1. Aim: How do we use the paragraph format to construct our own paragraphs? Do Now: Take out yesterday’s work In yesterday’s paragraph, we were stating our positions on the actions of Jean Valjean. Why didn’t we use the first-person pronoun, “I,” to state our opinions?

2. Body Paragraph Topic SentenceProvide ExampleExplain ExampleConnect Example to Topic

3. Body Paragraph Provide a short (1-2 sentence) introduction of your topic. Topic Sentence Provide and mention the example from the story. (Ingredients) Provide Example Explain the example to the fullest – provide all the necessary details. (How to make the cake!) Explain Example Specifically explain how your example shows your topic. Connect to Topic

4. Period 2 – Les Miserables - Wrong Les Miserables is a story about Jean Valjean and his moral dilemma to confess a previous crime. Jean has to choose whether to confess his own crime and set an innocent man free or keep quiet and allow the people that work for him to keep their jobs. Jean Valjean decides to confess. This was not the right thing to do. Jean thinks he is saving a vagabond from jail. He also thinks being honest will make him feel better about himself. However, he was wrong to do this because his confession affected a lot of innocent people, the workers and their families who depended on Jean. Jean was selfish in his decision, thinking of himself and not others. He chose to save one person instead of many. His conscience was more important than the lives of others. Jean’s moral dilemma indeed proved to be difficult. He thought he did the right thing but it is evident he did not. Topic Sentence Provide Example Explain Example Connect Example

5. Period 3 – Les Miserables - Right Les Mierables is a story about Jean Valjean who is faced with a moral dilemma. Jean has to decide to either confess to a crime from long ago and go to jail or keep quiet and continue the new life he has created. Ultimately, Jean has to choose between living a lie or facing the brutal truth. Jean decides to confess and in doing so, he does the right thing. When Jean confesses, he saves his and the vagabond’s lives. He saves the vagabond from going to jail when he doesn’t deserve it, and he saves his own conscience from feeling guilty for the rest of his life. Even though Jean ends up in prison for his confession, it was the right thing to do because he ends up with peace and freedom from within. Jean Valjean’s moral dilemma shows that decisions aren’t easy and even the right decision may be difficult to make and will have consequences. Topic Sentence Provide Example Explain Example Connect Example

6. Your Assignment Write a paragraph about “The Overcrowded Lifeboat” using the Paragraph Format. Indicate whether you think what the captain did was right or wrong. Use our model paragraph as your guide.