How to Write a Paragraph

or How to Build a Big Mac

Daiann Hughes5th Grade9/28/2003

What is a Big Mac?

Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun.

What is a paragraph?

A paragraph is made up of sentences that tell about one point. All the sentences in the paragraph should clearly relate to that main point in some way.

How do you like your Big Mac?

A Big Mac can help you remember how to write a great paragraph.

What are the ingredients of your Big Mac Cheeseburger?

Top BunLettuceTomatoCheese

Onion Special Sauce Hamburger Patty

Bottom Bun

What are the ingredients of a Paragraph?

•The Topic Sentence

•Supporting Details

•A Final or Concluding Sentence

Paragraph Construction vs.

Big Mac Construction

Inside the bun are all the things that make the Big Mac Taste good.

Onion

Special Sauce

Hamburger Patty

Tomato

CheeseLettucePickle

The top bun of a paragraph is the topic sentence. A paragraph without a topic sentence is like a Big Mac without a top bun.

Would you like a Big Mac without a top bun?

Topic Sentence(Top Bun)

• The topic sentence is usually the first sentence of the paragraph.

• The topic sentence introduces the main idea of the paragraph.

What is the main idea?

• It gives the reader an idea of what the rest of the paragraph is about.

• Every paragraph has one main idea.

• All the sentences in your paragraph relate to this main idea.

Practice Writing Topic Sentences…

What is the Main Idea?

The Supporting Details: (Fixings: patties, special sauce, lettuce,

cheese, pickles, and onions)

Inside the bun are all the things that make the Big Mac taste good. The supporting sentences reinforce the main idea and make the paragraph good.

The supporting details provide sentences that support the main idea of the paragraph. • All fixings need to go with the burger-- no

peanut butter. • All the supporting details need to go with

the paragraph topic sentence or main idea.• The fixings make the burger unique and

interesting. • The details make the paragraph unique and

interesting.

The supporting details must:

• Be related to the main idea of the paragraph.

• Give specific details, facts, or examples to support, prove, or explain the main idea.

• Be as descriptive and interesting as possible.

• Explain or define any terms the reader may not know.

Practice Writing Supporting Details…

The bottom bun of a paragraph is the concluding sentence. A paragraph without a concluding sentence is like a Big Mac without a bottom bun.

Would you like a Big Mac without a bottom bun?

Concluding Sentence (Bottom Bun)

• The concluding sentence is the last sentence of the paragraph.

• The concluding sentence wraps up the paragraph. It restates the main idea of the paragraph using different words.

Practice Writing Concluding Sentences…

Burgers can be cooked rare, medium, or well done (How much time are you willing to put into the process?)

Let’s Build a Big Mac. I mean, let’s Write a

paragraph.

First, A Rule of Thumb

All paragraphs should be indented. Use your thumb to indent your paragraph

Writing prompt:

A New Pet

Main Idea/Topic Sentence:

I would like to have a new pet.

Supporting Details:

1.I have a cat and a dog.2.Goldfish and birds would be good pets.

3.A rabbit would be fun.

Concluding Sentence:

Maybe, I will get a baby hamster for a new pet.

Put it together!

A New PetI would like to have a

new pet. I have a cat and a dog. Goldfish and birds would be good pets. A rabbit would be fun. Maybe, I will get a baby hamster for a new pet.

A delicious Big Mac!

The End