Lesson Title: Building Better Paragraphs

Grade Level: 3rd Grade Duration: ~45 minutes

Lesson Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Identify the parts of a paragraph (topic sentence, supporting details, concluding sentence).
• Organize sentences into a logical paragraph structure.
• Write a simple paragraph on a given topic.

Materials Needed

• Handouts with scrambled sentences
• Sample paragraph (pre-written on paper or displayed digitally)
• Writing journals or paper
• Colored pencils (optional, for highlighting parts of a paragraph)

Lesson Procedure

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Begin with a quick activity: Write the following on the board: “Swimming is my favorite hobby.”
  • Ask: What do you think this sentence is? (Guide them to recognize it as a topic sentence.)
  • Add a few related sentences, like:
  • Write a concluding sentence:
    • “That’s why swimming is the best hobby for me.”
  • Explain: A paragraph is a group of sentences that work together to talk about one idea. Introduce the three main parts:
    • Topic Sentence: Introduces the main idea.
    • Supporting Details: Give more information about the topic.
    • Concluding Sentence: Wraps it up.
  • 2. Guided Practice (15 minutes)
  • Activity: Dissect a Paragraph
  • Display a pre-written short paragraph (e.g., about a favorite animal or a favorite snack).
  • As a class, identify and label:
    • Topic sentence (underline in one color).
    • Supporting details (highlight in another).
    • Concluding sentence (circle it).
  • Activity: Fix the Mix-Up
    • Hand out scrambled sentences that, when arranged correctly, form a paragraph.
    • Students work in pairs to organize the sentences into a logical order (topic, details, conclusion).
  • 3. Independent Practice (15 minutes)
  • Students write their own paragraph on a simple prompt, such as:
    • “My Favorite Animal”
    • “What I Like to Do After School”
  • Encourage students to start with a clear topic sentence, add at least three supporting details, and end with a concluding sentence.
  • 4. Wrap-Up and Sharing (5 minutes)
  • Ask a few students to read their paragraphs aloud.
  • Reflect as a class:
    • What made their paragraphs clear and easy to follow?
    • What could make them even better next time?
  • Extensions (Optional)
  • Use colored pencils to underline the topic sentence, highlight supporting details, and circle the concluding sentence in their own work.
  • Create a classroom “Paragraph Wall” where students can display their finished paragraphs.
  • Incorporating UDL:
  • Multiple Means of Representation: I would begin by using visuals like a color-coded chart showing the structure of a paragraph; this could be a handout for the students and also displayed on the smart board. Use videos from YouTube like this one Writing a paragraph to help with discussing paragraph writing.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression: Offer students the ability to write out/ type out or use speech-to-text dictation on Google Docs when writing their own paragraphs. You could create a drag-and-drop game for the activities on Google Slides.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement: Offer the students different ways to share their work; they can read aloud their paragraphs and have them displayed on the smart board, or use the text-to-speech option to read their work for them if they aren’t comfortable reading it themselves. 
  • Digital tools used: Google Classroom, Google Docs, Google Slides, YouTube
  • TPACK Evaluation:
  • Content Knowledge: The lesson provides a clear understanding and explanation of the goal in mind, and the lesson and activities are age-appropriate.
  • Pedagogical Knowledge: There are different teaching strategies to keep the students engaged and opportunities to collaborate. 
  • Technological Knowledge: The digital tools used make the lessons accessible and provide alternatives for student engagement.
  • Overall, I feel the lesson aligns well with the TPACK model, with the use of technology to enhance pedagogy and content delivery. It also provides a balanced and inclusive approach to teaching paragraph structure and ensures that all students can access, engage, and demonstrate their understanding of the material. Looking at the lesson without the added UDL modifications, I feel it’s still a strong lesson on its own without the modifications. The integration of the modifications is also simple enough that if there were any technical issues, like an internet outage, the lesson could still be carried on.
  • Sources:
  • Copilot- for researching and creating the lesson