Essay Organization and Structure Activity (Reverse Mapping)

Directions:

1. Cut the essay into individual pieces (page 6). Each individual sentence will stand alone.

2. Give the students the mixed up sentence strips.

3. Students (alone or in a small group) will attempt to place the sentence strips in order. They will be organizing their essay into 5 different paragraphs (Introduction, Body 1, Body 2, Body 3, and Closing) (Hint: Have students categorize the sentences by detail topic)

4. Review and discuss (Answers my vary slightly, use teacher digression)

The Purpose:

Students are working to put the essay sentences into the correct order. This reverse mapping activity will help students practice essay organization and structure. Students are working backwards. They are not producing the writing, rather taking a completed essay to organize it in a way that makes sense to the reader.

Includes:

Directions

The Purpose/Rational

Essay Structure Outline

The Essay (High interest text about baseball)

The Essay Breakdown

Sentence Strips