Writing Focus: Expository Paragraphs

This past week, to correspond with the introduction of our new unit about water, the students began learning about expository writing. This type of writing provides answers to questions about the world. The main purpose of expository writing is to explain and inform the reader.

The most important of the 6 writing traits to teach during this genre are ideas and word choice. I wanted to share some activities you could do at home to practice these traits. Here are three ideas from our Write Source curriculum to help your child start thinking about expository text:

• Invite each family member to show and explain a skill or trick that requires at least three steps. Use the terms such as first, next, and then to help organize the concepts being explained.
• While waiting in line or traveling in a car call out a general noun such as pet, insect, sport, food, movie, book or plant. Ask your child to name specific nouns that fit into that category. Then switch roles. I still play this on road trips as an adult. We call the game “categories”  and you can get really creative with the topics you choose.
• At meal time, ask each family member to name two objects that are important to them and explain why they are important. Have the family vote on the item that would make a more interesting writing topic.

Enjoy!
Ms. Rorey