Expository text structures can provide a framework for both reading and writing with children.
1. Sequential Order
A. Time Sequence
The Boston Tea Party by Pamela Edwards. Putnam, 2001 (House That Jack Built format)
Ex: These are the trees that grew in the woods that became part of the Constitution.
This is the paper made from the trees that grew in the woods that became part of the Constitution.
These are the colonists who demanded self government who wrote on the paper…
White Bear, Ice Bear by Joanne Ryder . Morrow, 1989 (One day in the life of a bear.)
One ____ morning your room is ____ and ____. Outside your window you hear_____, calling you, changing you until you realize that you are a ___ and live in ____. A ____ covers you. By day you ______. At night you _____. Hunger calls! You approach ________and see _____ . Silently you ________. But wait! You hear _________ and you ______. Now you sense a familiar smell. You _______. Good supper smells call you. You _____ through the door and feel the ___ changing you. You run inside, hungry and happy to be home again.
2. Compare and Contrast
Christmas In The Big House, Christmas In The Quarters by Pat and Fred McKissack. Scholastic, 1994.
Pattern: If I lived in the Big House I would:
(List 4-6 Christmas events)
But I wouldn’t:
(list 4-6 events that take place in the slave quarters) because the slaves in the Quarters did that.
So You Want to Be President by Judith St. George. Philomel, 2000
Compares presidents by names, childhood, physical appearance, personalities, siblings, children, pets, musical or artistic ability, level of education, favorite pastimes, jobs.
3. Cause and Effect
Accidents May Happen: Fifty Inventions Discovered by Mistake by Charlotte Foltz. HarperCollins, 1998
Earthquake by Milly Lee. DK, 2001
Earthquakes by Seymour Simon. Mulberry, 1995.
Write about an important event during the school year. What was the reason for the event (cause),what happened (effect). Bind copies and give to the local historical society.
4. Questions and Answers.
Bugs by Nancy Winslow Parker. Mulberry , ’87
Animal Fact, Animal Fable by Seymour Simon, Crown, 1979.
The answer to each question rhymes with the last word of the question.
5. Problems and Solutions.
A Bed for the Winter by Karen Wallace. DK 2001
Forging Freedom by Hudson Talbot. Putnam, 2001
6. Point of View
Voices of the Alamo by Sherry Garland. Scholastic, 2000. Told from many points of view. Report on the Alamo using the “Only One” Model.
San Antonio, Texas has many buildings
But ONLY ONE ALAMO.
In 1836 the Alamo was attacked by 6000 men
In ONLY ONE ARMY.
The attacking army had many officers
But ONLY ONE GENERAL.
The Alamo was defended by 182 men
With ONLY ONE PURPOSE
Travis, the Texan’s leader, sent many pleas for help
But ONLY ONE RELIEF PARTY responded
Both sides wanted to win the battle
But there was ONLY ONE OUTCOME.
There are many events to remember in Texas history
But ONLY ONE ALAMO.
7. Factual Information in Story Form
Way Out West Lives a Coyote Named Frank by Jillian Lund. Dutton, 1993. (Substitute information about any animal)
Way out west lives a coyote named Frank. In the morning Frank likes to watch the sun come up and in the evening he likes to watch the sun set. Frank has a friend named Larry. They both like to chase rabbits and dig up mouses’ houses. Once they chased a skunk but they never did that again. They both think that scorpions are scary and tortoises are tricky. But more than anything Frank likes to get together with his coyote friends and say hello to the moon. For that’s what coyotes do best way out west.