How to Write a Five Paragraph Essay

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How to Write a Five Paragraph Essay
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• Before you begin writing, decide on your answer
  to the question asked of you. This is your basic
  thesis.

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• What does the Big Bad Wolf symbolize in the story
  Little Red Riding Hood?

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Identify your topic sentence The wolf is a
symbol for temptation. Expand In Little Red
Riding Hood the character of the wolf is a
powerful symbol for temptation.
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• Before you begin writing, decide on what three
  pieces of evidence/support you will use to prove
  your thesis.

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• Brainstorm 3 reasons your topic sentence is true.
  (support/defend)
• He encourages Red to stray from the path.
• He tells her she does not need to listen to her
  mother.
• He offers Red a shortcut to get to Grannys to
  pull her off the right path.

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Add a conclusion or summary. This makes it clear
that the wolf is actually a symbol for temptation.
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• Write your introductory paragraph. Place your
  thesis along with your three pieces of evidence
  in order of strength (least to most) at the end
  of this paragraph.  

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Congratulations! You have completed your
introductory paragraph, AND you have created the
topic sentences for your next 4 paragraphs!
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In Little Red Riding Hood , the character of the
wolf is a powerful symbol for temptation. He
encourages Red to stray from the path.He tells
her she does not need to listen to her mother.
Finally, he offers Red a shortcut to get to
Grannys to pull her off the right path. This
makes it clear that the wolf is actually a symbol
for temptation.
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Introduction First Subtopic Second Subtopic Third
Subtopic Conclusion
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Each subtopic sentence now becomes a topic
sentence for your subtopic (supporting)
paragraphs He encourages Red to stray from the
path. He tells her she doesnt need to listen to
her mother. Finally, he offers Red a shortcut
to get to Grannys to pull her off the right
path. This makes it clear that the wolf is
actually a symbol for temptation.
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For each subtopic you will begin with your (sub)
topic sentence. You follow this with an
explanation and an example. End your first
paragraph with a transitional sentence that leads
to paragraph number two.  
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He encourages Red to stray from the
path.(reword subtopic sentence if necessary) The
wolf encourages Little Red to stray from the path
to Grannys house. (explain) Red was on her way
to Grannys and knows she should stay on the
path. If the wolf had not come along, she would
never have strayed. (example) Reds eyes sprang
from the path before her to the beckoning woods
where the wolfs claw pointed. It was the first
time she had noticed how inviting the forest
seemed.
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He tells her she does not need to listen to her
mother reword subtopic sentence if necessary The
wolf tells Little Red she does not need to listen
to her mother. (explain) He encourages her to
disobey her mother. (example) When the wolf
tells Red that her mother will never know she
left the path, he clearly wants her to forget
about the possible consequences for her actions.
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Finally, he offers Red a shortcut to get to
Grannys to pull her off the right path. reword
subtopic sentence if necessary Finally, the wolf
offers Red a shortcut to get to Grannys to
pull her off the right path(explain) The wolf
knows Red wont leave the path unless there is a
reason. He offers her a shortcut, and makes it
sound like he means to help her out. (example)
The wolf says to Red, Granny must be awfully
cold and hungry without those tea and cookies.
If you take this path, youll be there all the
sooner.
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• End your concluding paragraph with a statement of
  extension which will (hopefully) cause the reader
  to look beyond what you have written. You do not
  include new evidence in your last paragraph.

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This makes it clear that the wolf is actually a
symbol for temptation. (Reword) While wolves
have played many important roles in fairytales
throughout the ages, it is clear that ach of
these examples proves that in the story Red
Riding Hood, the wolf represents temptation.
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• (Restate each sub topic sentence) He persuades
  Red to stray from the right path. He
  convinces her to ignore her mother., and finally
  offers Red a shortcut to get to Grannys by
  seeming to be helpful.(Restate your original
  thesis) All of these examples show that the wolf
  is really a symbol for temptation.

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YOU CAN DO IT!!! Easy Breezy and not
too
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• Tips
• Never use I or you (unless specifically told that
  it is allowed).  
• Do not use contractions in formal writing.
  (cant, wont, its  etc.)
• Organization is one of the most important parts
  of good writing. Make sure to organize from the
  first paragraph on.