Explain It All Informative Explanatory Writing Activity
Use this explain it all informative explanatory writing activity to help 3rd to 5th grade students plan and write clear fact-based pieces. Answer key included for easy checking.
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About this resource
Description
Informative writing teaches a reader about a topic with clear facts, and this Explain It All informative explanatory writing activity gives 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students a fun way to practice it. Students learn to name a topic, open with a strong first sentence, explain the topic with three facts, and wrap up with a closing sentence that sums it up.
How to Use This Activity
Print and cut out the sixteen chalkboard Idea Cards. Each writer picks a card, such as how a seed grows into a plant or how to stay safe on a bike, and plans the piece on the Explain It All Planner. Then students write the final copy on the My Explanation page. The cards work well in a writing center, for partner work or as a whole-class quick write. Use the explain it all informative explanatory writing activity again and again, because every card leads to a new piece.
What’s Included
- A cover page and a How to Use page for the teacher
- 16 chalkboard Idea Cards with informative writing topics
- An Explain It All Planner for the opening, three facts and the closing
- A My Explanation publishing page
- A 3rd grade fact or opinion practice worksheet
- An Idea Card list and an answer key for the practice worksheet
Why This Activity Helps Kids
- A clear plan helps students keep every sentence on topic.
- Sorting facts from opinions shows students what belongs in informative writing.
- Choosing from many topics keeps writers interested and ready to explain.
Ideas for Teachers and Parents
Model one card first by thinking aloud as you fill in the planner. Pair students who chose the same card and let them compare their facts. This 3rd grade essays activity also works at home: a parent can pick a card, talk about the topic with the child and then let the child write. Older students in 4th and 5th grade can add a fourth fact, a picture with a caption or linking words such as also and another.
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