ESSAY PLAN

I. Lead-in/Clincher—My grandma lives in the country near a large, blue lake, and a small green forest. I look forward to visiting her house. (PLUS) Thesis statement (a complete sentence): I love my grandma's house because I can go to my grandpa's favorite room and remember him in detail.

II. Topic sentence (first point): Whenever I walk into my grandma's house, I always go directly to my grandpa's favorite room---the den.

A. Example/Detail

B. Example/Detail

C. Example/Detail

III. Topic sentence (second point): Now when I sit in his chair, I look on the mantle and see an old Air Force picture of my grandpa and three of his Air Force buddies.

A. Example/Detail    

B. Example/Detail

C. Example/Detail

IV. Topic sentence (third point): I also love to play with the pipe stand that sits on the table next to my grandpa's chair.

A. Example/Detail

B. Example/Detail

C. Example/Detail

VI. Conclusion (leave reader with a sense of finality): I will always treasure this one tiny room, with its smells from the past and its picture of my grandpa smiling. 

Grandma's House

My grandma lives in the country, near a large, blue lake and a small, green forest. I look forward to visiting her house. I think of my grandpa when I am there.

Whenever I walk into my grandma's house, I always go directly to my grandpa's favorite room--the den. I am immediately reminded of my grandpa in this room. My grandma has a soft, brown sofa and a brown leather loveseat in this small, dark room, but all I see is the old, worn chair that was my grandpa's. The chair was recovered in an itchy tweed fabric. I used to pretend to be asleep in his chair so my grandpa would gently lift me from the coarse fabric and place me on his lap. I would lie there even though I wasn't sleeping and enjoy the warmth of his body. I remember the times I sat on his sturdy lap in that chair while he read One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish or The Cat in the Hat in his deep voice.

Now when I sit in his chair, I look on the mantle and see an old Air Force picture of my grandpa and three of his Air Force buddies. They are all dressed in informal flight clothes and are standing in front of a World War II airplane. Next to this picture is a single portrait of my grandpa when he was seventy. This picture represents the way I still see him in my mind. His gray hair is thin, his face has light brown sun spots on it that show his years of working outdoors. His gentle, light blue eyes sparkle in a way that usually meant he was up to something mischievous. But most of all, I love looking at his smile. The right side of his mouth always turned slightly downward, but it is a smile that I would give anything to see in person just one more time.

I also love to play with the pipe stand that sits on the table next to my grandpa's chair. I love the worn feeling of the pipe. It once was rough with ridges but is now smooth from use. When I quietly pick up his pipe and smell the sweet tobacco that was once housed in its shell, I think of all the times I knew my grandpa was near me because of this same aroma.

I have wonderful memories of my grandpa. When I go to my grandma's house, I can sit in my grandpa's old chair in my grandpa's favorite room and reminisce about all the times I felt safe when my grandpa was near. I will always treasure this one tiny room, with its smells from the past and its picture of my grandpa smiling.