1. Asserting your topic. Providing evidence. Coming to conclusions.
Power Paragraphs
Asserting your topic.
Providing evidence.
Coming to conclusions.

2. A Power Paragraph is an 11-sentence paragraph which is very focused on a specific topic. It provides evidence from literature, connects that evidence to the topic, and then closes with a summarizing concluding statement.

3. Sentence 1
The first sentence in a Power Paragraph is a topic sentence.
It answers the prompt or question…
…or it asserts your thesis statement.

4. Sentences 2, 5, & 8
These sentences include concrete details which you directly quote or give examples from your source(s)
They “prove” your topic sentence or thesis statement.

5. Sentences 3-4, 6-7, & 9-10
These sentences are commentary sentences that you write to make the connection between your thesis or answer and the concrete detail clear.
This is where your opinion is defended.
These sentences need to work together in pairs.

6. Sentence 11 This is your concluding sentence that wraps up your ideas.
It should echo or restate your first sentence.

7. Outline/Graphic Organizer
Topic Sentence/Answer to question/Thesis statement
Concrete Detail 1
Commentary/Connecting Sentence A
Commentary/Connecting Sentence B
Concrete Detail 2
Commentary/Connecting Sentence C
Commentary/Connecting Sentence D
Concrete Detail 3
Commentary/Connecting Sentence E
Commentary/Connecting Sentence F
Concluding Sentence

9. Example
How does Perceval portray characteristics of the quest archetype?