Warm-Up for Writing Essays
An essay explores a topic in great detail using multiple paragraphs. This lesson will show you one special way to gather information for your own essay.
What Is an Essay?
You first learn how to write sentences. Then you learn how to write paragraphs. Next, you learn how to write essays. Each new form builds on what you learned before: A group of related sentences forms a paragraph. A group of related paragraphs forms an essay.
An essay gives information about a single topic. The beginning paragraph introduces the topic, the middle paragraphs explain the topic, and the ending paragraph summarizes the main points. Essays explain, describe, or persuade.
In this unit, you will write an essay that explains how a group of third graders answered an interesting question.
Watch the video "Building Essays"
Hide video
Thinking About Polls
Big companies and organizations take polls to find out what people are thinking. For example, when there is an election, voters will be asked who they are going to vote for and why. Asking these questions helps candidates know how they are doing during their campaign.
Consumers are asked what they like such as thin or thick crust on their pizza. Young TV viewers like you may be asked about their favorite shows. Even principals and teachers use polls to ask their students different questions.
Take a poll.
Answer the following questions about different parts of your life in and out of school. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.
- What is your favorite sport?
Why?
- What is your favorite holiday?
Why?
- What is the best book you’ve read in class?
Why?
- What is your favorite fruit?
Why?
Compiling the Results
Asking questions is the first part of taking a poll. The next part is compiling the answers. You can use a collection sheet like this to compile answers.
Review a collection sheet.
Read the results of a poll that asked students to name the best season and to give the main reason for their choice.
Teaching Tip
Point out how the student wrote answers on the numbered lines and reasons below. Demonstrate how the student used hash marks to tally scores after each answer and reason.
Use a collection sheet.
Compile the answers to “What is your favorite sport?” and “Why?” Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.
Teaching Tip
Have students tally the results under your direction. Put a hash mark after the sport for each student’s answer. Do the same to tally each reason. Then count up the numbers. After, ask students what they learned.