Name: Kim Russo Date: 3/25/14

Cooperating Teacher: Rebecca Burns

Grade Level: 6A Language Arts

Day 11: Crafting a Body Paragraph
Essential Questions
1. How can we effectively support our argument?
2. What does a good topic sentence look like?

Common Core State Standards
1. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1.A Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and
evidence clearly.
2. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1.B Support claim(s) with clear reasons and
relevant evidence, using credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of
the topic or text.
3. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1.C Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the
relationships among claim(s) and reasons.
4. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1.D Establish and maintain a formal style.
5. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on
grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others ideas and expressing their
own clearly.
6. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1.E Provide a concluding statement or section that
follows from the argument presented.

Student Objectives
1. Students will understand the components of a body paragraph.
2. Students will be able to write an argument essay body paragraph, as a group.
3. Students will be able to effectively include transitions in their writing.
Prior Knowledge
Students will have been exposed to what an argument essay looks like. They would have
identified the general components of a body paragraph.

Materials
1. Body Paragraph Graphic Organizer for students
2. Transitions Handout
3. Argument Essay Outline Handout
4. Modeled Graphic Organizer for an body paragraph
5. Should We Live Forever? I chart
6. Should Schools Start Later I chart
7. Example of a good body paragraph with questions
8. Lined paper
9. Body paragraph with NO transitions

Instructional Plan
1. Motivational Beginning: The students will arrive in the classroom and complete
the Do Now activity written on the board, which will direct them to copy down
the nights homework, take out their homework from the night before and write
down on an index card what they remember is included in a body paragraph. (5
minutes)
2. Body of Lesson:
a. Students will switch with their shoulder partner, exchanging their
introductions. The partner is to identify the hook, claim, background
knowledge, 2 reasons, and closing sentence. (5 min)
b. The students will then switch back and if there is any missing elements the
students will need to add those in. (5 min)
c. The teacher will then have students share some of their introductions on
their document camera with students/teacher providing feedback. (5 min)
d. The teacher will then explain that they will be moving into writing their
body paragraph.
e. The teacher will pass out an example of what a good body paragraph looks
like. The students will highlight the topic sentence; underline the reasons,
and circle the closing sentence. They will have a quick discussion on what
makes this a good body paragraph (5 min)
f. The teacher will then explain that she is going to model how to write a
body paragraph. Utilizing her Should We Live Forever? I-chart and
body paragraph graphic organizer, she will take them through how to write
the body paragraph, explaining that the reasons become the topic sentence
and the evidence becomes the supporting details. She will transfer
everything into the graphic organizer and then show the students the final
paragraph, highlighting the components and pointing out the transitions.
She will stress the importance of remembering to cite the textual evidence
as well as using transitions between evidence. (10 min)
g. As a group, students will then use their I chart for Should Schools Start
Later?. They will follow the same steps as the teacher just modeled.
They will fill out the body paragraph graphic organizer and then write
their paragraph as a group. (15 min)
h. The teacher will have students share out their written body paragraph on
the document camera and provide feedback where necessary. (10 min)
i. The teacher will then handout another body paragraph, but this one will
have no transitions. Students will need to add in transitions so that the
paragraph flows nicely. (5 min)
3. Closure: The teacher will explain that for homework students will be individually
writing a body paragraph, using the same article they used for their introduction.
They have the choice as to whether they would like to use the graphic organizer
or not. (5 min)
a. Exit Card: What are 2 things we need to remember to do in our body
paragraph? A: Cite Evidence and Use Transitions

Assessment
1. The students will be formally assessed on their completion of the previous nights
homework.
2. The students will be informally assessed based on their ability to participate in the
class and group discussions.

Homework
1. Finish their individual body paragraphs.