for elementary students
I am sneaky — I don’t tell the students we are writing a three paragraph essay. They don’t want to hear that until they are done! I have the students write the body paragraph first and then add the Introduction and Conclusion, plus a title. Sometimes this takes two classes, depending on the students. There is no need to rush this.
For the first class, we concentrate on that body paragraph. I model the paragraph on the board, so they can see the process. I ask them to tell me how to blow up a balloon.
They usually shout, “Blow it up, and you’re done!”
I ask them with a few beeps, like I’m an alien. “How do I find a balloon?”
We plod through each step painstakingly, so the students are disgusted with me but laughing. After we have the steps down, I tell them they can only use the word, then, once. We discuss transition words, like first, second, next, and finally, and we add a few. My transitions handout is pasted below. Sometimes we play Adverbily and add in adverbs. (We didn’t use these in the samples below, but please see my blog titled Adverbily, if you’d like to have your student add them.)
At the store, buy a package of balloons. At home, take out a pink balloon. Find the open end of the balloon. Put your mouth on the end and blow into it while holding it. Blow multiple times until the balloon grows to the size you want. Be careful to not make it too big or it will pop. The size of a notebook is best. Then you tie the end of the balloon, so the air does not escape. Last, tie it to a string, run outside, and let it fly.
The students begin writing their own in class. The hardest part is finding a topic that is easy to explain in just a few steps: making a PB&J sandwich, putting a pillowcase on a pillow, walking a dog. The homework is to finish that body paragraph. Remember, mum’s the word that it’s for an essay : )
During the second class, we write the introduction and conclusion. My minimum for most paragraphs is 5 sentences, which reluctant writers need to hear to give them a goal. However, for this first essay, I allow the students to have three sentences only in the introduction and conclusion, if they really can’t make these paragraphs 5 sentences in length.
We return to our ballooning to write the introduction and conclusion. I give them three choices of grabbers, the hooks to draw the reader in to the paper. The three choices are usually an amazing fact (or statistic), a description, or an anecdote (a short short story about the topic). We only pick one type of grabber for the essay, so if we choose a description, we use a descriptive grabber in both the introduction and conclusion paragraph. Most students love the amazing fact grabber, so we look up facts on balloons. (For a more complete explanation, please see my blog on Hooks to Introductions to Conclusions.)
Here is the formula I give the class for the second day’s How to Essay assignment:
Introduction paragraph: Grabber + 1-2 sentences + Thesis (what exactly your paper is about)
Body paragraph: 5 or more sentences describing exactly how to do something. Include 2-3 adverbs ( -ly words). Use transition words and synonyms. Try not to repeat a word more than once, like then, and, but. There are many transition words on your handout that can substitute for these.
Conclusion paragraph: same type of Grabber + restate Thesis + Comment
Last job is adding a title. Often the students will finish the introduction and conclusion in class, and then they tack on that title. I always tell them how amazing they are for tackling an essay so easily!
Here are two completed essays from my classes. The first uses the anecdote grabber.
How to Blow Up a Balloon
I blew up ten balloons for my birthday party. My family all blew up balloons together when I turned eight. It is easy and fun to blow up a balloon.
At the store, buy a package of balloons. At home, take out a pink balloon. Find the open end of the balloon. Put your mouth on the end and blow into it while holding it. Blow multiple times until the balloon grows to the size you want. Be careful to not make it too big or it will pop. The size of a notebook is best. Then you tie the end of the balloon so the air does not escape. Last, tie it to a string, run outside, and let it fly.
Sometimes my parents bring me balloons when I have a dance performance. The balloons congratulate me. Since it is so easy to blow up a balloon, they are great at a party or a celebration.
This class used the Amazing Fact grabbers:
Blowing Up Balloons
In California, 50 million balloons are sold every year! There must be millions of fun parties here. It is easy to blow up a balloon.
From the 99 Cent Store, buy a package of balloons. Grab a purple balloon, and stretch the entire balloon. Put your mouth where the hole is, and blow into it. Keep the balloon hole in your mouth and breathe slowly in through your nose and out into the balloon. Repeat blowing, pinching the end so no air escapes. Blow up the balloon to 5 inches or to the size of your head. Finally, take the end of the balloon and carefully wrap it around two fingers, then push it into the hole to make a knot.
The biggest balloon is six feet wide. These are used for parties, games and Youtube videos. Small balloons are simple to blow up. The biggest ones must take days to blow up, or they must need several people to blow them up!
Finally here is part of my Transitions Handout for the body paragraph. There are many lists of transitions online.
LOGICAL RELATIONSHIP: TRANSITIONAL EXPRESSION
Similarity: also, in the same way, just as ... so too, likewise, similarly
Exception/Contrast: but, however, in spite of, on the one hand ... on the other hand, nevertheless, nonetheless, notwithstanding, in contrast, on the contrary, still, yet
Sequence/Order: first, second, third, ... next, then, finally
Time: after, afterward, at last, before, currently, during, earlier, immediately, later, meanwhile, now, recently, simultaneously, subsequently, then
Example: for example, for instance, namely, specifically, to illustrate
Emphasis: even, indeed, in fact, of course, truly
Place/Position: above, adjacent, below, beyond, here, in front, in back, nearby, there
Cause and Effect: accordingly, consequently, hence, so, therefore, thus
Additional Support or Evidence: additionally, again, also, and, as well, besides, equally important, further, furthermore, in addition, moreover, then
Conclusion/Summary: finally, in a word, in brief, in conclusion, in the end, in the final analysis, on the whole, thus, to conclude, to summarize, in sum, in summary
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