Building Essays:

Building Essays:
Using the Four Square Writing Method

English Language Fellow, Taiwan

 Objectives
Participants will……
• Become familiar with the Four
Square Writing Model.
• Examine examples of the Four
Square Writing Model.
? Create your own essay using
the Four Square Model.
Teaching and Learning
Company
1204 Buchanan St.,
P.O.Box 10
Carthage, IL 62321-
0010
 Introduction
We know different languages have a different
structures for writing.
English
Mandarin
(1) Introduction /Topic:
(1) Introduction/Topic
(2-3/4) Reason
(2) Expand on Topic
 Detail
(3) Compare & Contrast
• Example
(4) Conclusion
 Detail
• Example
 Detail
• Example
(4) Conclusion – Summarize, Re-state Thesis
 Introduction
When we teach math give you formulas
teach science we give you a scientific method
teach reading give you decoding skills

4 Square Method is a way to learn to write.

(for any grade or any subject)
What is the 4 Square Writing Model?

• „Four-Square writing is a method

of teaching basic writing skills
that is applicable across grade
levels and curriculum areas.
Forms of Composition
• Expository
• Narrative
• Descriptive / Opinion
• Persuasive
• Compare & Contrast
 What is the 4 Square Writing Model?
• Prewriting and organizational skills are
taught through the use of a graphic
organizer.
• This visual and kinesthetic aid is employed
to focus writing, to provide detail and to
enhance word choice.
• „The visual organizers help students to
conceptualize, understand, and structure a
piece of written discourse successfully.
 Guidelines
• Four-Square instruction should be done weekly
to bi-weekly.
• „It should be accompanied by other writing
activities. Ex. Journal Writing
• „It is recommended to use the same prompt
repeatedly when introducing the steps because
the familiarity will aid instruction.
• „It is important for students to understand the
relationship of ideas as demonstrated in the four
square format before moving on to paragraphs.
4-Square Primary
Categorizing

Pets
 4-Square Primary
Categorizing with Words

lion zebra
Zoo
monkey elephant
 4-Square Primary
Examples with a Feeling Sentence

lion zebra
Zoo
monkey I like going to the zoo
to see the animals
 4-Square Primary
Using Complete Sentences
Box 2 Box 3
Reason: Reason:
We learn here. We meet friends.
Complete Sentence:
School is a great place.

Box 4 Box 5
Reason: Feeling:
We do experiments. I love school.
 Writing a Paragraph
• Paragraphs are School
several sentences on
the same topic (5 or School is a great place.
more). We learn here. We meet
• Now we will transfer friends. We do experi-
the sentences from ments. I love school.
the four blocks to
lined paper for
paragraph building.
• While class modeling
it is best to teach this.
 Adding More Detail
• To move from a 5 sentence paragraph to an 8
sentence paragraph; go back to the 4 Square.
• Add one additional detail sentence in each box.
• Elaboration: tell more about the topic or tell what is
so great about it.
Reason: We learn here. Reason: We meet friends.
Detail: I like to learn Detail: My best friend is
science. in my class.
Complete Sentence:
School is a great place.

Reason: We do experiments. Feeling Sentence:

Detail: I built a volcano
yesterday. I love school.
 School
School is a great place. I like to
learn science. It is my favorite subject.
We meet many friends here. My best
friend is in my class. Her name is Elsa.
We do many experiments in school.
I built a volcano yesterday. I love school.
 Moving to a Multiple Paragraph Essay
Reason: Learn Reason: Friends
1. Share lunches (ex. diff. food)
1. Read (ex. letter/sounds)
2. Invite over (ex. after studying)
2. Math (ex. numbers/ add) 3. Do homework together
3. Science (ex. world) (ex. have Qs)
School is a great place.

Reason: Play
1. In centers (ex. edu. game)
2. On playground (ex. Recess)
3. Recess (ex. 10 min. break)
School is a great place
because we learn, meet
friends, and play.
 School
School is a great place.

We learn here. We learn letters and sounds for reading. We study numbers
and addition for math. We are also taught about the world around us in science.

We meet many friends at school. I like to share my lunch with my friends, so I

get different foods. I like to invite my friends from school over to my house when
we are done studying. Sometimes, I need to ask my friends how to do the
homework assigned by the teacher.

There are many opportunities to play during school. I can play educational
games during centers. I play with my friends on the playground during recess.
I also play with my friends during our 10 minute breaks between classes.

School is a great place because we learn, meet friends, and play.

 Adding Connecting Words to Provide
Transition Between Ideas
• By now the thesis is
developing into three reasons.
• These reasons should be
different from each other and
therefore necessitate the use
of transitions & connecting
words.
• Connecting words can be
explained as the “little sticking
out part” of the puzzle
Connecting words hold the
different parts of the puzzle
together!!
 Wall Poster

Green Yellow

Yellow Red
Color the border of this wall poster
green.

One reason
First
For example
One example
To begin with
To start with
Color the border of this wall poster yellow.

Second
Third
Another reason
Another example
Also
As well as
Too
In addition
Additionally
Color the border of this wall poster red.

Last
Finally
In conclusion
In summary
In short
So you can see
As one can see
To summarize
Hence
 Adding Connecting Words to Provide Transitions
Between Ideas
First,
Also,
Learn
Friends
1. Read 1. Share lunches
2. Math 2. Invite over
3. Do homework together
3. science
School is a great
place.
In addition,
Play As you can see,
1. In centers School is a great place
2. On playground because we learn, meet
friends, and play.
3. Recess
 School
School is a great place.

First, we learn here. We learn letters and sounds for reading. We study numbers
and addition for math. We are taught about the world around us in science.

Also, we meet many friends at school. I like to share my lunch with my friends, so I
get to try different foods. I like to invite my friends from school over to my house when
we are done studying. Sometimes, I need to ask my friends how to do the homework
assigned by the teacher.

In addition, there are many opportunities to play during school. I can play educational
during centers. I play with my friends on the playground during recess. I also play
with my friends during our 10 minute breaks between classes.

As you can see, school is a great place because we learn, meet friends, and play.
 Expanding the Introduction
Use the Same Graphic Organizer!
• Topic Sentence
(Center of 4 Square & Box 2)
• Prepare your Readers
(Give them a little more information in
boxes ¾)
• Wrap-Up Sentence
(Without connecting word in box 5)
 1. Ultimatum
2.
3.
Question
Proverb
Expanding the Introduction
4. Quote
Hook: Prepares Readers:
For students, this You can expand your mind
environment can be either and socialize with many
a prison or a gateway for new companions.
freedom, however;
School is a great
place.

Prepares Readers:
Ideas are created and
formed as you prepare
for the future.
Wrap-Up Sentence:
School is a great place
because we learn, meet
friends, and play.
 Improving the Concluding Paragraph
• Wrap-Up Sentence with Connecting Word /
Words
• Personal / Reflective Sentence, Question, or
Exclamation

Example:
As you can see, school is a great place
because we learn, meet friends, and play. I will
always cherish the friendships and relationships I
made while learning.
 ALWAYS MODEL!
• When moving from the
information from the 4-Square
to the multiple paragraph essay,
model by:
– The whole class builds a 4-Square.
– Build the story one sentence at a
time
– As the composition is built one
sentence at a time, students copy
it down.
– During this time, the teacher
integrates rules of composition.
 Make Your Own 4-Square Template
Connecting Word: Connecting Word:
_______________________________ ________________________________
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
(4.) (4.)

Connecting Word:
________________________________
Connecting Word:
1.
Wrap-Up Sentence:
2.
_______________________________
3.
________________________________
(4.) ________________________________
. ________________________________
 Different Types of Essays
• Expository-
Usually nouns in boxes 2-4

• Narrative-
Boxes 2-4 are events or verbs

• Descriptive & Persuasive-

Information in boxes 2-4
 Narrative
In the beginning During the commercial
Cat food commercial came My cat got angry
on 1. Arched his back
1. Dancing cats 2. His hair stood up
2. Singing about food 3. Hissed aloud
3. I said “How cute”
The day my pet spoke to me
Who? My cat and I
What? Relaxing
Where? At home
Just then When? In the evening
He spoke to me Why? It had been a long day
1. Called the commercial Since that day
foolish Never spoken again
2. Said the food was gross Stopped buying food
3. Told me never to buy it My cat is not allowed to
again watch TV.
 One evening I was relaxing at home. My cat and I were watching
television. It had been a long day, and I needed some time to wind down.

In the beginning of our favorite show, a commercial came on for a brand

of cat food I usually buy. This commercial had adorable little dancing cats. The
cats were singing about the cat food. I thought it was cute, and I laughed out
loud.

During this commercial my cat got angry. He stood up and arched his
back. The hair on his back was standing up. He let out an ear-splitting scream.

Just then, he started talking. He called the commercial foolish and

snarled at the television. My cat told me that brand of cat food was gross.
Then he told me never to buy it again. I had always thought that he liked the
stuff!

Since that day my cat has not spoken again. I did stop buying that
brand of cat food. But because of his ill-mannered hissing and growling, my cat
has had a limit placed on his television time.
 Descriptive Essay
One reason Also
The grass Memorial Park
1. Green 1. Plaques
2. Neat 2. Jerseys
3. No weeds 3. Baseballs
Yankee Stadium is a beautiful place.

Too As one can see

The electricity Yankee Stadium is a
1. Always there beautiful place because
2. Shouting fans of the grass, Memorial
Park and the electricity
3. Memory of greatness in the air.
 Yankee Stadium is a beautiful place. The beauty can be seen in the
grass and Memorial Park, and it can be felt in the electricity in the air. I love
to visit there.

One reason it is so beautiful is the grass. It is always frog-green.

The lawn is manicured and perfectly cut. Weeds are prohibited from entering.

Also, Memorial Park is a special place. One can view the plaques that
have so delicately engraved in remembrance. There are jerseys to view that
were well-worn by the greats. They have tattered, old baseballs which have
priceless signatures.

The electricity in the air is beautiful, too. It is always there, and you
can see it in the eyes of the children visiting. The shouting of the fans sounds
like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to the ears of a baseball lover. One can
sense the memory of greatness because their spirits live in the air at Yankee
Stadium.

As one can see, Yankee Stadium is a beautiful place because of the

grass, Memorial Park and the electricity in the air. You should catch a game
today.
 Expository Essay
One reason Also
Big Kitchen Fireplace
1. Room to cook 1. Warm
2. Lots of food 2. Crackling
3. Big refrigerator 3. Smoky smell

My home is a special place.

Third In summary
My Porch My home is a special
1. Screened place because it has a
2. Relaxing big kitchen, a fireplace
and a porch.
3. Cool
 My home is a special place. It is special because it has a
fireplace, a big kitchen, and a porch. It is a wonderful place to
live.

One reason my home is special is because I love my big

kitchen. It has plenty of room to cook. There is a lot of room
for all the food I like to eat. I like my large refrigerator most of
all.

Also, my fireplace is wonderful. On chilly nights it keeps

my warm as a mitten. I love to listen to the crackling. The
smoky smell reminds me of the days when I go camping.

Third, my home has a terrific porch. The porch is

screened, which is lucky for me. I am a bug magnet! My porch is
a great place for relaxing. Even on warm nights the porch is cool
because you can enjoy the evening breezes.

In summary, my home is special because it has a big

kitchen, a fireplace and a porch. I couldn’t imagine living
anywhere else.
 Persuasive Essay
One reason Also
Chores Study Hard
1. Trash 1. Spelling
2. Walk dog 2. Math
3. Do dishes 3. Science

Kids should get bigger allowances.

In addition Hence
Use Manners Kids should get bigger
1. Please allowances because we do
2. Thank you chores, study hard and use
our manners.
3. Cover mouth when
I yawn
 Kids should get bigger allowances because we do chores. Kids
are always studying hard. We even use manners! It isn’t easy being
a kid, and we deserve a little reward.

One reason for a larger allowance is all the chores we do.

We take out stinky trash every night. Walking the dog is really not
fun. And who likes doing dishes?

Also, kids study hard, and that should be worth something.

Spelling words take a long time to learn. For math we have to add
and subtract. Science homework keeps us busy, too.

In addition, kids use their manners, so they should get something in

return. Why do you think we say “please”? “Thank you” is another
way we are polite. Let’s face it, we don’t cover our mouths while
yawning for nothing.

Hence, kids should get bigger allowances because we do chores, study

hard and use our manners. How can you disagree?
 Four Square in the Language
Classroom
Four square is a way to organize thoughts. It is not the
writing program. However, four square exercises can be
published by following the writing process.

• Brainstorming: Generating ideas

• Organizing: Four square or other methods
• Drafting: Rough or first draft
• Revising: Revision of content and style
• Editing: Editing for surface features, punctuation,
spelling, capitals, etc.

Remember this is a slow process. Try not to over teach.

 Other Uses
• Speeches: Use the format for organizing and
giving a speech.
• Reading Comprehension:
– Have Ss create a 4-Square from a passage written
by an author. Discuss the organization.
– Have students create a 4-Square using a paper
written by another student.
– Cut apart a Ss composition by sentences. Have Ss
draw a sentence at a time and reconstruct the
composition, then reproduce it on char paper.
 Other Uses
• An excellent way to review or summarize
information learned about a specific process.

What are they? Where are they? Workers Resources

Volcanoes Community

Volcanoes are a The workers, resources,

How do they and transportation are
powerful, natural Transportation important to a
operate?
force. community.
But Ellen…..

What about
motivation??
 CHOICE!
 Select a person in one of the folders and
describe their life.

Athletes Scientists
Authors Musicians
Artists
Political
Film Stars Leaders
 Writing Bingo
Try for one more BINGO this month. Be sure to use your writing goals and our class rubric to guide your work .

Recipe Thank- Letter to Directions to Rules for

you Note the editor one place to a game
another
Invitation Email request Letter to a pen Skit or scene Interview
for Information pal, friend or
relative
Newspaper Short Story FREE Schedule for
Grocery or
Article YOUR Choice shopping list your work

Advertisement Cartoon Poem Instructions Greeting

Strip Card

Letter to Proposal to
Journal for a Design a Book Think
Your Improve
Week web page Aloud
Teacher Something
 Let’s Try!
Prepare the
graphic
organizer.

Now fold your

paper into 4
squares.
 Writing Prompts
• Writing Situation: Everyone has a
fond memory of a special birthday.
• Think about a birthday that stood out
among all the others.
• Directions for Writing: Write a
paragraph/ essay telling about your
favorite birthday.
 Early in the day, After lunch,
My grandmother threw me a My parents gave me a
surprise party. wonderful gift.
1. favorite cake 1. golden retriever
2. tons of presents 2. named Goldie
3. exciting games 3. best friend

I will never forget my sixth

Later, birthday.
My friends and I went to Indeed,
the zoo.
1. elephant ride It was the best birthday
2. walked for miles
ever.
3. rode train
 Getting a year older may be bad for some, but I will never
forget my sixth birthday. The attention that I received from friends and
family made me feel warm inside. It was a very special day for me.

Early in the day, my grandmother threw me a surprise party.

She baked my favorite chocolate fudge cake. I got tons of presents.
We had such fun playing exciting games.
After lunch, my parents gave me a wonderful gift. They
surprised me with a golden retriever puppy. I named her Goldie. She
is my best friend today.
Later, my friends and I went to the zoo. We rode the elephants.
The zoo was so large we walked for miles. Finally we gave up and rode
the train.
Indeed, it was the best birthday ever. The wonderful surprises
from my family and friends will stay with me forever.
Directions: Complete the __________ __________
__________ __________
four square with three __________ __________
sentences and a feeling ______
It’s great to______
have a
sentence. Then write the pet.
__________ Feeling
paragraph on the lines __________ Sentence:__
below. __________ __________
__________ __________
________ ______

__________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
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 Writing Assessment Scoring Rubric

Criteria Score 1 Score 2 Score 3 Score 4 Score 5 Score 6

Deficient Flawed Limited Competent Strong Outstanding

Organization Incoherent Weak Inadequate Adequately Generally well Well organized

organization organization organized organized

Development Undeveloped Not developed Not developed Developed Generally well Well developed
No details Little or no Does not explain Explains and developed Clearly
relevant details develop key ideas illustrates some Explains and explains and
key ideas illustrates most illustrates key
key ideas ideas

Language Syntax Limited or Limited or Limited or Adequate facility Demonstrates Strong

inappropriate inappropriate inappropriate word in the use of some syntactic Syntactic variety
word choice word choice choice language variety
Facility in use
of language

Mechanics Serious and Serious errors in Accumulation of Some errors in Generally few Few errors in
persistent mechanics, errors in mechanics, mechanics/ usage errors in mechanics/
writing errors usage, sentence usage, sentence mechanics/ usage
structure, or word structure usage
choice
 Resources to Help!
• Four Square Writing Method: A Unique
Approach to Teaching Basic Writing Skills for
Grades 1-3 by Judith S. Gould.
• Four Square Writing Method Grade 4-6 by
Judith S. Gould.
• Four Square: The Total Writing Classroom for
grades 5-9 by Judith S. Gould.
• Writing Workouts That Work: By the Authors
of Four Square Writing by Judith Gould.