This lesson could also be modified to include a physical aspect, the constructing of a sentence could
include the construction of a lego building. Certain elements of a sentence could coordinate with certain
building elements. The students could write words on the lego and construct their sentence in a physical
form.
This links into a more play-based approach however the childs handwriting and sentence construction is
M Jaeger (2015)
Written Language Tools
Paragraph Writing - The Hamburger
Lesson Title
A Good Hamburger
Key Learning Area
Literacy planning, drafting and creating texts
Year Levels
3 6 (for ongoing use)
Australian Curriculum Links
Literacy: Creating Texts
Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts containing key information and supporting details
for wide range of audiences. Demonstrate control over text structures, language features. (Y3: ACELY1892)(Y4:
ACELY1694)(Y5: ACELY1704)(Y6: ACELY1712)
Reread and edit texts for meaning, appropriate structure, grammatical choices and punctuation (Y3: ACELY1683)(Y4:
ACELY1691)(Y5: ACELY1705)(Y6: ACELY1715)
Language: Text structure and organisation
Investigate how vocabulary choices, including evaluative language can express shades of meaning, feeling and
opinion (Y3: ACELA1482)(Y4: ACELA1498)(Y5: ACELA1512)(Y6: ACELA1525)
To make more
interactive,
use individual
iPads instead
of the
powerpoint
presentation.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson students will
Develop a comprehensive paragraph using the
hamburger model
Proof-read and edit their work for structural errors
Cross / Broad Curriculum Links
Literacy: Speaking, listening, interacting. Interpreting,
analysing and evaluating.
Critical and creative thinking
Personal and social capability: communicating effectively
Resources
Hamburger Model PowerPoint
Hamburger Handout (1 per student)
Students Writing books
Paragraph checklist (1 per student)
Assessment
Provide ongoing, informal feedback to students as they work
Teacher provides individuals with written feedback after
phase one of the lesson
Self-Assessment: Students use checklist to analyse the
attributes of their paragraph
Lesson Steps
Lesson Introduction/engagement:
Discuss previous writing tasks (if relevant and recent). Teacher may even share a student example of a paragraph (if
applicable)
Ask students to share their understanding of what is a paragraph?
Teacher reads a paragraph from a current class book or novel
Dont discuss until after PowerPoint presentation
Key Learning Activities
Explicit Instruction: Teacher explains that a paragraph is a section of writing that deals with one particular theme. It is free
standing (beginning on a new line). A paragraph is structured. This structure can be likened to a hamburger.
View the Hamburger Model PowerPoint as a class
Discuss the elements of a hamburger as listed on the last slide
Model a good paragraph (topic sentence ideas are listed below)
Ask students to contribute, using juicy and colourful words
I witnessed an accident this morning.
Breakfast is the most delicious meal of the day.
Working as a zookeeper is awful.
Buying new technology is satisfying
Students use the hamburger template handout to create their own hamburger paragraph. Explain to students that the annotated
model is like a draft allowing students to think critically about content. Students will then write their paragraph in full.
Follow on lesson: Students will read and edit their paragraphs and answer the questions on the paragraph checklist. Encourage
students to be critical of their work in order to improve. Students re-write their paragraphs. Share with the class at an opportune
time.
Allow students to share main ideas with classmates. Summarise. Allow students to discuss and contribute to each others work.
Learning may need to be completed for homework or tomorrows literacy lesson.
Preparation is a
student doesnt
know what a
hamburger is.
Using other
layered example
(Shrek-onions,
tacos)
Instead of a
handout, use
individual iPad
apps and
students can
create their
hamburger
sentence
