Writing a paragraph is like an onion-it has layers.

1. Writing a paragraph is like an onion-it has layers.

2. Every paragraph needs a main idea. Once you have the main idea, you can “build” the rest of your paragraph off of this main idea. Main Idea – Children need to learn healthy behaviors to prevent disease in adulthood.

3. Main Idea – Children need to learn healthy behaviors to prevent disease in adulthood. Now that you have clearly stated the main idea, you need to explain what you mean in a different way. You have to be sure the reader understands you. If we can teach our children how to care for themselves now, they will be healthier when they age.

4. Main Idea – Children need to learn healthy behaviors to prevent disease in adulthood. If we can teach our children how to care for themselves now, they will be healthier when they age. There are lots of healthy behaviors that children need to learn: • exercise • eat healthy foods • get lots of sleep • drink plenty of water • stretch muscles The trick is to choose one, maybe two of these ideas only. If you write about all of them in one paragraph, you will end up with a list.

5. Children need to learn healthy behaviors to prevent disease in adulthood. If we can teach our children how to care for themselves now, they will be healthier when they age. Next, you will need to include a specific detail. We can prevent many illnesses that come with obesity if we teach children how to eat healthy foods. And, of course, you will need to explain your detail. Healthy foods are high in nutrients and low in fat, salt, and calories.

6. Children need to learn healthy behaviors to prevent disease in adulthood. If we can teach our children how to care for themselves now, they will be healthier when they age. We can prevent many illnesses that come with obesity if we teach children how to eat healthy foods. Healthy foods are high in nutrients and low in fat, salt, and calories. We are not done yet! Now we need an example that proves what we are saying. Studies show that children who eat carrots or apple slices instead of French fries have lower body weight.

7. Children need to learn healthy behaviors to prevent disease in adulthood. If we can teach our children how to care for themselves now, they will be healthier when they age. We can prevent many illnesses that come with obesity if we teach children how to eat healthy foods. Healthy foods are high in nutrients and low in fat, salt, and calories. Studies show that children who eat carrots or apple slices instead of French fries have lower body weight. Now we need to connect the example to the main idea. Having a lower body weight will reduce the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure. This will result in a healthier life.

8. Children need to learn healthy behaviors to prevent disease in adulthood. If we can teach our children how to care for themselves now, they will be healthier when they age. We can prevent many illnesses that come with obesity if we teach children how to eat healthy foods. Healthy foods are high in nutrients and low in fat, salt, and calories. Studies show that children who eat carrots or apple slices instead of French fries have lower body weight. Having a lower body weight will reduce the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure. This will result in a healthier life. All that is left is the conclusion statement. Be sure it connects to your main idea. We owe it to our kids to help them understand the importance of eating right so they may live a long and healthy life.

9. Let’s Review Start with a clearly stated main idea. Children need to learn healthy behaviors to prevent disease in adulthood. If we can teach our children how to care for themselves now, they will be healthier when they age. We can prevent many illnesses that come with obesity if we teach children how to eat healthy foods. Healthy foods are high in nutrients and low in fat, salt, and calories. Studies show that children who eat carrots or apple slices instead of French fries have lower body weight. Having a lower body weight will reduce the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure. This will result in a healthier life. We owe it to our kids to help them understand the importance of eating right so they may live a long and healthy life.

10. Let’s Review Explain your main idea in a different way. Children need to learn healthy behaviors to prevent disease in adulthood. If we can teach our children how to care for themselves now, they will be healthier when they age. We can prevent many illnesses that come with obesity if we teach children how to eat healthy foods. Healthy foods are high in nutrients and low in fat, salt, and calories. Studies show that children who eat carrots or apple slices instead of French fries have lower body weight. Having a lower body weight will reduce the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure. This will result in a healthier life. We owe it to our kids to help them understand the importance of eating right so they may live a long and healthy life.

11. Let’s Review Children need to learn healthy behaviors to prevent disease in adulthood. If we can teach our children how to care for themselves now, they will be healthier when they age. We can prevent many illnesses that come with obesity if we teach children how to eat healthy foods. Healthy foods are high in nutrients and low in fat, salt, and calories. Studies show that children who eat carrots or apple slices instead of French fries have lower body weight. Having a lower body weight will reduce the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure. This will result in a healthier life. We owe it to our kids to help them understand the importance of eating right so they may live a long and healthy life. Include a detail that relates to the main idea.

12. Let’s Review Children need to learn healthy behaviors to prevent disease in adulthood. If we can teach our children how to care for themselves now, they will be healthier when they age. We can prevent many illnesses that come with obesity if we teach children how to eat healthy foods. Healthy foods are high in nutrients and low in fat, salt, and calories. Studies show that children who eat carrots or apple slices instead of French fries have lower body weight. Having a lower body weight will reduce the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure. This will result in a healthier life. We owe it to our kids to help them understand the importance of eating right so they may live a long and healthy life. Explain your detail to be sure your reader understands your meaning.

13. Let’s Review Children need to learn healthy behaviors to prevent disease in adulthood. If we can teach our children how to care for themselves now, they will be healthier when they age. We can prevent many illnesses that come with obesity if we teach children how to eat healthy foods. Healthy foods are high in nutrients and low in fat, salt, and calories. Studies show that children who eat carrots or apple slices instead of French fries have lower body weight. Having a lower body weight will reduce the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure. This will result in a healthier life. We owe it to our kids to help them understand the importance of eating right so they may live a long and healthy life. Write an example that proves your detail fits with the main idea.

14. Let’s Review Children need to learn healthy behaviors to prevent disease in adulthood. If we can teach our children how to care for themselves now, they will be healthier when they age. We can prevent many illnesses that come with obesity if we teach children how to eat healthy foods. Healthy foods are high in nutrients and low in fat, salt, and calories. Studies show that children who eat carrots or apple slices instead of French fries have lower body weight. Having a lower body weight will reduce the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure. This will result in a healthier life. We owe it to our kids to help them understand the importance of eating right so they may live a long and healthy life. Connect your example to the main idea so the reader understands why you put it in.

15. Let’s Review Children need to learn healthy behaviors to prevent disease in adulthood. If we can teach our children how to care for themselves now, they will be healthier when they age. We can prevent many illnesses that come with obesity if we teach children how to eat healthy foods. Healthy foods are high in nutrients and low in fat, salt, and calories. Studies show that children who eat carrots or apple slices instead of French fries have lower body weight. Having a lower body weight will reduce the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure. This will result in a healthier life. We owe it to our kids to help them understand the importance of eating right so they may live a long and healthy life. Add a conclusion statement that reminds the reader of the main idea. It should be creative and leave the reader thinking.

16. Remember the onion! Think your way through the layers. Take your time to build each paragraph.