Informational Writing
5th Grade
Author’s Purpose
Informational writing...
Informational writing is not...
Examples of informational texts:
Newspapers
Examples of informational texts:
Magazines
Examples of informational texts:
Websites
Examples of informational texts:
Books
Examples of informational texts:
Signs
Task
Create an Expert Chart
I know a lot about... | I know some about... | I want to know more about... |
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Select a Topic
Write down all of the things that you already know some facts about for one of your expert topics.
Sort your facts into 3-5 groups.
Create a heading for each group.
Do you have enough information?
Try another topic.
Organized Sticky Notes
How do I organize my facts?
Now that you know your headings or focus areas, you can create a tree map.
Create a tree map with the headings and supporting facts.
What does the tree map look like?
Notice the details are simple.
Expanding Topic Knowledge
Give more information about each detail and ask questions about things you’d like to know.
Adding to Your Expertise
We take notes to help us become experts or add to our expertise.
Experts not only know a lot of facts about a subject, but they can group those facts in a meaningful way and draw conclusions based on those facts.
Revise Your Notes
Reread your notes and add a big idea for each heading.
Revise Your Notes
Reread your notes and add a big idea for each heading.
Revise Your Notes
Reread your notes and add a big idea for each heading.
Think Entry
What do I want my reader to learn? Why is my topic important to teach? What will I need to learn to effectively teach my topic?
Draft Your Body Paragraphs
Draft Your Body Paragraphs
Draft Your Body Paragraphs
Yoga Equipment
Just like a football player needs a helmet and a tennis player needs a racket, a yogi needs some special equipment. Grab a mat, a block, and a strap and you are ready to begin your practice.
The first piece of equipment needed is a mat. The mat is usually a rectangle approximately 24 inches wide and 72 inches long. This mat is the yogi’s space for the duration of the practice. There are many brands to choose from: Manduka, Gaiam, Lululemon, etc. They range in price from as little as $10 to well over $100.
Yogi’s can also benefit from using a block. A block is used to provide support and balance. Blocks are often made from foam, cork, or even wood. They are usually rectangular in shape measuring 4 in. x 6 in. x 9 in.
The last piece of equipment that is often helpful is a strap. Straps help a yogi to perform poses that require flexibility. A six foot or an eight foot strap can be used. Before purchasing, the height of the yogi and the poses the strap will be used for should be considered.
Comfortable clothing and a towel are also a great addition to the yogi’s equipment. Your body will be bending in many directions and you need your clothes to move with you. A towel can be used to wipe that drip of sweat on your forehead or the end of your nose.
Draft Your Body Paragraphs
Draft Your Body Paragraphs
Draft Your Body Paragraphs
Draft Your Body Paragraphs
Draft Your Body Paragraphs
Remember to:
Mentor Text
-use language to make your information understandable to the reader
The flow changes from something like a gushing river to many meandering streams.
Draft Your Body Paragraphs
Remember to:
Include a Narrative Element
Look at the notes on the right.
Weaving Fact into Narrative
A female shark is out hunting and swims quickly past a coral reef. Suddenly, she spots her prey up above. The light from the sky above the water shines around the school of fish like a giant neon restaurant sign. She rises faster and faster towards her prey; her oil filled liver helping to create buoyancy that lifts her towards her meal…
Use Domain Specific Vocabulary
Louder and slower won’t help!
Replace general terms with more specific ones. Define words by adding new parts to sentences or additional sentences.
An expert sounds like an expert not just because they have facts in their head, but they also know terminology that is specific.
Use Domain Specific Vocabulary
I wake early in the morning ready for my Sun Salutations.
I wake early in the morning ready for my Sun Salutations, a series of asanas (ah-su-nuh) practiced in a specific order. Asana is a Sanskrit word for pose or posture.
Use Domain Specific Vocabulary
Notice the pronunciation the helps the reader.
Use Domain Specific Vocabulary
The mantle is made of molten rock, or magma.
How is an informational text organized?
Write an Introduction
The introduction is important for two main reasons:
It can encourage curiosity and interest in the topic and make your reader want to read the article. This is called a lead.
It lets the reader know what information will be included in the article. This is called the focus statement.
Write an Introduction
An introduction in informative writing includes:
How do I hook my reader?
Don’t say, “Now I’m going to teach you about…”
How do I hook my reader?
What form of exercise has been around for many centuries? Did you guess yoga? If you did, you would be correct. Yoga dates back more than 5,000 years!
Don’t say, “Now I’m going to teach you about…”
How do I hook my reader?
I rush into the yoga studio anxious to find a spot in the room. I quietly roll out my mat and fold my towel neatly placing it at the top of my space. The smell of incense floats through the air and soft music caresses my ear drums. A feeling of relaxation washes over me as I lie back and wait for the gentle voice of my teacher and the class to begin.
Don’t say, “Now I’m going to teach you about…”
How do I hook my reader?
While it has only been popular in the United States since about 1950, yoga has been around for centuries. In fact, it has been around since before modern written language existed.
Don’t say, “Now I’m going to teach you about…”
Create a Focus Statement
Using your expert chart, your sorting activity, your tree map, your think entry and your body paragraphs create a focus statement.
Create a Focus Statement
Using your expert chart, your sorting activity, your tree map, your think entry and your body paragraphs create a focus statement.
Yoga is important to learn about because it has many physical as well as mental benefits. It requires only a few pieces of equipment and it can be practiced after learning just a few different poses.
What does an introductory paragraph look like?
lead + focus statement = introductory paragraph
What form of exercise has been around for many centuries? Did you guess yoga? If you did, you would be correct. Yoga dates back more than 5,000 years! Yoga is important to learn about because it has many physical as well as mental benefits. It requires only a few pieces of equipment, and it can be practiced after learning just a few different poses.
How do I conclude informative writing?
Don’t say: “Now you know about …”
How do I conclude informative writing?
How do I conclude informative writing?
Transitional Phrases to Start Conclusions
As you can see…
It is clear that…
Certainly…
Without a doubt…
Most would agree that…
Indeed…
Surely…
Unquestionably…
Obviously…
All in all…
Definitely…
How do I conclude informative writing?
Green transitional phrase
Red repeats the three main ideas
Blue Ending statement (question (?), wish or hope
(.), or strong statement (!))
How do I conclude informative writing?
It is clear to see that yoga provides many physical and mental benefits, requires just a few pieces of equipment, and that learning just a few poses will get you started. Yoga is important because this ancient practice has been around for many centuries and most likely will continue to be a popular form of exercise that helps people live healthy lives.
How do the introduction and conclusion connect?
What form of exercise has been around for many centuries? Did you guess yoga? If you did, you would be correct. Yoga dates back more than 5,000 years! Yoga is important to learn about because it has many physical as well as mental benefits. It requires only a few pieces of equipment, and it can be practiced after learning just a few different poses.
It is clear to see that yoga provides many physical and mental benefits, requires just a few pieces of equipment, and that learning just a few poses will get you started. Yoga is important because this ancient practice has been around for many centuries and most likely will continue to be a popular form of exercise that helps people live healthy lives.
Add Text Features
Do you need:
Add Text Features
Where are you adding the text feature? | What text feature are you adding? | Why? How does this help your reader to better understand your topic? |
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Text Features