Name: ______________________________________ Date: _________
“This I Believe” Paragraph
If you’ve never heard NPR’s old radio series “This I Believe,” it’s a great listen. People from
around the country sent in short essays expressing a core belief, which could be as funny and
simple as: I believe in the pizza delivery guy. Along with sharing a belief, writers gave specific,
vibrant examples of why they held that belief and how they came to have it. It’s an easy format
that helps students develop their ability to support claims and write with specific and powerful
descriptions.
Directions:
1. Listen to the NPR broadcast where Jackie Robinson reads his essay
2. While listening to him read his essay, follow along with the attached essay and annotate as
necessary. Specifically look for the following areas to annotate: What is his core belief? What
examples does he give as to why he holds this belief? How did he come to have this belief?
Finally, indicate with the letter “C” where you have identified specific claims. These annotations
will be part of your grade for this assignment.
3. Finally, write your own “This I Believe” paragraph or two.This must be at least one paragraph but
can be more. This will constitute your first informal writing grade and that grade will reflect how
well you integrate the following elements into your paragraph.
A. What is one of your personal core beliefs?
B. Give specific, examples of why you hold this belief and how you came to have it.
C. Make sure you provide support, in your paragraph, for your claim (why your core belief is
what it is).
D. Make sure your writing is legible and that you check all spelling, grammar, word choice
and conventions.
4. Turn in both the annotated text and the writing prompt by the end of the class period.
