Triple-decker Paragraphs

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Triple-decker Paragraphs

• How to Write a Tasty, Juicy Paragraph

A modified Jane Schaeffer paragraph Powerpoint
created by Hollie Gustke and modified by Trina
Mangione
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Note

• You will use the 11-sentence-paragraph model (or
  some derivation thereof) to write
• literary analysesthese types of writing require
  a careful, critical look at a work (or works) of
  literature.
• argumentative essaysthese types of writing begin
  with a clear claim that is argued throughout the
  essay.

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Get Ready to Color Your World!

• Materials When we analyze writing, we will use 3
  colors of highlighters.

• First color (yellow) is for Claims and Closing
  Sentences.
• Second color (pink) is for Evidence.
• Third color (blue/green) is for Commentary.

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Step 1 Claim (C)

• A claim (C) is the top bun of a hamburger.

• C TOPIC sentence of the paragraph. (the first
  sentence)
• It is the main idea that you will prove
  throughout your paragraph.

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Example Claim (C)
In the fairy tale The Three Little Pigs,
the third pig has traits which help him succeed.
.
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Step Two Evidence

• EVIDENCE Examples from the text, the meat patty
  of the hamburger.
• EVIDENCE proves or supports your CLAIM

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Example Evidence (E)
In the fairy tale The Three Little Pigs, the
third pig has traits which help him succeed. For
example, he is wise and builds his house out of
sturdy brick.
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Step 3 Commentary (CM)

• Commentary
• Explanation - your conclusions, analysis,
  interpretation, or insight into the text.

• CMare the extras on the hamburgerthe
  tomato, cheese, lettuce, mayothey make it
  delicious!

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Example Commentary (2 CMs)
In the fairy tale The Three Little Pigs, the
third pig has traits which help him succeed. For
example, he is wise and builds his house out of
sturdy brick. The wolf is unable to blow down the
brick house (1). This shows that the third pig is
smarter than his brothers, who were both eaten by
the wolf (2).
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Step 4 Closing Sentence (CS)

• A closing sentence (CS) is the bottom bun of the
  hamburger.

• A CS brings a close to the claim by wrapping up
  the paragraph.

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Example Closing Sentence (CS)
In the fairy tale The Three Little Pigs, the
third pig has traits which help him succeed. For
example, he is wise and builds his house out of
sturdy brick. The wolf is unable to blow down the
brick house (1). This shows that the third pig is
smarter than his brothers, who were both eaten by
the wolf (2). In conclusion, the third pig
outsmarts not only his brothers but the big,
bad wolf as well.
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Complete (if short) Paragraph

• In the fairy tale The Three Little Pigs, the
  third pig has traits which help him succeed. For
  example, he is wise and builds his house out of
  sturdy brick. The wolf is unable to blow down the
  brick house (1). This shows that the third pig is
  smarter than his brothers, who were both eaten by
  the wolf (2). In conclusion, the third pig
  outsmarts not only his brothers but the big,
  bad wolf as well.

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C, E, CM, CSNow What?

• CHUNKING--A combination of E and CM is called a
  chunk.

We will use a combination (or ratio) of 12.
That is, for every 1 Evidence sentence, you will
have 2 Commentary sentences.
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Example of chunking

• Claim
• Evidence from Text
• Commentary
• Commentary
• Evidence from Text
• Commentary
• Commentary
• Evidence from Text
• Commentary
• Commentary
• Closing Sentence

For an eleven-sentence paragraph, you have three
chunks
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Transitions

• Evidence transitions
• For example,
• For instance,
• In the story,

• Commentary transitions
• Thus,
• Because of this,
• Therefore,
• Consequently,
• This shows that

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Does It Flow?
Now you know how to write a three-chunk
paragraph LETS EAT!
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Step 6 A Whole Paragraph
In the fairy tale The Three Little Pigs, the
third pig has the traits that help him succeed.
For example, he is wise and builds his house out
of sturdy brick. The wolf is unable to blow down
the brick house. This shows that the third pig
is smarter than his brothers, who were both eaten
by the wolf. Additionally, he is a hard worker.
Although it is much easier to build a house out
of straw, he chooses the sturdy material. Even
though
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Continued

• laying bricks is time-consuming, he knows it is
  the better choice. This oldest pig also learns
  his lessons. He remembers his mother taught him
  that predators seek out little pigs. Knowing a
  wolf-attack is likely, he plans out his home
  construction to prevent tragedy. In conclusion,
  the third pigs nature enables him to outsmart
  not only his brothers, but the big, bad wolf as
  well.

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Notice the color pattern

• In the fairy tale The Three Little Pigs,
  the third pig has the traits that help him
  succeed. For example, he is wise and builds his
  house out of sturdy brick. The wolf is unable to
  blow down the brick house. This shows that the
  third pig is smarter than his brothers, who were
  both eaten by the wolf. Additionally, he is a
  hard worker. Although it is much easier to build
  a house out of straw, he chooses the material
  that will hold up. Even though laying bricks is
  time-consuming, he knows it is the better choice.
  This oldest pig also learns his lessons. He
  remembers his mother taught him that predators
  seek out little pigs. Knowing a wolf-attack is
  likely, he plans out his home construction to
  prevent tragedy. In conclusion, the third pigs
  nature enables him to outsmart not only his
  brothers, but the big, bad wolf as well.

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• Lets try our own!!