Writing Informative Paragraphs with Key Details
Writing Informative Paragraphs with Key Details Objective: Students will be able to write an informative paragraph on a familiar topic by including key facts and details to clearly explain the topic.
Learning Objectives
- Understand what informative writing is and its purpose.
- Identify key details that support a main topic.
- Organize facts into a clear paragraph form with a topic sentence and supporting details.
Materials Needed
- Notebook or writing paper
- Pencil and eraser
- Picture book or short informational text on a familiar topic (e.g., animals, plants, community helpers)
- Graphic organizer for main idea and details (simple chart with space for topic and three details)
Key Vocabulary
- Informative Writing
- Writing that gives facts and information about a topic.
- Details
- Pieces of information that help explain or tell more about the main idea.
- Paragraph
- A group of sentences that talk about one main idea.
Detailed Activities
Exploring Informative Writing
- Read a short informational text or picture book together on a familiar topic.
- Discuss the main topic and ask the student to identify three important facts or details they learned.
- Introduce the concept of informative writing as telling others about what you learned using facts.
Organizing Ideas with a Graphic Organizer
- Show the student the graphic organizer with space for the topic and three details.
- Help the student write the main topic at the top.
- Guide the student to fill in three important facts or details about the topic in the organizer.
Writing an Informative Paragraph
- Using the graphic organizer, ask the student to write a paragraph including a topic sentence and the three details.
- Encourage the student to use complete sentences and to check their work for clarity.
- Read the paragraph together and discuss how the facts help explain the topic.
Parent & Instructor Notes
- Encourage your child by praising their effort and reminding them that informative writing is about sharing facts clearly.
- If your child struggles to think of details, you can help by asking questions about the topic or looking together at the book again.
- Keep the session light and fun, allowing breaks if your child becomes tired or frustrated.
Assessment Questions
- Can your child name the main topic of their paragraph?
- Does the paragraph include at least three facts or details about the topic?
- Is the paragraph organized with a clear beginning sentence and supporting details?
Extension Ideas
- Have your child create an informative drawing or poster about the topic with labels and captions.
- Encourage your child to share their paragraph orally with another family member.
- Explore another informational book on a new topic and repeat the activity to build confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can encourage your child to say their sentences aloud first and write down what they say. Help them build sentences by adding one detail at a time.
Look for a clear topic sentence and at least three supporting facts. It’s okay if spelling or handwriting is not perfect at this stage; focus on organizing ideas clearly.
Teacher’s Guide
Common Misconceptions:
- Students may write opinions instead of facts when asked to write informative text.
- Students might list facts without organizing them into a coherent paragraph.
- Some students may confuse informative writing with storytelling.
Scaffolding Ideas:
For Struggling Students:
- Provide sentence starters or a word bank to help with writing sentences.
- Allow drawing pictures to represent facts before writing.
- Work together to orally compose the paragraph before writing.
For Advanced Students:
- Encourage adding more than three details.
- Ask the student to include an interesting fact or question at the end of their paragraph.
- Have the student research a simple new fact about the topic to include.
Pacing Recommendations:
- Spend 10-15 minutes reading and discussing the informational text.
- Use 10-15 minutes to complete the graphic organizer together.
- Allow 15-20 minutes for writing the paragraph, with support as needed.
Standards
- 3.W.2a — Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
Printable Worksheet
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