Today is rung 5 of 12 on this topic
Writing more than one paragraph
Can do: Plans and writes an introduction, two or three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
Why it matters
The structural jump from one paragraph to several is the biggest writing step of primary school, and it's mostly a planning problem rather than a writing one.
What it looks like when it's wobbly
One giant block of text with no breaks, or three paragraphs that all say the same thing.
⏱️ Two-minute check
"Write about your favourite place — an opening, two middle paragraphs and an ending."
Solid looks like: Four visible paragraphs, each with its own point.
The full activity for this topic · 20 minutes
Plan on Four Sticky Notes
- 1One sticky note per paragraph: hook, point one, point two, ending.
- 2They write only three or four words on each note. Planning must be faster than writing or they won't do it.
- 3Arrange the notes in order and move them around until it flows.
- 4Write one paragraph per note, checking back that they stayed on that note's point.
- 5Read it aloud and check each paragraph is genuinely about a different thing.
If it's too hard
Three notes: beginning, middle, end.
If it's too easy
Add a paragraph that addresses the opposite view.
Say this
"New idea, new paragraph. What's this paragraph's one job?"