Writing Informative Paragraphs with Details
Writing Informative Paragraphs with Details Objective: Students will learn to write informative paragraphs that include facts and details about a topic, meeting the standard 3.W.3a.
Learning Objectives
- Understand how to write a paragraph that gives information about a topic.
- Identify details that support the main idea in a text.
- Organize facts and details before writing.
Materials Needed
- Notebook or lined paper
- Pencil and eraser
- Picture book or short informational text
- Graphic organizer worksheet (topic and details)
Key Vocabulary
- Informative Writing
- Writing that gives facts and information about a topic.
- Detail
- A fact or piece of information that supports the main idea.
- Topic Sentence
- A sentence that tells what the paragraph is about.
Detailed Activities
Reading and Finding Details
- Read a short informational text or picture book together with your child.
- Ask your child to listen carefully and think about what the main topic is.
- Discuss and list 3 important facts or details from the text that explain the topic.
Organizing Information
- Use a graphic organizer to write the topic in the center or at the top.
- Help your child write the 3 details or facts around the topic.
- Talk about how these details explain the topic.
Writing an Informative Paragraph
- Guide your child to write a topic sentence naming the topic.
- Help your child write sentences using the details from the organizer.
- Encourage your child to use complete sentences and check for capitalization and punctuation.
Parent & Instructor Notes
- Encourage your child to speak about the topic and details before writing to build confidence.
- Be patient and provide examples of simple sentences for your child to follow.
- Praise effort and encourage rewriting to improve clarity and details.
Assessment Questions
- Can your child tell what the topic of their paragraph is?
- Did your child include at least three facts or details about the topic?
- Is the paragraph organized with a clear topic sentence and supporting sentences?
Extension Ideas
- Have your child create a drawing that illustrates the topic and details of their paragraph.
- Encourage your child to write a second paragraph about a related topic or a new topic.
- Use technology, if available, to type the paragraph and add pictures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Try reading the text multiple times and discuss pictures or key words to find clues; prompt with questions like ‘What do you see?’ or ‘What do you know about this?’
Focus on guiding your child to talk about their ideas first, and write down their words if needed; use simple examples and praise their efforts to build confidence.
Teacher’s Guide
Common Misconceptions:
- Children may write a list of facts rather than full sentences.
- Some students might confuse opinion with fact when giving details.
- Students may struggle to organize details logically.
Scaffolding Ideas:
For Struggling Students:
- Allow verbal responses before writing to build ideas.
- Use sentence starters like ‘The topic is…’ and ‘One fact is…’.
- Provide a word bank with key vocabulary and facts.
For Advanced Students:
- Encourage adding more than three details with examples or reasons.
- Have students write a concluding sentence to wrap up their paragraph.
- Include research from additional sources for more information.
Pacing Recommendations:
- Spend about 10 minutes reading and discussing details.
- Use 10 minutes for organizing information with the graphic organizer.
- Reserve 20 minutes for writing and revising the paragraph.
- Allow time for questions and review at the end.
Standards
- 3.W.3a — Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
Printable Worksheet
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