Single Paragraph Essay Shaping Chart/Rubric
Sentence #
1
Name
Thesis/Topic
Purpose/Content


A T-A-G line
Identify the literary movement that is evident in the
text
2
Body Point 1
 State the most important overall idea presented in the
text; what characteristic of the literary movement do
you identify? (Broad)
3
Concrete Detail 1
 Quote/paraphrase or example to prove body point #1
(and thus the thesis)
 Comes directly from the text
 Followed by parenthetical citation; line numbers for
poetry, page numbers for other texts.
4
Commentary
 Two or more sentences that explain the connection
between your body point and your evidence/concrete
detail (How does the concrete detail prove/support
5
Commentary
your thesis?)
(1stCommentary: Comments on the importance of the concrete
detail.)
(2nd Commentary: Offers a varying/opposing idea OR provides
a different commentary about the importance of the concrete
detail.)
6
Body Point 2
 Transition word/phrase/sentence
 State the second most important overall idea presented
in the text; what other characteristic of the literary
movement do you identify? (Broad)
7
Concrete Detail 2
 Quote/paraphrase or example to prove body point #1
(and thus the thesis)
 Comes directly from the text
 Followed by parenthetical citation; line numbers for
poetry, page numbers for other texts.
8
Commentary
 Two or more sentences that explain the connection
between your second body point and your second piece
of evidence/concrete detail (How does the concrete
9
Commentary
detail prove/support your thesis?)
(1stCommentary: Comments on the importance of the concrete
detail.)
(2nd Commentary: Offers a varying/opposing idea OR provides
a different commentary about the importance of the concrete
detail.)
10
Conclusion
Directs the reader back to the thesis statement
Does not repeat the thesis word-for-word
DOES NOT introduce any new facts
make your point and “drive it home”
Finished the paragraph, gives it a sense of completion
Remember to check your writing for format, and usage and grammar conventions.
Always write about literature in the present tense. (A text exists in this place in time, so you
write about it in present tense, in this place and time.)
Anne Bradstreet’s poem, “Here Follow Some Versus upon the Burning of
Our House, July 10, 1666,” is clearly a Puritan text. Puritan literature
demonstrates how pious settlers used their writing to explore their lives for
signs of God. After Bradstreet realizes she has been mourning the loss of a
worldly possession, her home, she scolds her own heart by asking, “…did thy
wealth on earth abide? / Didst fix thy hope on mold’ring dust?” (38-39). She
realizes that by being upset with her physical loss on earth she has turned away
from God and his divine plan for her life. She understands that this is a test of
her inner strength, and she then turns her thoughts to her creator. Because she
is Puritan and a believer, she goes on to share that she has something far
greater and more wonderful to look forward to, a place in heaven; she has a
house waiting “on high erect, / Framed by that mighty Architect;” it is “richly
furnished” and “purchased and paid for” (43-45). A Puritan belief is to always
remember that an individual life is a journey to salvation. People are meant to
always look to God for direction, and after accepting him as savior, he makes a
place for each saved soul to live in Heaven after death. This is the home of
which Bradstreet speaks as she comes to reaches the conclusion that her earthly
treasures are insignificant when compared to the treasure of immortal life. Her
experience shows that one’s faith can conquer any mortal misfortune.
Sentence #
1
Name
Thesis/Topic

2
Body Point 1

3
Concrete Detail 1

4
Commentary

5
Commentary
Purpose/Content

6
Body Point 2

7
Concrete Detail 2

8
Commentary

9
Commentary
10
Conclusion


Anne Bradstreet’s poem, “Here Follow Some
Versus upon the Burning of Our House, July 10,
1666,” is clearly a Puritan text.
Puritan literature demonstrates how pious
settlers used their writing to explore their lives
for signs of God.
After Bradstreet realizes she has been
mourning the loss of a worldly possession, her
home, she scolds her own heart by asking,
“…did thy wealth on earth abide? / Didst fix
thy hope on mold’ring dust?” (38-39).
She realizes that by being upset with her
physical loss on earth she has turned away
from God and his divine plan for her life.
She understands that this is a test of her inner
strength, and she then turns her thoughts to
her creator.
Because she is Puritan and a believer, she goes
on to share that she has something far greater
and more wonderful to look forward to, a
place in heaven;
she has a house waiting “on high erect, /
Framed by that mighty Architect;” it is “richly
furnished” and “purchased and paid for” (4345).
A Puritan belief is to always remember that an
individual life is a journey to salvation.
People are meant to always look to God for
direction, and after accepting him as savior, he
makes a place for each saved soul to live in
Heaven after death.
This is the home of which Bradstreet speaks as
she comes to reaches the conclusion that her
earthly treasures are insignificant when
compared to the treasure of immortal life. Her
experience shows that one’s faith can conquer
any mortal misfortune.