Just Teach Me! Leveling Up Our Five-Paragraph Essays ✏️

Fifth Grade Families,

Your fifth graders just finished their first five-paragraph essays, comparing Halloween and Day of the Dead. They planned with a Venn diagram and our Five-Paragraph Essay Planner, then wrote an introduction, a paragraph on each holiday, a paragraph on similarities and differences, and a conclusion. That is a big step, and I am proud of the effort they put in!

While reading their essays, I noticed one habit worth fixing. Many students wrote like YouTubers, talking to the reader instead of teaching them. Lines like "Hi, do you want to learn some facts about traditions?", "Now let's talk about...", and "I can't wait for you guys to read on!" work in a video, where they keep viewers watching. In an essay, they take up space without telling the reader anything.

Here is what we are practicing:

• Real hooks. Start with a surprising fact, a vivid scene, or a question about the topic, not a question to the reader.

• Topic sentences and transitions. Instead of "Now let's talk about Day of the Dead," try "Next, Day of the Dead is a celebration that honors loved ones who have died."

• Strong conclusions. Restate the main idea in new words instead of ending with "I can't wait for you to read on!"

• The cross-out test. Cover a sentence and reread. If no information is lost, cut it or rewrite it.

Watch the video: Here is a short video that walks through each part of the essay with examples. Click here to watch it.

How you can help at home: Ask your child to read their introduction to you, then ask, "Does every sentence teach me something?" If they spot a "you," "let's," or "I bet," challenge them to turn it into a fact.

Thank you for supporting our growing writers!

Mr. Green