Five-paragraph Essay Topics for Middle School

Five-paragraph essays are a specific writing assignment format that dictates a one-paragraph introduction, a three-paragraph body and a one-paragraph conclusion. Five-paragraph essays are a good introduction into the essay-writing format and can help middle-schoolers get accustomed to organizing their thoughts in this format. When choosing a good topic for a five-paragraph essay, consider your personal interests and the topics you've always wanted to know more about.

One type of essay that can easily fit the five-paragraph format is a report. For this type of essay, you will choose a single topic, do some basic research about it and synthesize your findings in your writing. Reports include only relevant facts about the topic, not opinions or arguments. Some topic ideas for a report-style essay could include "The Geography of India," "All About the U.S. Mint" or "Types of Dogs."

A persuasive essay aims to present evidence that sways the reader to one side of an issue. Persuasive essays rely on facts and reputable evidence to support your opinion and convince your reader that they should agree with you on a particular topic. Some persuasive essay topics include "Why Pollution is Bad for the Environment," "The Benefits of Extracurricular Activities" and "How Owning a Pet Teaches Responsibility."

A personal essay is used to look inward, letting the writer expound upon a personal experience or give information about himself. Personal essays are often written in a familiar style, different from fact-based essays, in order to draw the reader into the writer's world and evoke empathy. Some personal essay topic ideas could include, "My Trip to Another County", "Why I Enjoy Dancing," or "My Experience with the Death of my Pet."

An argumentative essay is one that presents both sides of an issue, then argues in favor of one. An argumentative essay is similar to a persuasive essay, in that the aim is to convince the reader of a particular point of view, but it also must take a neutral stance in order to present the issue as a whole before arguing in favor of one side. Some argumentative essay topics could include "Recycling: Good or Bad?" and "Video Games: Positive or Harmful?"