CEClang.71


TITLE:  Paragraph Unity

AUTHOR:  Reba Flanders, Okemah Middle School;
         Okemah, OK

GRADE LEVEL:  Appropriate for grades 7-9

OVERVIEW:   Middle school students often have
difficulty expressing their ideas in writing.  Their
ideas tend to jump from one subject to another without
regard to the importance of paragraph unity for writing
clarity.  This activity provides the students with the
opportunity to visualize how each sentence must relate
to and help develop the main idea which is usually
found in the topic sentence.

OBJECTIVE(s):   Students will be able to:
1.  Write a paragraph demonstrating good unity.
2.  Explain what paragraph unity is.
3.  Identify sentences that do not relate to the topic.

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
1.   Using a large pleated fan (a fireplace-cover fan
     works wonderfully), the teacher discusses
     paragraph unity with the students.  The fan
     represents the completed paragraph.  The base of
     the fan represents the topic sentence.  Each pleat
     represents a developing sentence which is tied to
     the topic (base).  Make sure the students SEE that
     each sentence must relate.  This can be done by
     adding an unattached pleat.  If it is not related
     (attached), it falls out of the fan and is not
     needed.
2.   Using a piece of 8 X 10 paper, have the students
     fold the paper into a specified number of pleats
     (use whatever number of sentences you want for
     paragraph development).  Approximately 1/3 of the
     way from the bottom of the fan, have students tape
     their fan together.
3.   Draw a picture of the base and the pleats of the
     fan on the board or overhead.  NOTE:  Putting  the
     base at the top will help students since at this
     stage of their writing development they usually
     put the topic sentence first.
4.   Write a class paragraph using the mock-up.  Put
     the topic sentence on the base (the bottom 1/3).
     Write a developing sentence on each of the pleats
     making sure that each ties in with the topic (main
     idea).
5.   Have the students write their own paragraph on
     their fans.
6.   Let students work in groups of 2 or 3 to check for
     sentences that do not belong, before sharing their
     paragraphs with the class.

EXTENSION:  This idea can also be used for paragraph
development by using the fan idea and reducing or
adding pleats (sentences).