Fourth Grade · Writing · week 14

Drafting Body Paragraphs From Your Outline

Draft body paragraphs from the outline, turning each heading into a topic sentence followed by supporting facts in complete sentences.

Each heading in your outline becomes one body paragraph. Start the paragraph with a TOPIC SENTENCE that names the subtopic, then turn your note-card facts into full sentences underneath it, in your own words.

You already have the facts -- now you are turning short notes into smooth, connected sentences a reader can follow, one paragraph per heading.

📋 For the teacher
Teach it (10–15 min):
  • Cover one heading at a time -- drafting all body paragraphs in one sitting is a lot; a paragraph or two a day is plenty.
  • Have your child read each note card aloud and say the fact "like they are telling a friend" before writing the full sentence version.
  • Check that every paragraph's topic sentence actually matches the facts that follow it.
  • Do not worry about a perfect introduction or conclusion yet -- those come in a future lesson.
Talk about it:
  • Which body paragraph was easiest to draft? Which was hardest?
  • How did turning a note card into a full sentence change the fact?
  • Does each paragraph's topic sentence match the facts underneath it?

Mastery looks like: They draft a body paragraph for each outline heading, each with a clear topic sentence and supporting facts in full sentences.

Common stumbles: Listing facts as a choppy string of short sentences instead of connecting them smoothly under one clear topic sentence.

See it visually

Interactive, spoken-aloud tools that show this idea in motion.

Paragraph BuilderStack a paragraph: topic sentence, details, closing.try →Essay & Thesis PlannerShape a thesis and outline an intro, body, and conclusion.try →Sentence BuilderDrag word tiles into a real sentence, with a capital and end mark.try →
Homework for this lessonType it, write it with a stylus, or print it for pencil & paper.open →
Records attendance + 15 min of Writing for this learner.
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