So, your kid is asking you for help with that first 5 paragraph essay. You haven’t had to write one yourself since high school, and the specifics on how to form a well written paper aren’t exactly coming to you at the moment. It was easier when they were still learning how to add and subtract, wasn’t it? Well, have no worries. The following is a simple, printer-friendly guide to teaching your child how to write a 5 paragraph essay, without having to write it for him/her.
First, understand that the basic layout of a 5 paragraph essay is quite simple. There’s the opening paragraph, three body paragraphs, and the closing. Your child’s job is figuring out a topic to go with each paragraph. For this you’ll need to brainstorm a bit. Now, there are different ways to brainstorm. If your child was assigned a specific topic, you’ll be brainstorming for the body paragraphs only. If not, you’ll need to do a separate brainstorming session for the topic first. Now, if you don’t have a topic, grab a piece of paper, a pen, and an egg timer. Instruct your child to begin writing down every topic idea that comes to him/her for this paper as soon as you start the timer, regardless of whether they all make sense or not. The catch is that he/she cannot stop writing, even if that means scribbling on the paper until another idea comes. When the pen stops, the ideas quit flowing, so keep it moving!
Once you have a topic, you’re ready to create an idea cluster. Have your child draw a small circle in the middle of a clean sheet of paper with the essay title written in the center of it. This circle, by the way, is called a “bubble.” Next, have him/her connect body paragraph ideas to the main bubble by drawing out straight lines and forming new, connecting bubbles with ideas written inside of them. Keep going until you have five new bubbles coming out of the “topic bubble.” Then, have your child create new bubbles for each body paragraph bubble, and so on. When the two of you are finished, you’ll have several great ideas for your body paragraphs that are related to the main topic, as well as sub-points to support each. Help your child decide which three would be best for this particular paper.
Next is the actual writing process. While you can’t write the paper for your child, you can explain how a 5 paragraph essay is formatted. If he/she can get that down, the rest of the paper is a breeze. For step by step instructions, read below:
Paragraph #1: This paragraph must introduce the thesis statement, which basically gives the teacher a feel for what the paper will be about. It must also include references to each topic that will be in the following three paragraphs, in order of their appearance. For example, whatever is mentioned in paragraph #2 should be highlighted first, paragraphs #3’s topic second, and so on. In short, it must give a general overview of what’s in store.
Paragraphs 2-4: The body paragraphs have no specific rules other than they absolutely must tie into one another. In other words, if you are writing a paper on the three steps to growing a garden, you would not include the first two steps in one paragraph, the third in another, and personal opinions on the best way to grow a garden in the last. The paragraphs should each highlight only one point, and each point should be supported with two to three sub-points.
Paragraph 5: This is, of course, your closing paragraph. It must go back over the opening paragraph by restating the thesis, as well as go back over the content in paragraphs 2-4. This is where you will tie it all together. Re-read the essay before writing the closing paragraph to see what loose ends need to be taken care of. Finish big with a closing sentence that will make an impression on the reader!
Now just remember that when teaching a child to write a five paragraph essay, you must stress the importance of brainstorming first and foremost. Why? Because most children can easily grasp the concept of the paragraph layout, but many struggle with formulating fresh, creative subject and content ideas. Work hard together on the subject matter, and then allow your aspiring writer to do the rest!
