Sample Essay and Outlines on Everyday Use

							The Five-Paragraph Essay

         Mrs. Hurd
    Developmental Writing
          NESTCC
   The Format
Introduction
    Body Paragraph 1
    Body Paragraph 2
    Body Paragraph 3
Conclusion
        How to do an outline
• Outlines are significant because they can
  assist writers in properly organizing a
  paper. Before putting a pencil to paper,
  first consider the topic given. Take a few
  moments to decide how you will approach
  the topic before you begin composing it.
  Example: Write an essay about one of
  your favorite activities to do as a child.
              Sample Outline
  Favorite activity as a child = swimming in the
  local pool

Why did I enjoy it: fun, exercise, being outside,
  fraternizing with friends, going somewhere
  during summer break
PICK TOP THREE:
  A. Fun
  B. Exercise
  C. Spending time
  outside
           Introduction
• An introductory paragraph does NOT
      describe the details of the body
  paragraphs, but simply introduces the
    topic. The very first sentence is an
  “attention grabber” or a statement that
 attempts to connect with the audience.
The last sentence of the paragraph is the
   THESIS STATEMENT, which is one
  sentence that summarizes the topic of
                your paper.
                Examples
  Many “attention grabbers” are funny or ironic
statements, quotes, a brief story, or a statement
 that would be recognized or acknowledged by
many. For example, if you were writing a paper
about dolphins, one may begin the introductory
  paragraph by mentioning the show Flipper or
      describing SeaWorld. A paper about
 researching different points of view may begin
 with, “Aristotle once said that, „It is the mark of
   an educated mind to be able to entertain a
          thought without accepting it.‟”
            Thesis Statement
The final sentence in the introductory paragraph is
  your THESIS STATEMEMT. This sentence
  summarizes the point of your paper. Make sure
  to include the topic and list your three supporting
  points. For example,
    The reasons that I enjoyed swimming were
   because it was fun, it was good exercise, and
     it gave me the opportunity to spend time
                       outdoors.

                                Topic = underlined
                                Reasons = bold
                Example
    My fondest memories of childhood were
made during the summer at the local pool. The
summer sun was warm and bright as dozens of
colorful swimmers congregated while sunbathing
or treading water. Every summer, I looked
forward to swimming the blue, inviting waters.
The reasons that I enjoyed swimming were
because it was fun, it was good exercise, and it
gave me the opportunity to spend time outdoors.
         First Body Paragraph
• The first supporting paragraph should begin with
  a transition, such as “To begin.” You can also
  use a transitional sentence, like “The first reason
  that I enjoyed swimming was because it is fun.”
  The remaining 3-4 sentences should focus
  solely on the fact that swimming was FUN and
  nothing else.
     First Body Paragraph
    The first reason I enjoyed swimming
was because it was fun. Nothing can
compare to the feeling of weightlessness
as one treads through the water. My
friends and I would visit the pool everyday
and play different aquatic games. One of
our favorite games was doing a funny
pose as we would dive off of the diving
board. I couldn‟t keep the smile off of my
face. Swimming gave me a chance to
have some fun on my summer breaks.
     Second Body Paragraph
• The second body paragraph should follow
  the same format as the first, but the
  second reason should be exclusively
  discussed.
     “The second reason that I enjoyed
  swimming was that it was good exercise.”
   Second Body Paragraph
    In addition to being fun, I also enjoyed
swimming because it was good exercise.
As a child, I was never considered athletic,
but I had a desire to exhaust all of my
childhood energy. Because I was not
proficient in sports, I did not exercise much
outside of gym class. However, swimming
helped me stay in shape during the
summer months. It was a great physical
activity that did not feel like work to me.
       Third Body Paragraph
• The final body paragraph is similar to the
  first two body paragraphs. The transition
  should be one the denotes the last point,
  such as “Finally.”
  “The final reason that I enjoyed swimming
  was that it allowed me to spend more time
  outdoors.”
         Third Body Paragraph
• The final reason that I enjoyed swimming was that
  it allowed me to spend time outdoors. I spent most
  of my time indoors as a young girl helping my
  mother with my brothers, doing chores, and doing
  homework. Being outside made me feel “free.” I
  have always loved being outdoors. Even now, as
  an adult, I love to hike and camp. This love for
  being outside started when I went to the pool as a
  young girl, splashing in the water and soaking in
  the summer sun.
         Conclusion Paragraph
• The conclusion paragraph basically reiterates
  the thesis statement (but not verbatim). The
  conclusion paragraph can also make a
  connection to you or an idea larger than you.
  For example, if you are composing an essay
  about an inspirational figure, you can conclude
  by stating that the individual‟s success in
  overcoming struggle inspires you to overcome
  your struggles.
     Conclusion Paragraph
Swimming will always be a favorite activity
of mine, although I don‟t get to the pool as
often as I did when I was younger. There
is something wonderful and nostalgic
about feeling the current massage my
skin. It was a fun and vigorous activity,
while giving me the opportunity to be
outdoors. Today, I drive by the pool and
think of that young girl who loved to be a
“fish in water”!