Ms. Kirschman's Writing Tips

Mohonasen Central School District
Draper Middle School
District Home Mohonasen HS Draper MS Pinewood IS Bradt PS

Writing Tips

Commonly Confused Words
Past Tense Verbs	Present Tense Verbs	Words Referring to Places	Contractions	Possessives
were	wear	where	we're
	hear	here
		there	they're	their
			you're	your
			it's	its

Paragraph Format

Every Paragraph Needs:

	A Topic Sentence
	3 Detail Sentences
	A Conclusion Sentence

Paragraph Graphic Organizer:
"I" Organizer

Topic Sentence

-It must state the main idea of the paragraph.
-If it begins an essay's body paragraph, it should relate to your essay's guiding idea.

Watch a PowerPoint presentation about topic sentences.

Detail Sentences

-Your detail sentences should support your topic sentence.
-Choose details that are specific and precise.
-If you are responding to a reading passage, your detail sentences should include information from the passage.

Conclusion Sentence

-This should "wrap up" your paragraph without saying, "The end," or, "Those are the reasons why..."
-You should not include any new information in the conclusion sentence.

Essay Components

Introduction

	"Attention- Grabber": A catchy sentence to get your reader's attention. (Watch a PowerPoint presentation about attention- grabbers.)
	Guiding Idea: This is the main idea of your ENTIRE essay.
	Preview your most important ideas.

Body

	Include at least three well-written paragraphs. See the information on paragraph structure above.
	Each paragraph should support your guiding idea.

Conclusion

	Repeat (but reword) your guiding idea.
	Review your most important ideas.
	"Grand Finale"

Maintained according to Mohonasen Central School District Web Publishing Regulations by Rebecca Kirschman, Sixth Grade Language Arts Teacher, Draper Middle School, 2072 Curry Road, Schenectady, NY 12303, (518) 356-8350.
©2004 Mohonasen Central School District--All rights reserved.
Last modified on 09/20/2006 .