CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.1

By Anonymous (not verified), 12 March, 2026

Reading a Problem-Solution Paragraph and Essay

Now that you've warmed up your thinking about problems and solutions, you can read a sample paragraph and essay. Note how each writer explains a problem and argues for a specific solution.

Reading a Problem-Solution Paragraph

A problem-solution paragraph has three main parts. The topic sentence introduces the solution to a problem. The body sentences explain the problem and solution. The ending sentence calls readers to action.

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Sample Paragraph

Helping New Students Fit In

Topic SentenceComing to a new school is hard, so we should figure out how to make new students feel welcome. New students have to fit in with new classmates in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar rules. Body SentencesThis problem can make them feel lonely. Instead of just expecting new students to make all the effort, we can help them fit in. One of us can volunteer to show the new student around and sit with him or her at lunch. The rest of us can introduce ourselves, learn the new student’s name, and share something about our school or ourselves. Ending Sentence Together, let’s make our school a friendlier place to be.

By Anonymous (not verified), 12 March, 2026

Reading an Opinion Paragraph and Essay

Before you write your own essay, you can read an opinion paragraph and essay that others wrote. As you read, think about how the writers put ideas together and how you might support an opinion in your essay.

Reading an Opinion Paragraph

An opinion paragraph has three main parts. The topic sentence states the opinion. The body sentences support the opinion with reasons. The ending sentence restates or emphasizes the opinion.

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Sample Paragraph

Keep Art

Topic Sentence:
Opinion
Waterford schools must keep the art program. The School Board has said that art may be cut because of money issues. Before they decide, the board members need to understand certain things about art. First of all, art helps students learn. When students work on an art project, they plan, experiment, and make choices. Working like this will help them learn in all their classes. Body Sentences:
Reasons
Second, art helps students express themselves. In art classes, students create their own projects rather than answer questions or read chapters. And finally, art helps students understand their world. Art is part of our culture, and students need to participate in this culture.
Because of its value, the School Board should Ending Sentence:
Call to Action
think of creative ways to keep art rather than just cutting it.

By Anonymous (not verified), 12 March, 2026

Reading a Process Paragraph and Essay

Before you explain a process, you'll want to see how others did so. This lesson shows you a process paragraph and a process essay, explaining each part. As you read them, think about how the writers put ideas together and how you might explain ideas in your process writing.

Reading a Process Paragraph

A process paragraph has three main parts. The topic sentence states the process. The body sentences describe the steps. The ending sentence wraps up the process. This paragraph describes the process of building a tree house.

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Sample Paragraph

Tree-House Summer

Topic SentenceLast summer, my friends and I built a tree house in my back yard. We started by designing the tree house. Body SentencesThen we listed materials we needed and found a store that sold building supplies. We took our list and the money we had saved and went shopping. We loaded everything into my dad’s van and headed back. The first thing we had to do was build a frame for the floor of the house. (My mom helped with that.) Next we used a rope to raise all the wood up into the tree. We then carefully nailed the boards to the frame, and we soon had a floor. After that, we added walls and a roof. Ending SentencesWe now had a great place to hang out for the rest of the summer!

By Anonymous (not verified), 12 March, 2026

Reading an Informational Paragraph and Essay

Before you write your essay, you'll want to see how others did so. This lesson shows you an informational paragraph and an informational essay, explaining each part. As you read them, think about how the writers put ideas together and how you could describe the results of a classroom poll in your own essay.

Reading an Informational Paragraph

An informational paragraph has three main parts. The topic sentence names the topic. The body sentences explain the topic. The ending sentence gives a final idea about the topic. This paragraph explains the results of the poll about students’ favorite seasons.

Sample Paragraph

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Summer Wins

Topic Sentence Most third graders at Parkview Elementary picked summer as the best season. There are 32 third graders at Parkview, and 20 of them picked summer. Most of these students liked it because of the warm weather and no school. Body Sentences Winter came next with eight third graders voting for it. Playing in the snow and Christmas were the main reasons. Three students picked fall because of Halloween and fall colors. Only one third grader picked spring because of the flowers. Ending Sentence The seasons are all fun, but every third grader has a favorite.

By Anonymous (not verified), 12 March, 2026

Understanding Persuasive Paragraphs

In a persuasive paragraph, you give your opinion on a subject and try to get your reader to agree with you. To do this, you need to give facts and other reasons to support your opinion. Otherwise, you won’t persuade your readers.

Read a persuasive paragraph.

Note the opinion that the writer is presenting and supporting. Pay special attention to the reasons the writer gives for the opinion.

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Opinion Statement Kids need a place to call their own, and a tree house is the perfect place. For instance, a tree house gives my friends and me a chance to get away from the pressures of school, homework, and little brothers or sisters. We can just hang out and be ourselves. Body Sentences We can also decorate our tree house any way we want. In addition, a tree house is a good place for thinking, playing music, looking at the sky, or just being with friends. Reasons Sure, if we didn’t have this kind of place, we’d find other ways to keep busy. We’d go to the mall, text our friends, play video games, or just watch TV. Ending Sentence But doesn’t a tree house sound like a better place for kids to spend their time?

By Anonymous (not verified), 12 March, 2026

Understanding Explanatory Paragraphs

Your main purpose in an explanatory paragraph is to give information about a subject. You may give directions, present ideas, or explain how to do something. An explanatory paragraph uses transitions such as first, then, after, and finally.

Read an explanatory paragraph.

Read the following paragraph. Note how the first sentence introduces the topic, the body sentences include details with time transitions, and the ending sentence wraps up the explanation.

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Topic Sentence Last summer, my friends and I built a tree house in our back yard. Our first step was to agree on a design for the tree house. Then we made a list of materials we needed and located a store that sold building supplies. We took our list and the money we had saved and went shopping. Body SentencesWe loaded everything into my dad’s van and headed back. The first thing we had to do was build a frame for the floor of the house. (My mom helped with that.) Then we used a rope to raise all the wood up into the tree. TransitionsAfterward, we nailed the floorboards to the frame, and we soon had a floor. After that, we added walls and a roof. It took us all afternoon, but it was worth it. Ending Sentence We now had a great place to hang out for the rest of the summer.

By Anonymous (not verified), 12 March, 2026

Warm-Up for Writing Paragraphs

Paragraphs are the building blocks of great writing. This unit will show you how to create paragraphs for three different purposes: to tell a story, to explain a topic, and to influence readers.

What Is a Paragraph?

Writing Paragraphs
© Thoughtful Learning 2016

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A paragraph is a group of sentences about one topic. Usually, the first sentence names the topic, and the other sentences give more details about it. In a well-written paragraph, sentences follow a clear order so that readers can quickly understand the topic.

Think of a paragraph as a telescope: It focuses on one specific idea and magnifies it so that people can see it more clearly.

Learning to write good paragraphs is essential to becoming a good writer. This unit will give you a chance to improve your paragraph-writing skills.

Teaching Tip

Subject: Thanks for the Vacation Pictures! Dear Ms. Nathan, Thanks for attaching your vacation pictures! You look great in them! Wow, traveling to Yosemite Park sounds cool. And it’s nice you and Dr. Nathan are doing something special every weekend. That’s great that you are playing the Mozart Concerto in C, even though you are playing an easy version. Yes! I am proud of you. I am in Level 3 in piano. Morse School is really looking great. They are almost done remodeling. I wish you could see it. I think we’ll get to move back in soon. My new teacher is Ms. Porter.
Plastic, Paper, or Cloth? We have a big decision to make. We can use cloth, paper, or plastic bags. I choose cloth because paper uses trees, and plastic uses petroleum; so we should use cloth. Cloth bags are easy to take with you and use again and again. We need to keep our earth clean, so let’s use cloth. Remember, recycle and reuse.
How to Make Boiled Eggs Materials: a pan, hot water, one or more eggs Step one: Pour the hot water into the pan and let it boil on the stove. Step two: When that’s done, put the eggs into the boiling water. Step three: Let them sit for about 10 minutes. Take the eggs out. Let them cool for about 5 minutes. Step four: If they’re still hot, let them cool for about 3 more minutes. Step five: Get a plate and a spoon. Peel off the eggshells and eat the eggs with a little salt and pepper. That is how to make boiled eggs.