Writing 5-Paragraph Essay

Writing Prompt
Using the first 12 U.S.
Presidents as examples,
write a 5-paragraph research
paper to explain what 3
characteristics help a
President to be successful?
Explain how each
characteristic helps a
President to be successful.
Make sure to cite sources
when using evidence from
your research.

5 Paragraph Outline
1) Introduction
2) Body Paragraph 1 (2
evidence AND 2
explanations)
3) Body Paragraph 2 (2
evidence AND 2
explanations)
4) Body Paragraph 3 (2
evidence AND 2
explanations)
5) Conclusion

5 Paragraph Outline
1) Introduction
2) Body Paragraph 1
BRAVE 1) Giving speeches and 2)
leading soldiers into war
3) Body Paragraph 2
UNDERSTANDING 1) Religious
freedom and 2) John Adams
defends British soldiers
4) Body Paragraph 3
COMPROMISE 1) Bill of Rights and
2) Location of Washington DC
5) Conclusion

5 Paragraph Outline
1) Introduction
2) Body Paragraph 1
SMART 1) Abolition and 2) Buying
land from other countries
3) Body Paragraph 2
LEADER 1) George Washington
crossing Delaware River on
Christmas and 2) James Polk and
Manifest Destiny
4) Body Paragraph 3
UNDERSTANDING 1) Campaign
promise 2) Bill of Rights (1st
Amendment - Religious freedom)
5) Conclusion

5 Paragraph Outline

1) Introduction

2) Body Paragraph 1
SMART 1) Building schools, 2)
Peace treaties, 3) Gaining land
from other countries
3) Body Paragraph 2 BRAVE
1)Leading soliders into war, 2)
Public speaking
4) Body Paragraph 3
RESPONSIBLE 1) Taking care of
citizens, 2) Getting things done on
time
5) Conclusion

5 Paragraph Outline

1) Introduction

2) Body Paragraph 1
SMART 1) Graduated from best
colleges, 2) Military strategies
3) Body Paragraph 2
UNDERSTANDING 1) Jacksonian
democracy, 2) James Polk
Election, 3) Bill of Rights
Body Paragraph 3 GOOD DEALS 1)
Oregon Territory, 2) Louisiana
Purchase, 3) Mexican Cession, 4)
Adam-Onis Treaty (Florida)
Conclusion

5 Paragraph Outline
Introduction
Body Paragraph 1 SMART 1)
Graduated from best colleges, 2)
Military strategies, 3) Land deals
Body Paragraph 2 BRAVE 1)
George Washington during A.R., 2)
Andrew Jackson at the Battle of
New Orleans, 3) Signing the
Declaration of Independence
Body Paragraph 3 FAIR 1) Bills of
Rights, 2) Jacksonian Democracy,
3) Great Compromise
Conclusion

Using the Index of the textbook write

the page #s to read information
about the first 12 U.S. Presidents.

1) George Washington
2) John Adams
3) Thomas Jefferson
4) James Madison
5) James Monroe
6) John Quincy Adams
7) Andrew Jackson
8) Martin Van Buren
9) William H. Harrison
10) John Tyler
11) James Polk
12) Zachary Taylor

Introduction
Paragraph
Show understanding of question(s)
in the writing prompt. By answering
the 5W questions
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

Who?
When?
Where?
What?
Why?

The last sentence of the

introduction paragraph should be
the thesis/main idea.
****Thesis/main idea is what you
are trying to prove.***

Writing Body
Paragraphs
1) Topic sentence
What is the paragraph about?
Supporting detail 1
2) Concrete detail/Evidence
Facts
Quotes
Examples
Information
3) Commentary/Explanation
Supporting detail 2
4) Concrete detail/Evidence
5) Commentary/Explanation
Supporting detail 3
6) Concrete detail/Evidence
7) Commentary/Explanation
6/8) Conclusion sentence

Concrete
Detail/Evidence
Phrases

For example,
For instance,
In fact,
As a matter of fact
According to
Based on information in.
Information provided in
Document A shows that,

President Jefferson said,

On History.com, I read that

Data from Document B

The data from the graph
The graph shows

Commentary/Explanation
Phrases

Important
Significant
Relevant
Shows
Proves
Supports
Reveals
Indicates
Demonstrates
Illustrates
Sheds light
For this reason
As a result
Therefore
Because
This means
This is valid because

Approved Websites for

Presidential Research
History Channel
History.com
Bio
Biography.com
Smithsonian Institute
Si.edu
White House
whitehouse.gov/1600/Presidents
PresidentsUSA.net
presidentsusa.net
Students can NOT cite
Wikipedia!!!

MLA Format
Book
Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. City of Publication: Name
of Publisher, Year of Publication. Type of Publication.

Creating America: A History of the United States. Sacramento:

McDougal Littell, 2006. Print.

Puzo, Mario. The Godfather. New York: G.P. Putnams Sons,

1969. Print.

Internet Sources
Author (if available last name, first name). Title. Name of
Site. Name of Organization. Date the article was published.
Web. Date you viewed website.

Holmes, Baxter. A Leap of Faith In Los Angeles. ESPN.com.

ESPN. 14 Nov. 2014. Web. 1 Dec. 2014.

Magazine/Newspaper
Author. Title of Article. Title of Magazine. Day Month Year:
Pages. Type of Publication.

Bryant, Kobe. How to Win Championships. LA Times. 08 Dec.

2008: A1-A2. Print.