How do I connect related ideas in my writing and make my essay flow together?

1. How do I connect related ideas in my writing and make my essay flow together?

2. In this lesson, you will learn how to connect related ideas by using transition words.

3. Identify the Question and Type of Writing Plan Your Response Write Your Response Revise Your Response

4. Opening Body 1 Body 2 Body 3 Closing

5. Dear Principal, I know there’s lots of fighting and lots of work to do, but is stopping recess the answer? I disagree with your decision to stop having recess. Recess gives us needed exercise, helps us get along together and gives us an important break in the school day.

6. Recess shouldn’t be stopped because children need exercise to stay healthy. Children need to build up their bodies as they grow. For many children in this school, recess is the only time they have for exercise. If we are unhealthy, we can’t focus on our learning. To keep our children healthy, we need to keep recess.

7. Without recess, children wouldn’t learn how to get along together. The best way to stop fighting is to let kids try to solve their own problems as a community. Recess is the only time when we can be together without teachers. If we don’t learn how to get along, it will be very difficult in high school and college. Recess is important for kids in learning how to get along.

8. Stopping recess would end an important break in the school day. Our day is over 6 hours long. During a test, my classmate could barely stay awake in the afternoon. Recess gives us a break so that we can be ready for the afternoon’s work. We just can’t finish our work during the day without recess.

9. I disagree with your decision to stop having recess. Recess is an important break in the day when kids get exercise and learn to get along together. There are ways to improve our learning and to stop fighting, but stopping recess isn’t one of them. Sincerely,

10. Writing a paragraph where one idea jumps to the next. ?

11. 1 • Reread your supporting details. 2 • Look for places when you jump from one detail to the next. • Use transition words to connect ideas. 3

12. Recess shouldn’t be stopped because children need exercise to stay healthy. Children need to build up their bodies as they grow. For many children in this school, recess is the only time they have for exercise. If we are unhealthy, we can’t focus on our learning. To keep our children healthy, we need to keep recess. 1

13. 2 Recess shouldn’t be stopped because children need exercise to stay healthy. Children need to build up their bodies as they grow. For many children in this school, recess is the only time they have for exercise. If we are unhealthy, we can’t focus on our learning. To keep our children healthy, we need to keep recess.

14. 3 • In addition • Also • Besides Words that add on • Therefore • In conclusion • Finally Words that conclude

15. Recess shouldn’t be stopped because children need exercise to stay healthy. Children need to build up their bodies as they grow. Also, for many children in this school, recess is the only time they have for exercise. Furthermore, if we are unhealthy, we can’t focus on our learning. Thus, to keep our children healthy, we need to keep recess.

16. 1 • Reread your supporting details. 2 • Look for places when you jump from one detail to the next. • Use transition words to connect ideas. 3

17. In this lesson, you have learned how to connect related ideas by using transition words.

18. Look at the next body paragraph from this draft below. Add your own transition words to this paragraph. Without recess, children wouldn’t learn how to get along together. The best way to stop fighting is to let kids try to solve their own problems as a community. Recess is the only time when we can be together without teachers. If we don’t learn how to get along, it will be very difficult in high school and college. Recess is important for kids in learning how to get along.

19. Take a body paragraph from your own writing. Pick two sentences right next to each other than jump between ideas. Make a list of possible transition words to use between them.

20. With a partner or small group, use a dictionary, thesaurus, or any book that you are reading, to find different, interesting or strange transition words to use in the paragraph. • How many can you find?

21. Below is a draft of a body paragraph without transition words. Read the paragraph and add your own transition words. Stopping recess would end an important break in the school day. Our day is over 6 hours long. During a test, my classmate could barely stay awake in the afternoon. Recess gives us a break so that we can be ready for the afternoon’s work. We just can’t finish our work during the day without recess.