluding sentence. It gives some final thoughts about the topic. In between are two to four sentences that expand the idea, give examples, or argue a point. For example, a simple paragraph about fall might look like this. Note the use of color words and fall vocabulary.

Fall is a beautiful season. (introductory sentence) Green leaves change to red, orange and yellow. People use brightly colored pumpkins and gourds as decorations. The sky is blue, and the wind is soft. (supporting sentences) I enjoy fall in the U.S. (concluding sentence)