Page 58 - SpringBoard_Writing_Workshop_Grade6_Flipbook

• Supporting information: Specific examples and details.
• Commentary: Sentences that explain how the information is relevant to the
thesis/topic sentence and bring a sense of closure to the paragraph.
7. Read the class sample provided below and mark the text to identify the elements of a body paragraph.
At the beginning of the story, Roger’s selfish actions reveal a greedy character. For example, Roger wanted to buy some blue suede shoes, but he did not have the money to buy them so he decided to steal the money from a woman walking down the street. The decision to steal the money rather than to earn it illustrates that Roger is only thinking of himself and his desires. He is not considering the feelings of the hard working woman, Mrs. Jones, he tries to rob. Also, Roger’s plan to use the money to buy extravagant shoes is not out of necessity, but rather merely a desire to indulge himself at someone else’s expense. However, Roger soon realizes that his unexpected encounter with Mrs. Jones will teach him an unforgettable lesson.
8. Draft a body paragraph for the second body paragraph on a separate sheet of paper.
Introduction and Conclusion
With the class, you have constructed a thesis statement and one body paragraph. You are ready to create the introduction and conclusion of the essay. Introductory paragraphs consist of
• A hook/lead: Question, Quote, Anecdote, or Statement of Intrigue (QQAS) that is related to the topic. If you ask a question, answer it. If you use
a quote, analyze it. If you use an anecdote or statement of intrigue, explain it.
• A connection between the QQAS and the thesis, using a TAG (title, author, genre) statement (Langston Hughes’s short story, “Thank You, Ma’m,” explains. ...).
• A thesis statement describing a subject and an opinion.
9. Review the class sample provided below and mark the text to identify the
components of the introductory paragraph.
Change is a difficult process and does not just occur out of sheer will. Often, it is a life-altering event that causes a change in one’s character. Langston Hughes’s short story, “Thank You, Ma’m,” explores how a young man’s unexpected encounter with a stranger fosters a significant change in his character. Roger’s actions show that his character changes from being greedy at the beginning of the story to being appreciative by the end of the story.
10. Concluding paragraphs close the essay by examining insights presented in the text and analyzing the larger ramification of those ideas. Use the following levels of questions to guide your thinking in crafting a conclusion:
• What did you say? (Literal)
How does the character change in the story?
• What does it mean? (Interpretive)
What is the significance of those changes?
Writing Workshop 5 • Response to Literature: Short Story 7
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