To teach paragraph writing in your homeschool, help your child choose one main idea, collect details that belong with it and put those details in a sensible order. Then write and reread the paragraph together.
The Australian Education Research Organisation's paragraph-writing guide explains that paragraph structures can be taught explicitly and that different purposes call for different types of paragraph. Below is our original example of a short explanation, using a fictional family walk.
Begin with a reading and one clear question
A change of route
On Saturday, Ella and her family planned to walk beside the river. Overnight rain had left the riverside path deep in mud. At the entrance, a notice said the wooden footbridge was closed for repairs. The family chose a marked trail up the hill instead. It had a firm gravel surface and led to a bench overlooking the valley. They ate their picnic there before walking home.
Ask your child: Why did the family change their walking route? Discuss the answer before writing. If they cannot explain it yet, point to the parts about the mud, the bridge and the other trail.
One question gives this paragraph a focus. A full retelling of the outing would be a different task.
Make short notes before drafting
Choose the details that help answer the question. Write a few words for each. Notes can be incomplete phrases; the finished paragraph will need complete sentences.
Notes for the explanation
- riverside path: deep mud after rain
- footbridge: closed for repairs
- hill trail: firm gravel surface
The picnic is a true detail, but it does not explain why they changed routes. Leave it out of these notes. This is a useful moment to show that a detail can be accurate and still belong in a different piece of writing.
Write a topic sentence that answers the question
A vague opening such as The family went for a walk names the event without introducing the explanation. Try an opening that tells the reader what the paragraph will explain:
The family changed their route because the riverside walk was difficult to use.
Ask your child how the notes support that sentence. The mud and closed bridge explain the problem. The firm trail explains the alternative.
Turn each note into a useful sentence
Model the first note: “My note says deep mud after rain. I need to tell the reader where the mud was and what caused it.” Write Overnight rain had made the path muddy.
Invite your child to turn the bridge note into a sentence. Then work on the hill trail. Read the sentences in order and check that each adds information.
One possible paragraph
The family changed their route because the riverside walk was difficult to use. Overnight rain had made the path muddy, and the footbridge was closed for repairs. The marked trail up the hill had a firm gravel surface. Choosing that trail allowed the family to continue their outing.
The closing sentence brings the explanation back to the family's decision. It draws together details already in the paragraph. It does not introduce a new reason, such as dangerous weather, that the reading never gave us.
Reread for meaning, then check the details
Use three questions when you review the draft together:
- Does the opening answer the question?
- Does every detail help explain that answer?
- Can a reader follow the explanation without guessing what a sentence means?
If a sentence needs work, choose one improvement to demonstrate. After the meaning is clear, check capitals, sentence endings and any spelling you want to teach in this lesson.
How long should the paragraph be?
Our example has four sentences because that is enough to explain this decision. It is a model for this task, not a rule that every paragraph must contain four sentences. A description, an argument and a story paragraph do different jobs.
If your child needs substantial help making each sentence complete, return to a smaller task using the same reading. For example: The family took the hill trail because... Our sentence practice guide shows how to teach that connection.
When your child is ready to try another paragraph, you can open our Paragraph Building sample. Read its passage together, look at the worked example and choose how much of the activity to do. The suggested answers are there to help you discuss the writing.
Zigzag & And is an independent publisher. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by The Writing Revolution. The examples in this guide are our own.