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.

Long ago, people did not have fridges. They kept food cold in cellars, packed it in ice, or dried and salted meat so it would last. What is the main idea? (Salt makes food tasty. / Cellars are dark. / Fridges are expensive. / People once used other ways to keep food from spoiling.) → People once used other ways to keep food from spoiling.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. / Recycling helps the planet in many ways. / Rubbish is smelly. / Paper comes from trees.) → Recycling helps the planet in many ways.Prompt: What is the WHOLE text mostly about, not just one part?
Sloths move very slowly. They hang upside down in trees for most of the day. They even sleep and eat upside down. Moving slowly helps them save energy. What is the main idea? (Sloths live slow, upside-down lives in trees. / Trees are tall. / Sloths eat leaves. / Sloths sleep a lot.) → Sloths live slow, upside-down lives in trees.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.

___ Many apps use bright notifications, endless scrolling and rewards to keep users coming back. Which topic sentence best opens this paragraph? (Notifications can be turned off in settings. / Many apps are deliberately designed to hold our attention. / Phones have screens. / Scrolling is a word for moving down a page.) → Many apps are deliberately designed to hold our attention.Prompt: Read the supporting sentences first. What do they ALL have in common?
Topic sentence: "Recycling at home is easier than many families think." Which sentence does NOT belong in this paragraph? (Most councils collect sorted recycling every week. / A labelled box by the bin makes sorting quick. / Rinsing containers takes only a few seconds. / Plastic was first invented in the 1800s.) → Plastic was first invented in the 1800s.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.

___ Volunteers collected 300 kilograms of rubbish, planted wildflowers and built two benches from recycled plastic. Which topic sentence best opens this paragraph? (Last weekend's clean-up transformed the riverside park. / Wildflowers are colourful. / Rubbish is bad. / Benches can be made of wood.) → Last weekend's clean-up transformed the riverside park.Prompt: Read the supporting sentences first. What do they ALL have in common?
Topic sentence: "Sleep is essential for learning." Which sentence does NOT belong in this paragraph? (Some beds are more expensive than others. / During sleep, the brain stores what we learned that day. / Teenagers need around eight to ten hours a night. / Tired students find it harder to concentrate.) → Some beds are more expensive than others.Prompt: Reread the topic sentence. What is the paragraph promising to discuss?

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

Name

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 introduce a new topic
- B. to tell a joke
- C. to show a drawback of the rule, giving a balanced report
- D. to prove the rule was a total success

2
Question 2
___ 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. Trees do far more for us than most people realise.
- B. Floods can be dangerous.
- C. Some trees are very tall.
- D. My favourite tree is in the park.
3
Question 3
Topic sentence: "Video calls helped many families stay close while living far apart." Which sentence does NOT belong in this paragraph?
- A. Cousins in different countries played games together online.
- B. Grandparents could see grandchildren every week.
- C. The first telephone call was made in 1876.
- D. Families shared birthdays on screen.
4
Question 4
___ Some wear school-branded hoodies, others prefer plain jumpers, and a few would happily scrap uniform altogether. Which topic sentence best opens this paragraph?
- A. Hoodies are warm.
- B. Students have very different views about school uniform.
- C. Uniforms come in many colours.
- D. Jumpers can be washed easily.
5
Question 5
Topic sentence: "The school should open a games club at lunchtime." Which sentence does NOT belong in this paragraph?
- A. Several teachers have already offered to help.
- B. Board games build problem-solving skills.
- C. It would give quieter students somewhere to go.
- D. Chess was probably invented in India.
6
Question 6
___ Octopuses can open jars, escape from tanks and even recognise individual people. Which topic sentence best opens this paragraph?
- A. Octopuses are among the cleverest animals in the sea.
- B. Octopuses have eight arms.
- C. The sea is very deep.
- D. Jars can be hard to open.
7
Question 7
Topic sentence: "Recycling at home is easier than many families think." Which sentence does NOT belong in this paragraph?
- A. Rinsing containers takes only a few seconds.
- B. Plastic was first invented in the 1800s.
- C. A labelled box by the bin makes sorting quick.
- D. Most councils collect sorted recycling every week.
8
Question 8
___ Many apps use bright notifications, endless scrolling and rewards to keep users coming back. Which topic sentence best opens this paragraph?
- A. Many apps are deliberately designed to hold our attention.
- B. Scrolling is a word for moving down a page.
- C. Notifications can be turned off in settings.
- D. Phones have screens.

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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. A. Trees do far more for us than most people realise.
3. C. The first telephone call was made in 1876.
4. B. Students have very different views about school uniform.
5. D. Chess was probably invented in India.
6. A. Octopuses are among the cleverest animals in the sea.
7. B. Plastic was first invented in the 1800s.
8. A. Many apps are deliberately designed to hold our attention.