ELA.4.C.2.1 4.11.b

Structure & Development

Good writing is structured, or organized according to a plan. It is also well developed, with enough connected and relevant details and examples to build upon the topic.

Written works should include an INTRODUCTION, a BODY, and a CONCLUSION.

An INTRODUCTION is the beginning of a piece of writing. It introduces the topic to the reader. In an informational passage, it often states the main idea.

The BODY of a written work includes the supporting DETAILS—the facts and examples that build the topic. The key ideas and details should all be directly related to the topic. They should be connected by TRANSITIONS that help the reader follow the flow of ideas.

A CONCLUSION is the end of a piece of writing. It wraps everything up. It may restate the topic sentence from the introduction in a different way or briefly summarize the information in the text. It provides a sense of closure to the piece of writing.

Gentle Giants of the Sea

Whale sharks are the biggest of all sharks—in fact, the biggest fish in the sea!—but there is no need to fear these docile sharks. Whale sharks can grow up to 40 feet long and 50,000 pounds. They also have thousands of teeth in their mouths, which sounds scary, but it’s not! Those teeth are tiny, and whale sharks don’t use them for eating. Instead, these giant sharks feed on some of the tiniest sea creatures, called zooplankton, by filter feeding. This means that they just open their mouths as they swim near the surface, and the zooplankton is filtered through pads in the sharks’ mouths. There’s no biting required. Therefore, whale sharks are no threat to humans at all. In fact, many people even go swimming with whale sharks in places like Mexico and Africa. The sharks don’t seem bothered by the people at all. They even let them hold onto their fins and hitch a ride! Truly, whale sharks are the gentle giants of the sea.

REMEMBER: Whether you are writing a single paragraph or a multi-paragraph essay, you should always include a strong INTRODUCTION, a BODY with relevant key ideas and details connected by transitions to guide the reader, and a CONCLUSION that gives a sense of closure and completeness to the writing.

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Go to the next page to practice working with structure and development.

Structure and Development

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS): 4.11.b

develop drafts into a focused, structured, and coherent piece of writing by:

(i) organizing with purposeful structure, including an introduction, transitions, and a conclusion; and

(ii) developing an engaging idea with relevant details;

Florida - Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking: ELA.4.C.2.1

Present information orally, in a logical sequence, using nonverbal cues, appropriate volume, and clear pronunciation.