• Keyboarding

Teacher selected articles and/or other research materials.

Interactive KWL Chart

Interactive Essay Map

Activity 1

• Assign students a research topic or allow students to choose their own.

• Direct students to the Interactive KWL Chart.

  Allow students to complete the “K” and “W” sections of the chart.

  Students can save their work in order to return to the chart to complete the “L” section as they complete their research.

• Depending on the project style you have chosen, provide students with grade level appropriate research materials or allow them to complete independent research.

• Allow students appropriate time to review the materials.

• Direct students to return to their KWL chart to add to the “L” section as they learn new information.

• Allow students to print their KWL charts when finished.

• Then, direct students to the Interactive Essay Map.

  Using their keyboarding skills, students will complete a mapping activity in which they organize an introduction, main ideas, supporting details, and a conclusion.

  Allow students multiple class periods if necessary. Note that it is possible for students to save their work if need be. They can download a file and upload it again during future work sessions.

  When students are finished, have them print their organizers to aid them in writing their informative/explanatory essays.

 

Activity 2

Using the tools you have available, students will write an informative/explanatory essay.

• Now that students have finished prewriting, assign students the specific manner in which you would like them to complete their essays.

  Assign the writing piece in Google Classroom by creating a blank template to share with students.

  Ask students to create a Google Doc on their own.

  Ask students to use other word processing options, such as Microsoft Word.

• Allow students 1-3 class periods to use their pre-writing activities to aid them in writing their rough drafts.

• Depending on the time you have available, you may wish to allow students to peer edit. Encourage students to share their pre-writing activities with their partners. This will help ensure students are using their pre-writing activities to help them organize their writing and have sufficient reasons and evidence to support their opinions and/or claims.

  If you are able to use Google Docs, consider allowing students share their documents with a partner.

  Students can use the built in highlighter and comment tools in the Google Doc to highlight sections and leave comments for each other.

  Alternately, most word processing programs have a built in commenting tool, if you are unable to use Google Docs. These documents can be shared via email.

• Allow students time to make improvements before turning in their essays..

• Students can print or digitally turn in their writing pieces, such as through Google Classroom.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

Newsela and Actively Learn are digital resources that allow teachers to assign reading material to students. These sites may have relevant articles to use in informative/explanatory writing.

This Hints About Print activity can be used to help students evaluate resources.

This Printing Press interactive activity can be used for less traditional writing projects. It allows students to write and print a newspaper style writing piece.