Types of Paragraphs - Make a Magazine Project: Narrative, Descriptive, Persuasive, Compare & Contrast, Cause & Effect, How-To Paragraphs

Types of Paragraphs: Make a Magazine Project: Narrative, Descriptive, Persuasive, Compare & Contrast, Cause & Effect, How-To Paragraphs.

This fun and engaging mini-unit helps teach paragraph writing while keeping students interested because they are creating their very own magazine!

How to Use:

1. Print a hamburger paragraph handout for each student. Review the parts of an effective paragraph: topic sentence, juicy details, and concluding sentence. Then teach your students about the six types of paragraphs they are going to learn how to write: narrative, descriptive, persuasive, compare and contrast, cause and effect, and how-to.

2. Each kind of paragraph will be a different part of the magazine. A persuasive paragraph becomes a letter to the editor. A narrative paragraph will be a personal story. A descriptive paragraph will be a travel article. A compare and contrast paragraph will be a product review. A cause and effect paragraph will be a current events article, and a how-to paragraph will be a home maintenance piece.

3. Use one period of class time to draft each paragraph. Students get a handout with some sample ideas and then come up with their own. They draft a 5-sentence paragraph that will become their "article."

4. After each draft, show students the editing handout, and encourage them to edit their own work or trade with a friend. You can also have students hand in their drafts each day for you to edit as well.

5. Once students have their six edited drafts, they can either type them OR write good copies on the included templates.

6. Put them all together, make a title page, and each student now has their own magazine!

7. Extensions: Early finishers can make a crossword puzzle using an online website, or create their own advertisement for their magazine!

Grades to Use With:

This project is designed for students who are learning how to write effective paragraphs in grades 2-5.

What's Included:

A total of 16 pages in ready-to-print PDF format

Title Page

Hamburger Paragraph Handout

6 Draft Pages

Proofreading Checklist

7 Pages of Templates for Good Copies