What is a PEEC Paragraph

1. What is a PEEC Paragraph • A paragraph that includes your • Point • Evidence link that explains the situation • Evidence from the text (a quotation, not always dialogue) • Your personal Commentary • It helps your writing by strengthening your argument • It helps your reading skills by encouraging you to see an author’s point and how he/she make the point

2. You Try • In the excerpt, read through it once to understand what is happening in the story. Identify words you do not know and make sure you understand the characters and the events • On a T-chart, mark the first side of the chart (left) with the ideas the author presents. Mark this in red as it will be your point. There can be multiple ideas or ideas can be worded in different ways (EX from Lyddie: courage)

3. Choose one idea to write your PEEC Paragraph on. With your GREEN pencil/pen/marker, go back into the excerpt and underline sentences or phrases that deal with your point. Most of the time, the author will not use the word that you put on your chart. You want to look at what is happening, how characters behave, what characters feel, do, or say that shows the reader this excerpt will be about the subject • In Blue, write in the margin the 4 Ws: who, what, when, and where.

4. Your Paragraph in COMPLETE SENTENCES!!! • In Red, write what the point is you are making. • In Blue, introduce the situation to the reader. Assume that the reader has not read this section. • In Green, write the quotation. • In Black, write your commentary, making the point thematic.

5. Even though Lyddie is a child, she proves that she can be courageous even though she is not yet an adult. When a bear enters their small cottage, her mother “wimpers”, but Lyddie ignores how scared she is when she jumps into action by commanding everyone to get to safety up the ladder. Lyddie’s orders are followed by her siblings and “even Mama.” Bravery knows no age and can be found in the young and old. This last summer, a child the age of 5 watched his mother suddenly go into convulsions. Instead of crying or feeling helpless, this child acted like a mature, brave adult and immediately called 911 resulting in his mother being saved. Both Lyddie and this boy proved that courage can be found in the young.

6. Now do your own paragraph • Choose the topic you want to write about. Find your evidence. Make sure your blue sections explains the situation of who, what, when, where to the reader. • You may use the same topic or the same quotation as the example, BUT ALL THE WORDS THAT YOU WRITE MUST BE ORIGINAL.