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

This lesson focuses on identifying thesis statements including explicit and implicit thesis statements, "How to Identify the Thesis Statement" (video), topic sentences, paragraph parts graphic, and a self-check activity.

This lesson discusses how to effectively organize body paragraphs. This tutorial lesson shares a short slideshow with the lesson's content. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2.b

This tutorial focuses on supporting details using a video of a paragraph from a book showing the topic sentence and two strong, reliable, supporting details. This is followed by a slideshow that stresses the need for variety in the types...

This lesson offers suggestions to help you fix short, choppy sentences, combine sentences with the same subject, and revise sentences that sound the same. L.11-12.3 Language Functions/Style

[Free Registration/Login Required] A two-instructional activity unit on main idea and details through which students use the topic sentence to identify the main idea of a paragraph and categorize details as main idea or supporting. With...

This page has eight basic steps for writing expository essays: select topic, write the thesis, choose a method of development, organize, write topic sentences for body paragraph, write the body paragraphs, write an introduction, and...

This slideshow focuses on adding details to a paragraph. It covers ways to add details, primary and secondary support points, a flow chart organizer, moving from the topic sentence to a final essay, and strategies for generating and...

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...

[Free Registration/Login Required] Learners will learn to compare and contrast texts about life cycles using a Venn diagram. Then, using the Venn diagram, students will write an expository paragraph including an introductory sentence,...

This resource provides practice for students in locating where a main idea sentences is located in an informational paragraph. Guided questions are provided for each practice passage.