#169. Chicken Foot paragraph planner

Reading/Writing, level: Elementary
Posted by Janice Harrison (i_teach@rocketmail.com).
Teachers' World
Westgate Elem., Cadiz, OH
Materials Required: paper/pencil/chalkboard
Activity Time: 30-45 minutes The Letter Slide : Blen
Concepts Taught: teaching how to write a 5 sentence paragraph

Writing a paragraph using "chicken foot" planning

Writing a clear and well planned paragraph is a necessary skill for the fourth grade proficiency tests. It is also an area where many of our students fail.

Objective: The student will learn to write a five sentence paragraph which contains a topic sentence, three details or points, and ends with a closing thought. This technique can be used for a descriptive, persuasive, informative, or "how to" paragraph.

Procedure: Model the technique by doing a sample chicken foot diagram
on the board. Use the long straight line for the main idea or topic. List the three details or points on the toes of the foot. Write the ending or closing
thought on the vertical line. These are not written as sentences, but just
phrases. Then demonstrate to the students how you can use the diagram
to help you write a well developed paragraph. After a couple of models,
students should be ready to try their own.

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Develop higher level thinking skills by asking, " Is it important that the sentences are put in the order that you wrote them?"For example, "Can you put the main idea at the end?"Or, have the students include a question to the
reader at the end.