Topic / Clincher Connection Assignment

 (-5 points if missing!)

NAME: 

The first sentence of an essay or story should have a connection of some kind with the last sentence.

The first sentence is called the "topic sentence."

The last sentence is called the "clincher sentence."

Write a topic and clincher sentence for 10 nursery rhymes or fairy tails. 

If you choose nursery rhymes, pretend each one is a whole story (not just the short version of the nursery rhyme).

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EXAMPLE:

Nursery rhyme:  The Itsy Bitsy Spider

Topic sentence:  Once upon a time there was a persistent little brown spider who loved to climb.

THINK ABOUT THE STORY AND HOW YOU WOULD TELL IT . . . . THEN WRITE ITS LAST SENTENCE. REMEMBER IT MUST CONNECT TO THE FIRST SENTENCE.

Clincher sentence: The persistent little arachnid set out to climb the water spout again, and he just knew he would be able to do it this time!

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EXAMPLE:

Nursery rhyme:  Cinderella

Topic sentence:  In a village just outside the royal palace, a young girl cleaned the fireplace in her home until it shone even though most of the cinders seemed to end up on her.

THINK ABOUT THE STORY AND HOW YOU WOULD TELL IT . . . . THEN WRITE ITS LAST SENTENCE. REMEMBER IT MUST CONNECT TO THE FIRST SENTENCE.

Clincher sentence: The royal palace was now her home and no longer would Cinderella wear the ashes of the fireplace, instead she would spend her life helping the people of her beloved village with her husband, the prince, by her side.

Here are some ideas of nursery rhymes and fairy tales that you might want to use to create your topic / clincher sentences.

Feel free to google them if you do not know them.

NURSERY RHYMES

Humpty Dumpty

Jack and Jill

Mary Had a Little Lamb

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Baa, Baa, Black Sheep

London Bridge Is Falling Down

Hey Diddle Diddle

Old MacDonald Had a Farm

Hickory Dickory Dock

This Little Piggy

Little Miss Muffet

Ring Around the Rosie

Three Blind Mice

Georgie Porgie

Sing a Song of Sixpence

Rock-a-Bye Baby

FAIRY TALES

The Emperor’s New Clothes

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Sleeping Beauty

Beauty and the Beast

Little Red Riding Hood

Hansel and Gretel

Rapunzel

The Little Mermaid

Rumpelstiltskin

The Princess and the Pea

Jack and the Beanstalk

The Frog Prince

The Three Little Pigs

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

The Ugly Duckling

The Elves and the Shoemaker

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

Fill in the blanks with your TOPIC / CLINCHER sentences.

1.  The name of your Nursery Rhyme or Fairy Tale::  

Topic sentence:  

THINK ABOUT THE STORY AND HOW YOU WOULD TELL IT . . . . THEN WRITE ITS LAST SENTENCE. REMEMBER IT MUST CONNECT TO THE FIRST SENTENCE.

Clincher sentence: 

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

2.  The name of your Nursery Rhyme or Fairy Tale::  

Topic sentence:  

THINK ABOUT THE STORY AND HOW YOU WOULD TELL IT . . . . THEN WRITE ITS LAST SENTENCE. REMEMBER IT MUST CONNECT TO THE FIRST SENTENCE.

Clincher sentence: 

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

3.  The name of your Nursery Rhyme or Fairy Tale::  

Topic sentence:  

THINK ABOUT THE STORY AND HOW YOU WOULD TELL IT . . . . THEN WRITE ITS LAST SENTENCE. REMEMBER IT MUST CONNECT TO THE FIRST SENTENCE.

Clincher sentence: 

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

4.  The name of your Nursery Rhyme or Fairy Tale::  

Topic sentence:  

THINK ABOUT THE STORY AND HOW YOU WOULD TELL IT . . . . THEN WRITE ITS LAST SENTENCE. REMEMBER IT MUST CONNECT TO THE FIRST SENTENCE.

Clincher sentence:

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

5.  The name of your Nursery Rhyme or Fairy Tale::  

Topic sentence:  

THINK ABOUT THE STORY AND HOW YOU WOULD TELL IT . . . . THEN WRITE ITS LAST SENTENCE. REMEMBER IT MUST CONNECT TO THE FIRST SENTENCE.

Clincher sentence: 

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6.  The name of your Nursery Rhyme or Fairy Tale::  

Topic sentence:  

THINK ABOUT THE STORY AND HOW YOU WOULD TELL IT . . . . THEN WRITE ITS LAST SENTENCE. REMEMBER IT MUST CONNECT TO THE FIRST SENTENCE.

Clincher sentence: 

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7.  The name of your Nursery Rhyme or Fairy Tale::  

Topic sentence:  

THINK ABOUT THE STORY AND HOW YOU WOULD TELL IT . . . . THEN WRITE ITS LAST SENTENCE. REMEMBER IT MUST CONNECT TO THE FIRST SENTENCE.

Clincher sentence: 

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8.  The name of your Nursery Rhyme or Fairy Tale::  

Topic sentence:  

THINK ABOUT THE STORY AND HOW YOU WOULD TELL IT . . . . THEN WRITE ITS LAST SENTENCE. REMEMBER IT MUST CONNECT TO THE FIRST SENTENCE.

Clincher sentence: 

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9.  The name of your Nursery Rhyme or Fairy Tale::  

Topic sentence:  

THINK ABOUT THE STORY AND HOW YOU WOULD TELL IT . . . . THEN WRITE ITS LAST SENTENCE. REMEMBER IT MUST CONNECT TO THE FIRST SENTENCE.

Clincher sentence: 

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10.  The name of your Nursery Rhyme or Fairy Tale::  

Topic sentence:  

THINK ABOUT THE STORY AND HOW YOU WOULD TELL IT . . . . THEN WRITE ITS LAST SENTENCE. REMEMBER IT MUST CONNECT TO THE FIRST SENTENCE.

Clincher sentence: 

BBs

 BUILDING BLOCKs BUILDING BLOCKs go inside the sentence. They are never the first word.

w/w = who or which clause

ly = ly adverb

bc = because

www asia = when  while  where  as  since  if  although

prep = prepositional clause/phrase

PA = precise adjective

VV = vivid verb

BUILDING BLOCKS never start a sentence.

The only stylistic requirements that are indicated INSIDE the sentence are BUILDING BLOCKS.

BUILDING BLOCK examples

The boy who helped me yesterday is over there at the water fountain.

The pen, which is orange, is my favorite.

My doctor gladly accepted the cookies from the his co-worker.

The teacher is happy because everyone worked hard in class.

Take your coat when you leave.

I will watch your luggage while you rest.

He is working where the fence broke yesterday.

My brother sings as he does his homework.

She has been happier since the bully left the school.

Do not drag your feet if you want to be on time.

My mother is a great cook although we do not always appreciate it.

The baby squirrel nestled cozily in the pine needles.

The challenge was invigorating!

Do not procrastinate!

Less (or NO) Dialogue

In our writing class, you are not supposed to tell a story with lots of dialogue.

There are very important reasons for this. Telling a story without a lot of dialogue is good because:

1) It helps you focus on the action – Instead of talking, you show what the characters do, which can make the story more exciting.

2) It builds stronger pictures – You can describe the setting, feelings, and what’s happening, so readers can imagine it better in their minds.

3) It makes you a better writer – Writing without a lot of talking helps you practice using interesting words and details to tell the story

4) It is usually easier to follow - Too much talking can be confusing. Less dialogue can make the story clearer.

Harriet Tubman

 

Harriet Tubman

 

Who Was Harriet Tubman?

• Harriet Tubman was an American hero who helped many people escape from slavery.

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🔓 She Escaped Slavery Herself

• She was born a slave in Maryland around 1822.

• In 1849, she escaped to freedom in the North. She was 27 years old.

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🚂 Leader of the Underground Railroad

• Tubman helped more than 70 slaves escape using secret routes and safe houses called the Underground Railroad.

• She made 13 trips back to the South, risking her life each time!

🤔 Did Harriet Tubman Go Back 13 or 19 Times?

• You might hear different numbers, like 13 or 19, and here's why:

  • 🛤️ Harriet Tubman made about 13 trips herself back to the South to help people escape slavery.

  • 👣 Some people say she made 19 trips—that might include times she helped plan escapes or gave directions, even if she didn’t go herself.

  • No matter the number, Harriet Tubman was super brave and helped many people find freedom. She risked her life again and again to help others, and that’s what makes her a hero!

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🕵️‍♀️ Nickname: "Moses"

• People called her "Moses" because she led her people to freedom, just like the Moses in the Bible.

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💪 Brave Spy and Nurse in the Civil War

• During the Civil War, she worked as a spy, scout, and nurse for the Union Army.

• She helped plan a raid that freed over 700 slaves!

Harriet Tubman (1978)

by Eloise Greenfield

Harriet Tubman didn't take no stuff
Wasn't scared of nothing neither
Didn't come in this world to be no slave
And wasn't going to stay one either

"Farewell!" she sang to her friends one night
She was mighty sad to leave 'em
But she ran away that dark, hot night
Ran looking for her freedom

She ran to the woods and she ran through the woods
With the slave catchers right behind her
And she kept on going till she got to the North
Where those mean men couldn't find her

Nineteen times she went back South
To get three hundred others
She ran for her freedom nineteen times
To save Black sisters and brothers
Harriet Tubman didn't take no stuff
Wasn't scared of nothing neither
Didn't come in this world to be no slave
And didn't stay one either

And didn't stay one either

Cave of Altamira and The Secret Soldiers of China

 6th and 7th GRADE

Exploring Ancient Discoveries

Article 1: The Amazing Cave of Altamira

In 1868, in the countryside of northern Spain, a hunter accidentally discovered the entrance to a cave near the village of Santillana del Mar. For over ten years, no one paid much attention to the cave — until a scientist named Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola decided to explore it with his young daughter, Maria.

In 1879, while her father was studying the ground, Maria looked up and gasped. “Look, Papa — bulls!” she cried. Covering the ceiling were colorful paintings of animals — bison, horses, deer, and even handprints. The images looked alive, painted in red, black, and brown using natural pigments from rocks and charcoal.

Scientists later confirmed that the paintings were over 15,000 years old, made by early humans during the Stone Age. This was shocking because many people didn’t believe ancient humans could make such beautiful, realistic art. At first, the discovery was rejected by experts. But as more prehistoric caves were found in Europe, the truth became clear: early humans were talented artists who used art to tell stories, show what animals they hunted, and maybe even connect with spiritual beliefs.

The Altamira cave paintings give us a window into the distant past — showing that humans have always had the need to create, to communicate, and to understand the world around them.

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Article 2: The Silent Soldiers Beneath the Earth – The Terracotta Army

In 1974, during a dry spring in the Chinese countryside, a group of farmers near the city of Xi’an dug a well to find water. Instead, they found something that would amaze the world: a clay head — and then a body — of a life-sized soldier.

Archaeologists were called to the scene, and soon they uncovered thousands of life-size clay statues, standing in rows like a real army. This was the Terracotta Army, built over 2,000 years ago to guard the tomb of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang.

Each clay soldier was different. Some had mustaches or different armor. There were archers, generals, cavalry, horses, and even acrobats and musicians found in nearby pits. It is believed that over 8,000 figures were made, using real people as models. The artists and workers used molds, but then added details by hand to make each one unique.

The army was meant to protect the emperor in the afterlife, showing how much power and importance he had. The tomb complex was as large as a city and included rivers of mercury, models of palaces, and storage rooms full of treasures.

The discovery of the Terracotta Army teaches us about ancient Chinese beliefs, their government, their art, and the massive effort it took to honor a ruler. It also shows how seriously people took the idea of life after death and how art could be used for both beauty and protection.

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✍️ Extended Constructed Response (ECR) Prompt

Both the Altamira cave paintings and the Terracotta Army are powerful discoveries that help us learn about ancient people. Using evidence from both articles, explain:

How do these two discoveries help us understand the lives, beliefs, and creativity of ancient people?

Be sure to:

• Use facts and details from both articles.

• Explain how each discovery helps us learn something different about ancient life.

• Compare how early humans and ancient Chinese people expressed themselves through art.

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🧠 Guiding Questions to Help You Plan:

1. What do the Altamira cave paintings show us about what life was like for early humans?

2. What do the Terracotta Army statues tell us about ancient Chinese beliefs and society?

3. How do both discoveries show the creativity and skills of people from the past?

4. In what ways are the discoveries different in purpose or meaning?

5. Why do you think these discoveries are still important to study today?

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4th and 5th GRADE

📜 Article 1: The Amazing Cave of Altamira

In 1868, a hunter stumbled across a cave in northern Spain while searching for a wounded animal. Years later, a scientist named Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola explored the cave with his daughter, Maria. One day, in 1879, Maria looked up and saw something incredible — paintings of animals on the ceiling! These weren’t just any drawings. They were beautiful images of bison, horses, and other animals, painted with natural colors. The paintings were made over 15,000 years ago!

At first, people didn’t believe the paintings were that old. They thought they were fakes. But in time, scientists proved they were real. Today, the Altamira cave is famous for showing how early humans used art to express their world. The paintings tell us a lot about the people who lived long ago — how they hunted, what animals were important to them, and how creative they were.

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🏺 Article 2: The Secret Soldiers of China – The Terracotta Army

In 1974, some farmers were digging a well near the city of Xi’an in China when they found something strange. It turned out to be a piece of an ancient statue. Soon, archaeologists arrived and began to dig. What they found was amazing — thousands of life-size statues of soldiers made of clay, called the Terracotta Army.

These statues were made over 2,000 years ago to guard the tomb of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang. The army includes warriors, horses, and even chariots. Each statue is different, with unique faces and clothing. It’s like a frozen army from the past!

The Terracotta Army teaches us about ancient Chinese history and how important the emperor was. It also shows the skill of the artists who built it. The discovery is one of the greatest archaeological finds ever made.

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✍️ Extended Constructed Response Exercise

Prompt:
Both the Altamira cave paintings and the Terracotta Army were incredible discoveries that helped people learn about the past. In your response, explain how each discovery helps us understand ancient people and their lives. Use details from both articles to support your answer.

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Guiding Questions:

1. What do the cave paintings show us about early humans?

2. What do the Terracotta soldiers tell us about ancient China?

3. How are these discoveries similar?

4. How are they different?

5. Why are these discoveries important to history?