PARAGRAPHS 2, 3, AND 4
The first sentence should be a topic sentence that introduces the entire subject of the paragraph. Nothing should be in each of these paragraphs other than the subject mentioned in the topic sentence. These paragraphs should have a minimum of five sentences.

PARAGRAPH 5
Sum up what was already written about, but add no new details at all. This paragraph can be short. Your main idea will be part of the topic sentence in the conclusion paragraph.

EXAMPLE

In the following short essay, the main idea is in red in paragraph one and five. How I introduce/restate each of my detail paragraphs is in blue in paragraphs one and five. My topic sentences are in green in paragraphs 2, 3, and 4. My concluding sentence is in red. All of the paragraphs should have the first line indented.

Here is how the essay is graded: 1 point- All paragraphs indented.
1 point- Main idea as first sentence in paragraph 1.
1 point- Main idea as first sentence in paragraph 5.
1 point- Topics introduced in paragraph 1.
1 point- Topics restated in paragraph 5.
3 points- 1 point each for the 3 topic sentences in paragraphs 2, 3, 4.
1 point- Concluding sentence.

        I'm going to tell you a little bit about the State of California. You'll learn when it was first settled by Europeans and why they came here. I'm also going to tell you some facts about California that you may not know. Unlike many other states, there are lots of differerent regions in California. If you are looking for a certain climate, you'll find it here!
        California was first settled by Europeans in the 16th century. Many people think that California is one of the newer states, but there were European settlements here before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock! Do you remember stories about Sir Francis Drake and Queen Elizabeth I? Well, Sir Francis Drake actually visited California. He was trying to keep the Spanish from settling here almost 500 years ago. Many Spanish explorers visited and explored here. They found many natural resources, but what they wanted to find here the most was not here. They were searching for a mythical passage across the continent called the Strait of Anian. It was a legend that they wished was true. They also were looking for gold. They didn't find much, but they just weren't looking in the right place!
        If you like trivia, there are many little known facts about California that may surprise you. California has the largest population of Native Americans in the entire United States! More Native Americans live here than anywhere else. Before the Gold Rush, California had more Indians than all the other states combined. California has the highest mountain in the contiguous states, and it also has the lowest point. California is home to redwood and sequoia trees which are the largest trees on earth. Scientists say all trees are decended from the redwood, which was around when dinosaurs walked the earth! Because of our mild coastal weather, the ice ages never destroyed these ancient trees. There are redwood trees in California that were here at the time of Christ!
        California has a region that will please just about everyone! The coastal region has a mild climate due to the Pacific Ocean and rich vegetation due to the rivers that flow into the sea. The Central Valley region is called the breadbasket of the United States. Almost 90% of the fruits and vegetables consumed by humans come from this rich farm area. Our desert region contains Joshua trees, which don't grow anywhere else in the world. Our rugged mountain area, which is our largest region, is home to redwood trees, which you can only find here.
        I've told you just a few things about the interesting State of California. You learned that Europeans came here almost 500 years ago and some little known facts about California. You also know that we have many regions unlike most states. California is a diverse state, and a great place to live in or visit.