Time to Write Expository

TIME TO WRITE EXPOSITORY

A 4TH GRADE WRITING UNIT

MR. THOMPSON

PLANNING YOUR ESSAY

STEP 1

WHAT IS MY PROMPT ASKING ME TO DO?

We all have activities that we enjoy.

Think of what activities you enjoy.

Now write to explain why you enjoy that activity.

why

WHY

BREAK IT DOWN

We all have activities that we enjoy.

Think of what activities you enjoy.

Now write to explain why you enjoy that activity.

TOPIC: An activity that you enjoy

IS IT EXPOSITORY? Yes, because it says “explain why”

WHAT SHOULD WE BE WRITING ABOUT? One activity that you enjoy

FOCUS STATEMENTWhat your essay is all about

The prompt asked me to think about an activity I enjoy. I like caving so I’ll write about that.

My focus statement should simply state that the activity I’m writing about is caving:

People like to do all sorts of things in their spare time. One thing I enjoy doing is caving.

MAIN IDEASReasons why the focus statement is true

Now I need to come up with two reasons why I enjoy caving:

• You never know what you’re going to find• It’s fun!

To begin with, in a cave you never know what you’re going to find.

In addition, caving is fun!

MAIN IDEASReasons why the focus statement is true

When you write a main idea always start with the topic, then give your reason.

ANECDOTESExamples that prove your main ideas.

So how do I prove my reasons? I give examples!

To begin with, in a cave you never know what you’re going to find.

• The time I found an underground river full of blind fish

• The time I found a place to make a sweet fort!

ANECDOTESExamples that prove your main ideas.

So how do I prove my reasons? I give examples!

In addition, caving is fun!

• One time we went caving and got covered in mud!

• The time we went swimming after caving all day.

CONCLUSIONRe-stating your main ideas to wrap up your essay

To wrap up my essay, I need to re-state my main ideas in a new way.

In conclusion, there are many great activities out there, but none of them are as awesome or exciting as caving.

BONESPlan for an expository essay

FS: People like to do all sorts of things in their spare time. One thing I enjoy doing is caving.

MI#1: To begin with, in a cave you never know what you’re going to find.

• The time I found an underground river full of blind fish• The time I found a place to make a sweet fort!

MI#2: In addition, caving is fun!• One time we went caving and got covered in mud!• The time we went swimming after caving all day.

C: In conclusion, there are many great activities out there, but none of them are as awesome or exciting as caving.

WRITING YOUR ESSAY

STEP 2

PARAGRAPH #1: FOCUS STATEMENTAll we have to do here is copy over your Focus Statement from your bones in paragraph form!


PARAGRAPH #2: MAIN IDEA & ANECDOTES

This is a MONSTER paragraph that includes your first Main Idea and two anecdotes that prove it.

We can also take your Main Idea directly from your bones, but when we get to that anecdote we need to stop, and streeeeeeeeeeetch it out with details.

W henS ituationA ctionD ialogueK iss it Goodbye!

Stop! This paragraph is a monster!A main idea, and two anecdotes to prove it!To get through you’ll need all your willpower,

Click on me if you can handle it.

PARAGRAPH #2: MAIN IDEA & ANECDOTES

This is a MONSTER paragraph that includes your first Main Idea and two anecdotes that prove it.

We can also take your Main Idea directly from your bones, but when we get to that anecdote we need to stop, and streeeeeeeeeeetch it out with details.

W henS ituationA ctionD ialogueK iss it Goodbye!

SECOND PARAGRAPHPLAN

MI#1: To begin with, in a cave you never know what you’re going to find.

• The time I found an underground river full of blind fish

• The time I found a place to make a sweet fort!

PARAGRAPH

To begin with, in a cave you never know what you’re going to find. For example, when I was in seventh grade I was exploring some caves near my home. We were exploring a new set of tunnels when, after crawling for hours on our stomachs, we emerged into a huge chamber. There we discovered an underground river full of pale white, blind cave fish. “This is amazing!” I whispered as I watched the tiny fish dart through the clear water. It’s moments of discovery like that one that make caving worthwhile! Another time, just one year later, my brother and I were exploring the forest behind our house. After tramping through the jungle for what seemed like hours we came across a huge limestone cliff with a crack running through it. When we squeezed through the crack we found a shallow cave hidden away where no one could see it. “This would be the perfect place for a new fort!” I exclaimed. From that day on, our new discovery became our favorite “cave fort”.

Take over

the page!

SECOND PARAGRAPHTo begin with, in a cave you never know what

you’re going to find. For example, when I was in seventh grade I was exploring some caves near my home. We were exploring a new set of tunnels when, after crawling for hours on our stomachs, we emerged into a huge chamber. There we discovered an underground river full of pale white, blind cave fish. “This is amazing!” I whispered as I watched the tiny fish dart through the clear water. It’s moments of discovery like that one that make caving worthwhile! Another time, just one year later, my brother and I were exploring the forest behind our house. After tramping through the jungle for what seemed like hours we came across a huge limestone cliff with a crack running through it. When we squeezed through the crack we found a shallow cave hidden away where no one could see it. “This would be the perfect place for a new fort!” I exclaimed. From that day on, our new discovery became our favorite “cave fort”.

WSADK

WSADK

THIRD PARAGRAPHPLAN

MI#2: In addition, caving is fun!



PARAGRAPH

In addition, caving is fun! For example, the first time I went caving was right after a rainstorm. As we slogged into the darkness my feet sank into mud up to my knees. Soon we were covered with mud from head to toe. After a few hours of mucking around, we decided to make the best of things and used the mud to make a huge, underground mudslide. “This is the greatest idea ever!” I shouted, my voice echoing back and forth through the caves. That was one amazing trip. As if that wasn’t awesome enough, when we finally left we decided to head down to the river. We were covered from head to toe with mud and needed to wash off. “If we come home like this,” my brother laughed, “Mom will never let us go caving again!” Soon we were splashing and diving in the cool river. It was the perfect end to one fantastic caving adventure.

Watch out! It’s another monster paragraph hereThis is where you’ll write your second main idear

And streeeeeetch out two more anecdotes to prove it!Just make sure you can make it all fit!

THIRD PARAGRAPHPLAN

MI#2: In addition, caving is fun!



PARAGRAPH

In addition, caving is fun! For example, the first time I went caving was right after a rainstorm. As we slogged into the darkness my feet sank into mud up to my knees. Soon we were covered with mud from head to toe. After a few hours of mucking around, we decided to make the best of things and used the mud to make a huge, underground mudslide. “This is the greatest idea ever!” I shouted, my voice echoing back and forth through the caves. That was one amazing trip. As if that wasn’t awesome enough, when we finally left we decided to head down to the river. We were covered from head to toe with mud and needed to wash off. “If we come home like this,” my brother laughed, “Mom will never let us go caving again!” Soon we were splashing and diving in the cool river. It was the perfect end to one fantastic caving adventure.

THIRD PARAGRAPHIn addition, caving is fun! For example,

the first time I went caving was right after a rainstorm. As we slogged into the darkness my feet sank into mud up to my knees. Soon we were covered with mud from head to toe. After a few hours of mucking around, we decided to make the best of things and used the mud to make a huge, underground mudslide. “This is the greatest idea ever!” I shouted, my voice echoing back and forth through the caves. That was one amazing trip. As if that wasn’t awesome enough, when we finally left we decided to head down to the river. We were covered from head to toe with mud and needed to wash off. “If we come home like this,” my brother laughed, “Mom will never let us go caving again!” Soon we were splashing and diving in the cool river. It was the perfect end to one fantastic caving

WSADK

WSADK

FOURTH PARAGRAPH

All we have to do here is copy over your conclusion from your bones in paragraph form.



To begin with, in a cave you never know what you’re going to find. For example, when I was in seventh grade I was exploring some caves near my home. We were exploring a new set of tunnels when, after crawling for hours on our stomachs, we emerged into a huge chamber. There we discovered an underground river full of pale white, blind cave fish. “This is amazing!” I whispered as I watched the tiny fish dart through the clear water. It’s moments of discovery like that one that make caving worthwhile! Another time, just one year later, my brother and I were exploring the forest behind our house. After tramping through the jungle for what seemed like hours we came across a huge limestone cliff with a crack running through it. When we squeezed through the crack we found a shallow cave hidden away where no one could see it. “This would be the perfect place for a new fort!” I exclaimed. From that day on, our new discovery became our favorite “cave fort”.

In addition, caving is fun! For example, the first time I went caving was right after a rainstorm. As we slogged into the darkness my feet sank into mud up to my knees. Soon we were covered with mud from head to toe. After a few hours of mucking around, we decided to make the best of things and used the mud to make a huge, underground mudslide. “This is the greatest idea ever!” I shouted, my voice echoing back and forth through the caves. That was one amazing trip. As if that wasn’t awesome enough, when we finally left we decided to head down to the river. We were covered from head to toe with mud and needed to wash off. “If we come home like this,” my brother laughed, “Mom will never let us go caving again!” Soon we were splashing and diving in the cool river. It was the perfect end to one fantastic caving


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Time to Write Expository