Four-Square Method

Gayla S. KeeseeEducation Specialist

Mack Gipson, Jr.Tutorial and Enrichment Center

rev. 8/2006

Which region of the United States would

you rather live in?

Fold your paper into four squares.

Darken in the lines.

To begin…

Write your basic thesis statement above the line in the middle to remind you of what you will be proving.

From Broad to Specific

Animals (essay level)

Dogs (paragraph level)

Poodles (clarifying)

Fifi (completing)

Paint a picture with words

Paint a picture with words

I prefer to live in the South.

Now we have to answer the question—Why?

Provide reasons, examples, incidents, facts/statistics to support our thesis.

Reasons why people live in certain locations

SCHOOLS School systems, higher education--kids,

own education WEATHER

hot, cold, seasons, clothing, activities HISTORY & TRADITIONS

Architecture, museums, foods, culture COSTS

Lower cost of living—housing, groceries, entertainment

ENTERTAINMENT Sports, theatre, racing, ballet, concerts

EMPLOYMENT Opportunities, job transfer

HABIT Grew up there, familiar and safe, know

what to expect PEER PRESSURE

Friends/family live there

History

Food

SouthernHospitality

Basic Thesis Statement (because) + the three reasons, examples, facts, or incidents in Box 1 of each section

I prefer living in the South because of the food, history, and Southern hospitality.

I prefer to live in the South.

-Architecture

-Museums

-Battlefields

-Breakfast

-Lunch/Dinner

-Drinks

-Honor/Chivalry

_Courteous Actions

-Politeness/Manners

I prefer to live in the South.

1. Reason, Example, Fact, or Incident

1. Reason, Example, Fact, or Incident

1. Reason, Example, Fact, or Incident

Now we need to clarify what we mean by each reason.

In other words, why/how are the food, the history, and hospitality so great.

Clarify! Clarify!

History

Food

SouthernHospitality

Vivid Words Comparisons Examples/Incidents Specifics

Names Numbers Colors Sizes Dates Place Names

• Names (people, movie, restaurant,

rides)• Best friend—Rochelle, Waiting to Exhale• Arby’s, Georgia Cyclone

• Numbers• Three goldfish, 28 ounces, 18 years

• Dates/Times• Last Thursday, July 4, morning, from 8:00-

12:00

• Places• May Park, Clarke Middle School

• Colors• Crimson, burnt sienna, kelly green,

chocolate, toast, peach

• Comparisons• Like a mad dog, golf ball size

• Sensory Details• Wiggle, clammy, murky, boom, clank,

spicy, tangy

• Active Verbs• Looked—glanced, squinted, peeked

Sight Description Specific Nouns Specific Verbs

Touch Texture

Hearing Onomatopoeia

Smell fragrances

Taste

Sensory Details

Be specificMake comparisons

Add color

Tex-Mex Crunchy tacos Mounds of tortilla chips Chunky guacamole Fire-engine red salsa

Soul Food Crispy fried chicken Ice-cold super-sweet tea

by the gallon Grits dripping with

butter Piled high like a

mountain

I prefer to live in the South.

-Architecture• Swan House—1928—Italian/Greek

pillars, formal ballrooms, sweeping staircases

• Tullie Smith Farm--blacksmith shop, smokehouse, log cabin, open-hearth kitchen

-Museums• Morris Museum of Art—Southern art

—2,500 paintings, traveling exhibits, workshops

• Atlanta History Center--exhibits, archives, gardens

-Battlefields• Manassas—first battle• Kennesaw Mountain

defend Atlanta

-Breakfast• Eggs—scrambled, over easy• Grits dripping with creamy butter• Meat—handmade pork sausage,

hickory-smoked bacon, country-cured ham

• Flaky buttermilk biscuits• Red-eye gravy or molasses

-Lunch/Dinner• Crispy fried chicken, • Vegetables--dried black-eyed peas

w/ham hocks, okra—fried or stewed w/tomatoes, greens (turnip, collards, mustard)

• cornbread, fritters• Dessert—Pies--(sweet potato,

pecan) Cobblers (blackberry, peach)

-Drinks• Gallons of ice-cold, super-sweet

Luzianne tea• Home-made, tart lemonade• Coke—any soft drink

-Honor/Chivalry• Keep word• Family impt.—clannish• Gentlemen and ladies

-Courteous Actions• Help strangers—flat tire (3 times),

give directions• Standing in line—let others go

ahead, chat• Help neighbors—check-up, visit,

bring food

-Politeness/Manners• Please and thank you• Ma’am and sir• Ask permission—not tell• Hold door open

1. Reason, Example, Fact, or Incident

1. Reason, Example, Fact, or Incident

History

Food

1. Reason, Example, Fact, or Incident

SouthernHospitality

Transition words and expressions help connect ideas within and between

paragraphs. They do this by showing relationships, such as addition or contrast or

result

Teacher: Your paper doesn’t show a smooth flow of thoughts. You need to add transitions between ideas and paragraphs.

Student: I have no idea what a transition is. What are some words that I can use to make my paper flow?

I prefer to live in the South.

-Architecture• Swan House—1928—Italian/Greek

pillars, formal ballrooms, sweeping staircases

• Tullie Smith Farm--blacksmith shop, smokehouse, log cabin, open-hearth kitchen

-Museums• Morris Museum of Art—Southern art

—2,500 paintings, traveling exhibits, workshops

• Atlanta History Center--exhibits, archives, gardens

-Battlefields• Manassas—first battle• Kennesaw Mountain—

defend Atlanta

-Breakfast• Eggs—scrambled• Meat—handmade pork sausage,

hickory-smoked bacon, country-cured ham

• Grits dripping with creamy butter• Buttermilk biscuits• Red-eye gravy or molasses

-Lunch/Dinner• crispy fried chicken, • vegetables--dried black-eyed peas

w/ham hocks, Okra—fried or stewed with tomatoes, greens (turnip, collards, mustard)

• cornbread, fritters• Dessert—Pie--(sweet potato,

pecan) Cobbler (blackberry, peach)

-Drinks• Gallons of ice-cold, super-sweet

Luzianne tea• Home-made, tart lemonade• Coke—any soft drink

-Honor/Chivalry• Keep word• Family impt.—clannish• Gentlemen and ladies

_Courteous Actions• Help strangers—flat tire (3 times),

give directions• Standing in line—let others go

ahead, chat• Help neighbors—check-up, visit,

bring food

-Politeness/Manners• Please and thank you• Ma’am and sir• Ask permission—not tell• Hold door open

History

Food

SouthernHospitality

In other words,

Next,

In addition

To illustrate

Such as

Furthermore

For example,

Also

To clarify

Connect Paragraph

s

Connect ideas within

paragraphs

Transition Word:Not only but also, Next

Transition Word:First, One reason

Transition Word:Third, Most of all

Transition Word: In summary, Finally

Variety is the spice of life…

Alternative words Prefer

Nothing better Crazy about Enjoy Partial to Desire Rather

Hospitality Behavior Warmth Kindness Generosity Friendliness Etiquette Courtesy

Food Meal Repast Cuisine Menu Dishes

History Traditions Culture Shared past Lifestyle Way of life Practices

Thesis statement:I prefer to live in the

South.

Use the Thesaurus

Microsoft Word

Shift F7 or

Tools—Language—Thesaurus

Thesis statement:I prefer to live in the

South.

1st paragraph: First, Southern cooking will

always keep me living below the Mason-Dixon Line.

2nd paragraph: Next, I am physically and

mentally tied to the South’s history and traditions.

3rd paragraph: Most of all, I relish the

feeling of welcome and familiarity central to living in the South.

I prefer to live in the South.

-Architecture• Swan House—1928—Italian/Greek

pillars, formal ballrooms, sweeping staircases

• Tullie Smith Farm--blacksmith shop, smokehouse, log cabin, open-hearth kitchen

-Museums• Morris Museum of Art—Southern art

—2,500 paintings, traveling exhibits, workshops

• Atlanta History Center--exhibits, archives, gardens

-Battlefields• Manassas—first battle• Kennesaw Mountain—

defend Atlanta

-Breakfast• Eggs—scrambled• Meat—handmade pork sausage,

hickory-smoked bacon, country-cured ham

• Grits dripping with creamy butter• Buttermilk biscuits• Red-eye gravy or molasses

-Lunch/Dinner• crispy fried chicken, • vegetables--dried black-eyed peas

w/ham hocks, Okra—fried or stewed with tomatoes, greens (turnip, collards, mustard)

• cornbread, fritters• Dessert—Pie--(sweet potato,

pecan) Cobbler (blackberry, peach)

-Drinks• Gallons of ice-cold, super-sweet

Luzianne tea• Home-made, tart lemonade• Coke—any soft drink

-Honor/Chivalry• Keep word• Family impt.—clannish• Gentlemen and ladies

_Courteous Actions• Help strangers—flat tire (3 times),

give directions• Standing in line—let others go

ahead, chat• Help neighbors—check-up, visit,

bring food

-Politeness/Manners• Please and thank you• Ma’am and sir• Ask permission—not tell• Hold door open

History

Food

SouthernHospitality

In other words,

Next,

In addition

To illustrate

Such as

Furthermore

For example,

Also

To clarify

Connect Paragraphs

Connect ideas within paragraphs

Transition Word:Not only but also, Next

Transition Word:First, One reason

Transition Word:Third, Most of all

Topic Sentences First, Southern

cooking will always keep me living below the Mason-Dixon Line.

Next, I am physically and mentally tied to the South’s history and traditions.

Most of all, I relish the feeling of welcome and familiarity central to living in the South.

Basic Paragraph

Topic Sentence Transition + 1st Supporting

Detail Transition + Example, Incident,

Statistic

Transition + 2nd Supporting

Detail Transition + Example, Incident,

Statistic

Transition + 3rd Supporting

Detail Transition + Example, Incident,

Statistic

Transition + Clincher Sentence

Sample ParagraphFirst, Southern cooking will always keep me living below the Mason-Dixon Line.

One of my favorite Southern meals is breakfast. For example, last weekend I awoke to the scent

of lightly scrambled eggs, grits dripping with creamy butter, and buttermilk biscuits wafting upstairs into my bedroom. My husband was busy frying ham to make red-eye gravy for the biscuits. I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into these treats.

Next, our typical Sunday dinner is built around simple, satisfying meats, straight-from-the-garden vegetables, and ripe, fresh fruit. For instance, my mom always has crispy fried

chicken waiting for us. In addition, we may enjoy fresh turnip or collard

greens, fried okra, or fried green tomatoes. We always end with a peach or apple cobbler.

Finally, in the hot dry days of a Southern summer, I can relish several uniquely Southern beverages. First, for us Southerners, iced tea is an

institution, almost a sacrament at church picnics. I fondly remember the "tea jug" of Luzianne tea, which was always in the refrigerator and often on summer days was drained and refilled more than once.

Next to iced tea, I savor a cool glass of tart home-made lemonade on a hot day. There’s just something about the combination of sugar and sour that quenches my thirst.

Furthermore, the South was the birthplace of several soft drink companies including Coca Cola, Pepsi, RC Cola, and Dr. Pepper. An RC and a MoonPie is the perfect snack on a lazy day.

Altogether, I can not imagine not being able to gobble and guzzle Southern foods anytime I want.

For More Info.

Visit the Mack Gipson, Jr.

Tutorial and Enrichment Center

Gipson Building(across the fence from Haygood-

Holsey)

821-8345