how to write excellent explanations

The Purpose is to explain how

something works or why something

happens

Write in second person

• You

Write in third person

• She• Her• He• His•Their•Him•Them•They•It

They ate crayfish last week at the birthday party.She is going to eat her lunch now.

He was in the classroom yesterday.He is not here now.

Games

• Write a title • Write an introduction– Write a question or a

brief description– Use second or third

person– Use present tense– Use technical language

• How does rain fall• How does rain fall from

the sky? Rain falls from clouds that are made of tiny droplets of water.

Introduction

Water comes from warm air that rises from

the ground.

Water droplets are formed

when moisture evaporates

from the earth.

The cool water droplets gather

together and form clouds.

When the clouds get heavy the

droplets are forced

together and they get bigger

and heavier and fall to the

ground.

ImportantPoints in order

Conclusion

Could include…

A summaryA comment about its useA recommendation

So rain falls from the sky

when the tiny droplets have become too

heavyto stay as a

cloud.

Other words for ‘and’ButOr SoAs

As ifAs long as

Neither

EitherBeforeAfter

When WhileUntil

Although

SinceEven if

BecauseNot only

NorBut also

onceGames

JumpedRan

TalkedListenedthought

LearnedSeeing

HoppedShowedRepliedraced

Game

Have I

Written in the present tense?

Written in second and third person?

Written an introduction that asks a question or gives a brief description?

Said ‘How or why it starts’?

Said ‘what happens next and after’?

Said what happens in the end?

Written a conclusion with a summary, or a comment?

Have I used other words for ‘and’?

Have I used action verbs?

Have I used technical or scientific words?

Explanation rubric

Publishing Examples

Use Word, add a frame, WordArt heading and a graphic

Use the transferButton

in Inspiration

wordle.net/create