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You Do · Students practice on their own

Analytical Paragraph

An Analytical Paragraph asks for a claim developed with evidence and reasoning in connected prose, rather than in the boxes of an organizer. TeacherHero writes it for the You Do phase, and generates the success criteria alongside it so the bar is visible to the student before they start.

Write a claim-evidence-reasoning paragraph.

Real generated output

You Do: Independent Body Paragraph—Promises Under Pressure

The You Do phase of a Grade 6 ELA lesson, as TeacherHero generated it. Planned for 14 minutes.

  1. The prompt

    Write one body paragraph answering: How does Ada’s obligation to her brother shape the way she acts when fear and danger press on her? Use one exact quotation from the fresh evidence window. Explain how the quotation proves your claim and what Ada’s choice suggests about how people find courage. Use at least two of these words accurately in your thinking: resolve, obligation, falter, conceal.

  2. Directions

    • Read the fresh evidence window and mark the words that show Ada’s promises, conflict, or pressure from the setting.
    • Plan a focused claim, brief context, one exact quotation, and an explanation of how the quotation proves the claim.
    • Write independently. Do not reuse a quotation that was used in the earlier model, guided practice, or partner task.
    • Write one connected paragraph of about five to seven sentences. Include quotation marks around the exact evidence.
    • Use at least two vocabulary words—resolve, obligation, falter, or conceal—to analyze Ada’s choice, not merely to define the words.
    • Use the checklist during the final two minutes. Submit the planning notes and paragraph together.

  3. While you monitor

    • At about two minutes, check that each student has identified the two promises or the conflict in the fresh evidence window.
    • At about five minutes, scan planning notes for a claim, a selected quotation, and a reasoning idea. If the quotation is inaccurate, direct the student to compare it word by word with the evidence window.
    • At about nine minutes, listen for explanations that connect the quotation to Ada’s obligation and choice rather than repeating the quotation. Give task-level feedback naming the missing connection and the next move.
    • During the checklist, collect evidence of independent transfer: a new quotation, a complete explanation, and accurate use of at least two vocabulary words.

  4. Success criteria

    • The paragraph states a focused claim about how Ada acts when afraid.
    • The paragraph gives brief context and includes one exact quotation from the fresh evidence window.
    • The explanation shows how Ada’s obligation and the pressure around her influence her action.
    • The paragraph connects Ada’s choice to the broader idea of finding courage when afraid.
    • At least two lesson vocabulary words are used accurately in the analysis.

  5. Student checklist

    • I made a claim about Ada’s action and courage, not just a plot summary.
    • I included brief context before my quotation.
    • I copied one quotation exactly and used quotation marks.
    • I explained why the quotation proves my claim.
    • I connected obligation, fear or danger, and Ada’s choice.
    • I used at least two of the four vocabulary words accurately.
    • I wrote one connected paragraph and did not reuse an earlier class quotation.

  6. If a student is stuck

    Quietly ask the student to identify Ada’s two promises and the danger created by the setting. Have the student underline one exact phrase in the evidence window that shows a promise or conflict. If needed, offer the choice between the two complete sentences in the evidence window as quotation candidates, but require the student to write the claim and reasoning independently.

  7. For early finishers

    Add one sentence that clarifies how Ada’s courage differs from having no fear. Use falter or conceal accurately in that sentence and revise any vague wording in the paragraph.

Why the coach chose it here — An analytical paragraph is the best fit because the Day 4 learning target requires students to state a claim, quote evidence, and explain how the evidence proves the claim. The warm-up, model, guided practice, and partner critique have already established the paragraph structure, so this 14-minute phase should provide a fresh independent transfer rather than another collaborative rehearsal. The worksheet moves students from a new evidence window to a brief plan and then to a body paragraph that can become part of the unit’s written argument. This strategy uses elaboration by requiring students to explain the relationship among Ada’s obligation, fear, action, and courage rather than merely selecting a quotation.

Frequently asked questions

How is this different from a CER response?

Mostly in form. CER names its three parts and students assemble them as labelled moves; an analytical paragraph asks for the same reasoning as connected prose, where the transitions do the work the labels were doing. The second is harder and usually comes later.

What do students see before they write?

The prompt and the success criteria, on the worksheet the phase produces. TeacherHero generates the criteria from the lesson's learning target, so what the paragraph is judged on is the thing the whole lesson has been building toward rather than general writing quality.

What tells you a class is not ready for it?

The monitoring notes generated with the task — what to look for while students write, and the support to offer a student who is stuck. They are written for that lesson rather than as generic advice, and the example on this page carries them as the model produced them.

Strategies that pair with it

Analysis Chart

You Do · Organize evidence, examples, or steps in an analysis chart.

See the example

Claim-Evidence-Reasoning

You Do · Construct an independent claim supported by evidence and reasoning.

See the example

Constructed Response

You Do · Answer a target-aligned question independently.

See the example

Vocabulary Application

You Do · Use key vocabulary accurately in a new context.

See the example
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