Vary the Lengths of

Paragraphs
Tool # 19
 Warm Up
Directions: You are working silently and independently to
answer the following questions.
1. How many sentences should a paragraph have?
2. Using that same number of sentences you wrote
above, write a paragraph beginning with the phrase
below.
Five years from now, I will be.
 Guided Notes: Varying Paragraph
Length
In the words of British grammarian Brian Fowler,
The paragraph is essentially a unit of thought, not
of length.
The length of yourpurpose
paragraph doesnt matter. What
convey
matters is the authors ______________ and their ability to
effectively _______________ their thoughts to you.
arguments
events
Longer paragraphs are used to present
ideas
___________________, explain ________________________ and
develop _________________.
drama
Shorter suspense
paragraphs are used to create
______________________ and ____________________.
Compelling Paragraphs in Action
Read the following passage silently and independently. When you are done, put your eyes
on me.
They did not know their lives would
depend on a simple tool.

After 10 minutes, a live voice What do you notice about the

delivered a blunt message over the length of the first and third
intercom. There had been an paragraph?
explosion. Then the intercom went
silent. Smoke seeped into the
elevator cabin. One man cursed
skyscrapers. Mr. Phoenix, the tallest, Why do you think Dwyers
a Port Authority engineer, poked for purpose was for making the
a ceiling hatch. Others pried apart first and third paragraph
the car doors, propping them open short?
with the long wooden handle of Mr.
Demczurs squeegee.

There was no exit.

Jim Dwyer, New York Times
 Think Pair - Share
Directions: Take 30 seconds to think about the following question. When
you have an answer, turn and talk to the person sitting next to you to
discuss your answers to the question below. We will share out as a group
in two minutes.

Read the excerpt from Dwyers article one

more time. Do you think the second
paragraph could logically be split into
smaller paragraphs?
Exit Ticket: Change the power of your
paragraph.
Look back at the paragraph you wrote at the
beginning of the lesson. Could you break that
paragraph up into two paragraphs? Try it now.