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23 Writing Explanatory Essays

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165
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Writers Express

Start-Up Activity

Ask your students if they know what the term elaboration means. Write the term on the board, circling the word "labor" in the middle. Elaboration actually means “the act of working out ideas." When students write explanatory essays, they need to elaborate their ideas, working them out in detail. Tell your students that when they read the explanatory essay in this chapter, they will see how one student worked out ideas.

Think About It

“Essays are how we speak to one another in print.”

—Edward Hoagland

State Standards Covered in This Chapter

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.1

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.2

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.5

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2.A

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2.B

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.1

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.2

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.5

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.A

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.B

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2.D

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.D

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2.C

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2.E

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.C

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.E

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.4

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.5

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.7

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.8

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.9

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.4

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.5

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.7

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.8

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.9

LAFS Covered in This Chapter

LAFS.4.RI.1.1

LAFS.4.RI.1.2

LAFS.4.RI.2.5

LAFS.4.W.1.2

LAFS.5.RI.1.1

LAFS.5.RI.1.2

LAFS.5.RI.2.5

LAFS.5.W.1.2

LAFS.4.W.2.4

LAFS.4.W.2.5

LAFS.4.W.3.7

LAFS.4.W.3.8

LAFS.4.W.3.9

LAFS.5.W.2.4

LAFS.5.W.2.5

LAFS.5.W.3.7

LAFS.5.W.3.8

LAFS.5.W.3.9

TEKS Covered in This Chapter

110.6.b.9.D

110.6.b.9.D.i

110.6.b.9.D.iii

110.6.b.11.B

110.6.b.12.B

110.6.b.11.B.i

110.6.b.11.B.ii

110.7.b.9.D

110.7.b.7.D

110.7.b.9.D.iii

110.7.b.11

110.7.b.12.B

110.7.b.11.A

110.7.b.11.B.i

110.7.b.11.B.ii

110.6.b.3

110.7.b.3

110.6.b.11.A

110.6.b.11.C

110.6.b.11.D

110.6.b.13

110.6.b.13.C

110.6.b.13.D

110.6.b.13.E

110.7.b.11.C

110.7.b.11.D

110.7.b.13

110.7.b.13.B

110.7.b.13.C

110.7.b.13.D

110.7.b.12

TEKS Covered in This Chapter

Page 166 from Writers Express

Sample Explanatory Essay

Have student volunteers read the sample explanatory essay, one paragraph at a time. Then review the essay with your class, pointing out the features listed in the side notes. Show how the writer begins by introducing the topic and leading to the focus statement.

You can also present other explanatory essays.

State Standard Reference:

LAFS Standard:

LAFS.4.RI.1.1

TEKS Standard:

110.6.b.9.D

NE ELA Standard:

LA 4.1.6.e

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Level:

Mode:

Form:

Theme:

English Language Arts:

Qualities of Writing Ideas Structure

Page 167 from Writers Express

Sample Explanatory Essay (Continued)

Point out to your students that each middle paragraph in the essay focuses on a different part of the topic. Also, show how the ending revisits the focus statement without repeating it word for word.

State Standard Reference:

LAFS Standard:

LAFS.4.RI.1.1

TEKS Standard:

110.6.b.9.D

NE ELA Standard:

LA 4.1.6.e

Related Resource Tags

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Level:

Mode:

Form:

Theme:

English Language Arts:

Qualities of Writing Ideas Structure

Page 168 from Writers Express

Building an Essay

Use this page to provide your students an overview of the three parts of an explanatory essay: beginning, middle, and ending. Also, show how transition words and key words link the paragraphs and the sentences within paragraphs.

State Standard Reference:

LAFS Standard:

LAFS.4.W.1.2

TEKS Standard:

110.6.b.11.B, 110.6.b.12.B

NE ELA Standard:

LA 4.2.1.b, LA 4.2.2, LA 4.2.2.a

Related Resource Tags

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Level:

Mode:

Form:

Theme:

English Language Arts:

Qualities of Writing Ideas Structure

Page 169 from Writers Express

Writing an Explanatory Essay

Use this page to help your students get started with their explanatory writing. You may want to assign a general subject area that relates to material you are studying. Then students can select specific topics within that subject area.

For more topic ideas, see page 172 in the student handbook. Also you can consider a host of other explanatory writing topics.

You might schedule computer time or library time for your students to gather details about their topics.

Use the formula at the bottom of the page to help your students create a specific focus for their topics. The minilesson can help them form a focus as well.

State Standard Reference:

LAFS Standard:

LAFS.4.W.1.2

TEKS Standard:

110.6.b.11.B, 110.6.b.12.B

NE ELA Standard:

LA 4.2.1.b, LA 4.2.2, LA 4.2.2.a

Related Resource Tags

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Level:

Mode:

Form:

Theme:

English Language Arts:

Qualities of Writing Ideas Structure Writing Process Prewriting

Page 170 from Writers Express

Prewriting: Organizing Your Details

Show your students these two methods for organizing details: lists and outlines. Often, a simple list can get the job done. If students need a more rigorous approach in order to ensure that they have enough details, you can have them create an outline.

State Standard Reference: