Standard: 4.W.2b – Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.
Grade level: Grade 4
Subject: English Language Arts
Domain: Writing
Teacher Overview
This standard focuses on helping students learn to develop their writing topics with relevant and detailed information. It is crucial because it builds the foundation for effective communication and critical thinking, which are essential skills in both academic and real-world contexts. Before addressing this standard, ensure students can identify main ideas and supporting details in texts. They should also be comfortable with basic writing conventions and sentence structures.
Mastering this standard prepares students for more advanced writing tasks, where they will need to synthesize information from multiple sources and present it in a coherent and persuasive manner.
Common Misconception 1
Some students may think that simply adding more sentences or words will improve their writing. This is incorrect because the added information must be relevant and directly support the main topic.
Intervention 1
Use graphic organizers to help students plan their writing and ensure each detail they include is directly related to the main topic. Provide examples of both relevant and irrelevant details.
Common Misconception 2
Another common misconception is that only facts and definitions are needed to develop a topic. This is incorrect as it overlooks the importance of concrete details, quotations, and examples, which can make writing more engaging and informative.
Intervention 2
Provide students with a variety of writing samples that include facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, and examples. Have them practice integrating these elements into their own writing through guided exercises.
Prerequisite Knowledge
Students should understand how to identify and organize main ideas and supporting details in a paragraph. They should also be familiar with basic sentence structure and grammar rules.
Subsequent Knowledge
After mastering this standard, students will be able to construct more complex and detailed pieces of writing, integrating various sources of information and using more sophisticated organizational structures.
Instructional Activities
- Use a graphic organizer to plan a paragraph with main ideas and supporting details.
- Practice writing short essays that include facts, definitions, concrete details, and quotations.
- Analyze sample texts to identify how authors develop their topics with various types of information.
- Conduct a mini-research project on a familiar topic and write a report using diverse details.
- Engage in peer review sessions to provide and receive feedback on the use of supporting details in writing.
