Cheeseburger
Deluxe
Teaching
Students
About
Detail Writing
By
Crystal Otto
February
26, 2026
THIS OR...
THIS???
“It’s
time for dinner!” mom hollers loudly from the kitchen. You’ve been at school all
day and your tummy is growling. You race excitedly into the kitchen asking
pleadingly with big eyes “what’s for supper?”. Mom gives you two options. You
can choose from a plain hamburger bun or a cheeseburger deluxe. Which would you
choose?
How
does this apply to reading and writing? Let’s read two short paragraphs and see
if we can figure out how a cheeseburger deluxe is going to help us be better
writers.
My
trip to outer space – I went to outer space
once. I saw a lot of things that were different. I got tired. I came home. My
mom missed me. I told her I went to outer space. She was glad I was home. I was
glad I was home. I went to bed.
My
trip to outer space – Tuesday morning started
like an ordinary school day. On my way to school, the bus began to fly and I
was afraid at first. My teacher was driving the bus so it wasn’t as scary as I
thought at first. She told me we were going to outer space and I was really
excited except I wasn’t sure my mom would be very happy about me missing
school. My teacher told us she had permission slips from our parents so I could
relax and concentrate on having fun. There were bright stars and flying rocks
out the windows. Everything was just like we read about in our chapter books
about going to the moon. I thought it might be cold but the bus kept us warm
even though it was very cold outside. Our teacher talked to us about everything
we were seeing like meteors, asteroids, and comets. I started getting hungry so
I knew it must be close to the end of the school day. I was hoping we would go
home soon so I could have dinner with my family. My stomach was growling. With
the flip of a switch the bus turned back into a regular school bus and the
comets turned into regular old oak trees. I realized I was on my block and
nearly back to my house. I hopped off the bus and ran quickly to the house to
tell my family all about my outer space adventure. I hoped dinner was ready so
I could eat while we talked. Outer space adventures really make second-graders
hungry. Mom said I’ll sleep well tonight!
Which of those paragraphs were more fun to
read?
Details
can help make stories come to life for us as readers. Details can also make us
better writers. Today, we are going to learn about making our writing a Deluxe
Cheeseburger!
The Components of a Cheeseburger Deluxe
This method breaks down a paragraph into
distinct, visual parts:
- Top Bun
(Topic Sentence): Introduces
the main idea or topic of the paragraph.
- Lettuce/Onions
(Supporting Details): The
first layer of details that support the main topic.
- The Patty
(Key Evidence/Example): The
"meat" of the paragraph, providing crucial evidence or a strong,
central example.
- Cheese/Tomato
(Extra Details/Elaboration): Additional layers of details that expand, explain, or add
flavor to the main evidence.
- Bottom Bun
(Concluding Sentence): Wraps
up the paragraph by summarizing the main points and restating the topic
sentence in a new way.
How to Use the Strategy to Add Details
To specifically encourage detail addition, teachers can use the
following techniques:
- Add
"Toppings" (Details): Instruct students to add at least three "toppings"
(supporting sentences) between the buns.
- Use
"Deluxe" Add-ons: Beyond
the basic 3-sentence body, the "Deluxe" component requires
students to add specific examples, sensory details, or descriptions after
each main supporting point.
- Visual
Organizers: Use
graphic organizers that feature a burger with labels for "Bun,"
"Lettuce," "Patty," "Cheese," and
"Bottom Bun" to help students plan before they write.
- "Fix
the Bland Burger" Activity: Have students read a simple, thin paragraph and brainstorm
"toppings" (details) to make it a "deluxe" paragraph.
- Color-Coding: Have students underline their topic
sentence in green (go),
their details in yellow/orange
(add), and their conclusion in red (stop).
Benefits of the Strategy
- Encourages
Elaboration: The
visual of a "naked" patty (unsupported topic) makes it obvious
when a paragraph needs more information.
- Improves
Organization: It
provides a clear, structured framework for paragraphs.
- Engages
Learners: It makes
the abstract concept of paragraph structure concrete and fun, especially
for visual and tactile learners.
- Versatile: This method works for various
writing types, including persuasive (toppings = facts/reasons) and
narrative writing.
This is a video that may help students visualize this method:
https://youtu.be/AmHFR06JXS4?si=WT8WCkZS7RdV8F7e
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