Do now! Why?

Each body paragraph should have: A topic sentence/transitional sentence At least one quotation The quotations should support your theme YOUR OWN THOUGHTS AND IDEAS A concluding statement

Topic Sentence The topic sentence is the central idea around which a paragraph is developed. It introduces the reader to the topic without announcing it It’s the first sentence. It tells you what the rest of the paragraph(s) will be about.

Topic Sentences After this sentence you need to support what you have said This means giving evidence which justifies what you said in your topic sentence

Example: Remember my introduction paragraph? There is more than one side to a person. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, the author portrays many characters who are perceived differently from their real personalities. Mrs. Dubose appears to be a cruel and racist woman. Mr. Raymond is known as the town drunk. Boo Radley is assumed to be a monster because he does not leave his house. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee uses Mrs. Dubose, Mr. Dolphus Raymond, and Boo Radley to show that people are not always as they seem.

Example: Remember my introduction paragraph? We will now ADD our first body paragraph which will transition the reader to the first body paragraph Sample topic sentence: In Maycomb County, many characters voice their opinions of Atticus and his role in the trial; Mrs. DuBose is one of these people.

Transitions When we move from one area to another, we need to use a transitional phrase so that the writing does not become disjointed and the reader does not get confused. They establish logical connections between sentences, paragraphs, and sections of your paper. Transitions signal relationships between ideas. To create a transition from one area to the next, we will use a TRANSITIONAL WORD/PHRASE and connect it to our topic sentence.

Use your Transitions Handout to Help Figure out what kind of relationship you want to show between your paragraphs and use the corresponding examples to help you. Just as the children learn that there is more than one side to a person through Mrs. DuBose, Mr. Dolphus Raymond shows them that perceptions do not equal the truth.

Frame of Reference Tells the reader of the paper (me) what is going on in the novel before you put your quotation in. This helps you set up what you will prove! For example: Mrs. DuBose constantly harasses the children as they walk to and from school. Jem and Scout try to keep calm, but one day Jem snaps and destroys Mrs. DuBose’s garden. As punishment, Jem has to read to the cranky woman every day. It is then that Jem realizes that there is more to Mrs. DuBose than just a cruel, racist woman.

Embedding a quotation in your paper Lee writes, “ Atticus says, “ It was described as, “

Explaining the significance At least 3 sentences. Lee creates a character who is unlikeable, yet the reader still feels sorry for Mrs. DuBose. Her declining health and losing battle with addiction cause the children to reevaluate their perception of this woman. They learn that she is not just a cruel woman; she is also a courageous soul fighting to beat a morphine addiction. The children learn that she is not entirely responsible for her beliefs. Mrs. DuBose was raised to be racist, and through spending time with her, the children discover that there is more to a person than the persona they display on his or her front porch.

Concluding Sentence This sentence wraps up what your paragraph was about HINT: This sentence will be a statement on how your choice proves your theme/what lesson the character (s) learn(s) It’s the main point you want to get across on your topic. EX: Lee creates a racist character who the children sympathize with; Jem and Scout learn that even cruel people have some good in them.

Sample Body Paragraph In Maycomb County, many characters voice their opinions of Atticus and his role in the trial; Mrs. DuBose is one of these people. She is a prejudiced old woman who constantly harasses the children as they walk to and from school. Jem and Scout try to keep calm, but one day Jem snaps and destroys Mrs. DuBose’s garden. As punishment, Jem has to read to the cranky woman every day. It is then that Jem realizes that there is more to Mrs. DuBose than just a cruel, racist woman. Lee describes the dying woman as laying “in the corner of the room [in a] brass bed…I wondered if Jem’s activities had put her there, and for a moment I felt sorry for her” (141). Lee creates a character who is unlikeable, yet the reader still feels sorry for Mrs. DuBose. Her declining health and losing battle with addiction cause the children to reevaluate their perception of this woman. They learn that she is not just a cruel woman; she is also a courageous soul fighting to beat a morphine addiction. The children learn that she is not entirely responsible for her beliefs. Mrs. DuBose was raised to be racist, and through spending time with her, the children discover that there is more to a person than the persona they display on his or her front porch. Lee creates a racist character who the children sympathize with; Jem and Scout learn that even cruel people are not completely bad.