1. TOPIC SENTENCE 1. Clearly state the topic of the paragraph.
2. Clearly link the topic of the paragraph back to the thesis statement.
3. Make a smooth transition between the previous paragraph and the present paragraph.

2. Now find the topic sentences in the handout given to you.
Highlight the Topic Sentence and underline the supporting sentences. (The sentences that support the topic sentence.)

3. WRITING A COLOR-CODED PARAGRAPH
Objectives—Write a paragraph that includes a topic sentence, three supporting sentences, and a closing.

4. COLOR-CODED PARAGRAPH THINK OF A TRAFFIC LIGHT
GREEN MEANS GO–Beginning-- Topic Sentence
YELLOW(use black for easier reading) MEANS SLOW- Middle---Supporting sentences.
RED MEANS STOP –End---Closing sentence.

5. Example 1
Fall is my favorite time of year. The fall air is crisp and
Cool. Pumpkins decorate doorsteps up and down my street.
The smell of fallen leaves fills the air. That is why I like
Fall so much.

6. Astronauts explore places where people have never
Example 2
When I grow up, I want to be an astronaut.
Astronauts explore places where people have never
been before. They make new discoveries about our
solar system. Some astronauts even walk in space.
Being an astronaut would be fun and challenging
work.

7. Discuss the two examples
How did the “beginning” sentence present the main idea?
Did the “middle” sentences support or explain the main idea (topic sentence)?
Did the “end” sentence wrap it all up in a good closing?

8. TIPS ON WRITING COLOR-CODED PARAGRAPH
Go sentence (main idea/topic sentence)- start with a web. Put the topic sentence in the middle of the circle, in green.
Then draw spokes off that circle in black to write on each spoke an idea—a word or phrase—that supports the topic sentence.
Finally, choose the best ending or close from the ideas that are presented. Use red marker to write that ending sentence.
Read the paragraph aloud. Are you happy with the results.

9. Choose one of the following topic sentences, and write a paragraph using color-code
President Obama has a very difficult job.
Baseball is my favorite sport.
My state is a great place to live.
When I looked at the clock I knew I would be late for school if I didn’t hurry up.
The weatherman warned us to prepare for a hurricane.

10. Rubric for Topic Sentence Handout and Color-coded Paragraph
Topic sentence handout- 5 points each/ total points--25
\ paragraph- 20 points for each part color- coded correctly.
Topic sentence—green—20 points
Supporting sentences–(yellow) black—20 points
Ending sentence—red—20 points
Staying on topic– 15 points
Total points for color-coded paragraph –75 points