Share the Story of Your Hero in a 5 Paragraph Expository Essay

Mastering the Five Paragraph Essay With MY HERO

An important part of English language arts education is learning how to write a five-paragraph essay. The construction provides training wheels that students will need when writing longer papers in college, as well as for tangible life skills such as writing a cover letter. 

Essay Outline & Thesis Statement- A five-paragraph essay follows an outline:

Opening paragraph—Introduce the subject and the thesis statement*.

Second, third, and fourth paragraphs—Answer the thesis statement and back it up with evidence.

Fifth paragraph—Restate the thesis statement in a new way, summarize the evidence, and end with a larger truth.

*Your thesis statement is your argument. For essays on MY HERO you’re arguing that your subject is your hero.

Types of Five-Paragraph Essays: There are six main types of five-paragraph essays: 

Expository

Persuasive

Argumentative

Narrative

Cause and Effect

Compare and Contrast

MY HERO essays are Expository: they use evidence to support an idea. This evidence can be actions the hero has taken, the impact the hero has had on others, and the ways the hero has changed the world, and/or the writer. We value essays that demonstrate not just the subject’s heroic qualities, but why those qualities matter to the writer.

Sample Skeleton Essay: The following simplified essay shows the skeleton of a well-crafted essay.

[First Paragraph-Subject] My mom is my hero [thesis statement & list of examples] because she raised me as a single mom, went back to school later in life, and believes that I can succeed. 

[Second Paragraph-Transition + restating the thesis] My mom is very heroic to me. [Example + Evidence] She and my dad divorced when I was three, and from then on, my mom raised me on her own. She didn’t have anyone to lean on, but she still made sure I grew up happy and healthy. 

[Third Paragraph-Transition + restating the thesis + example] My mom is also my hero because she went back to school after she had me. [Evidence] She took classes online so she could be with me after work and not have to hire a sitter. She was able to get her degree in interior design and started her own business. 

[Fourth Paragraph-Transition + restating thesis + example] Lastly, my mom is heroic because she always put me first. [Evidence] She always throws me birthday parties, and she makes sure I have clothes to wear to school, even if that means she wears the same clothes year after year. She has taught me how to grow up to be a strong, independent woman like her.

[Fifth Paragraph-Restate thesis in new way] Out of everyone in the world, my mom is who I count as my true hero. [Summarize evidence] She worked hard so that both she and I could have bright futures. She did this by going back to school as a single mother and providing for my physical and emotional needs. [Larger truth] Not everyone thinks of a parent when they think of a hero, but a hero doesn’t have to have super powers to change someone’s life.