As students begin the new year, I always review the basic format of a paragraph. We discuss the parts of a paragraph indicated in Perfect Paragraph PP (screen 2).
In addition, I provide the students with Perfect Paragraph Resource. They glue one copy in their notebooks to use as reference with future writing, and we review the details of the graphic organizer from the power point (screen 3).
Using this organizer, reinforces the Common Core Writing Standards of relevant facts, details, textual evidence, and examples. Through this organizer, students visualize that a major statement is formulated, then supported with minor details.
As a class, we completed a Pre Writing Perfect Paragraph for the prompt:
This class is too noisy during testing.
When introducing any writing styles in class, I always model with the whole class my expectations. As a class we brainstormed some causes of noise in the classroom along with specific examples or details. I remind students that the major support needs to be general, while the elaboration are those minor details.
If we cannot think of how to provide elaboration for a reason, then our assumption is that it is too specific and is, therefore, a minor detail vs major support.
Then I either have students copy the model in their notebooks or provide a copy to glue in their notebooks for future reference
Using the graphic organizer, as a class we write the Rough Draft Perfect Paragraph together on the board. After completing the paragraph, students either copy the paragraph into their notebooks for future reference or I provide a copy of the paragraph to be glued in their notebooks.
After taking the ideas from the graphic organizer and creating sentences, we then review the paragraph and focus upon inserting appropriate transitions. I have students add these to their notebooks in ink, after the rough draft has been copied or glued in their notebooks. Students are then conscious of the fact that revisions still need to take place and transitions are one type of revisions.