hamburger essay worksheet

Hamburger Paragraph Printables

Hamburger Paragraph Printables

As your student gains confidence writing, continue to challenge their abilities with new goals. Move from writing random sentences to writing an organized paragraph that contains details and facts. It sounds easy enough… and it can be. Use these tips, methods, and strategies to help your student advance in writing. We like to introduce paragraphs to our students using the Hamburger Paragraph Printables. Our Hamburger Paragraph Printables and other graphic organizers make teaching how to write a paragraph easy! 

*You might be interested in purchasing our entire  Writing Paragraphs Bundle  which is perfect for those looking to teach students how to write paragraphs and then 5-paragraph essays! Take a look!

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How to use the Hamburger Paragraph Printables...

The Hamburger Paragraph Printables make teaching kids how to write a paragraph easy! Language arts has never been a subject I particularly enjoyed. So, when learning to teach my kids the writing process, I came across the hamburger paragraph organizer in multiple places. I loved the premise behind the hamburger visual and saw it as a wonderful teaching tool. This is when I set out to create our own Hamburger Paragraph Printables. 

Hamburger Paragraph Poster

Hamburger Paragraph Printables

The Hamburger Paragraph Poster is excellent to use when first introducing the hamburger paragraph model to students. It explains each part of a paragraph beginning with the topic sentence, three supporting sentences, and finishing with the concluding sentence. Students need to be taught to indent a topic sentence and convey the main idea of the paragraph. The three supporting sentences are considered the body of the paragraph. These sentences should contain details and examples to support the main idea. The concluding sentence restates the topic sentence in a new way. DOWNLOAD BELOW!

Gather Information about a Topic First

Before presenting your student with the Hamburger Paragraph Printable below, you need to direct your student to a topic first.  Once your student has a topic, guide them to gather information including facts, details, or examples about the topic. For example, your topic could be Thanksgiving or the state of Tennessee. Whatever the topic, read about it, research it, or watch an educational video together. 

Consider using graphic organizers

Free Brainstorming Graphic Organizers

 In years past, I encourage my students to gather notes about their topic using a very basic graphic organizer like the ones found  here . As your student progresses, you will find our  4-Squares Graphic Organizers  helpful when students are summarizing events, books, or articles. 

Hamburger Paragraph Printables

When students are asked to summarize a story, article, or event, they can become overwhelmed not knowing how to arrange the information. Graphic organizers help students to break information into pieces. This makes summarizing a book more accessible to even a student who struggles with processing information. 

Hamburger Paragraph Printable

Hamburger Paragraph Printables

Once your student has gathered information about their topic, begin to walk them through the Hamburger Paragraph Printable. Start by helping them write a strong topic sentence. Sometimes a simple yet direct topic sentence is best for beginners. For example, “Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrated in the United States.” A very basic version of this is, “Thanksgiving is a holiday.” Depending on the age of your student, the length and verse of their sentences will vary. DOWNLOAD BELOW!

Paragraph Organizer

Hamburger Paragraph Printables

As your student progresses, you may want to graduate to a more direct paragraph organizer. I have found that some of my older students find the hamburger model worksheet too young for them! To each their own! DOWNLOAD BELOW!

Paragraph Writing Conclusion

Hamburger Paragraph printables

As your student progresses, challenge them to write their paragraphs using our Draw & Write sheets. Our  BLANK Draw & Write sheets  are perfect for the student that grows in their writing using this method. As you can see, the  Draw & Write sheets  advance as your student does. As your student’s writing improves, you may challenge them with one of our Book Report Sheets.  

DOWNLOAD HAMBURGER PARAGRAPH PRINTABLES

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Elementary Writing

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hamburger essay worksheet

How to Teach Paragraph Writing with a Hamburger!

Writing a good, solid paragraph is the basis of writing composition. In fact, the ideas we teach our elementary students about paragraph writing will be used throughout their lives. Secondary school research projects need good paragraphs. College entrance essays need good paragraphs.  Professional writing for any number of careers needs good paragraphs, too! So why not engage your students with something they love and make the concept of a good, solid paragraph stick?  Teaching hamburger paragraph writing for elementary students using the hamburger style model is my favorite (and the most effective) way of teaching how to write a paragraph.

A hamburger picture as a visual of how to teach paragraph writing with a hamburger to elementary students.

Teaching the Hamburger Model for Writing Using a Guided Approach

Over the years I have taught paragraph writing in many different ways.  Some worked and some, well… not so much.  One of the biggest things I’ve learned over the years is that teaching the paragraph as a whole and then sending my students off to write a paragraph is not the best approach. I now use a guided approach to teaching paragraph writing with much more success.

A guided approach involves breaking the task down into its parts and teaching each part individually.  Once students have learned and practiced each part, then, and only then, do we put it all together to develop a full understanding of the topic.  Here’s what it looks like in my classroom.

Introducing Hamburger Paragraph Writing for Elementary Students

On the first day, I love to engage my students with the hamburger.  I mean, who doesn’t love a good, juicy hamburger?  We will spend some time talking about hamburgers and what makes them so special, inviting their favorite restaurants into the discussion.  We chat about our favorite hamburger toppings.  And then, just about the time our mouths are watering, I let them know that hamburgers can teach us something too!

Student friendly hamburger templates for students to write on to get started on paragraph writing - showing main idea, details and a concluding sentence.

This is when I introduce the learning topic of paragraph writing.  Depending on the grade level, the paragraph writing process might be something new or might be something they were introduced to the year before.  Either way, our focus becomes learning to write a cohesive paragraph using the hamburger paragraph method.

Then, I begin by showing the students the hamburger paragraph graphic organizers.  As we look at the model we identify the different types of sentences that make up a paragraph.  Our focus will be the main idea (introduction sentence), supporting details, and the closing or concluding sentence.

Anchor charts of main idea, supporting details and closing sentence that teachers can use to display around the classroom for student reference.

One of the first learning tools we use are these anchor chart pieces or posters for each sentence type.  I have found this to be really helpful so that as we continue all students have been exposed to the same terms and language.  We use these posters throughout the paragraph writing unit.  They hang in the classroom as a reminder and learning tool for the students.

Focusing on the Main Idea

We begin with the topic sentence or the main idea of the paragraph.  The main objective here is for students to understand that a paragraph is a group of sentences about one topic.  The main idea sentence describes the topic of the paragraph.   We go back to the full hamburger graphic to reinforce what the main idea does.

To help my students understand this concept we play a little game.  I read or say complete sentences and my students tell me whether it would be a good main idea sentence.  Some examples might be:

  • Elephants are amazing animals. {Yes – this is a main idea sentence}
  • An elephant has four legs. {No – not a main idea sentence}
  • Percy Jackson has an adventurous life. {Yes}
  • Percy Jackson went to Olympus and met Zeus. {No}

Once my students are doing a great job identifying main idea sentences, we then take our game to the next level. I give my students a general topic, like ‘animals’, and they brainstorm a different main idea or topic sentence that could be used.

Main Idea anchor chart shown next to a prewritten paragraph that was created leaving out a main idea or topic sentence for the student to fill in.

Students then practice doing this on their own or with a partner.  It’s always fun to read some of their independent answers aloud for the class.  This is a great way to show that there are many ways you can reword the same main idea.

A quick review of student answers gives me a really good idea of whether the class is ready to move on. If students need more practice, you should pause here and try other ways to teach the main idea to your students. Main idea is such an important concept in reading and writing that you want to make sure your students fully understand the topic.

We finish our lesson on main idea or a topic sentence with students practicing.  We use the topic sentence worksheet to have student practice writing their own topic sentences for a provided paragraph.

Finally, we work on listening to a paragraph that doesn’t have an opening sentence.   After hearing the paragraph we work on writing a good topic sentence for the paragraph.  Not only does this help students work on writing the main idea in the form of a sentence, but it also helps them see how the different types of sentences in a paragraph work together.

Supporting Details

After a quick review of the main idea, we will next cover supporting details.  The goal is for students to understand that supporting details give more information to explain and support the main idea.  Before jumping in with sentences, we start with a hamburger.  I start by holding up the top of a bun (real or a picture – both work).  Then I ask my students if this is a hamburger?  Obviously, the answer is a resounding NO!  Then, I ask the students a simple question, “How do you build a hamburger?”  The answers are pretty straightforward: bun, meat, cheese, ketchup, lettuce, tomato, etc.

An example of a cut and order hamburger where elementary students need to find the details that fit under the correct "top bun" or main idea.

Next, I ask the  question that will connect building a hamburger to supporting details.  I might say something like “What about the mashed potatoes?”  To which my students usually stare at me like I’m crazy.  Inevitably, someone will say something like ‘Mashed potatoes don’t go on a hamburger!’  And that is what I’m waiting for!  I explain that they are absolutely right.  And just like we build a hamburger with hamburger ingredients, we have to choose supporting details that support our main idea.

We again start by practicing this skill as a class.  We start with a main idea sentence like “I had a horrible sick day.”  I used this sentence, typed it out on a top bun, and displayed it on the board.  Then I read a variety of other sentences and the students decide if the sentence supports the main idea.

A worksheet page showing detail supports. Students would read the paragraph and remove the detail that doesn't support the main idea.

For each sentence that does support the main idea, I display it on the board under the main idea.  As we do this, students can see the progression of building the hamburger with a main idea and supporting details. Sometimes I may print these out and place them in centers for students to manipulate. I’m a fan of hands-on student engagement.

We do this a few times with different main ideas to give the students practice with identifying good supporting “juicy” details.

Another way to do this is to provide two main ideas, that are similar in context but different.  For example, you could use “Riding a horse was a great experience.” and “Riding a horse is very scary.”  Then as you read supporting detail sentences, students can choose which main idea the sentence best supports.  This is really great if your students have experience with multi-paragraph writing.  This activity shows them how they can break down different aspects of their topic to have multiple main ideas through multiple paragraphs.

The next day we tackle supporting details again.  But this time our focus is on making sure that the supporting details are relevant to the main idea.  I remind the students of the mashed potatoes from the day before.  We talk about how mashed potatoes with a fried chicken dinner are great.  They are relevant to completing that meal.  But mashed potatoes on a hamburger just don’t work.  They are not relevant even though they are a food and we could put a spoonful on the burger.

hamburger essay worksheet

Like the mashed potatoes, even though it is possible to add them to a hamburger – we don’t.  The same goes with supporting detail sentences.  There may be sentences that relate to the main idea but that are not relevant.  To help students understand this better we do some examples together.

I give students a topic sentence and a few supporting detail sentences.  They then choose which sentences are relevant and which are not.  We talk about what makes them relevant and why some sentences just don’t belong with this main idea.

After our group practice, students worked on this worksheet to practice taking out the sentences that were not relevant to the paragraph.  Students can do this independently or with a partner.  If they work with someone I have them explain the reason why they don’t feel a specific sentence is relevant.

After a few days of working on the main idea and supporting details, the students usually have a good understanding.  If, however, your students are struggling with the concept, again, I would encourage you to not move on.  There are amazing main idea and details worksheets to help assist with this progress.

Two different worksheets showing students practicing main idea.

MAIN IDEA & DETAILS SAMPLE FREEBIE

These main idea and details worksheets offer a perfect combination of practice for students from identifying the main idea and details from a set to writing them in on their own!

👉🏼 TRY A SAMPLE SET TODAY!

Concluding Sentences

Once students have a good grasp on the main idea and supporting details, it’s time to add the final bun to our hamburger.  The bottom bun represents our closing or conclusion sentence.  As I introduce the concluding sentence we talk about how the buns of a hamburger are what make it easy to eat.  They hold together all the ‘messy’ stuff in the middle.  While you could eat a hamburger with just one bun, it’s not quite as neat or convenient as with two buns.  Just like the buns of a burger, the first and last sentences of a paragraph really hold the paragraph together for the reader.

Closing Sentence anchor chart is available to help support the students. Practice closing sentences with a paragraph with the concluding sentence left off.

Students usually pick up the concept of concluding sentences quickly because they are similar to the main idea sentence.  We talk about how rewording the main idea into a concluding sentence wraps up the paragraph.

We practice doing this with some simple paragraphs that are missing the closing or concluding sentence.  After reading the paragraph we first identify the main idea sentence.  Then we talk about ways we can reword the main idea into a conclusion.

That leads us right into our final lesson on closing sentences.  We talk about different ways to make our closing sentences really  good.  I do this by introducing students to . . . the clincher!

Anchor chart of a clincher sentence explaining that it adds interest to the ending of a paragraph.

The clincher is a way to make the closing sentence interesting – and not just a repeat of the main idea sentence.  Students learn that there are a variety of ways to write a good clincher.  These are the ones that I teach my students:

  • asking a question;
  • excitement; and
  • reflection.

We dig into each of these types of clinchers by writing different sentences for the same paragraph.  The students love using their creativity to come up with good clinchers!

Applying the Hamburger Structure to Writing

After learning about all the parts, it’s time to put the pieces together and start working on writing a good paragraph.  So many times in the past, this is where I would start.  As I look back now I see how much important learning my students were missing.  It’s just one of the many things that makes me remember the value of learning in baby steps.

This image shows the hamburger paragraph organizer that students can use to create their own individual story.

We finish up by going through the entire process again, together. But, we do this in steps too.  I give students a very general writing topic just so that we all have a place to start.  Then using the hamburger writing templates, we write out one sentence at a time using the hamburger model as a guide.  Once students have completed the hamburger paragraph template they write their final paragraph.

Students also use a rubric to guide them through writing their paragraph.  This helps them to remember the details and what to include. Before you know it,  students will be writing their own paragraphs with very little guidance!

This hamburger essay guided paragraph approach has been very effective for my students and I know it will be with yours too! Keep the finished product in a writer’s notebook to show growth throughout the year!

Hamburger Paragraph Writing Unit

As a teacher, you are more than qualified to put together an amazing paragraph writing unit using these or other ideas.  But if you are looking for some time-saving resources to help students in mastering the hamburger paragraph, this Paragraph Writing Lessons Resource  may be what you’re looking for. This resource is perfect for 1st grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and any remedial students.

This image shows the hamburger method for paragraph writing with a completed hamburger with topic sentence, details and concluding sentence.

This ready-to-use resource includes everything you need to teach an entire paragraph unit using the paragraph hamburger model.  You receive anchor charts and posters for the different types of sentences, the hamburger model, example paragraphs for guided practice, no prep worksheets for independent practice, the hamburger writing organizer, the coordinating paper for the final draft, and the grading rubric.  All of this for the price of a Starbucks drink!  You can find this Hamburger Paragraph resource in my Teachers Pay Teachers store .

Save these Hamburger Paragraph Writing Ideas

Not quite ready to add these ideas to your lesson plans?  Just pin this to your favorite classroom Pinterest board so you can quickly come back when it is time to teach paragraph writing to your students.

Teaching Paragraph Writing with a hamburger Pinterest Pin to pin for later.

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How to turn the high school “hamburger” essay into a university-level paper

It goes by many names: the 5-paragraph essay, three-tier paper, or 1-3-1 model, to name a few. Many of you know it as the “hamburger” essay – an easy-to-follow model for writing papers that’s often taught in North American high schools.

During my first semester of undergrad, I heard it again and again from my professors and TAs: don't submit a hamburger essay. "Forget everything you learned in high school," they told me, "university writing is different!"

I had always done well on my high school writing assignments. I thought essay writing in university would be a breeze. So, the idea of throwing away all my past knowledge and practice felt confusing and overwhelming. If I wasn’t supposed to write essays in university the same way I wrote them in high school, then how was I supposed to write at all? And where was I supposed to learn these mysterious new writing techniques, anyway?

Now, after many years of honing my academic writing skills and becoming a writing instructor myself, I’m here to say, loud and proud:  I love the hamburger essay.

This is somewhat of a controversial statement in higher education. For years, many professors have condemned the “hamburger” model of essay writing, resenting its rules and restrictions. And while many of these critiques are valid, I believe there are too many valuable aspects of the hamburger essay to throw it away altogether. In fact, many of the  same techniques  that make a hamburger essay great, can also be used to craft a quality academic paper.

So no, you don’t need to “forget everything you learned in high school” when it comes time to write your first university essay! Keep reading to learn how you can use turn your high school hamburger essay into a strong university-level paper.

What is the hamburger essay?

The hamburger essay is well-known and well-loved because of its simple and easy to remember structure. If you're new to the hamburger essay, check out the diagram below to learn more about how it works.

5-paragraph hamburger essay

In short, each ingredient of the hamburger represents a different paragraph of the essay. It starts with an introduction paragraph and ends with a conclusion paragraph, represented by the top and bottom buns, respectively. Just like a real burger bun, these paragraphs frame the juicy contents inside – the body paragraphs – which are each represented by a different topping: lettuce, tomato, or patty.

Pay attention to the order of toppings in the hamburger essay. The lettuce comes first; it’s light and flimsy, representing one of the lighter arguments of the paper. The tomato is somewhat more robust (in terms of argument), while the patty at the end is the true “meat” of the essay. Just like the toppings of a hamburger in real-life, the body paragraphs build on one another to fill out the paper, giving it substance and flavour.

How to use the hamburger model in university

If you’re already familiar with the hamburger or 5-paragraph essay model, there are many great aspects of it that you can keep and adapt in your university essay writing . Keep reading to learn how!

1. The top bun (a.k.a the introduction paragraph)

The hamburger essay begins with a strong introduction paragraph (the top bun) that sets up the rest of the paper and presents the essay’s primary  thesis statement  or argument. In high school, students are often taught to begin their introduction paragraph with the broadest or most general information first, and gradually narrow in on the specifics. They’re also taught to begin the introduction with a narrative hook – a catchy phrase or fact to grab the reader’s attention – and to end the introduction with a “road map,” which outlines what each paragraph of the essay will discuss, in the order of information presented.

Although at the university level, introductions may be longer than one paragraph (depending on the length of the essay overall), they should still begin with more general contextual information first, then narrow in on a more focused thesis statement . This structure helps guide the reader by presenting them with the background information they require for the thesis and body paragraphs to make sense.

You can also keep the introductory “hook” and “road map” pieces of the hamburger introduction, but note the differences in what these elements look like at the university level. While high school writers often try to catch the reader’s attention by asserting a universal or historical truth (e.g. “Since the dawn of time…” or “Throughout history…”), a hook at the university level should  remain focused on the specific topic at hand  – a surprising fact or statistic works well here.

Additionally, while a high school-level road map might outline the topic of each and every body paragraph in the essay, a university-level road map should be less detailed. Because university papers are typically longer than high school papers, it makes more sense to only mention the paper’s main overarching arguments  (if at all) in the road map section, rather than summarize every paragraph.

To learn more about how to write a strong university-level introduction,  check out this WCC resource  on introductions.

2. The bottom bun (a.k.a. the conclusion paragraph)

The hamburger essay ends with a satisfying conclusion paragraph (the bottom bun) that summarizes its findings and wraps up the paper’s arguments. High school students are often taught to structure their conclusion paragraph in the reverse order of the introduction,  beginning with the most specific information and broadening out to the most general . Hamburger essay conclusions often restate the thesis at the start of the paragraph, then go on to summarize each point of the essay.

At the university level, you should continue to structure your conclusion by presenting the most specific pieces of information related to your thesis first, followed by the more general ideas. Structuring your conclusion this way helps  transition the reader out of the paper’s arguments and into a broader reflection on the topic .

However,  you don’t have to limit yourself to only one paragraph  for your conclusion (hint: introductions and conclusions typically make up 10-15% of the essay length overall). And while it’s good practice to remind your reader of the essay’s main arguments and findings, too much repetition can be a bore. Try focusing instead on the  significance  of the paper’s claims and discoveries to highlight for the reader why your essay matters – why your thesis is significant in a larger context.

For deeper insight into how to write a university-level conclusion,  view our conclusions resource  here.

3. The toppings (a.k.a. the body paragraphs)

The body paragraphs of a hamburger essay are its meatiest parts (pun intended). In high school, students are often taught to explain, and provide evidence for, their main thesis by presenting three distinct points in three separate body paragraphs, ordered roughly from the weakest point to the strongest. In this model, each body paragraph supports the essay’s thesis by providing a new piece of information to back-up the author’s primary claim. Also, each paragraph articulates its main point in a single topic sentence at the beginning of the paragraph.

For university essays, there’s a lot to like about the hamburger essay paragraph model. For example, it’s important that each paragraph of your university-level paper works to substantiate the paper's overarching thesis statement . This will prevent your essay from going off on tangents – that is, presenting ideas or research that are not directly related to the essay's focused goal. You should also pay attention to the order of ideas presented; while ordering your points from weakest to strongest (as in the hamburger model) isn’t necessary, there should be a  logical flow to your ideas . Ask yourself: what does my reader need to understand first in order to understand what’s coming next?

Topic sentences are also super useful in academic papers : they help alert the reader to the paragraph’s main idea and provide context for the evidence presented within the paragraph itself. In a traditional academic essay, readers should be able to read the first sentence (or two) of each paragraph only, and still have a strong idea of the paper’s main arguments and points.

However,  university-level essays can – and should – have more than three body paragraphs . This is perhaps the biggest complaint against the hamburger essay structure: that it tricks students into thinking they can only provide three pieces of evidence to back-up their thesis statements. Academic essays, especially research essays, should present the reader with a great breadth of evidence and information to prove their claims. It’s up to you – the writer – to decide how much evidence is needed, and how it can be organized logically into body paragraphs for the reader to follow.

On a similar note,  some points in your academic paper will require more than one body paragraph to develop,  and that’s ok! Let’s say, for example, that you’re writing an essay on the benefits of free community programming for reducing loneliness amongst senior citizens. It may take only one paragraph to present your research on loneliness amongst seniors, but maybe three or four paragraphs to show why publicly-funded programs are attractive to senior citizens in particular.

While some students believe, based on the hamburger model, that each new paragraph requires a brand new topic or point, in reality, there is more flexibility to the “rules” of academic writing. As long as each of your paragraphs is tackling one coherent idea at a time,  you may choose to develop a single point over numerous body paragraphs . This is especially true if you have a lot of evidence to discuss!

To learn more about how to write strong body paragraphs at the university level,   check out this WCC resource   on body paragraphs.

Final thoughts…

Keep in mind that  every writing assignment in university is different  and not all papers follow the traditional essay format. In fact, most essay assignments come with specific guidelines from the professor, which you should always follow with care, and ask questions about if you’re unsure.

If you’re transitioning from high school and looking for help with your writing projects, why not check out our new program for first-years, Waterloo Ready to Write ! Or book an appointment with one of our friendly and helpful writing instructors at the WCC. We would love to help you out.

Writing essays in university can be intimidating, especially if you’re new at it. But remember, you’re here for a reason, and you’ve already got a great foundation to start from! Try to think about writing in university as an extension and adaptation of what you already know. If you have an open mind, take your professors’ feedback to heart, and push yourself to try new things, you’ll be setting yourself up for success.

And Next Comes L - Hyperlexia Resources

Monday, October 19, 2020

Free printable hamburger graphic organizer for paragraph writing.

Do I have hyperlexia? Is my child hyperlexic? Take the free online hyperlexia quiz today!

Writing paragraphs is challenging for lots of kids, my son included. So we've been making use of graphic organizers to help him with his writing. Basically, I want it to be less stressful and anxiety-inducing for him. 

I really like using this hamburger graphic organizer for writing  because it helps my son plan out his paragraphs before actually writing them. It helps break down the writing process into smaller, bite-sized pieces and helps him visualize what his paragraph should look like.

The idea is to make a nice juicy hamburger, loaded with toppings, instead of a boring bunwich with no "meat." As delicious as buns are, they're a bit boring on their own...

Free hamburger graphic organizer printable for writing

About the Hamburger Graphic Organizer

This graphic organizer is designed to help kids plan out and organize their thoughts before writing a paragraph. 

Hamburger paragraph writing follows the format of writing a paragraph with an opening sentence about the topic, supporting it with three details, and wrapping it up or closing the paragraph with a concluding sentence. 

Basically, they're building a hamburger where the buns are the opening and concluding sentence and the meat and toppings are the supporting details. 

The hamburger would be pretty boring with just the buns, right? Same idea goes for paragraphs. A well-written paragraph needs details to support the topic or argument. Essentially, it needs a bit of "meat."

So encourage kids to think about the "meat" of their paragraph ahead of time by writing it down on this blank hamburger graphic organizer and they'll be that much closer to writing a better paragraph.

Download the Free Hamburger Graphic Organizer Printable

This printable includes two hamburger graphic organizers, one with lines and one without, that your child can fill in. A digital Google Slides version is included as well. To get your copy, click the link below.

>>  Click here to download the free printable

Looking for More Graphic Organizers?

You'll find even more graphic organizers for reading and writing in the graphic organizers bundle pack.

Graphic Organizers Bundle Pack

Click here to get your copy of the graphic organizers bundle pack

Free hamburger graphic organizer for paragraph writing

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Hamburger Paragraph Chart

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hamburger essay worksheet

Learning the structure of a paragraph is an important step in the writing process.  Today I’ve got a Free Hamburger Paragraph Chart you can use in your classroom.  If you’ve never heard of this before, this is a fantastic resource for teaching young writers just exactly what they need to include inside a paragraph.  The visual of a hamburger shows them to include an Introduction, Detail, Detail, Detail and then a Conclusion.  I’ve also created a fun follow up worksheet for children to build their own hamburger paragraphs!

HamburgerWorksheet

Free Hamburger Paragraph Classroom Chart

Free Hamburger Paragraph Worksheet

Find More Writing Guides Here:

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hamburger essay worksheet

As a homeschooling mother of four, I understand the need for children to build self-led learning skills and I’ve designed our step-by-step guides to encourage this development.  Each guide features five steps of instruction, explaining to the child what is required for that step, and what specific worksheets need to be completed. You can assign these steps to children simply by following a 5 day a week teaching schedule or by adding a due date next to each check box. Read more about our Step-by-Step process below, and view samples of our guides in our eStore .

hamburger essay worksheet

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Valerie Mcclintick

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This an awesome visual aid! I have been working with my son on paragraph structure, and he hasn’t quite understood it, yet. I know this will be a great help. Thank you for sharing. :)

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Hamburger paragraph

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It has easy exercises about hamburger paragraphs.

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Hamburger paragraph

Free Editable Hamburger Paragraph Examples

Frequently writing reports and paragraphs is common for students and professionals. In writing paragraphs, the thing that matters the most is your original writing. Even if you use helping content and websites, your writing skills will demonstrate your understanding of the topic. Hamburger paragraph is the most suitable graphic organizer for writing essays, paragraphs and reports.

1. What is a Hamburger Paragraph?

A hamburger paragraph is a graphic organizers that illustrates the key parts of paragraphs or other writings. It outlines the main points of various writings such as reports and essays to ensure that the writer follows the correct format and information hierarchy. Educators use hamburger graphic organizers to help students understand how to convert their ideas into organized text. With its help, most students learn to share their concepts with cohesive paragraphs and better understand paragraph writing structure.

2. Hamburger Paragraph Examples

Here are some of the most commonly used hamburger paragraph templates from EdrawMax's templates community. The purpose of these templates is to help students understand the concept of writing structures and idea organization. A hamburger graphic organizer makes it easier to visually represent the relationship between information in any paragraph or report. Our paragraph hamburger templates examples will help you better understand hamburger format writing. Check out these examples and pick a suitable template for your writing assignment.

Example 1: Hamburger Paragraph

This is a hamburger paragraph template. There are three parts of a paragraph hamburger. The first part is the top bun, which is the topic sentence of your writing. In this part, you explain your paragraph and your main idea. Under the topic sentence, you add the burger filling, which contains supporting information regarding your topic sentence. The third part is the bottom bun of the hamburger. You conclude your paragraph in this section by writing a few sentences about your main idea and making a reference to your topic sentence.

Hamburger Paragraph

Example 2: Hamburger Graphic Organizer

This is an example of a hamburger graphic organizer. Students use these templates to make assignments and improve their writing skills and idea organization. The hamburger in this template contains five parts. The top bun where students add their topic sentence and give the main idea. The second part contains supporting sentences to provide more information about the topic. The third part connects to the second part and gives more supporting information about the subject. With such a template, you can keep adding supportive details till you prove your point and reach a conclusion.

Hamburger Graphic Organizer

Example 3: Hamburger Writing

Hamburger writing outlines come in various formats, but the key structure of each hamburger graphic organizer is similar. The template in this example resembles a hamburger from the inside and outside. The topic, supporting, and conclusion are part of the hamburger. Paragraph hamburger template helps you understand an ideal way to depict the relationship between pieces of information. The paragraph starts with the topic sentence and the main idea. In the filling section, you add two or three supporting paragraphs and conclude your writing in the last area.

Hamburger Writing

Example 4: Hamburger Paragraph Writing Template

A hamburger paragraph writing template is mainly used for teaching purposes, and it helps students understand various writing structures and graphic organizers. There is a hamburger on the left side and a writing area on the right side in this example. The colors and lines represent which part of the hamburger represents which part of the paragraph. The top bun is the topic sentence, the filling is the supporting sentence, the bottom bun is the conclusion sentence. Students have to write the main idea, details and conclusion of the paragraph in an organized order.

Hamburger Paragraph Writing Template

Example 5: Hamburger Paragraph Examples

This is one of the most commonly used hamburger paragraph examples. There are three parts to this sandwich template. The topic sentence is the first part where students write the main idea of the target paragraph to explain the purpose of their writing. The second part is the body of the sandwich, which is further divided into two or three sections. Each of these sections contains details and supporting sentences regarding the topic sentence. All arguments and related information are mostly written in the body. In the last part, students conclude their writing and give their final thoughts.

Hamburger Paragraph Examples

Example 6: Hamburger Paragraph Template

The hamburger paragraph templates use a hamburger as a metaphor to describe the writing structure of any paragraph or report. The first section of the paragraph is the topic sentence that resembles any hamburger's top bun, and it provides the main idea and direction of the paragraph in question. The second section is the details and support statements that resemble the filling in a hamburger. The third section is the paragraph's conclusion that mirrors the bottom bun of a hamburger.

Hamburger Paragraph Template

Click on the image to edit. Source: EdrawMax Online

3. Online Hamburger Graphic Organizer Maker

A graphic organizer maker is a helping tool for educators and students to create hamburger graphic organizers for assignments and other teaching purposes. EdrawMax Online is the best hamburger graphic organizer maker out there. Most educators use paragraph hamburgers to teach their students, but they don't usually have spare time to make a graphic designer from scratch because it takes some time and effort.

With EdrawMax, teachers can use professional templates and customization tools to create any graphic organizer in minutes. Having pre-made templates makes all the difference because there is zero possibility of making any mistake or using the wrong format.

4. Key Takeaways

Hamburger paragraph helps students understand how to organize ideas and share their concepts. It is a creative method to showcase the ideal paragraph writing structure. The hamburger graphic organizer contains the key parts of a paragraph, and it takes a hamburger as a metaphor to organize information. It helps increase students' creativity while learning how to relate information in paragraphs.

As a result, it is important to find a stauible tool for making hamburger paragraph examples. EdrawMax Online is an ideal graphic organizer maker, because it only takes a few clicks for you to select a template and create a hamburger graphic organizer . You also find many shapes and icons in its symbol library. Find more graphic organizer template in the template community.

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Hamburger Template | Purple Outline

A hamburger template for essay writing with a purple outline

Description

Our hamburger essay template guides you to structure your thoughts and ideas with a clear intro, body, and conclusion.

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  1. Hamburger Paragraph Worksheet

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  2. Hamburger Paragraph Worksheet

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  3. Hamburger Writing Template

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  4. Editable Hamburger Paragraph Writing Worksheet

    hamburger essay worksheet

  5. Printable Hamburger Writing

    hamburger essay worksheet

  6. Hamburger Graphic Organizers / Hamburger Paragraph Template

    hamburger essay worksheet

VIDEO

  1. Cheeseburger

  2. How an Essay is Like a Hamburger

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  4. Self Introduction Worksheet for Kids

  5. UKG worksheet ❤️ आओ बच्चो आज हम मिल कर कुछ सीखते हैं🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️let's start ......👈👈👈👈👈

  6. How to Write an Introduction to an Essay! (Worksheet Included)

COMMENTS

  1. Paragraph Hamburger

    What is the paragraph hamburger? The "paragraph hamburger" is a writing organizer that visually outlines the key components of a paragraph. Topic sentence, detail sentences, and a closing sentence are the main elements of a good paragraph, and each one forms a different "piece" of the hamburger.

  2. Hamburger Paragraph Printables

    Hamburger Paragraph Printable. Once your student has gathered information about their topic, begin to walk them through the Hamburger Paragraph Printable. Start by helping them write a strong topic sentence. Sometimes a simple yet direct topic sentence is best for beginners. For example, "Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrated in the United ...

  3. How to Teach Paragraph Writing with a Hamburger!

    The main objective here is for students to understand that a paragraph is a group of sentences about one topic. The main idea sentence describes the topic of the paragraph. We go back to the full hamburger graphic to reinforce what the main idea does. To help my students understand this concept we play a little game.

  4. PDF PARAGRAPH WRITING

    Give details about your topic. Make sure you have at least 3. Close out your writing with a finishing sentence about your topic. www.thisreadingmama.com. Topic Sentence. Detail #1. Detail #2. Detail #3. Detail #4.

  5. How to turn the high school "hamburger" essay into a university-level

    1. The top bun (a.k.a the introduction paragraph) The hamburger essay begins with a strong introduction paragraph (the top bun) that sets up the rest of the paper and presents the essay's primary thesis statement or argument. In high school, students are often taught to begin their introduction paragraph with the broadest or most general information first, and gradually narrow in on the ...

  6. Free Printable Hamburger Graphic Organizer for Paragraph Writing

    Basically, they're building a hamburger where the buns are the opening and concluding sentence and the meat and toppings are the supporting details. The hamburger would be pretty boring with just the buns, right? Same idea goes for paragraphs. A well-written paragraph needs details to support the topic or argument.

  7. PDF Hamburger Paragraph Organizer

    Name _____ www.thecurriculumcorner.com Hamburger Paragraph Organizer Topic Sentence Detail Sentence

  8. PDF hamburger-writing WBRDN

    Title: hamburger-writing_WBRDN Created Date: 7/19/2017 6:45:18 AM

  9. Hamburgers worksheets

    Hamburgers worksheets Live Worksheets Worksheets that listen. Worksheets that speak. Worksheets that motivate students. Worksheets that save paper, ink and time. ... 3-5 essay Hamburger Example Level: elementary Age: 11-12 Downloads: 18 : Pulp Fiction the Hamburger Scene Level: advanced Age: 14-17 Downloads: 20 :

  10. Hamburger Essay worksheet

    This is a worksheet in creating an Essay. ... Hamburger Essay Hamburger Essay. Jules88 Member for 2 years 2 months Age: 10-15. Level: Grade 8. Language: English (en) ID: 1950354. 20/03/2022. Country code: PH. Country: Philippines. School subject: English ...

  11. Printable Graphic Organizers

    Hamburger Paragraph Writing. Version 3. This is yet another version on the hamburger writing activity. This organizer has the hamburger parts spread out. If you'd like to print this worksheet in full-color, use the "Alt" button below. 2nd and 3rd Grades. View PDF. Writing a Paragraph - Flower (no lines) FREE.

  12. Free Paragraph Writing Graphic Organizer

    Included in This Paragraph Writing Resource: ️ Hamburger Paragraph Writing Graphic Organizer: This essential tool provides students with a visual framework for organizing their ideas into coherent paragraphs.With its familiar "hamburger" structure, students learn to craft well-structured paragraphs by breaking down their ideas into distinct components, including an introduction (top bun ...

  13. Hamburger Writing Template for Teachers

    Our captivating handwriting worksheet is designed to enhance penmanship skills for younger learners. Writing Prompts | Blank. Unleash creativity with our Writing Prompts Worksheet! Inspire students to explore their imagination through a variety of thought-provoking prompts. ... Our hamburger essay template guides you to structure your thoughts ...

  14. Hamburger Paragraph Chart

    Hamburger Paragraph Chart. Learning the structure of a paragraph is an important step in the writing process. Today I've got a Free Hamburger Paragraph Chart you can use in your classroom. If you've never heard of this before, this is a fantastic resource for teaching young writers just exactly what they need to include inside a paragraph.

  15. Hamburger Paragraph Writing Lesson Plans & Worksheets

    Practice writing paragraphs with this scaffolded worksheet. The "hamburger" model is used on the second page, following some examples and guided practice on the first page. ... Young scholars explore the basic steps of writing an informative five paragraph essay. Using a hamburger as an analogy, students discuss the five part method of writing ...

  16. Free Hamburger Writing Teaching Resources

    4.6. (203) FREE. PDF. This graphic organizer will help your students plan their opinion writing piece! The hamburger is a great visual to help make sure that they have all the parts of an opinion writing piece- statement with their opinion, 3 reasons to support their opinion, and a concluding statement.

  17. Essay Hamburger

    My Original Hamburger Level: elementary Age: 8-14 Downloads: 22 Live Worksheets Worksheets that listen. Worksheets that speak. Worksheets that motivate students. Worksheets that save paper, ink and time. Advertise here Vocabulary worksheets > Food > Hamburgers > Essay Hamburger

  18. 5 Paragraph Hamburger Essay Worksheet by Bragging Rights

    Description. Students have seen the hamburger essay in elementary school. Once students move up in their writing, the hamburger organizer can be adapted to meet the needs of a five paragraph essay. Total Pages. 3 pages. Answer Key. N/A. Teaching Duration. 45 minutes.

  19. PDF Hamburger Writing

    Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com Name: Hamburger Writing Topic Sentence Closing Sentence Detail #1 Detail #2 Detail #3 LG

  20. Hamburger paragraph worksheet

    Language: English (en) ID: 1544354. 19/10/2021. Country code: EC. Country: Ecuador. School subject: English as a Second Language (ESL) (1061958) Main content: Hamburger paragraph (1581672) It has easy exercises about hamburger paragraphs. Other contents: Mass extinction.

  21. Free Editable Hamburger Paragraph Examples

    Example 4: Hamburger Paragraph Writing Template. A hamburger paragraph writing template is mainly used for teaching purposes, and it helps students understand various writing structures and graphic organizers. There is a hamburger on the left side and a writing area on the right side in this example.

  22. Results for hamburger essay writing

    A visual presentation to compare writing a One Page Essay with a Hamburger . The top bun is the introduction, the "meat" is the three paragraphs with supporting facts, and the bottom bun is the conclusion. The message is that a hamburger will fall apart or be lacking if all the parts do not work together.

  23. Hamburger Template

    Our hamburger essay template guides you to structure your thoughts and ideas with a clear intro, body, and conclusion. Cursive Handwriting Worksheet | Sentences. Our captivating handwriting worksheet is designed to enhance penmanship skills for younger learners. The Solar Eclipse Reading Comprehension. Learn about solar eclipses and test your ...