Lesson

Title/Focus

Improving our paragraphs

Date

TBA

Subject/Grade
Level

Grade 6 ELA

Time
Duration

30 minutes

Unit

Paragraph Writing

Teacher

Ms. Amy Stiff

OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES

General
Learning
Outcomes:

Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to enhance the clarity and artistry of
communication

Specific
Learning
Outcomes:

Use paragraph structures in expository and narrative texts

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will:
1. Students will use organizers to assist in writing their ideas into paragraphs that have a clear focus and
supporting details.
2. Students will create a detailed paragraph about a one of their favorite food, which includes a topic sentence, 3
supporting sentences and a closing sentence.

ASSESSMENTS
Observations:

Students can create topic sentences with a clear focus

Students can create detailed supporting sentences
Students can create effective closing sentences.

Key Questions:

Products/Performances:

Graphic organizer
Detailed paragraph
Picture (if time permits)

How is a paragraph structured?

What is a topic sentence?
What are supporting sentences?
What is a concluding sentence?
What does a finished paragraph look like?

LEARNING RESOURCES CONSULTED

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

Grade 6 ELA Program of Studies

http://www.zujava.com/how-to-write-a-paragraph

Graphic organizer (Previous Class)

Pencils / erasers /sharpeners (students)
Final Copy

PROCEDURE
Introduction

Time

Assessment of Prior
Knowledge

Hands up method:
- 1 student tell us what the parts of a paragraph are
- 1 student tells us what the topic sentence is for
- 1 students tells us what goes into supporting sentence
- 1 student tells us what the closing sentence does

Expectations for Learning - Students will pay attention when others are speaking
and Behaviour
- Students will participate
- Students will be respectful of one another and co-operate while working
in groups
- Students will work quietly during individual work time
Advance
Organizer/Agenda

1.
2.
3.
4.

Transition to Body

Ask students to take out the graphic organizers they made during the
previous class

Body
Learning Activity #1

Assessment of Prior knowledge: review, what are the parts/what

is a paragraph?
Rough Draft
Peer Assessment
Final Copy

Time
Explain activity to students: Students will be making a final copy of the
graphic organizer that they started in the previous class.
To do this they will need to take the work they have already completed and
put it into proper paragraph format.
We will go over the important parts of a paragraph:

1 topic sentence: gives the paragraph a solid focus

1 concluding sentence: sums up what you have already talked about for
the reader.

3 supporting paragraphs: details and examples that solidify the topic

(each sentence should address a different reason why you like this food)
10 minutes

Your paragraph should only have 5 sentences total.

Your paragraph should be as detailed as possible.
if students have written more than 5 sentences they need to pick their best 5,
if they have written less than 5 sentences they have time to add more
(students that need modification will not have to include 5 sentences - they
will need to write 1 intro sentence, 1 supporting sentence & 1 closing
sentence)
Students will organize their 5 best sentences into a new sandwich graphic
organizer

Assessments/
Differentiation:

Differentiation:
- if students are really struggling, they may ask someone they are
sitting beside or the teacher for help, sharing ideas may help to
stimulate their own ideas.
Assessments:
- The teacher will be able to assess students level of understanding through
listening to student input; who is answering questions, who seems to
understand what is being taught?
- Teacher will read students work while walking around the classroom, the
teacher will look for clear focus in students topic sentences.
- Teacher will help students who are unsure or who have questions by giving
examples and asking lead-in questions about their topic to check for
understanding. How is a paragraph structured? What is a topic sentence,
supporting sentences and closing sentence?

Learning Activity #2

Once students have their new organizer. They will split into pairs for peer
assessment. A checklist will be put up on the board and it is the job of the
partner to make sure that their partners paragraph meets all of the criteria
on the list. If it does not then the partner will make suggestions for
improvement.

Assessments/ Differentiation

Assessments:
- Students have an opportunity for their peers to assess their work; their
partner will make sure that their supporting sentences contain as much detail
as possible.

Learning Activity #3

Once paragraphs have been checked over by their partner they may begin to
work on a good copy. This copy will include
- focused topic sentence
- 3 supporting sentences (1 for M)
- 1 closing sentence
- a detailed picture

5 minutes

13 minutes

This product will be collected for assessment of student understanding

Assessments/ Differentiation

Differentiations:
Students will be encouraged to write 5 sentences if possible, but if students
that are struggling they may write 1 topic sentence, 1 supporting sentence &
1 closing sentence in their good copy
Assessments:
- Teacher will circulate and read student work to answer students questions
and make sure students have effective supporting details. (objective #1:
supporting details & objective #2: supporting sentences)
- Teacher will ask key questions as they circulate to check for understanding.
How is a paragraph structured? What makes a good paragraph? What is
an introductory sentence, supporting sentence, closing sentence?

Closure

Time

2 minutes

Assessment of Learning:
Feedback From Students:

assess how many students have actually had time to finish their good copy
(hand in your good copy if you have finished)

Feedback To Students

Thanks students for their hard work

Transition To Next Lesson

good chance this activity will get drawn out into an additional lesson , if not
we will continue paragraph writing and transition into short stories

Sponge

Wreck this journal

Reflections from the

lesson