Character Description Paragraph
Introduce James at the beginning of the character description.
Describe James’s appearance and actions.
Include James’s words to reveal his personality.
Conclude with a statement that sums up the description.
Grade 5, Lesson 1
Autobiographical Composition
Begin with a sentence that catches your reader’s attention.
Reveal your thoughts, feelings, and personality.
Describe your own appearance, abilities, and relationships.
Include correctly capitalized and punctuated imperative and
exclamatory sentences.
Grade 5, Lesson 2
Autobiographical Narrative
Introduce the setting at the beginning of your story.
Use time order to relate the events in a way that
will make sense to readers.
Develop ideas by using vivid words and phrases.
Conclude with a statement that explains why the
story is important to you.
Grade 5, Lesson 3
Newspaper Story
Introduce the story with an attention-grabbing headline.
Organize the story events in chronological order.
Develop the story by using specific, vivid words to tell who,
what, where, when and why.
Conclude with a brief summary of the story’s major point.
Grade 5, Lesson 4
Personal Response Paragraph
Begin by telling the title of the story, who the main characters are, and
what the story is about.
Develop your response by telling the theme of the story.
Conclude by sharing and explaining your opinion about the Story.
Check that you have used compound subjects and predicates correctly.
Grade 5, Lesson 6
Journal Entry
Begin by writing the date and introducing the topic.
Describe your ideas in a logical sequence.
Develop your thoughts and feelings with concrete details.
Check to see that your entry has no run-on sentences or comma splices
and that you have used compound sentences properly.
Grade 5, Lesson 7
Biography
Introduce the biography by stating a main idea about the person.
Organize the details in your biography in sequence.
Use time-order words and phrases to make clear the order of events.
Conclude by summing up the main contributions of the person.
Check that all the details are in sequential order.
Grade 5, Lesson 8
Summary
Introduce the summary by stating the title, author,
and the main idea of the selection.
Organize the summary by telling about events and
ideas in the order in which they happened.
Use clue words to show sequence.
Conclude by telling how the selection ended.
Grade 5, Lesson 9
Descriptive Paragraph: Setting
Introduce the setting in the first sentence.
Include details about how the place looks, and what
you hear and smell there.
Express your own thoughts and feelings about what
makes the place memorable or interesting.
Use a variety of sentence types and lengths to make
your description interesting.
Grade 5, Lesson 11
Compare-and-Contrast Composition
Introduce the animals that are being compared.
Organize the composition by first telling how they are alike
and then how they are different.
Include clue words that signal similarities and differences.
Use a variety of sentence types and lengths.
Grade 5, Lesson 12
Descriptive Paragraph: Character
Introduce Paul Bunyan in the first sentence of the description.
Use descriptive details that show rather than tell your ideas about Paul Bunyan.
Include words that appeal to the senses.
Check to see that you have used correct capitalization, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Grade 5, Lesson 13
Cause-and-Effect Paragraph
Introduce the topic in the first sentence.
Organize the information into causes and effects.
Use clue words to link ideas.
Conclude by restating the topic sentence.
Check that you have used correct capitalization,
grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Grade 5, Lesson 14
Narrative
Begin the narrative with details that identify the
characters and their relationship to each other.
Include dialogue that explains what problem the
characters are trying to solve.
Use details in the dialogue and actions to develop
each character’s personality.
Conclude the scene in a way that wraps up the
dialogue and action.
Grade 5, Lesson 16
Skit
Introduce the skit with a description of the setting.
Use the correct format for a skit.
Use the characters’ words and actions to show what
happens in the skit.
Reveal characters’ distinct personalities through
personal voice.
Grade 5, Lesson 17
Suspense Story
Introduce the characters and setting at the
beginning of the story.
Introduce the mystery, danger, or scary event
that begins the tension.
Use specific words to show the rising tension
in the story.
Conclude by revealing the story resolution.
Grade 5, Lesson 18
Letter to Request
Introduce the reason for writing in the first paragraph.
Use specific words and format language.
Organize the request in a logical order, and use correct letter form.
Develop your request with specific words, details, and questions.
Conclude with a formal closing and your signature.
Grade 5, Lesson 19
Persuasive Letter
Begin with an appropriate greeting.
Organize the body of your letter in logical order.
Explain the problem.
Give your opinion supported by details.
End with a call for action.
Use a variety of sentence lengths and types
Close your letter and sign it.
Grade 5, Lesson 21
Persuasive Paragraph
Introduce your opinion in a clear topic sentence.
Organize ideas in an order that makes sense.
Develop your idea with supporting details.
Conclude by restating your opinion.
Grade 5, Lesson 22
Poem
Introduce the topic at the beginning of the poem.
Make sure that your opinion is clearly stated.
Develop the poem, using strong details and
examples that will appeal to readers’ emotions.
Conclude with a call to action.
Grade 5, Lesson 23
Narrative
Introduce the setting, the characters, and a conflict at the
beginning of the story.
Organize events in sequence.
Develop characters, setting, and plot events through strong
supporting details, including figurative language.
Conclude by suggesting how the conflict may be resolved.
Grade 5, Lesson 24
Paragraph of Explanation
Introduce the main idea at the beginning of the paragraph.
Develop the idea by giving details and examples.
Organize your ideas in a way that makes sense.
Conclude with a satisfying statement that sums up the paragraph.
Grade 5, Lesson 26
Paragraph of Historical Information
Introduce the main idea at the beginning of the paragraph.
Develop the idea by giving supporting details.
Organize your ideas in a way that makes sense.
Check that every sentence supports the main idea of the paragraph.
Grade 5, Lesson 27
How-to-Paragraph
Introduce the topic in the first sentence of the paragraph.
List any materials that are needed.
Organize the information in the order the steps must be followed.
Use time-order words.
Use details to fully explain the steps.
Check to see that you have used correct capitalization, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Grade 5, Lesson 28
Essay of Explanation
Introduce the topic in the first paragraph of the essay.
Organize the information sequentially.
Include details that develop the main idea in each supporting paragraph.
Conclude by telling readers why the explanation is important or how
knowing about the topic can help them.
Grade 5, Lesson 29