Reading ParagraphsReading ParagraphsMs. Johnson’s Complete ReadingMs. Johnson’s Complete Reading

September 26, 2011September 26, 2011

Understanding Understanding ParagraphsParagraphs

In order to In order to understandunderstand a paragraph completely, a paragraph completely, you need to you need to firstfirst know the following: know the following:

KindsKinds of Paragraphs of Paragraphs

Ways paragraphs are Ways paragraphs are organizedorganized

Kinds of ParagraphsKinds of Paragraphs

NarrativeNarrative Paragraph: Tell a Paragraph: Tell a StoryStory

They do They do notnot try to convince the reader try to convince the reader

No No specificspecific details about one particular details about one particular thingthing

Example: Last year, I went on a trip to South Example: Last year, I went on a trip to South America. My parents took me and we had a lot America. My parents took me and we had a lot of fun. I got to experience all kinds of different of fun. I got to experience all kinds of different cultures and lifestyles. Not only did I get to cultures and lifestyles. Not only did I get to enjoy the beach and sun, but I also got to learn enjoy the beach and sun, but I also got to learn a lot from the people there. It was one of the a lot from the people there. It was one of the best trips of my life. best trips of my life.

Types of ParagraphsTypes of Paragraphs

PersuasivePersuasive Paragraphs: Express an Paragraphs: Express an opinionopinion or or try to try to convinceconvince the reader the reader

They give specific They give specific reasonsreasons or examples or examples

Try to make the reader Try to make the reader believebelieve the same the same way the way the writerwriter does does

Try to make you Try to make you dodo somethingsomething

Example: There are many reasons a person Example: There are many reasons a person should learn a different language. The should learn a different language. The United States has grown so much in all United States has grown so much in all areas. Many people who now live in the U.S. areas. Many people who now live in the U.S. were born somewhere else or speak a were born somewhere else or speak a different language. Obviously English is our different language. Obviously English is our language, but it would be nice to open your language, but it would be nice to open your mind and learn another language. mind and learn another language.

Types of ParagraphsTypes of Paragraphs

DescriptiveDescriptive Paragraphs: Offer specific Paragraphs: Offer specific detailsdetails and and sensory images to give a sensory images to give a picturepicture

These paragraphs make These paragraphs make visualizingvisualizing pretty easy pretty easy

Example: My favorite beach is in Cancun, Example: My favorite beach is in Cancun, Mexico. The sand is almost white it is so clean. Mexico. The sand is almost white it is so clean. The water is also a beautiful blue- green color, The water is also a beautiful blue- green color, but also clear. When you swim, you can see but also clear. When you swim, you can see the bottom; which is so neat. It also gives you the bottom; which is so neat. It also gives you the ability to see fish in their natural the ability to see fish in their natural environment. It is such a beautiful place to environment. It is such a beautiful place to visit. visit.

Types of ParagraphsTypes of Paragraphs

ExpositoryExpository Paragraphs: Present facts, Paragraphs: Present facts, opinionsopinions, , definitions of terms, and definitions of terms, and examplesexamples to inform to inform the reader about a specific topicthe reader about a specific topic

Can Can explainexplain how something works or how something works or happenshappens

Can give Can give directionsdirections

Example: Example:

Understanding Understanding ParagraphsParagraphsThese types of paragraphs may be familiar and These types of paragraphs may be familiar and seem easy to understandseem easy to understand

What may seem What may seem lessless familiar is the way familiar is the way paragraphs are paragraphs are organizedorganized

Each Each sentencesentence in a paragraph fits together in a paragraph fits together around a single, around a single, centralcentral idea idea

Knowing some ways Knowing some ways detailsdetails are organized are organized into paragraphs can help you better into paragraphs can help you better understandunderstand what you are reading what you are reading

Understanding Understanding ParagraphsParagraphs

Understanding the way Understanding the way detailsdetails of a paragraph of a paragraph are are organizedorganized can help you in several ways: can help you in several ways:

1. See what’s 1. See what’s importantimportant and what’s not and what’s not

2. Understand the author’s 2. Understand the author’s purposepurpose

3. 3. RememberRemember what you read what you read

Ways of Organizing Ways of Organizing ParagraphsParagraphs

UnderstandingUnderstanding the order of the order of detailsdetails listed in listed in paragraphs will greatly paragraphs will greatly improveimprove your ability to your ability to understand what you are understand what you are readingreading

There are There are sixsix ways that paragraphs are usually ways that paragraphs are usually organizedorganized

Ask yourself these Ask yourself these questionsquestions::

What’s the What’s the mainmain idea that holds the idea that holds the paragraph together?paragraph together?

Where is the idea Where is the idea locatedlocated? (beginning, ? (beginning, middle, or end)middle, or end)

Ways of Organizing Ways of Organizing ParagraphsParagraphs

TimeTime order order

The writer tells a series of The writer tells a series of eventsevents in more or in more or less the exact order in which they less the exact order in which they happenedhappened. .

Just like hearing a story Just like hearing a story exactlyexactly as it happened as it happened

No No jumpingjumping around or confusion around or confusion

Example: Example: I woke up this morning. After I took I woke up this morning. After I took a shower, I ate my breakfast. I got dressed for a shower, I ate my breakfast. I got dressed for school and headed to the bus stop. I made it to school and headed to the bus stop. I made it to school on time. school on time.

Ways of Organizing Ways of Organizing ParagraphsParagraphs

LocationLocation Order Order

Some paragraphs move in an Some paragraphs move in an organizedorganized way from one way from one locationlocation to another to another

The idea of this paragraph is to establish The idea of this paragraph is to establish whatwhat was happening was happening wherewhere

Example: I was reading in my bedroom on Example: I was reading in my bedroom on the second floor of our white house. I the second floor of our white house. I heard my brother downstairs watching heard my brother downstairs watching television in the family room. My mom was television in the family room. My mom was folding laundry in her room, which is right folding laundry in her room, which is right next to my room. I also heard dad in the next to my room. I also heard dad in the office talking on the phone. Since the office office talking on the phone. Since the office is right next to the family room, my brother is right next to the family room, my brother couldn’t hear his show. couldn’t hear his show.

Ways of Organizing Ways of Organizing ParagraphsParagraphs

CauseCause and and EffectEffect Order: Order: Can be ordered in Can be ordered in two ways:two ways:

The writer begins with the The writer begins with the causecause and and moves to the moves to the effectseffects

OR OR beginsbegins with the effects and with the effects and explainsexplains the causethe cause

Cause and EffectCause and Effect

A A CauseCause is something that makes something is something that makes something else else happenhappen

Of the two events, it is the event that Of the two events, it is the event that happens happens firstfirst

Ask the question: “Ask the question: “WhyWhy did it happen?” did it happen?”

An An EffectEffect is what happens as a is what happens as a resultresult of the of the causecause

Of the two events, it is the one that Of the two events, it is the one that happens happens secondsecond, or last, or last

Ask the question: “ Ask the question: “ WhatWhat happened?” happened?”

Cause and Effect OrderCause and Effect Order

Example: I was late for basketball practice Example: I was late for basketball practice after school. I had to run home and get clothes after school. I had to run home and get clothes because I forgot practice clothes at home. because I forgot practice clothes at home. Since I was late for practice, I had to run 2 Since I was late for practice, I had to run 2 miles at the end.miles at the end.

Ways of Organizing Ways of Organizing ParagraphsParagraphs

Order of Order of ImportanceImportance:: Can be Can be organizedorganized two two ways:ways:

Writer begins with most Writer begins with most importantimportant idea and idea and moves to moves to examplesexamples and details to and details to supportsupport the the idea idea

OR Writer begins with examples and OR Writer begins with examples and detailsdetails to to build up and support the build up and support the mainmain idea idea

Example: Example: While the North was free soil, it was hardly a paradise for blacks.  Racial prejudice was a fact of everyday life.  Most Yankee states had enacted strict “black laws.”  In Illinois, Lincoln’s home state, blacks paid taxes but could not vote, hold political office, serve on juries, testify in court, or attend schools.  They had a hard time finding jobs.  Often they sold themselves as “indentures” for a period of twenty years – a form of voluntary slavery – just to eat and have a place to live.

Order of ImportanceOrder of Importance

MostMost important to Least important important to Least important

Writer starts with the most Writer starts with the most importantimportant idea (main idea) and lists details to idea (main idea) and lists details to supportsupport the main idea the main idea

LeastLeast important to Most important important to Most important

Writer starts with the Writer starts with the detailsdetails or or examples supporting the main idea then examples supporting the main idea then moves to state the moves to state the mainmain idea at the idea at the endend of the paragraphof the paragraph

Ways of Organizing Ways of Organizing ParagraphsParagraphs

Comparison- Contrast OrderComparison- Contrast Order

Remember our definitions!Remember our definitions!

CompareCompare: Discusses the ways things are the : Discusses the ways things are the SAMESAME

ContrastContrast: Discusses the ways things are : Discusses the ways things are DIFFERENTDIFFERENT

Writers use these Writers use these paragraphsparagraphs to show how one to show how one thing is thing is likelike or unlike something else or unlike something else

Making a list of Making a list of similaritiessimilarities and and differencesdifferences is a good way to understand is a good way to understand these paragraphsthese paragraphs

Compare-Contrast Compare-Contrast OrderingOrdering

Example: Example: The owl’s wing is somewhat like your arm.  It has the same three parts – the hand, the lower arm, and the upper arm.  The owl can bend its upper arm the way you can bend your upper arm.  The owl flaps its large wings to lift itself into the air.

Ways of Organizing Ways of Organizing ParagraphsParagraphs

ClassificationClassification Order: Order: the writer tries to group the writer tries to group things to show broad similaritiesthings to show broad similarities

Writers often need to name Writers often need to name categoriescategories to to make it clear how one group is alike or make it clear how one group is alike or differentdifferent from another from another

Classification paragraphs are like a Classification paragraphs are like a chartchart put into wordsput into words

Classification OrderingClassification Ordering

Example: Example: Different students attend various types of schools; however, they can usually be classified as either public, private religious, private non religious, or alternative. Public schools are funded by the state, and the majority of students attend them in the United States. Private religious schools are based around a particular faith, such as Catholicism, Judaism, and so forth. Therefore, private non religious schools are simply just that: schools which do not receive state funding and have the ability to make their own rules. Alternative schools can be made up of a variety of different categories, such as the Montessori program or technical schools. Most students who attend class in an actual school building go to one of these types of institutions.