Writing Informative Texts with Clear Explanations
Writing Informative Texts with Clear Explanations Objective: Students will learn how to write an informative text that includes clear explanations and relevant facts to help readers understand a topic.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the purpose of informative writing.
- Identify clear explanations and supporting facts in a text.
- Plan and write a short informative paragraph using explanations.
Materials Needed
- Notebook or lined paper
- Pencil and eraser
- Example informative text (printed or digital)
- Graphic organizer for planning writing
Key Vocabulary
- Informative Text
- A type of writing that gives facts and explanations about a topic.
- Explanation
- A clear description that helps someone understand something.
- Topic
- The subject or main idea that you are writing about.
Detailed Activities
Introduction to Informative Writing
- Read an example of an informative text aloud with your child.
- Discuss the topic and identify the explanations and facts in the text.
- Ask your child questions about what they learned from the text.
Planning Your Own Informative Paragraph
- Help your child choose a simple topic they know about (e.g., their pet, a favorite food).
- Use a graphic organizer to list the topic, main explanation, and three facts.
- Review the organizer together to ensure the facts support the explanation.
Writing the Informative Paragraph
- Guide your child to write a paragraph using the planner, starting with a clear topic sentence.
- Encourage them to include explanations and facts from their organizer.
- Help with spelling and punctuation as needed.
- Read the paragraph aloud and discuss how the explanations help understand the topic.
Parent & Instructor Notes
- This lesson focuses on helping your child understand how to explain a topic clearly in writing.
- Encourage your child to speak about their topic before writing to organize their thoughts.
- Be patient and offer positive feedback to build their confidence in writing.
Assessment Questions
- What is the topic of the paragraph you wrote?
- Can you point out one explanation and one fact in your writing?
- Why do you think explanations are important in informative writing?
Extension Ideas
- Have your child create an informative poster with pictures and facts about their topic.
- Encourage your child to read other short informative books or articles and identify explanations.
- Practice writing informative texts on different topics to build skill and confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Encourage them to think about what they already know about the topic or help them do a simple search with your supervision.
Use the example texts to guide discussions and focus on supporting your child’s ideas rather than perfect grammar.
Teacher’s Guide
Common Misconceptions:
- Children might write a list of facts without connecting them with explanations.
- Some may confuse informative writing with storytelling and include opinions or personal stories.
Scaffolding Ideas:
For Struggling Students:
- Provide sentence starters or a fill-in-the-blank template to guide their writing.
- Allow oral responses before writing to build confidence and ideas.
For Advanced Students:
- Challenge them to write multiple paragraphs with subtopics and supporting details.
- Encourage the use of linking words like ‘because,’ ‘therefore,’ and ‘for example.’
Pacing Recommendations:
- Spend extra time on planning and discussing the topic for students new to informative writing.
- Allow breaks during writing if your child loses focus.
- Review the paragraph together immediately to reinforce learning.
Standards
- 5.W.9a — undefined
Printable Worksheet
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