ALEX Learning Activity

  

Expository Essay: Writing Lab

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  This learning activity provided by:  
Author: Jessica Byrd
System:Butler County
School:Butler County Board Of Education
  General Activity Information  
Activity ID: 2796
Title:
Expository Essay: Writing Lab
Digital Tool/Resource:
Expository Essay: Writing Lab Google Slideshow
Web Address – URL:
Overview:

This resource provides instruction and graphic organizers for the Prewriting, Drafting, Revising, Editing, and Proofreading stages of the writing process. The resource is designed to facilitate creating an expository essay. The purpose of the essay will be to explain a problem and present solutions. Students will need to research to gather support for their proposed solutions. 

This activity was created as a result of the ALEX Resource Development Summit.
  Associated Standards and Objectives  
Content Standard(s):
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 9
9. Compose both short and extended narrative, informative/explanatory, and argumentative writings that are clear and coherent, use an appropriate command of language, and demonstrate development, organization, style, and tone that are relevant to task, purpose, and audience.

Examples: paragraphs, constructed responses, essays

a. Write a memoir, narrative essay, or personal or fictional narrative to convey a series of events, establishing a clear purpose and using narrative techniques.

Examples: dialogue, pacing, description, reflection

b. Write explanations and expositions that incorporate evidence, using transitions and techniques that objectively introduce and develop topics.

Examples: relevant and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations

c. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning, relevant and sufficient evidence, transitions, and a concluding statement or section that follows from the information presented.
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
9.
  • Short writings
  • Extended writings
  • Narrative writing
  • Argumentative writing
  • Informative/explanatory writing
  • Writing development
  • Writing organization
  • Style
  • Tone
  • Task
  • Purpose
  • Audience
  • Command of language
9a.
  • Memoir
  • Narrative essay
  • Personal narrative
  • Fictional narrative
  • Narrative techniques
9b.
  • Explanations
  • Expositions
  • Evidence
  • Transitions
  • Techniques
9c.
  • Arguments
  • Claims
  • Substantive topics or texts
  • Valid
  • Relevant
  • Sufficient
  • Reasoning
  • Evidence
  • Transitions
  • Concluding statement or section
Knowledge:
9. Students know:
  • Writing pieces can be short, such as a paragraph, or extended, such as constructed responses and essays.
  • A narrative is a piece of writing that tells a story.
  • The purpose of argumentative writing is to convince the reader to take action or adopt a particular position.
  • Informative or explanatory text is a piece of writing that provides factual information that was gathered from multiple research sources.
  • The development, organization, style, and tone of writing will change depending on the writing task, the purpose of the writing, and the intended audience.
  • Formal academic writing should demonstrate an appropriate command of language.
9a.
  • A narrative is a piece of writing that tells a story, such as a memoir, essay, personal narrative, or fictional narrative.
  • Narrative writing includes techniques, like dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection.
  • Events in narrative writing should be sequenced in a coherent manner.
9b.
  • Explanatory and expository text is writing that examines and explains complex ideas or processes, utilizing information from multiple credible research sources.
  • Explanatory and expository writing has an organized structure, and usually begins by clearly focusing on the topic, incorporating credible evidence, and ends with a conclusion.
  • Explanatory and expository writing should utilize techniques that objectively introduce and develop topics.
  • Words that indicate transitions.
9c.
  • The purpose of argumentative writing is to defend an opinion or state a claim.
  • Argumentative writing includes introducing the topic by stating an argumentative claim, valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence to support the claim, and a concluding statement that coherently follows the presented information.
  • Words that indicate transitions.
Skills:
9. Students are able to:
  • Compose short and extended clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writings.
  • Identify the writing task, the purpose of writing, and the intended audience in order to appropriately adapt the development, organization, style, and tone of the writing.
  • Demonstrate command of the written language.
9a.
  • Write a narrative with a coherent sequence of plot events and a clear purpose.
  • Incorporate narrative techniques in their narrative writing, including dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection.
9b.
  • Gather credible information and data from multiple sources.
  • Write an explanatory and expository text with an organized structure and formal style that objectively develops the topic and utilizes appropriate transitions and credible evidence.
9c.
  • Write an argument to support claims in an analysis of topics or texts that utilizes appropriate transitions.
  • Gather relevant and sufficient evidence from accurate and credible sources to support the claim.
  • Use valid reasoning to support a claim.
  • Include a concluding statement or section that logically follows the presented information.
Understanding:
9. Students understand that:
  • There are different genres of writing that serve various purposes.
  • The writing task, purpose, and audience should be considered in the development, organization, style, and tone of the writing.
  • Formal academic writing should display their command of the English language.
9a.
  • Narrative writing can take many forms, but there should be a coherent sequence of events.
  • Literary techniques are tools that can be used to create a piece of narrative writing.
  • Literary techniques in narrative writing contribute to the overall meaning and purpose of the text.
9b.
  • Explanatory and expository writing should be free from opinions and supported with evidence.
  • Explanatory and expository writing follows a predictable, organized text structure that utilizes appropriate transition words.
  • They must gather their information and data about the topic from multiple credible research sources.
9c.
  • To effectively defend a position or make a claim, they must present relevant, sufficient evidence from accurate and credible sources.
  • An argument can be more effective if the writer includes a concluding statement that logically follows the information presented previously.
Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to compose an objective expository essay to explain a problem and offer solutions.

Students will be able to use transitions to communicate a message clearly and effectively.
  Strategies, Preparations and Variations  
Phase:
During/Explore/Explain
Activity:

1. The teacher will need to share the Expository Essay: Writing Lab with the students. Each student will be prompted to make a copy of the slide deck. The students need to advance through the slide deck as a whole group and not work ahead. 

2. The teacher should display slide 1 of the presentation to the whole group, and use the following language to introduce the lesson: "Today we will be learning how to write an expository essay. Please follow along with me in the presentation. Do not work ahead. By the end of the lesson, you will have written a five-paragraph essay that will describe a problem in our school and offer solutions on how to solve it. Does anyone have any questions?" 

3. The teacher should instruct the class to advance to slide 2 and explain the learning objectives in student-friendly language. 

4. The whole group should advance to slide 3. The teacher should instruct students to read the slide independently for a few moments. The teacher should use the following language to explain the annotation activity associated with this slide: "Read the slide. After reading, go back and highlight any key terms. Mark any words that you have questions about in bold." After students have finished annotating, the teacher should ask for a few volunteers to share which portions of the text they chose to highlight. The teacher will answer any vocabulary-related questions and clarify any misunderstandings before moving to the next slide. 

5. Advance to slide 4. This slide will serve as a preassessment of the student's prior knowledge of organizational text structure. The teacher should use the following language: "You will complete this knowledge check independently by typing your answers directly onto the slide. You may delete the placeholder text. The first one has been done for you. You may not work with your partners at this time. We will share as a whole group in a few minutes." After a few moments, allow students to share their answers and fill in any pieces they may have missed.

6. Advance to slide 5. The teacher will describe the writing prompt to the students and discuss the required elements of an expository essay.

7. Advance to slide 6. Explain that the first step in the writing process is prewriting.

8. Advance to slide 7. Facilitate the Table Talk activity. The instructions for completing the activity can be found on the slide and below:

  • Table Talk
    Question: What are some problem areas in our school?
    Take 2 minutes to silently reflect on the question and jot down your thoughts.
    Share your thoughts with your partner and write a response to your partner’s statement.
    Volunteers will share their responses with the whole group.

9. Advance to slide 8. This slide explains the Problems and Solutions Worksheet. The worksheet is linked in the notes section for slide 8. The teacher will be forced to make a copy of the worksheet. It is advised that the teacher customize the worksheet for their students. The teacher should share the link to the worksheet in their digital classroom or with students directly via email. 

10. After students have completed the Problems and Solutions Worksheet, advance to slide 9. The teacher should read slide 9. This is a good time to pause and make sure all learners have identified their essay topic.

11. Advance to slide 10. The teacher should instruct students to complete the graphic organizer on this slide in their copy of the slide deck. This activity will help students fully develop their topic.

12. Advance to slide 11. The teacher should instruct students to use the links on this slide to begin their research. The teacher should guide student research and drive students toward finding support for their prosed solutions. It is recommended that students be familiar with the research process before completing this section of the activity. Students should be given time and opportunity to perform research in a guided setting. 

13. After students have completed their research, advance to slide 12. The teacher will read the slide and discuss how students should organize their essays and create an outline.

14. Advance to slide 13. The teacher will use slide 13 to provide an example of how the introductory paragraph should be outlined. The teacher should instruct students to begin working on their outlines in a separate word processing document or on a piece of notebook paper. 

15. Advance to slide 14. The teacher will use slide 14 to provide an example of how the body of the essay should be outlined. Students should add this formating to their outline document. 

16. Advance to slide 15. The teacher will use slide 15 to guide how to format the conclusion paragraph in their outline. Students should add this format to their outline document. Students should be given some time to complete their outlines. The teacher will need to provide a deadline for when outlines are due. 

17. Advance to slide 16. The teacher should use this slide to transition to the drafting stage of the writing process. 

18. Advance to slide 17. The teacher should read slide 17. Slide 17 explains how to grab the reader's attention during the introduction. 

19. Advance to slide 18. This slide explains how to use transitions to communicate a message clearly and effectively. A link to the Transitions: Quick Check assessment is provided in the notes section of slide 18. It is advised that the teacher customize the form and share it with students in their digital classroom or directly via email. Alternatively, students can informally complete the Quick Check by following the instructions provided on the slide. 

20. After students have completed the quick check, the whole group should advance to slide 19. The teacher should read the slide. This slide provides an overview of how to use an objective and formal tone when writing an expository essay. 

21. Advance to slide 20. The teacher should read the slide. This slide provides an overview of the elements of an effective conclusion.

22. Advance to slide 21. The teacher should use this slide to transition to the revision stage of the writing process. This is a good place to pause and ensure that all students have completed their draft and are ready to move on. The teacher will need to set a deadline for the drafting process. 

23. Advance to slide 22. The teacher should read the slide. This slide explains how to revise student writing by checking for varied sentence structures. 

24. Advance to slide 23. The teacher should read the slide. The teacher should leave this slide up for students to refer to during the revision process. The teacher should allow students to revise their work in a guided setting.

25. Advance to slide 24. The teacher should use this slide to transition to the editing and proofreading stage of the wiring process. The teacher will need to provide students with a deadline for completing the revision process. 

26. Advance to slide 25. The teacher should read the slide and instruct students to exchange their writing with a peer. Students should be allowed to complete a peer review during this portion of the activity. 

27. Advance to slide 26. The teacher should read the slide. This slide should remain visible to students so that they may refer to it during the peer review process. Students should be given time to make corrections and a deadline for turning in their final draft.

28. Advance to slide 27. The teacher should read the slide and guide students in turning in their work. This slide also provides suggestions on how students can use their writing in the real world. 

29. Advance to slide 28. This slide should remain visible to students so that they can refer to it as they self-assess their work. The teacher will need to use the same rubric or a similar rubric to evaluate student work. This rubric assesses all three of the learning objectives associated with this activity.
Assessment Strategies:

Problem and Solution Worksheet 

The assessment linked above assesses the following objective: Students will be able to compose an objective expository essay to explain a problem and offer solutions. The worksheet requires manual scoring and teachers should look for the following criteria:

  • The student has effectively described three problems that are specific to their school. Award credit for each problem independently.

  • The student has effectively described a minimum of one reasonable solution to each problem. Award credit for each solution independently. 

  • The student has identified multiple possibilities for their target audience. 

  • The student has narrowed their focus by selecting a problem and one or more solutions to focus their writing. Allow for more than one possible solution.

Organizational Structure: Knowledge Check

The above activity will serve as a pre-assessment for determining students' prior knowledge of informational text structure. The teacher should use this assessment to modify instruction if needed. 

Transitions: Quick Check

The assessment linked above assesses the following learning objective: Students will be able to use transitions to communicate a message clearly and effectively. 

  • The teacher should award 5 points for each transition the student can list independently.

  • The teacher should award 5 points for each transition the student can integrate effectively into their writing. 

  • The teacher should award 5 points for each transition the student can associate with a specific purpose. 

Expository Essay Self-Check Rubric

Click here for a copy of the rubric. The rubric is also included on slide 28 of the resource.

This rubric assesses students on all three of the learning objectives associated with this activity. 
Advanced Preparation:

Before using this tool, the teacher should preview the slide deck, resource links, and assessments. The teacher will also need to share the slide deck with the students. Each student should have their own copy of the resource. It is recommended that the teacher customize the attached assessments to best meet their students' needs. Students should be familiar enough with the research process to conduct research independently. This resource does not teach citation skills and students will need additional instruction in that area. 
Variation Tips (optional):

This slide deck may be broken up into distinct stages of the writing process. The resource may also be easily modified to use to teach persuasive writing. 
Notes or Recommendations (optional):

This resource facilitates the writing process and can be paired with additional standards. Although [ELA2021](9) 9b is the focus standard, [ELA2021](9) 9, [ELA2021](9) 19, [ELA2021](9) 19a, [ELA2021](9) R5, and [ELA2021](9) R6 would also logically fit with this activity. 

Corresponding activities are available here--

Explanatory Writing: Building Background Knowledge

Expository Essay: Writing Prompt & Rubric
  Keywords and Search Tags  
Keywords and Search Tags: draft, drafting, editing, ELA202199b, essay, expository, prewrite, prewriting, problem, proofread, proofreading, revise, revision, solution, write, writing