WWHWHW
What - Where - How - Why - How Well
Embedded Files
EVERY lesson has a reflection in the last 5 minutes. WHAT - SO WHAT - NOW WHAT?
Explanation of the WWHWHW Paragraph Scaffold
Explanation of the WWHWHW Paragraph Scaffold
The WWHWHW scaffold (pronounced Wa-hoo-weh-wah) is a structured paragraphing strategy that helps students integrate the cognitive verbs of ALARM learning into their writing. It ensures that their paragraphs not only present evidence but also explain, evaluate, and link directly to the question or thesis.
The WWHWHW scaffold (pronounced Wa-hoo-weh-wah) is a structured paragraphing strategy that helps students integrate the cognitive verbs of ALARM learning into their writing. It ensures that their paragraphs not only present evidence but also explain, evaluate, and link directly to the question or thesis.
Each step builds on the previous one:
WHAT – The topic sentence. Introduce the idea you will discuss in the paragraph.
WHERE – The evidence sentence. Provide a direct quotation or reference from the text that supports your idea.
HOW – The technique sentence. Identify the technique used in the evidence.
WHY – The explanation sentence. Explain how the technique creates meaning, builds an effect, or contributes to the text’s themes.
HOW WELL – The evaluation sentence. Judge the effectiveness of the technique and link back to the question or thesis.
This scaffold gives students a reliable, step-by-step method for writing analytical paragraphs that move from description → analysis → evaluation.
EXAMPLE PARAGRAPHS USING WWHWHW
EXAMPLE PARAGRAPHS USING WWHWHW
Sample #1
Sample #1
WHAT: Shakespeare explores the destructive power of impulsive love in Romeo and Juliet.
WHERE: This is seen when Romeo declares, “With love’s light wings did I o’er-perch these walls; for stony limits cannot hold love out.”
HOW: Shakespeare uses metaphor, comparing love to wings that allow Romeo to defy physical barriers.
WHY: This technique highlights Romeo’s reckless passion, suggesting that his devotion to Juliet blinds him to the dangers and consequences of his actions.
HOW WELL: Shakespeare effectively portrays youthful love as both exhilarating and dangerous, reinforcing the play’s tragic message that unchecked passion can lead to ruin. This directly supports the idea that impulsive choices drive the play’s tragic outcome.
Sample #2
Sample #2
WHAT: Orwell critiques the manipulation of truth by totalitarian regimes in 1984.
WHERE: The Party slogan, “Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past,” illustrates this.
HOW: The paradoxical slogan uses repetition and aphorism to assert the Party’s dominance over reality.
WHY: This technique emphasises the terrifying extent of the Party’s control, as history itself becomes malleable and subjective, ensuring citizens remain powerless to resist.
HOW WELL: Orwell’s use of paradox powerfully conveys the corruption of truth under authoritarian rule, reinforcing his warning about the dangers of unchecked political power. This links directly to the broader thesis that 1984 is a cautionary tale against totalitarianism.
Sample #3
Sample #3
The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)
The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)
WHAT: Collins demonstrates how spectacle is used as a tool of political control in The Hunger Games.
WHERE: This is evident when Katniss becomes known as “the girl on fire.”
HOW: The epithet uses symbolism, with fire representing rebellion, transformation, and danger.
WHY: By branding Katniss with this image, the Capitol attempts to commodify her into a spectacle, but the symbol simultaneously empowers her to become a beacon of resistance.
HOW WELL: Collins shows how symbols can be double-edged, both suppressing and liberating, which underscores her novel’s critique of propaganda and mass entertainment as mechanisms of control. This directly supports the thesis that the Games are designed to manipulate public perception.
Page updated
Report abuse