Writing (Grades 5-12)

This video offers some pointers on how to create introductory paragraphs to essays that do more than merely set up a topic and propose a thesis. The video discusses how to avoid the pitfall of the overly broad open, replace flat summary with motivated summary, and select the details that matter for introducing a particular argument.

A companion piece to the Essay Intros That Add Value video, this video offers suggestions on how to make concluding paragraphs of essays do more than just wrap things up. It offers a few pointers regarding substantial questions that a strong conclusion can try to answer so as to leave readers with a full understanding of why one’s writing matters.