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Welcome to Topic Sentences! – What is a Topic Sentence? – It’s the first sentence that tells what a paragraph is about. – Importance of Topic Sentences – They guide readers and make writing clearer. – Today’s Goal: Choosing Right – Practice with Expository Paragraphs – Expository paragraphs explain facts. We’ll learn to pick sentences that summarize the main idea. | This slide introduces the concept of topic sentences to third-grade students. Begin by explaining that a topic sentence is like the title of a paragraph – it tells the reader what the whole paragraph is about. Emphasize the importance of topic sentences in making writing clearer and helping readers understand the main point quickly. Today’s goal is to help students learn how to choose the best topic sentence for expository paragraphs, which are paragraphs that explain something factual. Engage the class with examples of expository writing and practice exercises where they identify or choose the best topic sentence for given paragraphs.

Building a Paragraph: The Hamburger Model – A paragraph is like a hamburger – Top bun equals Topic Sentence – It introduces the main idea, just like how a top bun covers the burger – Ingredients are Supporting Details – They explain or prove the topic sentence, like how lettuce, tomato, and patty add flavor – Bottom bun is the Concluding Sentence – It wraps up the paragraph, similar to how the bottom bun completes the hamburger | This slide uses the hamburger model to help third graders understand the structure of a paragraph. The top bun represents the topic sentence, which introduces the main idea of the paragraph. The ingredients symbolize the supporting details that explain or prove the topic sentence. The bottom bun is akin to the concluding sentence, which wraps up the paragraph and restates the main idea in a new way. This analogy helps students visualize the components of a paragraph and their roles. Encourage students to think of their favorite burger ingredients as they learn to identify and create strong topic sentences and supporting details in their writing.

Understanding Topic Sentences – What is a topic sentence? – It introduces the main idea of a paragraph. – Topic sentence placement – Often found at the beginning of a paragraph. – Keeping it clear and concise – It should be easy to understand and not too long. | This slide is aimed at helping third-grade students grasp the concept of a topic sentence in expository writing. A topic sentence is crucial as it tells the reader what the rest of the paragraph will be about. It’s typically the first sentence, setting the stage for the details that follow. Encourage students to make their topic sentences clear and concise to ensure that the main idea is easily understood. During the lesson, provide examples of good topic sentences and have students practice identifying them in paragraphs. This foundational skill will aid them in both reading comprehension and writing organization.

Crafting Strong Topic Sentences – Example 1: Dogs as pets – ‘Dogs make wonderful pets because they help you to live longer.’ – Example 2: Importance of uniforms – ‘School uniforms are important for three main reasons.’ – Finding the main idea – Can we spot the main idea in these examples? – Practice identifying topic sentences | This slide introduces students to the concept of topic sentences in expository paragraphs. Start by explaining that a topic sentence is the first sentence in a paragraph that introduces the main idea. Show the two examples provided and discuss how each sentence gives us a hint about what the rest of the paragraph will be about. For the first example, ask the students what they think the paragraph will tell us about dogs. For the second, discuss what reasons the paragraph might give for the importance of school uniforms. Encourage the students to think of topic sentences as mini summaries of paragraphs. Finish with an activity where students identify the main idea in topic sentences from other paragraphs or create their own topic sentences based on given main ideas.

Choosing a Topic Sentence – Picking a good topic sentence – Topic sentence shares main idea – It’s like a headline for a story – It should be broad for support – Like an umbrella, covering many ideas underneath – Ensuring clarity and focus | When teaching third graders to choose a topic sentence for expository paragraphs, start by explaining that a topic sentence is the main idea of a paragraph. It’s like telling your friends what your story is about before you start telling it. Make sure it’s not too specific; it should be like an umbrella that is broad enough to cover all the supporting details or sentences that will come after it. Encourage students to ask themselves if their topic sentence gives a clear idea of what the paragraph will be about and if they can think of several facts or ideas that would support that sentence. Use examples of topic sentences and have students practice identifying good ones and improving ones that are too narrow or don’t express the main idea clearly.

Activity: Match the Topic Sentence – Read paragraphs as a class – Choose the right topic sentence – Look for the sentence that tells what the whole paragraph is about – Discuss our choices – Share reasons for our selections with the class – Understand topic sentences – Learn how a topic sentence guides the paragraph | This activity is designed to help students understand the importance of a topic sentence in a paragraph. Start by reading several paragraphs together as a class. Then, present a few potential topic sentences for each paragraph and have the students choose which one they think best represents the main idea of the paragraph. After selections are made, facilitate a discussion on why each choice is the best, encouraging students to explain their reasoning. This will help them grasp how a topic sentence functions as the guiding statement for the rest of the paragraph. For the teacher: Prepare paragraphs of varying topics and corresponding topic sentences. Ensure to include clear examples and some that are more challenging to differentiate learning levels.

Crafting Topic Sentences – Think of a favorite hobby or animal – Write a topic sentence about it – A topic sentence introduces the main idea of a paragraph. – Share with the class – Tell us what you wrote and read it aloud. – Explain why you chose it – What makes this sentence a good opener for your paragraph? | This slide is aimed at helping third-grade students understand the concept of a topic sentence in an expository paragraph. Begin by asking students to think about something they are passionate about, like their favorite hobby or animal. Guide them to write a sentence that would be a strong opener for a paragraph on that subject. Encourage them to share their sentences with the class to practice public speaking and to explain their thought process behind their choice. This will help them understand the importance of a topic sentence in organizing their writing and expressing the main idea clearly. Provide feedback on their sentences to reinforce the concept.

Class Activity: Crafting Expository Paragraphs – Pick a group topic – Write a clear topic sentence – The main idea of your paragraph – Add three supporting sentences – Facts, details, or examples about your topic – Conclude with a final thought – A sentence that summarizes your main point | This activity is designed to help students understand the structure of an expository paragraph. Divide the class into small groups and have each group choose a topic they are interested in. Guide them to write a topic sentence that states the main idea clearly. Then, they should write three supporting sentences that provide evidence or details about the topic. Finally, they should write a concluding sentence that wraps up the paragraph. Once completed, each group will present their paragraph to the class. This will help students practice public speaking and allow them to learn from each other’s work. Possible topics could include their favorite animal, a hobby they enjoy, or a book they’ve read recently.

Mastering Topic Sentences – What’s a topic sentence? It’s the sentence that tells the main idea of a paragraph. – Importance of topic sentences Helps readers understand what the paragraph will be about. – Practice identifying them We’ll look at examples and pick out the topic sentences. – Discuss our findings | This slide is aimed at reviewing the concept of topic sentences and practicing how to identify them. Begin by explaining that a topic sentence is the heart of a paragraph, giving the reader a preview of what’s to come. Emphasize its importance in guiding the reader through the text and making our writing clear and organized. For the practice activity, provide students with several examples of paragraphs and ask them to identify the topic sentence in each. After the activity, have a discussion about how they arrived at their answers and what clues helped them identify the topic sentences. This will reinforce their understanding and help them apply this knowledge in their writing.

Wrapping Up: Topic Sentences – Celebrating our topic sentence journey – Homework: Find a book at home – Choose any book you enjoy reading – Identify 3 topic sentences – Look for the first sentence in paragraphs – Share your findings next class – Get ready to tell us about the sentences you chose | Today, we’ve learned how to identify topic sentences in expository paragraphs. As a homework assignment, students are encouraged to select a book they enjoy and practice finding topic sentences in three separate paragraphs. This exercise will help reinforce their understanding of the structure of paragraphs and the role of a topic sentence in setting the stage for what follows. In the next class, students will have the opportunity to share the topic sentences they’ve found, fostering a discussion on how these sentences summarize the main idea of a paragraph. Encourage students to choose books that they are excited about to maintain their engagement with the assignment.