Submitted By: lockes@hartfordschools.net

Affiliate Group: Upper Valley NH/VT, 2007/2008

School District: Hartford, VT

Grade Level: k-12

Intended Audience: Teachers

Standards Addressed:
Curriculum standards-
Vermont Standards Writing
• 1.7 Response to Text
• 1.8 Reports
This is an organized approach for teaching paragraph and essay format to students.

Objectives:
Objectives

To increase students ability to organize their thoughts and effectively write them in a paragraph or essay format

To gain confidence when writing using information

To help students to learn how to write a good essay or paragraph

Context:
Context:

Many students have difficulty organizing and writing their ideas in a coherent manner. This graphic organizer and lesson gives the building blocks to helping them to achieve effective use of writing paragraphs and essays.

Vocabulary:
Vocabulary

Thesis
Essay
Paragraph
Details
Evidence/reasons/details
Conclusion
Introduction

Preparation:
Preparation-
Make copies of the Painted Essay graphic organizer.
Have water color paints, crayons or colored pencils.
Prepare one for the teacher to model could use an overhead, smart board, etc.

Teaching Suggestions:
Teaching Suggestions

Process:
1. Paint or color the Introduction part red. The red part is the beginning of the essay that catches the readers attention and gives some background (context) to the topic
2. Paint your Thesis green. On this essay, the thesis has two points. Paint point one yellow and point two blue.
3. The next paragraph is Proof Paragraph One. This paragraph is to support the point one or the yellow point in your thesis. Paint this Paragraph yellow.
4. The next paragraph is Proof Paragraph Two. This Paragraph supports the point two or blue point in your thesis. This paragraph is blue do not paint the transition part yet.
5. Transition sentence in Blue Paragraph needs to be colored or painted yellow blue in a pattern. This is a transition meaning you are moving from one idea into another idea.
6. The final Paragraph is the conclusion. It has two parts a restating of your thesis and a reflection. If you are using paints you have the students use yellow and blue paints and ask them what color they made. The green tells you that you have arrived back at your thesis.
7. Let them dry and then laminate them so student can have them in their writing folders or notebooks.
8. This is jus the first lesson there needs to be many lessons modeling, writing group and individual pieces that have student practicing this process.

Discussion Questions:
Discussion:
Ask students when they are done painting and coloring about their observations of the painted essay?

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