A coherent piece of writing that gives your thoughts about, and educated analysis of, a subject.

• A method of writing essays that addresses the basic requirements of most essays required for school

• Before we begin the formula for essay writing, we need to understand the basic structure of a paragraph
• It is helpful to have common language around parts of the paragraph
• We also all have different learning styles, so the terms are color coded as well

• 1. Topic Sentence
• 2. Concrete Detail
• 3. Commentary CHUNK
• 4. Commentary
• 5. Concrete Detail
• 6. Commentary CHUNK
• 7. Commentary
• 8. Concluding Sentence

One Paragraph
Jane Schaffer-style
• Topic Sentence (EDUCATED OPINION)
– Main idea
– Mildly controversial (or arguable)
– Something you have to prove
Las Vegas is one of the most surreal cities in the world.
TS = TOPIC SENTENCE

One Paragraph
Jane Schaffer-style
• Concrete Detail
– Support for your topic sentence
– Fact
– Can’t be argued with, and/or can be backed up
For instance, the center of the city is full of different kinds of buildings including a two-thirds scale Eiffel Tower, a giant black glass pyramid, a scaled-down replica of the
New York skyline, and a faux Medieval castle.
(CD) = CONCRETE DETAIL

One Paragraph
Jane Schaffer-style
• Commentary
– Your explanation of the concrete detail
– Your personal insight
– Your analysis
The whole place reminds me of a big amusement park like
Disneyland with its different “lands.”
It ’s as if each building was constructed in isolation without any consideration of the other buildings.
(CM) = COMMENTARY
(CM) = COMMENTARY

One Paragraph
Jane Schaffer-style
• Concluding Sentence
– Wraps up the paragraph
– Rephrases the main idea
Las Vegas is such a strange city, it is hard to believe it exists unless you actually go there and experience it for yourself.
(CS) = CONCLUDING SENTENCE

One Paragraph
Jane Schaffer-style
• How many “chunks” are there in this paragraph?
(TS) Las Vegas is the most surreal city anywhere in the world.
(CD) For instance, the center of the city is full of different kinds of buildings including a twothirds scale Eiffel Tower, a giant black glass pyramid, a scaled-down replica of the New York skyline, and a faux Medieval castle.
(CM) The whole place reminds me of a big amusement park like Disneyland with its different
“lands.”
(CM) It
’s as if each building was constructed in isolation without any consideration of the other buildings.
(CD) In addition, this center is surrounded by a sprawl of suburbs housing close to two million people and stretching out into the desert.
(CM) I always wonder what made so many people want to live in such an inhospitable place.
(CM) All those people and houses almost seem as if they traveled across the wasteland and gathered to pay homage to the weird buildings in the center.
(CS) Las Vegas is such a strange city, it is hard to believe it actually exists unless you actually go there and experience it for yourself.

One Paragraph
Jane Schaffer-style
• Same sentences in paragraph form:
(TS) Las Vegas is the most surreal city anywhere in the world.
(CD) For instance, the center of the city is full of different kinds of buildings including a two-thirds scale Eiffel
Tower, a giant black glass pyramid, a scaled-down replica of the New York skyline, and a faux Medieval castle. (CM) The whole place reminds me of a big amusement park like
Disneyland with its different
“lands.” (CM) It’s as if each building was constructed in isolation without any consideration of the other buildings.
(CD) In addition, this center is surrounded by a sprawl of suburbs housing close to two million people and stretching out into the desert.
(CM) I always wonder what made so many people want to live in such an inhospitable place.
(CM) All those people and houses almost seem as if they traveled across the wasteland and gathered to pay homage to the weird buildings in the center.
(CS) Las Vegas is such a strange city, it is hard to believe it actually exists unless you actually go there and experience it for yourself.

One Paragraph
Jane Schaffer-style
• Sample paragraph on Harry Potter.
– Hand out two-chunk sample
– Highlight the Topic Sentence in blue
– Highlight the Concrete Detail in red (pink)
– Highlight the Commentary in green
– Highlight the Concluding Sentence in blue
– Circle transitions
– On your own first, then correct with the teacher

One Paragraph
Jane Schaffer-style
• Sample paragraph order
– Hand out sample
– Rearrange the eight sentences in the correct order based on the Jane Schaffer style. Look for transitions to help with the order.
– Use the quarter sheet paper to write down the correct order (this will be graded)
– Sit quietly and read until everyone is finished, then we will correct in class

• Write a 2 chunk paragraph
• Topic:
– Pick a hero from literature or a movie.
What makes them a hero and why.
– Ex.
• Aladin, from Disney’s Aladin, is a hero because he is brave and in the end, becomes selfless.

One Paragraph
Jane Schaffer-style
(this will be assigned NEXT
WEEK)
• On your own, write a “two-chunk” paragraph about a location of your choice that you think is unique and special. It could be the most beautiful city you have ever seen (or the poorest, the richest, smallest, largest, etc), or the most entertaining or peaceful place you have visited. Model your paragraph after the sample paragraph shown in the previous slide. Do some research about your topic to make sure you have concrete details* to support your topic sentence .
• *it is difficult to find CD ’s to support ‘beautiful’ but not impossible, so do the research before selecting your city and topic

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