1. The Coolest Person I Know: A 5-paragraph essay
English 9 – showing me what you can do

2. The Ancient Arrangement

3. Brainstorm first
Come up with your details – the meat of your thinking.
Do it first – this will tell you whether you have enough material to write the essay.
It’s too hard to think of details when you’re trying to think about making a good sentence.
Know your topic sentences BEFORE you begin writing the essay.

4. The Introduction Begins with an attention-grabber
Attention grabber can be more than one sentence.
Focuses attention from attention grabber to thesis (a transition)
Last sentence of introduction is thesis

5. The Attention Grabber Ideas for attention grabbers:
A startling statement
A small story (anecdote)
A quote
A fact
An interesting observation
Consider beginning by discussing your theme rather than your specific text
Make your attention grabber more than one sentence – it takes the pressure off

6. The Thesis For a 5-paragraph essay
Build the thesis out of your topic sentences.
Mention all three topic sentence ideas in your thesis.
Write it before you begin your essay.
You can rework it later to make it blend with the rest of your introduction.
Doing it before helps you focus your introduction.

7. Supporting Paragraphs
Each one begins with a topic sentence
The topic sentences state the main ideas of the paragraph – they mention all the ideas that are coming!
They also help make the transition from the paragraph before it.
Filled with details related to the topic sentence - that support/defend the claim
Finishes with a clincher statement, leaving reader with a reminder of the paragraph’s point

8. Concluding Paragraph Always begins with the thesis statement
Can be worded slightly differently than the first time
Go ahead – cut and paste it in the conclusion
Reminds reader about the main points
This is often a recasting of the clincher sentences
Leaves reader with a thought to ponder
This is the final statement of the essay
Works well if this relates to the attention grabber at the beginning