Choosing the best topic sentence

Writing & Editing

CCSS W.6.2.ACCSS W.6.1.AEngland: KS3 Writing (paragraphing)England: GCSE English Language Paper 2 Q5

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Choosing the best topic sentence.

I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
I can explain each step and say why it works.
I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Main idea and supporting details

Leads to: Choosing the detail that best supports a point

Materials: A model text, Planning frame, Checklists for editing, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 6 min

Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Main idea and supporting details). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

Dolphins are very smart. They can learn tricks, solve puzzles and recognise themselves in a mirror. They also talk to each other with clicks and whistles. What is the main idea? (Dolphins live in the sea. / Dolphins like mirrors. / Dolphins are intelligent animals. / Dolphins whistle.) → Dolphins are intelligent animals.Prompt: What is the WHOLE text mostly about, not just one part?
Spiders are not insects. Insects have six legs, but spiders have eight. Insects have three body parts, while spiders have two. Most insects have wings; spiders never do. What is the main idea? (Spiders are different from insects in several ways. / Spiders have eight legs. / Insects can fly. / Spiders are scary.) → Spiders are different from insects in several ways.Prompt: What is the WHOLE text mostly about, not just one part?
Recycling helps our planet. When we recycle paper, fewer trees are cut down. Recycling cans saves energy. It also means less rubbish goes into the ground. What is the main idea? (Cans are made of metal. / Paper comes from trees. / Recycling helps the planet in many ways. / Rubbish is smelly.) → Recycling helps the planet in many ways.Prompt: What is the WHOLE text mostly about, not just one part?

Hook · 6 min

Show two openings to the same piece of writing and ask which makes them want to read on.
Share the objective: Choosing the best topic sentence. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 12 min

Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
Example: ___ Walking or cycling saves money, keeps you fit and reduces traffic outside the school gates. Which topic sentence best opens this paragraph?
Step 1: A topic sentence states the main point of a paragraph, and every other sentence supports it.
Step 2: So the answer is: There are good reasons to walk or cycle to school.
Answer: There are good reasons to walk or cycle to school.
Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 12 min

Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.

___ Octopuses can open jars, escape from tanks and even recognise individual people. Which topic sentence best opens this paragraph? (Jars can be hard to open. / Octopuses have eight arms. / The sea is very deep. / Octopuses are among the cleverest animals in the sea.) → Octopuses are among the cleverest animals in the sea.Prompt: Read the supporting sentences first. What do they ALL have in common?
Topic sentence: "The school should open a games club at lunchtime." Which sentence does NOT belong in this paragraph? (Board games build problem-solving skills. / Chess was probably invented in India. / Several teachers have already offered to help. / It would give quieter students somewhere to go.) → Chess was probably invented in India.Prompt: Reread the topic sentence. What is the paragraph promising to discuss?

You do: independent practice · 17 min

Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 7 min

Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.

Topic sentence: "Video calls helped many families stay close while living far apart." Which sentence does NOT belong in this paragraph? (The first telephone call was made in 1876. / Grandparents could see grandchildren every week. / Cousins in different countries played games together online. / Families shared birthdays on screen.) → The first telephone call was made in 1876.Prompt: Reread the topic sentence. What is the paragraph promising to discuss?
___ Walking or cycling saves money, keeps you fit and reduces traffic outside the school gates. Which topic sentence best opens this paragraph? (Bicycles have two wheels. / Traffic is sometimes heavy. / Some people live far away. / There are good reasons to walk or cycle to school.) → There are good reasons to walk or cycle to school.Prompt: Read the supporting sentences first. What do they ALL have in common?

Watch out for

Writing everything at once without planning.
Editing only spelling and not whether the writing makes sense.

Support and stretch

Support

Review first: Main idea and supporting details.
Use concrete materials: a model text.
Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

Move on to: Choosing the detail that best supports a point.
Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-6.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Choosing the best topic sentence

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Date

Score/ 8

The Phone-Free Lunch Experiment

For one month, students at Brookfield School tried something unusual: no phones at lunch. Phones stayed in lockers from twelve until one, and the dining hall filled with board games, sketchbooks and a lot more noise. The idea came from the student council. In a survey, 61 per cent of students said they spent most of lunch looking at a screen, and many said they wanted a break but found it hard to stop on their own. At first, not everyone was happy. "I thought it was a punishment," admitted Jaden, 12. "But after a week I'd learned to play chess, and now I actually look forward to lunch." Teachers noticed changes too. Ms Ortega, who supervises the hall, said there were fewer arguments and more students sitting in mixed groups. However, some students said they missed messaging family members during the day. The council will now vote on whether to keep the rule. One suggestion is a compromise: phone-free Mondays to Thursdays, with Fridays left free.

1
Question 1
Read "The Phone-Free Lunch Experiment". Why does the writer include the sentence beginning 'However' in paragraph 4?
- A. to tell a joke
- B. to prove the rule was a total success
- C. to show a drawback of the rule, giving a balanced report
- D. to introduce a new topic

2
Question 2
___ Many apps use bright notifications, endless scrolling and rewards to keep users coming back. Which topic sentence best opens this paragraph?
- A. Phones have screens.
- B. Notifications can be turned off in settings.
- C. Scrolling is a word for moving down a page.
- D. Many apps are deliberately designed to hold our attention.
3
Question 3
Topic sentence: "The school should open a games club at lunchtime." Which sentence does NOT belong in this paragraph?
- A. Chess was probably invented in India.
- B. It would give quieter students somewhere to go.
- C. Board games build problem-solving skills.
- D. Several teachers have already offered to help.
4
Question 4
___ Octopuses can open jars, escape from tanks and even recognise individual people. Which topic sentence best opens this paragraph?
- A. The sea is very deep.
- B. Jars can be hard to open.
- C. Octopuses have eight arms.
- D. Octopuses are among the cleverest animals in the sea.
5
Question 5
Topic sentence: "Recycling at home is easier than many families think." Which sentence does NOT belong in this paragraph?
- A. Plastic was first invented in the 1800s.
- B. Rinsing containers takes only a few seconds.
- C. Most councils collect sorted recycling every week.
- D. A labelled box by the bin makes sorting quick.
6
Question 6
___ They give us oxygen, provide homes for wildlife and cool cities on hot days. Some even help prevent floods by soaking up rainwater. Which topic sentence best opens this paragraph?
- A. Some trees are very tall.
- B. Floods can be dangerous.
- C. Trees do far more for us than most people realise.
- D. My favourite tree is in the park.
7
Question 7
___ First, choose a quiet space. Next, set a timer for twenty-five minutes. Finally, take a short break before starting again. Which topic sentence best opens this paragraph?
- A. A few simple steps can make homework time far more productive.
- B. Timers are useful in kitchens.
- C. Homework is set by teachers.
- D. I don't like homework.
8
Question 8
Topic sentence: "Bees are vital to our food supply." Which sentence does NOT belong in this paragraph?
- A. Some people are frightened of wasps.
- B. Bees pollinate many fruit and vegetable crops.
- C. Without pollination, harvests of apples and almonds would fall sharply.
- D. Farmers sometimes rent hives to help their crops.

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Answer key: Choosing the best topic sentence

1. C. to show a drawback of the rule, giving a balanced report
2. D. Many apps are deliberately designed to hold our attention.
3. A. Chess was probably invented in India.
4. D. Octopuses are among the cleverest animals in the sea.
5. A. Plastic was first invented in the 1800s.
6. C. Trees do far more for us than most people realise.
7. A. A few simple steps can make homework time far more productive.
8. A. Some people are frightened of wasps.