Subscribe

4th grade · English Language Arts · Unit 9 of 14

Paragraph Power

Topic sentences and transitions

What your child practices

Choosing topic and concluding sentences, finding the sentence that doesn't belong, using transition words, identifying cause and effect, and putting sentences in order.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) teks student expectation: 4.11(B); 4.12(B) · topic sentences, details and transitions

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. The topic sentence tells what the whole paragraph is about.
  2. Every detail should fit the topic. Take out a sentence that doesn’t belong.
  3. Transitions link ideas: for example (adds one), however (shows a change), as a result (shows an effect).

Example: Maya studied every night, so she did well on the test. What is the effect? The cause is why it happened: she studied. The effect is what happened because of it. Answer: Maya did well on the test.

Paragraph Power in Texas

In the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), this is unit 9 of 14 in 4th grade English Language Arts, after Sound-Alikes and before Grammar Gears.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Texas Education Agency (TEA)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Put the sentences in order to make a paragraph.

    • Then, roll the sticky pine cone in birdseed.
    • Making a pine cone bird feeder is easy.
    • Finally, hang your feeder from a tree branch.
    • First, tie a long string to the top of a pine cone.
    • Next, spread sunflower seed butter all over the pine cone.

  2. Question 2

    Ravi left the gate open. What is a likely EFFECT?

    • The dog could get out of the yard.
    • It would start to rain.
    • The grass would grow faster.
    • Ravi's shoes would come untied.

  3. Question 3

    Which transition word best fills the blank?

    Jay practiced his song every day.

    ___, he still felt nervous before the concert.

    • Next
    • As a result
    • For example
    • However

  4. Question 4

    Which is the best topic sentence for these details?

    Some people like adventure stories full of exciting action.

    Others enjoy funny books that make them laugh out loud.

    Many readers love mysteries that keep them guessing until the end.

    • Readers enjoy many different kinds of books.
    • The library opens at nine o'clock.
    • Mysteries keep readers guessing.
    • Books are made of paper.

  5. Question 5

    Which transition best fills the blank?

    Many animals sleep through most of the winter.

    ___, groundhogs hibernate in underground burrows.

    • For example
    • Finally
    • However
    • As a result

  6. Question 6

    Which is the best concluding sentence for this paragraph?

    Bats are amazing animals.

    Many bats eat huge numbers of insects each night.

    Some bats help spread seeds and pollinate flowers.

    • Clearly, bats are important to the world around us.
    • First, bats eat insects.
    • Bats sleep hanging upside down.
    • Owls also fly at night.

More 4th grade