Five-Paragraph Essay Discussion Prompts & Pause Points
Before the Movie
What do you think is the purpose of a five-paragraph essay? (Predict)
What do you hope to learn about it to improve your writing? (Set goals)
During the Movie (Pause Points)
Stop at the following times in the movie and ask questions or prompt a discussion to keep students focused and to assess their understanding before moving on:
Timecode 1:14: What are the three different types of essays? What is the purpose of each essay? (Recall; Summarize)
Timecode 3:11: What should you include in the first few sentences of your introduction? What is a thesis statement and why do you need it? (Identify main idea; Recall)
Timecode 6:32: How is the conclusion different from the introduction? (Compare/contrast)
After the Movie
Look at the four related movies at the bottom of the page. Explain how each is connected to the Five-Paragraph Essay topic. (Make connections)
What are some ways you can improve your essay writing? (Apply new knowledge; Revisit goals)
BrainPOP recommends reading the movie description that appears on the Five-Paragraph Essay Topic Page to your class. Then show the movie once through without pausing. Watch it again, this time using the discussion prompts.
*BrainPOP’s Discussion Questions and Prompts align to CCSS Speaking and Listening Standards.