Outline for a Five-Paragraph
Essay
Thesis Statement

The first thing you must do is write a
thesis statement.

It goes at the top of the paper.

The city of Frontenac should require
curbside recycling.
Topic Sentence
“Thesis Statement” for a paragraph.
 States the main idea of the paragraph.
 Usually the first sentence in the
paragraph.
 This should be a reason I should believe
your thesis.

OUTLINE

An outline is for the BODY paragraphs.

The thesis will be used in the
introduction

The conclusion is not usually included
Roman Numeral

Use a Roman numeral to designate each
paragraph.
The first paragraph would be I.
 After the Roman numeral, write the topic
sentence (the first reason)


I. We will soon be over-run with trash if
we don’t get more people to recycle.
CAPITAL LETTERS
Each Roman numeral will need supporting
details.
 Use capital letters to designate these
details.
 You must use AT LEAST an A and a B.
Frontenac should require curbside
recycling

◦ I. We will be over-run with trash.
 A. Landfills are filling up
 B. Cities are sending trash to us
Numbers
Use numbers to list supporting details for
A, B, C
 I. We will be over-run with trash

◦ A. Landfills are filling up
 1. Only so much space
 2 .No one wants one nearby
◦ B. Cities sending their trash
 1. Joplin tornado
 2 .New York’s trash floating on barges
Form
Roman Numerals use sentences.
 A,B,C use key words
 1,2,3 use key words.

Form
Indent A, B, C
 Keep them even

Indent 1,2,3
 Keep them even


Capitalize the first word
Paragraph II

Follow the form from Paragraph I

II. Curbside recycling would be cost effective
for the city.
◦ A. Collect fees
 1. On water bill
 2. Everyone pays
◦ B. Get money for trash
 1. Aluminum pays the most
 2.Paper can pay well
Paragraph III

Same form as I and II
III. Jobs
 (See if you can come up with the rest)

SKELETON

The outline is just the SKELETON of the
essay.

You must use words to fill in the body.
Use transistions
 Use creative words
 Use sentence variety
 Remember to have a concluding sentence
for each paragraph.

Paragraph I
◦
If Frontenac does not start curbside recycling,
we could soon find ourselves over-run with trash.
Already our landfills are nearly full to the brim.
What will we do when they are full? No one
wants a landfill in their own back yard. Not only
is our landfill full, other cities are pushing their
trash into our space. Joplin sent tons of trash
here after the tornado. New York has its trash
floating around the ocean looking for a home.
Hopefully they won’t send it here. We need to
start a strong recycling program before we are
buried in trash!
Paragraph II

Write a paragraph using the outline for
Paragraph II.
INTRODUCTION

Use the thesis statement and a HOOK to
write an introduction for this essay.
Conclusion

Write a conclusion for this essay.
YOUR OWN
Make an outline for the first body
paragraph of an essay.
 The thesis statement is
 Frontenac should not start a curbside
recycling program.

Use your own paper.
 Write the paragraph.
