• Objective: To develop topic sentences that clearly convey what the body paragraphs in the essay are about.

• Focusing Question: How can topic sentences help organize and convey meaning in your writing?

• Strategy: To draft effective body paragraphs by first writing meaningful topic sentences.

Focusing Question | Mini Lesson | Writer’s Work Time | Lesson Summary

Write Topic Sentences

• Topic sentences introduce and summarize the content of a paragraph.

• Each category of evidence (one text essay) or each text (comparative essay) represents one body paragraph.

• Topic sentences:– introduce key evidence to be

discussed in the paragraph– relate that evidence to the theme

statement.

Focusing Question | Mini Lesson | Writer’s Work Time | Lesson Summary

Mini Lesson

1. Watch Z’s Think Aloud: Write Topic Sentences, located in Step 3 of the Online Classroom.

2. Review your theme statement and categories.

3. Craft topic sentences for body paragraphs that:– reflect the main idea of each category

of evidence– summarize it and connect to the theme

statement.4. Open a word processing document and

title it with the word “draft,” your initials, the date and save it.

5. Type your topic sentences. 6. Resave and submit your work in Step 3 of

the Online Classroom assignment Submit Your Draft Essay.

Focusing Question | Mini Lesson | Writer’s Work Time | Lesson Summary

Writer’s Work Time

• What makes a good topic sentence?

• We will use these topic sentences to craft our body paragraphs.

Focusing Question | Mini Lesson | Writer’s Work Time | Lesson Summary

Lesson Summary