Informative Essays
Setting up our claims and ideas
An essay is centered around a claim—
something you are trying to show or to prove
to the reader…


Your big idea plus what you will say about it…
Being responsible is important for success in school.

Big idea=being responsible

+

Your point=it is important if you want to succeed in school
Once we have our claim, we decide
what ideas will support that claim.
 We
“sort” our ideas into logical groups.
Setting up an essay is like sorting ideas.
How would you sort the following pictures?
These pictures are sorted by the type of
person who might use each item.
These pictures are sorted by the type of
item.
In an essay, each group of supporting
ideas is in a separate body paragraph.

Each body paragraph begins with a topic
sentence.

If you have learned how to write a strong
paragraph, you have a great chance of being a
strong essay writer. An essay is a collection of
paragraphs supporting a claim.

A claim + supporting paragraphs = essay

Let’s put those pieces all together now!
Relationships of Ideas
Organizing Ideas: How to structure our informative writing
MAIN IDEAS, CLAIMS, THESIS
STATEMENTS, BIG IDEAS
(We will think of these as green.)
An essay is centered around a claim—something
you are trying to show or to prove to the reader.
Your claim will always be in a separate
introductory paragraph—NEVER IN A BODY
PARAGRAPH!

One way to write a claim is called a power
statement. It uses a number word like two,
several, many.

Being responsible is important for three reasons.
An essay is centered around a claim—
something you are trying to show or to prove
to the reader…

Another way to write a claim is called a list
statement. It uses a list of your supporting
reasons.

Being responsible fosters trust, keeps grades high,
and prepares students for the future.
Each claim should be supported by ideas
sorted into body paragraphs.
 Claim:
Being responsible is important for
three reasons.
 Trust
 Better
grades
 Future
challenges
Each body paragraph should start with a
topic sentence.

Claim: Being responsible is important for three reasons.

Adults trust students who are responsible.

Better grades result when all assignments are completed on
time.

Practicing responsibility prepares students for future
challenges.
Add a transition word to the topic
sentences in a body paragraph.

Claim: Being responsible is important for three reasons.

First, adults trust students who are responsible.

Better grades also result when all assignments are
completed on time.

Finally, practicing responsibility prepares students for future
challenges.
Let’s start working on this target by
practicing.
1)
Look at the worksheet sample.
2)
Now you write a claim about your holiday traditions. Use a
power or list statement.
3)
Think about how many body paragraphs you will write to
support that claim.
4)
Write a topic sentence for each body paragraph. Remember to
include the topic of that paragraph and the point you will
make in that paragraph.
5)
Check—did you add a transition word for each body
paragraph/topic sentence?
Writing practice—drafting the essay in your spiral.

Begin by indenting and writing your claim. This will be a
separate paragraph!

Indent again and write your first body paragraph. Start with
your topic sentence. Add ideas, reasons, examples,
explanations, etc.

When you finish…work on your word study. Due 1/7.

If you finish your word study, go back and finish the draft of the
essay. Be sure to indent each new body paragraph!!!

Put the conclusion of the paper in a separate, final paragraph.
A conclusion restates the claim, but in a new way.
Stop here 1/4/16
Let’s review…

What is a claim?
 How
did you do? (The main sentence in our essay—it introduces our big
idea and our opinion or point about that idea.)

Yesterday we learned two ways a claim can be written. Name them.
 Power

and List
Is this claim a power statement or a list statement? Why?
 Our
family celebrates birthdays with special meals, presents, and a
family activity.
 List—each

supporting idea is named
How many body paragraphs will be in an essay with this claim?
 Our
family celebrates the Fourth of July in four special ways.
 Four
Let’s review and discuss…

Is this claim a power statement or a list statement?
Why?
 Doing
my best in school makes a difference for several
reasons.

How many body paragraphs will be in an essay with this
claim?
I
want to do better in math to get good grades and to
prepare for my future.
In which two paragraphs of the essay will we find the
claim?
 What are these words called: first, last, next, also…?
 Which sentences in our essay should include transitions?

Let’s review and discuss…

Is this a strong or weak claim? Why?
 Playing
well in soccer is my goal for many reasons.
 This paper will be about my goals.
 I guess I will write about soccer.
 I can improve in soccer by practicing more, eating
better, and not staying up so late.

Is this a strong or weak topic sentence? Why?
 Practicing
more. So yeah.
 I can be more careful about what I eat.
 Not staying up late is also really important.
 Last, sleep more.
Let’s review and discuss…
What is missing/wrong in this essay framework?
 Claim: I can be closer to my brother by doing three
important things.

 First,
being more patient with my brother could cut
down on our arguments.
 Spending time with my brother would also make us
closer.
Claim: I want to be a better brother by being patient,
cleaning my side of the room, and hanging out with my
brother more.
How did you do? (missing a topic sentence/body
paragraph idea)

Let’s review and discuss…

What is missing/wrong in this essay framework? (Hint:
two things)

Claim: My piano playing could improve with two
changes.
 Practicing
more consistently would really help me do
better in piano.
 Choosing
harder music pieces would give me a
challenge.
How did you do? (no transition words and no concluding
claim)
Get out the worksheet from yesterday.

Let’s start by brainstorming some ideas on this
topic.

Set up the framework for a new essay by writing—
 An
introductory claim
A
topic sentence for each body paragraph we plan to
use.
A
concluding claim
What next?
1) Have Mrs. C. check off your framework.
2) Writing practice—draft the essay in your spiral.

Begin by indenting and writing your claim.

Indent again and write your first body paragraph. Start with
your topic sentence. Add ideas, reasons, examples,
explanations, etc.

Indent and write the next body paragraph. Start with your
topic sentence and transition word. Add ideas, reasons,
examples, explanations, etc. Follow this pattern for each body
paragraph.

Put the conclusion claim of the paper in a separate, final
paragraph.

When you finish…work on your vocabulary OR word study.
Stop here 1/5/16
Let’s review…

What is a claim?
 Any
better today? (The main sentence in our essay—it introduces our
big idea and our opinion or point about that idea.)

We have learned two ways a claim can be written. Name them.
 Power

and List
In which two paragraphs of the essay will we find the claim?
 Introduction

and Conclusion
Which sentences in our essay should include transitions?
 The
topic sentence of each body paragraph
Let’s review…

Is this claim a power statement or a list statement? Why?
 My
year will be better if I make several changes at home and at
school.
 Power—a

number word is used. List—two places are named.
How many body paragraphs will be in an essay with this claim?
 Students
at our school need to be accepted, have a chance to
succeed, be involved in activities, and feel safe.
 Four
Let’s review and discuss…

Which is the strongest claim? Why?
 Treat
people better.
 The
world would be better if we treated each other with
more kindness and helped those in need.
 Students
 There
at our school would benefit from several changes.
are changes that would help us.
 This
essay is about changes that would help the world be lots
better.
I
think our school could be even better with three
improvements.
Let’s review and discuss…

Claim: Students at our school need to be accepted, have a
chance to succeed, be involved in activities, and feel safe.

Which is the strongest topic sentence for a body paragraph
in this essay? Why?
 First,
accepting each other.
 Everyone
needs a chance to succeed.
 Being
involved in activities can also help students do better at
school.
 Last,
safety.
Let’s review and discuss…

What is missing/wrong in this essay framework? (Hint:
three things)

Claim: Two big changes in our habits could really help
us be safer on the road.
 Texting
while driving is a problem.
 Teenagers
 Road
shouldn’t drive until they are older.
rage causes problems sometimes.
How did you do? (no transition words, claim does not
match body paragraphs, and no concluding claim)
What next?
1) Take out your framework worksheet.
2) Create a framework for the new essay.
3) Have Mrs. C. check it off.
(Last practice before the assessment! Do your best!!)
When
you finish…work on your words
study OR unit vocabulary OR start
drafting the essay.
What next? (didn’t use this slide/used previous instead.)
1) Take out your framework worksheet.
2) Create a framework for the new essay.
3) Have Mrs. C. check it off.
4) Writing practice—draft the essay in your spiral.
(Last practice before the assessment! Do your best!!)

Begin by indenting and writing your claim.

Indent again and write your first body paragraph. Start with your topic
sentence. Add ideas, reasons, examples, explanations, etc.

Indent and write the next body paragraph. Start with your topic sentence
and transition word. Add ideas, reasons, examples, explanations, etc.
Follow this pattern for each body paragraph.

Put the conclusion claim of the paper in a separate, final paragraph.

When you finish…work on your vocabulary OR word study.
Stop here 6 January 2016