Write Informative Texts With Facts
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2nd Grade Writing › Write Informative Texts With Facts
Read the informative piece. Which sentence does NOT belong?
Introduction Dolphins are mammals that live in the ocean.
Body A mammal is an animal that breathes air and drinks milk as a baby. Dolphins use a blowhole to breathe. They eat fish.
Conclusion Dolphins are smart ocean animals.
Extra sentence: My bike has two wheels.
My bike has two wheels.
Dolphins use a blowhole to breathe.
They eat fish.
Explanation
This tests staying on topic. All sentences should match your topic. The bike sentence doesn't fit. The piece is about dolphins, not bikes.
Look at the informative piece. Which sentence is a definition?
Introduction Rain is water that falls from clouds.
Body A cloud is made of tiny drops of water in the sky. Rain helps plants grow. Rain can make puddles on the ground.
Conclusion Rain is part of our weather.
A cloud is made of tiny drops of water in the sky.
Rain helps plants grow.
Rain can make puddles on the ground.
Explanation
This tests finding definitions. A definition tells what something means. The sentence explains what a cloud is. It uses the word 'is' to define.
When writing to inform, what should you include?
(Think: beginning, middle, end.)
Topic, facts and definitions, and a conclusion
Only your feelings about the topic
A funny story with characters and a problem
Explanation
This tests informative writing structure. Good informative writing has three parts. You need a topic, facts, and conclusion. Stories and feelings belong in different writing.
Look at this informative piece. What should be added? A bicycle is a vehicle with two wheels. A vehicle is something that helps people travel. Bicycles have pedals you push with your feet. Bicycles have handlebars to help you steer. Bicycles can have brakes to help you stop.
A made-up character who rides to the moon.
More opinions about why bikes are the best.
A conclusion sentence to wrap up the information.
Explanation
We need to see what is missing. This piece has an introduction and facts. It needs a conclusion sentence at the end. The conclusion should wrap up what we learned about bicycles.
Read this informative piece. Which sentence is a fact? Rain is water that falls from clouds. Water vapor is water in the air. Rain helps plants grow. Rainbows are pretty and the best part of rain. Rain can make puddles on the ground. That is how rain helps Earth.
Rain helps plants grow.
Rainbows are pretty and the best part of rain.
Rain is fun for everyone.
Explanation
We need to find a fact sentence. A fact is something true that can be proven. 'Rain helps plants grow' is a fact we can see. The pretty rainbow sentence is an opinion about feelings.
Read this informative piece. Which sentence does not belong? Dolphins are mammals that live in the ocean. A mammal is an animal that breathes air and drinks milk as a baby. Dolphins use blowholes to breathe. They eat fish and squid. My favorite color is purple. Dolphins are smart animals that live in groups.
They eat fish and squid.
Dolphins use blowholes to breathe.
My favorite color is purple.
Explanation
We need to find the sentence that doesn't fit. All sentences should be about dolphins. The sentence about purple is not about dolphins at all. It doesn't belong in this piece.
When writing to inform, what is the best order?
Conclusion, facts, introduction, definition.
Opinions first, then a story, then facts.
Introduction, facts and definitions, conclusion.
Explanation
We are learning the order for informative writing. First comes the introduction to tell the topic. Then come facts and definitions in the middle. Last comes the conclusion to wrap it up.
Read the informative piece: Intro Apples are a kind of fruit. Body Fruit is food that grows on plants. Apples can be red, green, or yellow. They grow on trees in orchards. An orchard is a place where many fruit trees grow. Conclusion Apples are tasty fruit that grow on trees. How should the facts be organized?
Add many opinions to make it exciting
Mix facts in any order, even if they don’t match
Group facts that go together, like looks and where they grow
Explanation
We need to organize facts well. Good writers group facts that go together. Facts about how apples look go together, and facts about where they grow go together too.
Read the informative writing: Intro Frogs are amphibians. Body Amphibians are animals that can live in water and on land. Frogs start life as tadpoles in water. Tadpoles have tails to help them swim. Conclusion Frogs change as they grow. Which sentence introduces the topic?
“Amphibians are animals that can live in water and on land.”
“Frogs are amphibians.”
“Tadpoles have tails to help them swim.”
Explanation
We need to find the introduction. An introduction tells the topic first. The sentence 'Frogs are amphibians' comes at the start and tells what we will learn about.
Read the informative writing: Intro The desert is a very dry place. Body Dry means there is little rain. Some deserts are hot in the day and cold at night. Many desert plants store water in their stems. Conclusion Deserts have special weather and plants. What does the definition do?
It tells a made-up story.
It tells what a word means.
It tells what the writer likes best.
Explanation
We need to know what definitions do. A definition explains what a word means. The writing shows 'Dry means there is little rain' which helps us understand the word.