The 10 Sentence Paragraph

What is the American Dream? How is it illustrated in media/literature? Example Thesis: The American Dream is the hope to achieve more than the last generation, the right to equality and one’s ability to have control over their life. It is illustrated in literature and media by questioning injustice and presenting new ideas.

5 sentence paragraph format Topic Sentence (TS) Concrete Detail (CD) Commentary (CM) Concluding Sentence (CS)

Terminology Used in Writing Essays Topic sentence (TS) Concrete detail (CD) Commentary (CM) Concluding sentence (CS)

Topic Sentence (TS) Is NOT a FACT Must present an informed opinion An opinion that can be supported by facts from the text Ask yourself: Could someone logically argue against it? Yes=good TS No= rewrite TS

Sample TS Part of the American Dream is having the hope to achieve more than the last generation. Could someone logically argue against it? Yes You do not need hope to work hard Doing the same as the last generation is fine

Sample TS Part of the American Dream is having the hope to achieve more than the last generation. Is this a fact from the text? No, but I can support it with facts.

Practice- TS Sentence starters: Part of the American Dream is …. The American Dream is….. …. is part of the American Dream.

Concrete Detail (CD) Ideas from a story Fact Evidence Quote

Sample CD TS: Part of the American Dream is having the hope to achieve more than the last generation. What fact/action from the text supports this? CD: In Langston Hughes poem I, Too, Sing America he illustrates hope for a better tomorrow, “Tomorrow,/ I’ll be at the table/ when company comes” (8-10).

Why is this a CD? CD: In Langston Hughes poem I, Too, Sing America he illustrates hope for a better tomorrow, “Tomorrow,/ I’ll be at the table/ when company comes” (8-10). Action/fact from the text It’s from the surface. I didn’t have to dig deep and be a rocket scientist to find this out. It’s straight out of the text.

Practice- CD Make sure to use “quotations” and place the period after the (parenthesis). Example: In Langston Hughes poem I, Too, Sing America he illustrates hope for a better tomorrow, “Tomorrow,/ I’ll be at the table/ when company comes” (8-10).

Where are we now? TS: Part of the American Dream is having the hope to achieve more than the last generation. CD: In Langston Hughes poem I, Too, Sing America he illustrates hope for a better tomorrow, “Tomorrow,/ I’ll be at the table/ when company comes” (8-10). How many commentary sentences do I need? For every 1 CD, YOU need 2+ CMs

Commentary (CM) Thoughts from your head The “so what?” “why?” or “how” Analysis Interpretation

Sample CM CD: In Langston Hughes poem I, Too, Sing America he illustrates hope for a better tomorrow, “Tomorrow,/ I’ll be at the table/ when company comes” (8-10). CM: This quote shows the importance of hope because without it Hughes would have given up.

Why is this a CM? CM: This quote shows the importance of hope because without it Hughes would have given up. Has commentary words (importance; determination It’s your interpretation of what the quote means or shows about the American Dream.

Practice- CM Write your first Commentary Sentence Sentence starters: This quote shows… The quote illustrates… Hughes highlights…

Sample of Second CM CM: This quote shows the importance of hope because without it Hughes would have given up. Why is this part of the American Dream? How is it illustrated in the text? CM2: Hope is part of the American Dream because it is what drives Americans to work hard. CM3 Hughes illustrates this value by giving a personal example of what he hopes for.

Why is this a CM? CMs: Hope is part of the American Dream because it is what drives Americans to work hard. Hughes illustrates this value by giving a personal example of what he hopes for. Commentary words More interpretation of what text means/shows

Practice- CM Sentence Starters: _____ is part of the American Dream because… _______ illustrates this value by … ________ demonstrates this value by… ________ confirms this value by …

Looks good, but what’s missing? Part of the American Dream is having the hope to achieve more than the last generation. In Langston Hughes poem I, Too, Sing America he illustrates hope for a better tomorrow, “Tomorrow,/ I’ll be at the table/ when company comes” (8-10). This quote shows the importance of hope because without it Hughes would have given up. Hope is part of the American Dream because it is what drives Americans to work hard. Hughes illustrates this value by giving a personal example of what he hopes for.

What is a CS? Do not REPEAT the TS No Concrete Details from the story All Commentary Transitions into your next point.

Sample CS The hope for more than the last generation often reveals the lack of equality in America. All Commentary No Concrete Detail Refers to TS without repeating the vocabulary Transitions to next idea

Practice Write concluding sentence

Part of the American Dream is having the hope to achieve more than the last generation. In Langston Hughes poem I, Too, Sing America he illustrates hope for a better tomorrow, “Tomorrow,/ I’ll be at the table/ when company comes” (8-10). This quote shows the importance of hope because without it Hughes would have given up. Hope is part of the American Dream because it is what drives Americans to work hard. Hughes illustrates this value by giving a personal example of what he hopes for. The hope for more than the last generation often reveals the lack of equality in America.

TS CD CM1- explain what the quote means CM1-explain what the quote means CM2 Why is part of the American Dream? CM3 How is it illustrated? CS