Grade 2 - Writing
6 printable versions - Building Confidence - About 4 minutes each
Grade 2 - Writing - Building Confidence
Worksheet 1Which topic sentence tells what a paragraph about rain will explain?
Read these facts: Butterflies have wings. They drink nectar. They begin life as caterpillars. Which topic sentence fits them?
Which sentence is too narrow to be the topic sentence for a paragraph about libraries?
Which sentence is an opinion, not an informative beginning about rain?
The paragraph title is "Butterflies." Which sentence is off topic?
Informative writing begins with a topic sentence that tells the reader what the paragraph will explain. Many second graders either write a tiny detail, such as a color or one body part, or they write an opinion that belongs in a different kind of writing. This worksheet isolates the opening sentence of an informative paragraph. Students match topic sentences to groups of facts, identify sentences that are too narrow, and choose openings that fit a title. Because each item has a correct answer, children can practice the decision before they write full paragraphs on their own. The best answers are broad enough to cover all the facts but still specific enough to guide the reader. This habit also helps children check whether later details still belong.
For facts about wings, nectar, and caterpillars, 'Butterflies are insects with interesting body parts and life stages' fits better than one detail about antennae.
Using one small fact as the topic sentence, which leaves the rest of the paragraph without a clear focus.
The topic sentence should fit all the facts, not just one detail.