Grade Levels: 3-5, 6-8

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This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic, Five-Paragraph Essay, and supports the standard of developing an organized piece of writing with a clear thesis, relevant details, and a concluding statement. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

As a class, or individually, have students read Tim’s model essay, The Case For a Longer School Year. Ask:

  • What argument is Tim making in his essay?
  • What are his reasons or evidence for his argument?
  • Is Tim’s argument persuasive? Why or why not?
  • What is the purpose of the first paragraph? middle paragraphs? Last paragraph?

Step 2: BUILD KNOWLEDGE

Step 3: APPLY and ASSESS 

Assign the Five-Paragraph Essay Quiz, prompting students to apply essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.

Step 4: DEEPEN and EXTEND

Students express what they learned about writing five-paragraph essays while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student needs.

  • Make-a-Movie: Produce a movie where you present a persuasive argument that follows the format of a five-paragraph essay. 
  • Make-a-Map: Create a concept map that shows the features of each paragraph in a five-paragraph essay. 
  • Creative Coding: Code a meme that shows the benefits of using the five-paragraph essay format.

More to Explore

Related BrainPOP Topics: Deepen understanding of the writing process with these topics: Types of Writing, Writing in Sequence, Research, and Outlines

Teacher Support Resources:

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments

Filed as:  3-5, 6-8, BrainPOP, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.2a, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.2b, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.2c, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.2e, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.2b, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.2c, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.2d