A writing strategy that I use to help students with supporting details of their essays is the "quotation card".  Students use a 3x5 or 4x5 index card to write one quotation from whichever text is being read in class.  One the card students write a quote using correct in text citations.  Then students must explain the following two things on the card; 1) What does the quote mean? and 2) Why does it matter.   This strategy aids visual learners in organizing the body of their essays.  They can arrange and re-arrange topics and supporting details without the hassle of messy pen marks or waste of paper.   Teacher may take the index card strategy further by using the Jane Schaffer paragraph structure, and its help phrases; so that students try various ways of organizing their essays.