Writing a five paragraph essay can seem intimidating for a child,
but The BING, BANG,
BONGO Method uses colors to help children see the separation of
the paragraphs and makes that differentiation easier. This FUN method of teaching
essay writing breaks up a very overwhelming concept and teaches children the
step-by-step process of essay writing.
For the past twenty years
while teaching writing, I have first set the stage for writing a paragraph by
using these three approaches: hamburger method, story flower, and
the paragraph train.
When my child or student
was ready developmentally for writing essays, I transitioned to expanding the
concept of writing five sentences to five paragraphs. I first begin by sharing
this powerpoint about The BING, BANG, BONGO Method.
Next, I model writing a
five paragraph essay together with my child using the first printable in this packet. For the following writing session, I have the child gather three of his favorite belongings. (These have been a toy, stuffed animal, Bible, a
sentimental item from a relative, a special photograph, etc.) The child will use those as props for his
first essay, which will be titled, "My Favorite Possessions." I will
sit next to him coaching him in writing the essay using the first printable.
For several weeks, I will
continue using the first printable as a visual tool while I sit next to the
child and help guide him through the process. When the child becomes more
independent, I will use the second printable in this packet (printed on
cardstock) as a reference sheet. The child will write his essay on notebook
paper underlining the words and sentences that correspond with the reference
sheet.
As the pattern
of writing a five paragraph essay is better understood and becomes a habit
(usually after a few months), I will use the third printable in this packet (printed on
cardstock) as a reference sheet and the child will continue writing his essay
on notebook paper but this time using no colors. This whole process can
take an entire school year but lays the groundwork for all future essays. If
you take your time and allow your child to move ahead at his own pace and
become comfortable with writing essays in this format, you will be very
thankful later. You can download the forms for free HERE.
I continued using the same
outline on the third printable in this packet until my oldest son graduated
high school. I never purchased a writing curriculum while homeschooling him. He
just worked on this format and perfected it as much as possible using strong verbs,
transitions, and lots of details. He would also extend this format to a five page research paper (instead of five paragraphs). The first time he took the SAT test, he received a perfect score on his essay
portion. ☺
I hope you enjoy this method as much as I have!
