Outline for 4-Paragraph Essay

Main Point or Thesis of Essay

Finding a Good Surprise About a Parent

Bell word Surprise

Paragraph 1 -- Opening

Hook One time, my parents went skydiving

Comment on the hook I was shocked when I unearthed this fact

Comment on the hook I always thought of my parents as people who would faint if a frog hopped in front of them

Thesis  (with bell word)

I was ecstatic that they were risk takers when they were younger and think that Scout and Jem are equally astounded

Paragraph 2

TS (Main Idea, Topic, or Thesis)

Jem and Scout discover that Atticus has a few bombshells to drop on them

2 Echo words to be used flabbergasted       

disbelief

SD Atticus was “Ole One Shot Finch”

CM Scout is flabbergasted

CM Her dad used to think it was “a waste of ammunition to spend more than 15 bullets on 15 birds”

SD Scout and Jem will never think their father is boring again

CM Atticus used to read all the time

CM Atticus shot a mad dog dead with one bullet and his kids are in a state of disbelief

CS Atticus is different from my initial view of him

                          

Paragraph 3

TS (Main Idea, Topic, or Thesis)

My parents went skydiving

2 Echo words to be used amazed   wonder   

SD My parents were very adventurous

CM I wonder what else they might have done

CM I think that it’s great that they had fun when they were younger

SD I am deathly afraid of heights and could never go skydiving

CM I am amazed at my parents courage

CM I am proud that they can say that they did something exciting now that we live in a typical suburban community

CS My parents are awesome

Paragraph 4

Hook (the same as paragraph 1, or different) My parents went skydiving

Echo word (could be bell word) shock

Comment on the hook To this day I am shocked that they did this

Comment on the hook They were crazy when they were younger

Re-statement, in slightly different words, of the thesis Atticus and my parents both have a few surprises that they hadn’t revealed to their children