Grade 7 Unit 8: Writing Paragraphs

Grade 7 Unit 8: Writing Paragraphs

Table of Contents

Introduction 2

Unit Objectives 2

Lesson 1: Purposes of Writing 3 Warm-up! 3 Learn About It! 4 Check Your Understanding 7 Let’s Step Up! 9

Lesson 2: Parts and Kinds of Paragraphs 10 Warm-up! 10 Learn About It! 11 Check Your Understanding 16 Let’s Step Up! 17

Lesson 3: Narrative Paragraph 18 Warm-up! 18 Learn About It! 19 Check Your Understanding 21 Let’s Step Up! 23

Performance Task 24

Self-Check: How Well Did I Learn? 26

Wrap Up 26

Bibliography 27

GRADE 7 |English

UNIT 8

Writing Paragraphs Writing is one of the four major macro skills that you need to develop. Doing so requires you to consider your purpose for writing and your target readers. This determines the writing you will produce. But before jumping to writing an entire essay, begin with a paragraph.

In this unit, you will be able to know the purposes for writing, the parts and kinds of paragraphs, and the process of writing a narrative paragraph.

Unit Objectives

In this unit, you should be able to:

● Recognize the common purposes for writing; ● Differentiate literary writing from academic writing; ● Identify basic features, parts, and kinds of paragraphs; and ● Retell a myth or legend by writing a narrative paragraph.

2 Copyright © 2018 Quipper Limited

Lesson 1: Purposes of Writing

This lesson will focus on the different reasons why we write. We will also look at the two types of writing and its differences. When we understand these different purposes and types, we can effectively write and express ourselves.

Warm-up!

Think-Pair-Share Activity: With a partner, read the following sentences and explain how writing can solve these problems.

Guide questions:

● How can writing help you in the two situations? ● Why are these answers important to your problem?


Learn About It!

Paragraph A good paragraph, which is composed of sentences supporting one idea, helps both the writer and the reader. The reader better understands the ideas in a text if the paragraphs are well-written, and as a result, the writer’s ideas come across more effectively. As much as readers have reasons for reading a material, writers also have purposes for writing. When you write paragraphs, you need to consider the purpose of writing it. Ask yourself, “Why am I writing this?” The four major purposes of writing are to express opinions, to inform, to persuade, and to create a literary work.

1. Expressive Writing

Texts that express opinions create expressive writing. It focuses on the personal feelings of the writer. These can be seen in journals and diaries, as well as in social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

The placement of CCTVs deters criminals from their crimes. Studies conducted by the UP Diliman College of Psychology on Metro Manila streets equipped with CCTVs showed that these streets have a lower crime rate as opposed to streets without security devices. This proves that CCTVs provide security and protect the people.


2. Informative Writing Texts that inform make informative writing. It provides the readers with information and educates them. Newspaper articles, essays, textbooks, and research papers are examples with this purpose.

It was in the 1990s when private institutions started to manufacture and retail security cameras. Before then, security cameras or CCTVs were used solely for government and military purposes, which are for security and record keeping only. As the cost of Crystalline Microchip Optical Sensors (CMOS), the main component of a modern camera, decreased, CCTVs began to be mass produced. Today, CCTVs are installed in many commercial establishments and residential areas. This has raised concern that these security cameras could be invading people’s privacy.

3. Persuasive Writing Texts that persuade produce persuasive writing. It is meant to convince the readers to change their minds by considering the writer’s view. Editorials and reviews are examples that convince the readers of an idea.

The security camera is one of the many inventions that modern technology has brought us. It has been proven to be an effective security measure. But just like most, if not all inventions, it has its downsides, although the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and this invention continues to make people feel safer. This security device can save lives, prevent crimes, spot accidents, and trace criminals. With this, CCTVs should be installed in public places, offices, and homes.

4. Creative Writing Texts that create a literary work form creative writing. It focuses on entertaining the readers through creative forms. These are novels, poems, and plays.


Now, try to differentiate this paragraph from the other paragraphs given by using the table on literary writing vs. academic writing below.

It's been nine years since my parents died from a plane crash. From that point, I've been living alone in my life. None of the things they bought survived. I bet all of those papers they were working on before had burnt. Those papers stole their attention from me. This was my life before, thirsty for my parent’s attention.

Writers need to identify their purpose in writing before beginning because the purpose or objective determines the content of the text. Now, these four major purposes can be grouped and form two types of writing: literary writing and academic or technical writing. Below are the differences between the two types of writing.

Literary Writing Academic Writing purpose

to entertain or amuse readers to educate or moralize

to provide information to persuade the readers

subject man’s experience, life business, science and technology language informal, figurative formal, standard point of view First-person third-person tone personal, subjective impersonal, objective audience Specific General


Informative and persuasive writing are considered academic writing, while expressive and creative writing are categorized as literary writing.

Check Your Understanding Categorize the following characteristics of text into literary or academic writing.

Literary or Academic

Characteristics

1. The purpose of this text is to entertain and amuse readers.

2. The language used in this text is formal and standard.

3. The subject discussed in this text is on small businesses.

4. The point of view used in this text is in the first-person.

5. The language used in this text is informal.


Identify if the situation is asking for expressive, informative, persuasive, or creative writing.

1. A newspaper editor instructed his writer to focus on the the growing number of health problems in the country. The writer needs to use ______________ writing.

2. A man is angered by some customers who do not use the stand and walk lane in

escalators. He can use ______________ writing through social media. 3. Shane is a playwright and poet. He uses ______________ writing to create his poems. 4. Alyssa published an article on the benefits of jogging to promote a healthier lifestyle.

She used ______________ writing in her work. 5. The teacher needs to write a report about the number of failing students in Math and

state the reasons why they failed. The teacher needs to use ______________ writing.

Write a short paragraph following the given characteristics in the table below.

Purpose 1. To provide information Subject 2. Technology Language 3. formal Point of View 4. third-person Tone 5. objective


Let’s Step Up!


Lesson 2: Parts and Kinds of Paragraphs

Keeping in mind that a paragraph contains only one idea, the writer must make sure that all the components of a paragraph are cohesive and organized.

Warm-up!

Quick Writes

Work with a pair. Read the sentences in the chart below and arrange it into a complete paragraph.

Order Sentences

Unfortunately, the increasing number of motorists using EDSA has also increased the number of car accidents.

Some of these accidents are caused by drivers swerving the streets. Cars have always been a big part of the busy streets of Metro Manila. This problem can be solved by re-educating these violating drivers.

Share your answer with the class and explain why you arranged the sentences that way. Ask if they agree or disagree.


Learn About It!

A good paragraph contains three parts:

1. Topic sentence – contains the main idea of the paragraph.

An effective topic sentence is composed of a main idea and a controlling idea. The main idea is the topic or subject matter of the paragraph. The controlling idea is the opinion or the stand of the writer on the topic. These two are necessary to lead the readers to the writer’s point of view. Consider this topic sentence:

Smoking ban (main idea) may reduce the number of cigarette smokers in public areas (controlling idea).

2. Supporting sentences – sentences that provide additional information to the topic sentence.

Writing a paragraph does not end after deciding on the main idea and controlling idea. The supporting sentences explain and prove the controlling idea in the topic sentence. Supporting sentences may provide reason, fact, statistic, quotation, and examples.


Consider these supporting sentences:

Executive Order No. 26 aims to have a “smoke-free environment in public and enclosed places.” The areas included are schools, elevators and stairwells, medical facilities, fire hazard areas, and food establishments. A violation of this law sanctions the smoker to a fine of P500 to P1,000.

3. Concluding sentence – the final sentence that summarizes the main idea. A good paragraph ends with an effective conclusion. The concluding sentence restates the writer’s stand without repeating words used in the topic sentence. It should not contain another idea for it provides the closure in your paragraph. A concluding sentence may restate the main idea, summarize the key points, draw a conclusion, and give suggestions or recommendations. Consider this concluding sentence:

Given the consequence of the smoking ban, ordinary citizens who smoke may feel compelled to express their urge to light their cigarettes only within the comfort of their homes.

Although the topic sentence may be placed elsewhere in the paragraph, most academic essays usually have it at the beginning. In this manner, the ideas are organized from general (main idea and controlling idea) to specific (supporting sentences). This pattern of paragraph writing – topic sentence-body-conclusion – helps the writer to organize ideas and aids the reader to get the main points of the writer.

Now, the way a writer composes a paragraph depends on the purpose for writing. The four major purposes for writing discussed in the previous lesson are essential to determine the type of writing.


The four basic kinds of paragraphs are descriptive, narrative, explanatory, and persuasive. 1. A descriptive paragraph describes a person, place, object, animal, and an idea using the five senses. Phrases or clauses that appeal to the sense of sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch create mental images. In this way, the reader feels a part of the scenario being described in the paragraph. Descriptive paragraphs can be found in literary writings especially in fiction.

The last part of the gallery is composed of still life paintings. This is where you can find the paintings of a flower, brass and silver utensils, mugs and even fruits. The artist was really a tricky painter because he deceived us with his still life paintings that looked like photographs. Not until we went nearer and observed them for a while. The fine pencil sketches would remind the guests that those were paintings, not photographs.

2. A narrative paragraph tells a story using action words and descriptive words. An effective narrative paragraph hooks the reader to keep reading the story. Although it also contains descriptions like in a descriptive paragraph, a narrative paragraph has more events that cause the story to move. This kind of paragraph is also found in fiction.

The most embarrassing moment of my freshman year was how I earned my nickname, Lovely. It all started when I arrived super late for school. It was actually my fault because I was awake the night before playing this new game on my smartphone. The first


thing that greeted me when I arrived was a surprise quiz from my Math teacher! Good thing, I was listening to his lessons, I did not have a hard time answering the test. When lunch time came, I felt the need to order a lot, since I felt so hungry. It was probably because I did not get enough sleep. I ordered one burger, some fries, a glass of orange juice, and a slice of cake. My friends were so surprised that I was able to finish it in one sitting! Later that afternoon, our teacher gave us a long lecture on the pre-Hispanic history of the Philippines. That was the time when my lack of sleep and too much food took a toll on me. I fell asleep in the middle of my teacher's lecture. I dreamt I was lying down on the sandy beach, sleeping. It felt so real! Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice call out my name, "Miss, how would you feel like joining us in our discussion?" Absent-mindedly I answered, "Just lovely." I was awoken by the thundering laughter of my class. When I realized what was happening, I laughed alongside my classmates. I was apologetic to my teacher and explained my situation. To that day, I never tried staying up late because of my smartphone, and I embraced the nickname "Lovely", for it reminded me everyday of how I needed to prioritize my school among other things.

3. An expository paragraph provides the reader with information about a topic and explains it. This paragraph may talk about a trend or the latest discovery, describe procedures, or give directions. Magazine feature articles such as film or book review essays and how-to articles contain explanatory paragraphs.

In the novel My Brother, My Executioner, the lead character Luis Asperri is conflicted with choosing which values follow: his father’s or his mother’s. Luis is the illegitimate son of a haciendero from Rosales by the name of Don Vicente. However, he initially grew up with his mother, a former servant of Don Vicente, where he lived a simple life until he was convinced by his father to study in Manila at 13 years old. Luis’ inner conflict comes in, for his mother being a peasant farmer embodies hard work, humility and the revolution while his father, coming from a proud Spanish heritage values power and disgusts the lower class. As the story progresses, Luis becomes entangled between two fates.

4. A persuasive paragraph expresses the opinion of the writer on a topic and convinces the reader to have the same. This paragraph also provides facts and reasons to support its main argument. Persuasive paragraphs are found in editorials and speeches.


Voting is not just a right, but an obligation of every citizen. It entitles us to choose

who will run our government. We should still believe that someone out there is still capable of reforming our country, but only if we choose wisely. When we vote, we become equal, whatever religion, gender, educational attainment and status in life. It is a responsibility. Voting is a form of collective action, thus symbolizing that the future of our country is in our hands. This is why sometimes, it is not just right to blame everything on the government; it was us who put them in their position. As voters, we must be judicious enough to know their real motives and intentions; we must listen carefully to their platforms and do some research. Above all, we vote because we share the same sentiments, beliefs and dreams for our beloved country.


Check Your Understanding

Identify the four basic kinds of paragraphs based on the given sentences.

Literary or Academic

Characteristics

1. This paragraph uses action words and descriptive words to tell a story.

2. This paragraph gives the readers information and explains it.

3. This paragraph uses the five senses to describe a topic.

4. This paragraph expresses the writer’s opinions. This is often read in newspaper editorials.

5. This paragraph uses events that causes stories to move and progress.

Read the paragraph and identify the numbered parts accordingly. Use the word bank for your answers.

body - provides example

controlling idea body - provides reason

main idea concluding sentence

(1) Colors can mean a lot of things. (2) It can influence our emotions, our actions and the

way we perceive things. Red, the warmest of all colors, means confidence, courage, and

vitality. (3) Yellow symbolizes wisdom, happiness, and intellectual energy. Pink symbolizes

love and beauty. Green symbolizes life, fertility, and nature. Blue symbolizes youth, truth,

and peace. (4) This belief in color meaning are supported by psychologists and artists

alike. (5) Colors surround us and they can convey different meanings.


Read the paragraph below. Identify the purpose, the parts and the type of paragraph.

Truly living up to its name, Coffee, Tea & Symphony evokes harmony with its chic

and contemporary atmosphere. The interior and exterior of the restaurant give its customer a modern and aesthetic feel with its ambience making it conducive for independent study and friendly for teen hangouts. The inner area of the restaurant is air-conditioned. The décors are vibrant in color and allows the food to stand out on its own. The place is cozy with a fuse of innovative design from the dangling light bulb on a mug to its luxurious chairs and classy tables. I recommend this restaurant for students who want to study and to destress from the monotonous school life.

Purpose: __________________________________________________________ Topic Sentence: __________________________________________________________ Supporting Details: __________________________________________________________ Concluding Sentence: __________________________________________________________ Type of Paragraph: __________________________________________________________

Let’s Step Up!


Lesson 3: Narrative Paragraph

Everyone loves to listen to stories. It may be the stories read before bedtime, the experiences of a friend who just had an amazing adventure, or a summarized story narrated by the teacher. Whether told or written, you know an effective story when it grabs your complete attention.

Warm-up!

Class Made-Up Story The class will be doing a class storytelling. The teacher will start by saying the first line, “Once upon a time, in a quiet farm…” The next student will continue the narrative, and the student beside him/her will connect their stories, until the last person in the class concludes the story. After the activity, have one representative in the class retell their made-up story. Reflect on these questions: Is it hard to tell a story as a class? Why or why not? What were the things you were thinking about before your turn?


Learn About It!

Among the four types of paragraph writing, the narrative paragraph seems to be the closest to kids, teenagers, and even to adults. The purpose of narrative writing is to tell stories. Hence, a narrative paragraph tells a story in a series of events. The ideas in a narrative paragraph must be arranged chronologically with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Therefore, transition words and time expressions are important in this paragraph to achieve unity and logical flow of ideas. These words help the readers keep track of the sequence of the story in the paragraph.

after, afterwards when first, second, third next

during later earlier then

before soon In the meantime until

now once meanwhile when Similar to other paragraphs, a narrative paragraph should contain a topic sentence, supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence. A strong introductory sentence engages the readers into reading further. On the other hand, a strong concluding sentence grabs the emotions of the readers and evokes the story’s theme. It may be useful to begin the paragraph by using the 5Ws – who, what, where, when, and why. Who is telling the story? Is it the writer, or a character in the narrative? What begins the story?


Where is the story set? When does the story take place? Why is this happening? Brief explanations to these can be the starting point of a narrative paragraph. The body of a narrative paragraph contains the details pertaining to the story including dialogues and descriptions of events. A narrative paragraph ends by restating the topic sentence. This should contain the theme or the main point of the writer in telling the story. For example, the topic sentence is “Grades are just numbers.” This may be restated into a concluding sentence like “I learned that the grades in my report card do not determine my whole being.” In a school setting, one of the most common narrative paragraphs written by students is a summary of a story read in class. Consider this summary of Dan Brown’s Inferno.

By far, my most favorite and the most mind-boggling book written by Dan Brown, Inferno is an allusion to Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy. The book begins with the quote "The darkest place in hell is reserved for those who maintain neutrality in times of moral crisis", which was emphasized through the course of the book. Robert Langdon woke up, from a puzzling dream, in a hospital in Paris, with a gun shot on his head. With blurry memory thus confused as to how he ended up in Paris, he then met Dr. Sienna Miller, the main antagonist's lover, who pretended to be his doctor. Miller and Langdon escaped the hospital after the gunman who is allegedly responsible for his gunshot pursued him in the hospital. They then searched for the quest as to why and how he was in Paris and being pursued, only to find out in the latter part that he came there for an important task—to figure out and find a transhumanist genius and main antagonist of the book, Bertrand Zobrist's creation and to try to stop his plan.


Check Your Understanding

Answer the following questions based on the narrative below.

The Legend of the Mayon Volcano (A Philippine Legend)

Along Yawa river streams the peaceful kingdom of Rawis. King Makusog reigned over his

kingdom with the utmost generosity and wisdom. With him is his only daughter, Daragang Magayon (a beautiful maiden). It is said that Magayon was blessed with such beauty that men everywhere all aspired to win her heart.

One morning, as Magayon was taking her usual secret bath in the Yawa river, a traveler from the distant kingdom of Laguna, named Ulap (cloud), accidentally gazed upon the beautiful maiden. He instantly fell in love with Magayon.

For the next few mornings, Ulap hid behind bamboo trees to secretly watch Magayon take her bath in the river. On one particular morning, when he mustered up all his courage, Ulap finally introduced himself to the lady. Daragang Magayon was so shocked by Ulap’s presence; she started to run away. Because of her haste, she tripped on some rocks and almost drowned were it not for Ulap who quickly pulled her out of the water. At this moment, Daragang Magayon also fell in love with the stranger’s handsome stance and charming eyes.

They became devoted lovers to each other after that, with King Makusog giving his


blessing to the couple to be married. Ulap then travelled to Laguna to bring his relatives for the pamamanhikan, a get together of the couples’ families before marriage. He was gone for two months.

The news of the wedding of Ulap and Magayon spread to the nearby kingdoms quickly. Patugo, the leader of the Kingdom of Iraya, who was initially engaged to Magayon, was angered. He convinced his people that it was not right for Magayon to marry someone outside their kingdoms. They planned to capture King Makusog and have his daughter as ransom.

With the busy preparation of the kingdom of Rawis for the upcoming wedding, King Rawis was easily captured by Patugo and his men. Daragang Magayon agreed to make herself a ransom for the life of her father even if it was against her will.

Suddenly, Ulap and his men from Laguna arrived and aided the fighting against Patugo. Ulap urged Patugo to fight him like a man. As the two men battled it out with bolos, swords, and shields clanging each other, Ulap successfully defeated Patugo.

Daragang Magayon was relieved to see her fiancé was safe. She ran to him in an open embrace. As soon as they hugged, a deadly arrow from the enemy line flew into the air and struck the intertwined bodies. They both died instantly in each other’s arms.

The whole kingdom grieved upon their loss. Their king decided for them to be buried together since death had united them as one.

As time passed by, their grave started growing and eventually became what we now know as the Mayon Volcano, which got its name from Daragang Magayon. It is said that their undying love made the volcano appear, and that whenever raging lava would flow out of the volcano, it is believed to be a symbol of their overflowing affection.

1. Who are the characters in the story? 2. What happens in the beginning of the story? 3. When and where is the story set? 4. What is the problem/s in the story? 5. Why did the problem/s occur?

Rewrite and shorten the narrative into 10 to 12 sentences only. Make sure to use correct transition words.


Review the table below and use five (5) transition words and time expressions to write a narrative paragraph about your first day of school.

after, afterwards when first, second, third next

during later earlier then

before soon In the meantime until

now once meanwhile when

Let’s Step Up!


Performance Task

Feature Article

Goal: In a group of four, each member must choose one of the following topics and write a feature article. ● My Favorite Vacation ● The Best Restaurant in my Town ● Ten Reasons Why (any popular movie) is the best Movie

Role: You are budding young writers.

You have been tasked by a publishing company to create feature stories for their paper.

Audience: The target audience is students and teachers from your school.

Situation: The challenge involves coming up with articles for a features magazine, making it

as interesting and unique as possible. Product/Performance and Purpose: You will create an article using the different types of paragraph: narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive.

1. Choose at least two types of paragraphs to use in your article. 2. Your story must contain a minimum of 5,000 words. 3. The parts of a good paragraph must be visible:

a. Main Idea b. Body c. Conclusion

4. Print your finished product on short bond paper, size font 12, Arial, double-spaced.


Standards and criteria for success: Your work will be judged based on the following rubric:

Criteria Beginning (2 points)

Developing (4 points)

Accomplished (6 points)

Score

Content (Focus on details/events are clearly evident; it is clearly related to the topic.)

Organization (Logical progression of details/events; clear transitions between ideas.)

Language (spelling, mechanics, grammar and usage)

Types of Paragraphs Used (must use at least 2)

Punctuality More than 1 day late

1 day late On time

Total Score:


Self-Check: How Well Did I Learn?

Do a self-check on how well you learned the lessons in this unit. Place a checkmark in the appropriate box.

Skills I think I need more

practice and assistance

I am familiar and can perform well with minimal

assistance

I am confident that I can perform this

on my own I can recognize the common purposes for writing.

I can differentiate literary writing from academic writing.

I can identify basic features, parts, and kinds of paragraphs.

I can retell a myth or legend by writing a narrative paragraph.

Wrap Up A paragraph is composed of sentences supporting one idea.

The purpose is the aim or goal for writing.

● To express opinions ● To inform ● To persuade ● To create a literary

work

The parts of a paragraph are:

● Topic sentence ● Body or Supporting

sentences ● Concluding sentence

The kinds of a paragraph are:

● Descriptive ● Narrative ● Expository ● Persuasive


Bibliography

Bow Valley College. “The Narrative Paragraph.” Accessed May 21, 2017.

bowvalleycollege.ca/Documents/.../E-Resources/.../writing%20para_narr.pdf “Differences Between Technical & Creative Writing.” 2005. Accessed May 20, 2017.

https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/publications/tm/tm185/pdfs/micron.pdf Jalali. 2016. “Kinds of Paragraphs.” Learn ESL. Accessed May 20, 2017.

http://www.learnesl.net/kinds-of-paragraphs/ Saylor Academy. Writing for Success. Accessed May 19, 2017.

https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_writing-for-success/index.html The State University of New York. “Understanding the Four Major Purposes for Writing.”

Accessed May 19, 2017. https://sites.newpaltz.edu/owrc/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2014/01/Purpose-Handout.pdf


Grade 7 Unit 8: Writing Paragraphs

Documents

Transcript of Grade 7 Unit 8: Writing Paragraphs