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Title - Essay Conclusions: A Kinesthetic Approach
By - Marcy Winograd
Primary Subject - Language Arts
Secondary Subjects - Language Arts
Grade Level - 5-8
Standard: Students will write logical and coherent essays.
Goal: Students will understand the essential elements of a conclusion.
Objective: Students will identify the elements of a strong conclusion and write conclusions for essays that need them.
Materials: Sample essays with and without conclusions.
Lead-in: The teacher stands in front of the class with his/her hand on her forehead, as though looking at an approaching subway train. The teacher asks, "What am I doing?" After students comment, the teacher tells them s/he is demonstrating one of the essential elements of a strong conclusion; the writer must look to the future.
Procedure: The teacher uses gestures to explain the four elements of a conclusion. First, s/he uses her hand to reach over her shoulder and pat her back. This represents the need to "touch back" to the main idea of the essay, as stated in the thesis paragraph. Second, s/he puts her hand on her forehead to demonstrate the importance of looking to the future. Third, s/he hits her heart with her fist to signify the importance of going to the heart of the matter; What difference does it all make? Why should the reader care? Finally, s/he pulls her arm back like she is about to let go of a sling shot. This is the "zinger" or final statement that leaves the reader thinking, "Wow!"
After explaining the four conclusion elements, the teacher asks the class to join in and gesture along with her as she shouts, "Touch back; look to the future; go to the heart; end with a zinger."
To add to the fun, the teacher can then invite students to come up in groups of four and time them to see how fast they can touch back, look to the future, go to the heart and end with a zinger.
Once students have acted out the gestures, the teacher can pass out examples of essay conclusions that address all four elements. Students label each part of the conclusion.
Next, the teacher passes out conclusions that are clearly lacking one or more of the elements. Students identify the weaknesses and rewrite the conclusions.
Assessment: Students can be assessed on the conclusions they write or rewrite. The top score on the rubric indicates the conclusion touches back to the main idea or thesis, looks to the future, explains the importance of the issue and ends with a zinger or statement that makes the reader say, "Wow!"
E-Mail Marcy Winograd!
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