HOW TO WRITE A FIVE PARAGRAPH ESSAY USING THE HOUSE GRAPHIC

ORGANIZER

Adapted from Language!

AFRICAN PROVERB

“How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” Writing a five-

paragraph essay uses the same philosophy. It doesn’t have to be

overwhelming if you take it “one bite at a time.”

5TH PARAGRAPH (CONCLUSION)Restate your topic, your three main points or three main ideas, and thesis statement.

(This means say it differently.)

2nd PARAGRAPH (BODY)

1st Main Point or Main Idea

and Supporting Details

3rd PARAGRAPH(BODY)

2nd Main point or Main Idea and Supporting

Details

4th PARAGRAPH(BODY)

3rd Main Point or Main Idea and

Supporting Details

1st PARAGRAPH (INTRODUCTION) Introduce your topic and give your three main points or three main ideas.

Include your thesis statement.

transition word/phrase

transition word/phrase

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Confused?

THE FOUNDATION SUPPORTS A HOUSEJUST LIKE …

THE INTRODUCTION SUPPORTS YOUR ESSAY

THE WALLS OF A HOUSE CONNECT TO THE FOUNDATION OF A HOUSE JUST LIKE….

THE MAIN POINTS OR MAIN IDEAS

CONNECT TO THE INTRODUCTION OF

YOUR ESSAY.

WALL WALL

NAILS HELP TO HOLD A HOUSE TOGETHER JUST

LIKE….. TRANSITION WORDS HELP YOU TO FLOW

FROM ONE PARAGRAPH TO

THE NEXT

NAIL

NAIL

NAILNAIL

THE ROOF FINISHES OFF THE HOUSE JUST LIKE…

THE CONCLUSION FINISHES OFF YOUR ESSAY

Now let’s take a look at an actual student’s house graphic organizer

and essay from a practice writing prompt.

TCAP WRITING ASSESSMENT PROMPT

Writing Situation: The U.S. Postal Service has honored many individuals from presidents to singers to cartoon characters, by placing their portraits on postage stamps. Whom would you nominate to honor with a postage stamp?

Directions for Writing: Before you begin to write, think about why this person should have his or her own stamp.

Now write an essay to tell the reader whom you would choose and explain why that person should be honored with a postage stamp. Support your ideas with examples and details.

5TH PARAGRAPH (CONCLUSION)Restate your topic, your three main points or three main ideas, and your thesis statement.

(This means say it differently.)

2nd PARAGRAPH (BODY)

1st Main Point or Main Idea and

Supporting Details

3rd PARAGRAPH(BODY)

2nd Main Point or Main Idea and Supporting

Details

4th PARAGRAPH(BODY)

3rd Main Point or Main Idea and

Supporting Details

1st PARAGRAPH (INTRODUCTION) Introduce your topic and give your three main points or three main ideas.

Include your thesis statement.

transition word/phrase

transition word/phrase

transitionword/phrase

transition word/phrase

1st PARAGRAPH If I had to nominate someone to be on a postage, it would be Sponge Bob.

•He makes me laugh.•He is always trying to help others.•He makes the best Crabby Patties.

Thesis Statement: His wonderful qualities make him the perfect choice to be on a postage stamp.

If I had to nominate someone to be on a postage stamp, it would be Sponge Bob. He always makes me laugh when I watch his cartoon. The way he is always trying to help others is very impressive to me as well. He also makes the best Crabby Patties in Bikini Bottom. His wonderful qualities make him the perfect choice to be on a postage stamp.

1st PARAGRAPH If I had to nominate someone to be on a postage, it would be Sponge Bob.

•He makes me laugh.•He is always trying to help others.•He makes the best crabby patties.

Thesis Statement: His wonderful qualities make him the perfect choice to be on a postage stamp.

2nd Paragraph

HE MAKES ME LAUGH

-pants kept falling down-everyone thinks he’s hilarious-difficult not to laugh at

First of all

If I had to nominate someone to be on a postage stamp, it would be Sponge Bob. He always makes me laugh when I watch his cartoon. The way he is always trying to help others is very impressive to me as well. He also makes the best Crabby Patties in Bikini Bottom. His wonderful qualities make him the perfect choice to be on a postage stamp.

First of all, Sponge Bob always seems to make me laugh. One of the funniest episodes was when his pants kept falling down. Everyone in Bikini bottom thought he was hilarious. He is always so happy and naïve. It is difficult not to laugh at his antics.

3rd Paragraph

HE IS ALWAYS TRYING TO HELP OTHERS

-thinks about others-helps Squidward-has good intentions

.1st PARAGRAPH

If I had to nominate someone to be on a postage, it would be Sponge Bob.•He makes me laugh.

•He is always trying to help others.•He makes the best Crabby Patties.

Thesis Statement: His wonderful qualities make him the perfect choice to be on a postage stamp.

Also

2nd Paragraph

HE MAKES ME LAUGH

-pants kept falling down-everyone thinks he’s hilarious-difficult not to laugh at

First of all

If I had to nominate someone to be on a postage stamp, it would be Sponge Bob. He always makes me laugh when I watch his cartoon. The way he is always trying to help others is very impressive to me as well. He also makes the best Crabby Patties in Bikini Bottom. His wonderful qualities make him the perfect choice to be on a postage stamp.

First of all, Sponge Bob always seems to make me laugh. One of his funniest episodes was when his pants kept falling down. Everyone in Bikini bottom thought he was hilarious. He is always so happy and naïve. It is difficult not to laugh at his antics.

Also, he is always trying to help others. Even when his help is not readily accepted, Sponge Bob is always thinking about others. Once, he tried to help Squidward sell his house. He did everything he could to get the house sold. Of course, his actions were not exactly what they should have been, but his intentions were in the right place.

3rd Paragraph

HE IS ALWAYS TRYING TO HELP OTHERS

-thinks about others-helps Squidward-has good intentions

.

4th Paragraph

HE MAKES THE BEST CRABBY PATTIES

- keeps everyone full-boss insists he makes the patties-meticulously cooks burgers

1st PARAGRAPH If I had to nominate someone to be on a postage, it would be Sponge Bob.

•He makes me laugh.•He is always trying to help others.•He makes the best Crabby Patties.

Thesis Statement: His wonderful qualities make him the perfect choice to be on a postage stamp.

Also Further-more

2nd Paragraph

HE MAKES ME LAUGH.

-pants kept falling down-everyone thinks he’s hilarious-difficult not to laugh at

First of all

If I had to nominate someone to be on a postage stamp, it would be Sponge Bob. He always makes me laugh when I watch his cartoon. The way he is always trying to help others is very impressive to me as well. He also makes the best Crabby Patties in Bikini Bottom. His wonderful qualities make him the perfect choice to be on a postage stamp.

First of all, Sponge Bob always seems to make me laugh. One of the funniest episodes was when his pants kept falling down. Everyone in Bikini bottom thought he was hilarious. He is always so happy and naïve. It is difficult not to laugh at his antics.

Also, he is always trying to help others. Even when his help is not readily accepted, Sponge Bob is always thinking about others. Once, he tried to help Squidward sell his house. He did everything he could to get the house sold. Of course, his actions were not exactly what they should have been, but his intentions were in the right place.

Furthermore, Sponge Bob makes the best Crabby Patties in Bikini Bottom. He keeps everyone happy and full in that town with those Crabby Patties! His boss insists that no one else but Sponge Bob make the tasty burgers. He is careful in making sure that he protects the secret ingredients from others. Each burger is meticulously cooked to perfection if Sponge Bob is behind the grill.

5th ParagraphI would nominate Sponge Bob to be on a

postage stamp.-His character is hilarious

-His helpful nature is impressive-His Crabby Patties satisfy everyone’s taste buds

-He is worthy of having his face on a postage stamp.-

3rd Paragraph

HE IS ALWAYS TRYING TO HELP OTHERS

-thinks about others-helps Squidward-has good intentions

.

4th Paragraph

HE MAKES THE BEST CRABBY PATTIES

- keeps everyone full-boss insists he makes the patties-meticulously cooks burgers

1st PARAGRAPH If I had to nominate someone to be on a postage, it would be Sponge Bob.

•He makes me laugh.•He is always trying to help others.•He makes the best Crabby Patties.

Thesis Statement: His wonderful qualities make him the perfect choice to be on a postage stamp.

In conclusion

AlsoFurther-more

2nd Paragraph

HE MAKES ME LAUGH

-pants kept falling down-everyone thinks he’s hilarious-difficult not to laugh at

First of all

If I had to nominate someone to be on a postage stamp, it would be Sponge Bob. He always makes me laugh when I watch his cartoon. The way he is always trying to help others is very impressive to me as well. He also makes the best Crabby Patties in Bikini Bottom. His wonderful qualities make him the perfect choice to be on a postage stamp.

First of all, Sponge Bob always seems to make me laugh. One of the funniest episodes was when his pants kept falling down. Everyone in Bikini bottom thought he was hilarious. He is always so happy and naïve. It is difficult not to laugh at his antics.

Also, he is always trying to help others. Even when his help is not readily accepted, Sponge Bob is always thinking about others. Once, he tried to help Squidward sell his house. He did everything he could to get the house sold. Of course, his actions were not exactly what they should have been, but his intentions were in the right place.

Furthermore, Sponge Bob makes the best Crabby Patties in Bikini Bottom. He keeps everyone happy and full in that town with those Crabby Patties! His boss insists that no one else but Sponge Bob make the tasty burgers. Each burger is meticulously cooked to perfection if Sponge Bob is behind the grill.

In conclusion, I would nominate Sponge Bob to be on a postage stamp. His character is hilarious. Also, his helpful nature is very impressive, and his Crabby Patties satisfy everyone’s taste buds in Bikini Bottom. With qualities such as these, he is certainly worthy of having his face on a postage stamp.

As you can see, the house graphic organizer helped the student to write

a great five paragraph essay!

The following pages are a list of transition words and phrases.

To indicate more information: To indicate an example:besides for examplefurthermore for instancein addition in particularindeed particularlyin fact specificallymoreover to demonstratesecond…third…etc. to illustrate

To indicate a cause or reason: To indicate a result or an effect:as accordinglybecause finallybecause of consequentlydue to hencefor sofor the reason that thereforesince thus

To indicate a purpose or reason why: To compare or contrast:for fear that although similarlyin the hope that however whereasin order to in comparison yetso likewiseso that neverthelesswith this in mind on the other hand

To indicate a particular time frame or a shift from one time period to another:after initiallybefore lastlyduring laterfinally meanwhilefirst …second…etc nextformerly previouslyimmediately simultaneouslycurrently sooneventually subsequently

To summarize: To conclude:briefly given these factsin brief henceoverall in conclusionsumming up soto put it briefly thereforeto sum up thusto summarize to conclude