Why is it important to use precise language? Participants explore this question in the fourth activity in a series of 15 on effective instruction. Perfect for all content areas, the activity promotes appropriate language choice through...

How can opinions slant facts? Workshop participants learn how to examine primary and secondary sources and identify the author's point of view. They also examine how visual art impacts the meaning and rhetoric of sources. Full of...

This tutorial focuses on revising the thesis and topic sentences using two videos and two slideshows. The first video discusses a 3-step revising process for making sure the thesis fits the paper; the second video focuses on what...

This slideshow lesson focuses on topic sentences; it defines them, gives the characteristics of effective topic sentences, tells what they are NOT, discusses how to create them, and provides examples of effective topic sentences.

This tutorial on writing topic sentences includes 2 videos, 2 slide shows, and an audio clip. The first YouTube video explains the 4 parts of a topic sentence and tells where topic sentences belong. The 2 slide shows focus on the MAP...

This tutorial focuses on topic sentences using two slideshows. The first defines topic sentences, discusses purpose and placement, and provides a sample thesis statement followed by accompanying topic sentences samples. The second...

A series of notes and lessons focused on writing thesis statements and topic sentences. The lesson begins with a four-page downloadable PDF containing information about the function and form of a thesis statement as well as how to...

Often, we ask students to find the main idea in the story- this helps when re-telling. Why not apply this idea to writing? Find the main idea and introduce your writing with that idea; just like with a book, it helps with re-telling!...

A nine-slide presentation explaining how to use the acronym MAP (main idea, attitude, preview) to edit and revise a topic sentence.

Ten slides discussing the elements of a topic sentence and explaining how to write an effective topic sentence by using the acronym MAP (Main idea, Attitude, Preview).

An eight-slide presentation introducing how to write a strong topic sentence by using the acronym MAP (main idea, attitude, preview).

[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart defines and gives examples of a topic sentence. Through an Activote activity students identify the topic sentence for various paragraphs.

This slideshow lesson focuses on assessing and revising the thesis, topic sentences, and supporting details in a paper. It uses the analogy of the body: the thesis and topic sentences are the bones and the supporting details are the...

This tutorial focuses on transitions including transitional devices, lists of common transition words and phrases, transitions between paragraphs with examples, and separate lists of transition words for descriptive, narrative, and...

This instructional activity focuses on effective paragraph construction especially topic sentences.

This lesson explains how to edit a topic sentence to make it more effective.

How do you write a paragraph? Use this site to learn more about the different parts of a paragraph.

This site from the Capital Community College helps with paragraph development and topic sentences.

This lesson goes over tips an techniques for writing an effective topic sentence. This tutorial lesson shares a short slideshow with the lesson's content.

Students will take a previously created paragraph and edit it to make it better by adding details, definitions, a topic sentence, or a closure to an informational paragraph. Resources include a PowerPoint presentation and pictures and...

This site from the University of Ottawa provides a wonderfully designed website that not only gives you exhaustive information on paragraph writing. Students will engage in starting with outlines, writing topic sentences, dividing their...

This Dartmouth College writing lab tutorial teaches students how to develop a thesis statement.

Persuasive writing is the topic of this article. Students will learn the parts of the persuasive essay and how to write an effective persuasive essay.

Resources for helping students to write historical essays. Includes a movie trailer to demonstrate the traits of a good introduction, tips for writing a paragraph, tips for formal writing, and guidelines for citing sources.