Activities

1. Given multiple sentence strips, match relevant facts on sentence strips with the correct topic sentence.
   
   
2. Make a little book listing elements used to develop a topic.  Define each element.

3. Given an informative article and a topic sentence, find relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, and quotations from the article that would support the topic sentence or point of the paragraph. Record each fact, definition, concrete detail and quotation on its own index card.
   
   
4. Given several informative/explanatory articles, identify the characteristics of quotation use.

5. Write a one page biography on a dictator from social studies or an inventor from science, using two credible sources.  Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.
   
   
6. Given a short article on continental drift or some other science topic, analyze how the topic was developed.  Explain how the topic could have been further developed to strengthen the article.

Answer Key/Rubric

1. Given multiple sentence strips, student matches relevant facts on sentence strips with the correct topic sentence.  Student correctly matches the relevant facts with the correct topic sentence.  Student understands that when developing a topic the support given needs to be relevant and strengthen the claim.  Student rejects facts that do no back up the topic sentence.

2. Student makes a little book listing elements used to develop a topic.  Student defines each element.  Student makes a little book correctly listing elements that may be used to develop and support a topic.  Student defines each element.  Student’s book is complete.  Student understands that when developing a topic the support given can be in the form of facts, definitions, examples, quotations and so forth.  Student may include in the book elements such as:

Facts-something known to be true, can be proven
Definitions-a brief statement of what a word means
Examples-an illustration that supports or provides more information
Quotations-to repeat or copy the exact words spoken or written by somebody
Illustrations-a picture that complements text
Maps-a visual representation that shows part of the earth’s surface
Charts-a diagram or table displaying detailed information

3. Given an informative article and a topic sentence, student finds relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, and quotations from the article that would support the topic sentence or point of the paragraph. Student records each fact, definition, concrete detail and quotation on its own index card.  Student correctly records relevant facts, terms and definitions, concrete details and quotes on index cards which would support the topic sentence.  Student understands that when developing a topic the support given needs to be relevant and strengthen the main idea or topic sentence.  Student understands that multiple pieces of support are needed to fully develop an idea.  Student rejects facts that do not back up the topic sentence.
   
   
4. Given several informative/explanatory articles, student identifies characteristics of quotation use.  Student should note:

• Quotes are in quotation marks and copied verbatim.
• Quotations support the main idea or examples.
• The reader can tell who is being quoted.
• Quotes are from those with authority or people with an expertise.
• The significance of the quote is explained.
• There is a context for the quote.  It isn’t just placed in the middle of the text.
• Quotations add a fresh or additional voice to an article.
• Quotations are balanced with other types of support.
• There is more author thinking and ideas than quotations.

     Student may identify other characteristics of quotation use.

5. Student writes a one page biography on a dictator from social studies or an inventor from science.  Student develops the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.  Student determines the topic of each paragraph.  Student closely reads from credible print and online resources.  Student selects and records relevant facts, definitions, concrete details and other pertinent information that will support each paragraph and records the information on a note chart under the source the information came from.  Student may use a note chart similar to the following:

Student correctly records facts, examples, quotes and other information under the appropriate paragraph.  Student writes an appropriate topic sentence for each paragraph.  Student studies information from each column and numbers all the information in the row to indicate the sequence he plans on writing the sentences in.  Student constructs paragraphs by using the information in each row in the order he selected.  The order is logical and makes sense.  The information in the paragraph supports the paragraph topic sentence.  Student gives adequate facts, examples, quotes and other information to fully develop the paragraph.   Student’s facts, examples, quotes and other information back up the main idea of the paper and the paragraph they are in.  The reader of the paragraph is not left with unanswered questions.  Student does not include irrelevant facts, examples, quotes or other information that does not fit the main idea or paragraph.

6. Given a short article on continental drift or some other science topic, student analyzes how the topic was developed.  Student explains how the topic could have been further developed to strengthen the article.  Student identifies the elements used to develop and support the topic.  Student correctly notices facts, concrete details, quotations, definition and other information used to develop and support the topic.  Student explains how these pieces of support are related to the main idea and strengthen the claim.  Student gives additional ideas of how the main idea could have been further supported or strengthened.  Students may give some of the following ideas:

• Support would be stronger if example given was more specific.
• Support would be stronger if additional examples were given.
• Author needs to further explain the fact.
• Author needs to give a greater variety of facts.
• Support would be stronger if quote was given by an expert.
• Some information seems to be left out.
• Support is not relevant or does not support the main idea.