SLAYING THE FIVE
PARAGRAPH MONSTER:
How to
teach and
grade the
fiveparagraph
theme
WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES
Following the workshop, participants will
be able to:
1. Identify the components of the five
paragraph essay format
2. Devise appropriate rubrics to assess
students’ writings
3. Implement writing within specific
subject areas
4. Identify and implement the domains
established by the PSSA Rubric
TODAY’S AGENDA
1. Background
2. The Five
Paragraph
Essay Format
3. RUBRICS
4. SAMPLES AND
SCORING
WHY IS WRITING
IMPORTANT?
Organizing the fiveparagraph essay
The Introduction
The introduction should contain a:
• Lead-in sentence / attention getter
– Should grab the reader’s attention and
generally hint at or introduce the topic to be
discussed in rest of paper
• Central Idea (Purpose)
– Should state the main point of your paper /
what you’re attempting to prove in your paper
• Thesis Statement (Plan)
– Should provide a series of “proofs” (evidence)
that will support your central idea (C.I.)
• Ask: What will I use to prove my C.I.?
The Body Paragraphs
Each body paragraph should contain:
• Topic Sentence (T.S.)
– Relates item from paper’s thesis to its C.I.
• Supporting Sentences
– At LEAST three
– Expand / Develop the topic established in your
topic sentence
• Clincher Sentence
– Wraps up the topic of the body paragraph
– Establishes how the paragraph supports the
paper’s C.I. / thesis
The Conclusion
Conclusion should:
• Restate the C.I. In
different words
(generally)
• Summarize the info.
presented
• Find deeper meaning
in the info. presented
in the paper
(relevance /
significance)
• Show reader that
the paper has
reached end
Transitions
Transitions should:
• Help thoughts
flow smoothly
from intro. to
conclusion
• Show connections
between
paragraph just
ended and
paragraph being
read
Common transitional
expressions
–
–
–
–
Therefore
Accordingly
In spite of this
An example of
this
– Lastly
– Also
– Furthermore
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Similarly
However
Consequently
Finally
In addition
Nevertheless
On the contrary
THE PSSA SCORING RUBRIC
1. THE VARIOUS
DOMAINS OF THE
SCORING RUBRIC
2. HOW TO
INCORPORATE
THE RUBRIC INTO
YOUR CLASSROOM
FOCUS
• There is one clear
Central idea to the
essay
• All of the points
within the essay
serve to support
that central idea
• No unrelated ideas
are contained
CONTENT
• Details strengthen
and support the
central idea of the
essay
• Ideas are explained
sufficiently
• Concrete examples,
facts, and
explanations
provided
ORGANIZATION
• The essay contains a
clear introduction &
Conclusion
• Each paragraph has a
clear topic sentence
• The sentences are in a
logical order
• The sentences are
clearly related to
one another
• Clincher back to CI at
end of body
paragraphs
STYLE
• A variety of sentence
structures are used
• An appropriate
vocabulary level is
used
• All sentences are
clearly written
• Addressing the
audience
appropriately
• Formal (no
contractions, no 1st or
2nd person)
• Don’t allude to your
“essay” and “writing”
CONVENTIONS
• Words are
spelled
correctly
• Correct
punctuation is
used
• Sentences are
grammatically
correct
SAMPLE SCORING RUBRICS
• The Basics
• 5 paragraph
essay
• Research paper
• Analytic Rubric
(for the future)
WRITING HELP/HINTS
Sample of set-up
Citing
quotes/passages
Citing shakespeare
SAMPLE STUDENT WORK
COME WITH SAMPLE
ESSAYS FOR OUR
NEXT SESSION!