writing an essay is like building a house

Writing an essay is like Writing an essay is like building a housebuilding a house

Writing an essay is like Writing an essay is like building a housebuilding a house

A PowerPoint Presentation created by Susan Stofflet [2010], Cherry Hill East High School, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034

You wouldn’t start to build a house by You wouldn’t start to build a house by constructing the roof, would you?constructing the roof, would you?

You wouldn’t start to build a house by You wouldn’t start to build a house by constructing the roof, would you?constructing the roof, would you?

How would you know what shape and sizeHow would you know what shape and size

to make your roof ?to make your roof ?

You wouldn’t start to build a house by You wouldn’t start to build a house by constructing the roof, would you?constructing the roof, would you?

How would you know what shape and sizeHow would you know what shape and size

to make your roof ?to make your roof ?

How could you keep it from falling over?

You wouldn’t start to build a house by You wouldn’t start to build a house by constructing the roof, would you?constructing the roof, would you?

How would you know what shape and sizeHow would you know what shape and size

to make your roof ?to make your roof ?

What function would it serve ?

How could you keep it from falling over?

It’s the same with an essay….It’s the same with an essay….

First you need a foundation….

built on solid, level ground,

made of a durable material,

like cement…

capable of supporting all the great

plans you have for your dream house.

The name of the “foundation” for The name of the “foundation” for your essay is ayour essay is a

CLAIM OR THESIS

STATEMENT

CLAIM OR THESIS STATEMENT

Just like your house, you want it to Just like your house, you want it to be strong, well-constructed, and be strong, well-constructed, and able to support all of the ideas you able to support all of the ideas you have for this project.have for this project.

CLAIM STATEMENT

Just like your house, you want it to Just like your house, you want it to be strong, well-constructed, and be strong, well-constructed, and able to support all of the ideas you able to support all of the ideas you have for this project [essay]have for this project [essay]

But, just like the roof, without purpose or support, the foundation is a long way from being a house.

You have some work to do…

THESIS STATEMENT

A house isn’t very useful until it is divided into different rooms to fit the different purposes you will demand of it-

a place to eat, a place to sleep, a place to watch TV, etc.

bedroom

Living room

They are called BODY They are called BODY PARAGRAPHSPARAGRAPHS

An ESSAY needs divisions, too.An ESSAY needs divisions, too.

THESIS STATEMENT

BODY PARAGRAPH TWO

BODY PARAGRAPH ONE

BODY PARAGRAPH

Just as each room is slightly different, so is each Just as each room is slightly different, so is each body paragraph different.body paragraph different.

THESIS STATEMENT

BODY PARAGRAPH TWO

BODY PARAGRAPH ONE

BODY PARAGRAPH

Each room is different andEach room is different and

each body paragraph is each body paragraph is different.different.

THESIS STATEMENT

BODY PARAGRAPH TWO

BODY PARAGRAPH ONE

BODY PARAGRAPH

But, they do have But, they do have similarities in the way they similarities in the way they are structured…are structured…

Each room has a door Each room has a door

Each room has a door …..Each room has a door …..each body each body paragraph is indented to mark the paragraph is indented to mark the “way in”“way in”

Each room has a door …..each body Each room has a door …..each body paragraph is indented to mark the “way paragraph is indented to mark the “way in”in”

Each room has a purposeEach room has a purpose

Each room has a door …..each body Each room has a door …..each body paragraph is indented to mark the “way in”paragraph is indented to mark the “way in”

Each room has a purpose…..Each room has a purpose…..each body each body paragraph has a topic sentence that paragraph has a topic sentence that explains its purposeexplains its purpose

Each room has a door …..each body Each room has a door …..each body paragraph is indented to mark the paragraph is indented to mark the “way in”“way in”

Each room has a purpose…..each body Each room has a purpose…..each body paragraph has a topic sentence that paragraph has a topic sentence that explains its purposeexplains its purpose

Each room has a unique size and Each room has a unique size and arrangement that fits its purpose…arrangement that fits its purpose…

Each room has a door …..each body Each room has a door …..each body paragraph is indented to mark the “way in”paragraph is indented to mark the “way in”

Each room has a purpose…..each body Each room has a purpose…..each body paragraph has a topic sentence that paragraph has a topic sentence that explains its purposeexplains its purpose

Each room has a unique size and Each room has a unique size and arrangement that fits its purpose…arrangement that fits its purpose…

SO DOES EACH BODY PARAGRAPHSO DOES EACH BODY PARAGRAPH

The way that you define the rooms, the The way that you define the rooms, the arrangement of furniture, the tone, the finishing arrangement of furniture, the tone, the finishing

touches…touches…

These are the writing skills that you bring to the construction of your body paragraph.

your choice of evidence

your choice of evidence

your variety of vocabulary

your choice of evidence

your variety of vocabulary

your writing STYLE!

When each room [BODY PARAGRAPH] When each room [BODY PARAGRAPH] is completely furnished…is completely furnished…

You are ready for that roof !You are ready for that roof !

STRONG THESIS

Only two parts of your essay are Only two parts of your essay are missingmissing

STRONG THESIS

STRONG THESIS

An INTRODUCTORY

Paragraph

STRONG THESIS

An INTRODUCTORY

Paragraph

and a

CONCLUDING Paragraph

The INTRODUCTORY ParagraphThe INTRODUCTORY Paragraph

STRONG THESIS

The INTRODUCTORY ParagraphThe INTRODUCTORY Paragraph

is the one that makes your house is the one that makes your house inviting, attractive, inviting, attractive,

STRONG THESIS

The INTRODUCTORY ParagraphThe INTRODUCTORY Paragraph

is the one that makes your house is the one that makes your house inviting, attractive, inviting, attractive,

STRONG THESIS

and prepares your guests for what they will enjoy once they are inside.

If your house looks cold and uninviting, you may not have many visitors.

The same is true for your essay.

Use the components of the INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH,

creative opening & background,

to lure your reader into the body of your essay.

Use the INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH to establish the tone and style.

Lead the reader STEP-BY-STEP into the content of the essay itself.

Don’t forget to remind the reader that your essay has a…

THESIS STATEMENT

STRONG, WELL-BUILT FOUNDATION and

many more exciting

surprises

inside.

All that’s left is the

CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH.It’s like a HUGE housewarming

party to show your dream house to

your friends.

Peer at the gardens.

Tour all of the rooms, moving easily from one to the next.

AND THEN… spend time admiring the house, summarizing the process, and celebrating the

masterpiece that you have built. Viola ! You have a concluding paragraph!

Ooops, you might want to consider a brief termite

inspection

[PROOFREADING for errors] !

LET’S REVIEW…

LET’S REVIEW…

1. We built a foundation

LET’S REVIEW…

1. We built a foundation [THESIS STATEMENT]

LET’S REVIEW…

1. We built a foundation [THESIS STATEMENT]

2. We divided the house into rooms

LET’S REVIEW…

1. We built a foundation [THESIS STATEMENT]

2. We divided the house into rooms

[BODY PARAGRAPHS]

LET’S REVIEW…

1. We built a foundation [THESIS STATEMENT]

2. We divided the house into rooms

[BODY PARAGRAPHS]

3. We furnished the rooms

LET’S REVIEW…

1. We built a foundation [THESIS STATEMENT]

2. We divided the house into rooms

[BODY PARAGRAPHS]

3. We furnished the rooms [TOPIC SENTENCES]

LET’S REVIEW…

1. We built a foundation [THESIS STATEMENT]

2. We divided the house into rooms

[BODY PARAGRAPHS]

3. We furnished the rooms [TOPIC SENTENCES,

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

LET’S REVIEW…

1. We built a foundation [THESIS STATEMENT]

2. We divided the house into rooms

[BODY PARAGRAPHS]

3. We furnished the rooms [TOPIC SENTENCES,

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

COMMENTARY]

LET’S REVIEW…

1. We built a foundation [THESIS STATEMENT]

2. We divided the house into rooms

[BODY PARAGRAPHS]

3. We furnished the rooms [TOPIC SENTENCES, SUPPORTING EVIDENCE, COMMENTARY]

4. We created an inviting entrance

LET’S REVIEW…

1. We built a foundation [THESIS STATEMENT]

2. We divided the house into rooms

[BODY PARAGRAPHS]

3. We furnished the rooms [TOPIC SENTENCES, SUPPORTING EVIDENCE, COMMENTARY]

4. We created an inviting walkway

[INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH]

LET’S REVIEW…

1. We built a foundation [THESIS STATEMENT]

2. We divided the house into rooms

[BODY PARAGRAPHS]

3. We furnished the rooms [TOPIC SENTENCES, SUPPORTING EVIDENCE, COMMENTARY]

4. We created an inviting walkway [INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH]

5. We celebrated our accomplishment

LET’S REVIEW…

1. We built a foundation [THESIS STATEMENT]

2. We divided the house into rooms

[BODY PARAGRAPHS]

3. We furnished the rooms [TOPIC SENTENCES, SUPPORTING EVIDENCE, COMMENTARY]

4. We created an inviting walkway [INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH]

5. We celebrated our accomplishment

with a CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH

LET’S REVIEW…

1. We built a foundation [THESIS STATEMENT]

2. We divided the house into rooms

[BODY PARAGRAPHS]

3. We furnished the rooms [TOPIC SENTENCES, SUPPORTING EVIDENCE, COMMENTARY]

4. We created an inviting walkway

[INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH]

5. We celebrated our accomplishment

[CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH]

NOW, let’s see how those steps look when “BUILDING” an essay.

NOW, let’s see how those steps look when “BUILDING” an essay.

THESIS STATEMENT

TOPIC SENTENCE

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

COMMENTARY

INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH

CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH

NOW, let’s see how those steps look when you are “BUILDING” an essay.

THESIS STATEMENTTOPIC SENTENCE

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

COMMENTARY

INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH

CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH

NOW, let’s see how those steps look when you are “BUILDING” an essay.

THESIS STATEMENT

TOPIC SENTENCESUPPORTING

EVIDENCE

COMMENTARY

INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH

CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH

NOW, let’s see how those steps look when you are “BUILDING” an essay.

THESIS STATEMENT

TOPIC SENTENCESUPPORTING

EVIDENCE

COMMENTARY

INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH

CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH

TOPIC SENTENCE

NOW, let’s see how those steps look when you are “BUILDING” an essay.

THESIS STATEMENT

TOPIC SENTENCESUPPORTING

EVIDENCE

COMMENTARY

INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH

CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH

TOPIC SENTENCE

TOPIC SENTENCE

NOW, let’s see how those steps look when you are “BUILDING” an essay.

THESIS STATEMENT

TOPIC SENTENCE

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

COMMENTARY

INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH

CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH

TOPIC SENTENCE

TOPIC SENTENCE

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

NOW, let’s see how those steps look when you are “BUILDING” an essay.

THESIS STATEMENT

TOPIC SENTENCE

SUPPORTING EVIDENCECOMMENTARY

INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH

CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH

TOPIC SENTENCE

TOPIC SENTENCE

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

COMMENTARY

COMMENTARY

NOW, let’s see how those steps look when you are “BUILDING” an essay.

THESIS STATEMENT

TOPIC SENTENCE

SUPPORTING EVIDENCECOMMENTARY

INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH

CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH

TOPIC SENTENCE

TOPIC SENTENCE

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

COMMENTARY

COMMENTARY

NOW, let’s see how those steps look when you are “BUILDING” an essay.

THESIS STATEMENT

TOPIC SENTENCE

SUPPORTING EVIDENCECOMMENTARY

INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH

CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH

TOPIC SENTENCE

TOPIC SENTENCE

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

COMMENTARY

COMMENTARY

DID YOU NOTICE…

DID YOU NOTICE…

That just like the house…

DID YOU NOTICE…

That just like the house…the essay is not constructed from the roof down.

JUST LIKE THE FINISHED HOUSE…

You don’t see the order of the steps that went into the building,

Just the beautiful house,

sturdy on its strong foundation.

Party, anyone??

“Writing an Essay is like Building a House”Susan Stofflet,

Cherry Hill East High School