Four Square Essay Food

Four-Square Organization

Mack Gipson, Jr. Tutorial and Enrichment

Center

Gayla S. Keesee, Education Specialist

rev. 9/2006

What is your favorite food?

Essay prompt

Writing Process

Thesis Statements Using Concrete, Sensory

Details Sensory Detail Chart Showing vs. Telling Developing an Introduction Strategies for Writing a

Conclusion Sample Introductions &

Conclusions Transition Words Dead Word List

Thesis Statement

Thesis sentence (3 elements)

1.Topic • What the essay is about

2.Controlling idea • Must be provable

Hawaii is the best vacation spot.Dress codes should be banned.

3.May also reference the three supporting details

Patterns of Organization

Chronological Order Narrative (story/incident) Process (step-by-step)

Description Illustration (examples) Order of Importance Comparison/Contrast

Block Point by Point

Cause/Effect Spatial Classification Definition

Transition words and expressions help connect ideas within and between

paragraphs. They do this by showing relationships, such as addition or contrast or

result

Teacher: Your paper doesn’t show a smooth flow of thoughts. You need to add transitions between ideas and paragraphs.

Student: I have no idea what a transition is. What are some words that I can use to make my paper flow?

Body Paragraphs From Broad to Specific

Level 1: Topic Sentence Controlling sentence

names and controls the topic

Level 2: Clarifying Sentences Help make the topic

clearer—explain how support topic sent.

Level 3: Completing sentences Add specific

details/examples to complete the picture

Animal (essay level)

Dogs

Poodles

Fifi

Paint a picture with words

Paint a picture with words

Introductions

Catch reader’s attention Broad to specific Ask a question Quotation Anecdote/incident Background information

Conclusions

Provide closure Summarize main points Call to action Look to the future

Fold your paper into four squares.

Darken in the lines.

To begin…

Write your basic thesis statement above the line in the middle to remind you of what you will be proving.

My favorite food is spaghetti and meatballs.

Now we have to answer the question—Why?

Provide reasons, examples, incidents, facts/statistics to support our thesis.

Reasons why people choose foods

TASTE texture, ingredients, sweet, sour, spicy

APPEARANCE how the food looks, smells, presentation

MEMORIES & TRADITIONS Holidays, special occasions, ethnic foods

COST cheap fast foods, budget constraints

CONVENIENCE food is ready to eat, available

EASY TO FIX Few ingredients, simple recipe

HABIT food is familiar and safe, know what to

expect PEER PRESSURE

Advertising, friend’s favorite

easy to fix

fun to eat

delicious

Basic Thesis Statement (because) + the three reasons, examples, facts, or incidents in Box 1 of each section

My favorite food is spaghetti and meatballs because (1) it’s fun to eat, (2) it’s easy to fix, and (3) it’s delicious.

My favorite food is spaghetti and meatballs.

Variety is the spice of life…

Alternative words Favorite

Prefer Nothing better Crazy about Enjoy Partial to Desire

Food Meal Repast Cuisine Menu Dishes

Fun Entertainment Amusement Pleasure Satisfying

Easy Simple Trouble-free Effortless Uncomplicated

Delicious Tasty Mouth-watering Yummy Appetizing

Thesis statement:My favorite food is

spaghetti and meatballs.

Topic Sentence:My favorite food is

spaghetti and meatballs.

One reason I enjoy spaghetti and meatballs is because it is fun to eat.

Next, there is nothing better than spaghetti and meatballs when I need a quick, simple meal.

Most of all, spaghetti and meatballs is great because it makes a mouth-watering meal.

Finally, spaghetti and meatballs is definitely the best meal.

-Sauce

-Noodles

-Meatballs

-Twirl on my fork

-Slurp it quickly

-Play with Sauce

-Tomatoes

-Seasonings

-Meat

My favorite food is spaghetti and meatballs.

1. Reason, Example, Fact,

or Incident easy to fix

1. Reason, Example, Fact, or Incident

fun to eat

1. Reason, Example, Fact, or

Incident delicious

Now we need to clarify what we mean by each reason.

In other words, why/how is it fun to eat, easy to fix, and delicious.

Paint a picture with words.

Topic Sentence:My favorite food is

spaghetti and meatballs.

One reason I enjoy spaghetti and meatballs is because it is fun to eat. For example, spaghetti and meatballs

makes me feel like a kid because I can twirl it on my fork, slurp it quickly, and play with the sauce.

Next, there is nothing better than spaghetti and meatballs when I need a quick, simple meal. In other words, all I need are three

simple ingredients: canned sauce, frozen meatballs, and noodles.

Most of all, spaghetti and meatballs is great because it makes a mouth-watering meal. Specifically, I enjoy the tomatoes, Italian

seasonings, and hamburger meat.

Finally, I can’t think of any food I’d rather eat than spaghetti and meatballs.

Describe Meal

Providing SupportWhere to start…

Basic Questions Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? Which one? How many? What kind?

• Names (people, movie, restaurant,

rides)• Best friend—Rochelle, Waiting to Exhale• Arby’s, Georgia Cyclone

• Numbers• Three goldfish, 28 ounces, 18 years

• Dates/Times• Last Thursday, July 4, morning, from 8:00-

12:00

• Places• May Park, Clarke Middle School

• Colors• Crimson, burnt sienna, kelly green,

chocolate, toast, peach

• Comparisons• Like a mad dog, golf ball size

• Sensory Details• Wiggle, clammy, murky, boom, clank,

spicy, tangy

• Active Verbs• Looked—glanced, squinted, peeked

Be specificMake comparisons

Add color Sauce

Ragu Chunky Mushroom Chunky vine-ripe tomatoes Crimson explosion

Meatballs Ping pong balls Red golf balls Littered with parmesan

cheese slivers Spaghetti

Mounds of angel hair spaghetti

Twirl on fork Like a ball of yarn Swimming in sauce

-Sauce•Ragu Chunky Mushroom •Just open the jar and pour•28 oz. size – two jars

-Noodles•3 lb. Box—Kroger brand •20 qt stock pot•Boil noodles 7-10 min.

-Meatballs•Hamburger meat•Roll into ping pong balls •Throw into sauce to cook

-Twirl on my fork•Ball of yarn•Twist clockwise•Use a spoon like Italians

-Slurp it quickly•Loud, smacking noises •Sloop up noodles•Noodles slap nose as loop

into mouth-Sauce

•Like finger paint•Meatballs=red golf balls •Crimson explosion

-Tomatoes•Chunky not crushed•Fresh, tangy taste•Ripe, ruby red

-Seasonings•Tingle taste buds•Garlic—add extra•Onions—chunky

-Meat•Can add pork to

hamburger •Add sausage—like a

gumbo •Filling as Thanksgiving

dinnerMy favorite food is spaghetti and meatballs.

1. Reason, Example, Fact, or Incident

easy to fix

1. Reason, Example, Fact, or Incident

fun to eat

1. Reason, Example, Fact, or Incident

delicious

Sauce Ragu Chunky Mushroom Just open the jar and pour 28 oz. size – two jars

Noodles 3 lb. Box—Kroger brand 20 qt stock pot Boil noodles—ready in 7-10 min.

Meatballs Hamburger Roll into ping pong balls Throw into sauce to cook

Came home from work late on Thursday, tired and exhausted…

Reason, Example, Fact, or Incident

easy to fix

Twirl spaghetti on my fork Ball of yarn Twist clockwise Use a spoon like Italians

Slurp it quickly Loud, smacking noises Sloop up noodles Noodles slap nose as loop into

mouth

Sauce Like finger paint Meatballs=red golf balls rolling

on plate Crimson explosion

Last week cooked spaghetti for the family for dinner

Reason, Example, Fact, or Incidentfun to eat

Tomatoes Chunky not crushed Fresh, tangy taste Ripe, ruby red

Seasonings Tingle taste buds Garlic—add extra Onions—chunky

Meat Can add pork to hamburger Add sausage & shrimp—like a

gumbo Filling as Thanksgiving dinner

Comfort food—when I’m feeling down—revel in the tastes

Reason, Example, Fact, or Incident

delicious

Transition Word:Not only but also, Next, Then

Transition Word:First, One reason, Most importantly

Transition Word:Third, Most of all

Transition Word: In summary, Finally

For example

Next, Also

In addition

To illustrate

Such as

Furthermore

In other words

Also

In the end

My favorite food is spaghetti and meatballs.

Connect Paragraphs

Connect ideas within paragraphs

-Twirl on my fork•Ball of yarn•Twist clockwise•Use a spoon like Italians

-Slurp it quickly•Loud, smacking noises •Sloop up noodles•Noodles slap nose as loop

into mouth-Sauce

•Like finger paint•Meatballs=red golf balls •Crimson explosion

My favorite food is spaghetti and meatballs.

1. Reason, Example, Fact, or Incident

fun to eat

Organizational Pattern

Last week cooked spaghetti for family dinner—had fun together (narrative paragraph)

-Sauce•Ragu Chunky Mushroom •Just open the jar and pour•28 oz. size – two jars

-Noodles•3 lb. Box—Kroger brand •20 qt stock pot•Boil noodles 7-10 min.

-Meatballs•Hamburger meat•Roll into ping pong balls •Throw into sauce to cook

My favorite food is spaghetti and meatballs.

1. Reason, Example, Fact, or Incident

easy to fix

Organizational Pattern

Came home from work late last Thursday, tired and exhausted—wanted something easy to fix (process paragraph)

-Tomatoes•Chunky not crushed•Fresh, tangy taste•Ripe, ruby red

-Seasonings•Tingle taste buds•Garlic—add extra•Onions—chunky

-Meat•Can add pork to

hamburger •Add sausage—like a

gumbo •Filling as Thanksgiving

dinnerMy favorite food is spaghetti and meatballs.

1. Reason, Example, Fact, or Incident

delicious

Organizational Pattern

Comfort food when I’m feeling down—revel in the tastes (illustration)