Vertebrates Informative Writing Prompt with 3 Passages/Articles

Vertebrates Writing Prompt with Informational Mentor Texts: Evidence-based informational writing. With this resource, students use information from three different passages to write an organized, informative/explanatory essay. Please note that this writing prompt is just part of my growing bundle. Click HERE to get a year's worth of writing prompts, including this one, at a discount price!

Nowadays, there is a noticeable difference in how students are expected to write their essays on the standardized writing test. Many standardized tests, such as SAGE in Utah, AzMERIT in Arizona, PARCC in New Jersey, and FSA in Florida, require the students to read/listen to multiple texts and then use information from those passages in their writing. According to the SAGE rubric, students are expected to write essays that are well-organized (this includes writing strong introductions and conclusions), incorporate text evidence, elaborate on their details (this includes using domain-specific vocabulary), and use proper grammar/spelling. This product provides many resources to help you prepare students for the state writing test!

To prepare my students for the SAGE test, I don’t hesitate to get them started. From the very beginning, my students are given writing prompts with mentor texts. We practice annotating the texts, and then we practice using that information to write a well-organized, 5-paragraph essay. To write these essays, I use the writing process. It typically takes me three weeks to get through one writing prompt with the students, especially at the beginning of the year. This product includes day-to-day instructions on how I use the writing process and this writing prompt with my students. This writing prompt comes with three engaging passages. Please click the preview to see if the passages are at an appropriate level for your students.

THE PROMPT

Vertebrates are animals that have a backbone. Mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and fish are all vertebrates. Write an essay describing one of these animal groups. Your explanation must be based on ideas and information that can be found in the passages. Manage your time carefully so you can plan, write, revise, and edit your essay.

THE MENTOR TEXTS

This product comes with three unique mentor texts written by me. All three passages are informational texts about eating bugs.

Passage #1: This passage introduces each vertebrate group.

Passage #2: This gives even more information about each vertebrate group with an emphasis on where they live and what they eat. It also explains how some mammals lay eggs and how some mammals are marsupials. It explains how birds digest food by using their two-chambered stomach. It explains the life cycle of a frog and how many amphibians go through metamorphosis. It explains that there are fish that live deep in the water where there is no sunlight. It explains how reptiles can be oviparous, viviparous, or ovoviviparous.

Passage #3: This fun passage shares just some of the things about vertebrates that might make you say, “Whoa!”

***In all three passages, the paragraphs are numbered and there's a glossary at the end. (Just like the SAGE test in Utah)***

THE EXTRAS

This product has quite a few extras! If you buy this product, you will not only be getting a prompt and two mentor texts, but you will also be getting the following: (please click the preview, where I have posted EVERY SINGLE PAGE of this product):

•Day-to-day instructions that explain what I do with the students for 14 days

•4 different rubrics to choose from (I’ve taken information from the SAGE rubric and turned it into one that, I think, is more student-friendly and teacher friendly.)

•Brief descriptions of each rubric so that you can know which one you want to use.

•A schedule that outlines what the students will be doing for the next 3 weeks (the rubric and schedule are things I show the students before we begin writing our essays so they know what is expected of them, how long it will take, and how to be successful.)

•A checklist that the students can use while they write their essays to make sure they are including everything that their essay needs

•Two different graphic organizers to choose from (one is completely blank, while the other one has fill in the blanks to help those who struggle with writing)

•Alternative graphic organizers that are more decorative (there's one for each animal group. The preview shows what they look like.)

•Many different types of rough draft paper that you can choose from. (My favorite rough draft paper is the one that has ARMS at the bottom. Many teachers like to use the acronym ARMS when revising with their students.)

•An ARMS handout (one is black and white and one is colorful.)

•Peer Editing Sheets (I love using these! Instead of having students write all over each others’ papers with red pens, they look for certain criteria and give feedback)

•A sample graphic organizer that has been filled in

•A sample final draft that meets all the requirements to get a really good score on the SAGE test (written by me)

•Decorative lined paper that the students can write their final drafts on

•Decorative title pages (the students can use these as a cover for their final drafts.)

•A note that can be sent home to parents to announce the completion of their essays and the sharing party that will take place in class

THE RESULTS

At the end of previous school years, many of my students expressed phrases such as, “Mrs. Lott, thank you for teaching me how to write an essay,” “I like writing now,” “I finally get how to write an essay,” and “I’m not as worried to take the SAGE test because I know what I’m doing.” These comments, of course, brought tears to my eyes. That’s what teaching is all about. Then seeing their SAGE scores brought even more tears to my eyes. All students improved and almost all scored between 400-500, which is proficient. I even had several students score over 500!! :)

Please note that this product does not teach students how to write an essay. The intent of this product is to provide an outline and description of what I do for 3 weeks and the resources I use to do it. If you are interested in how I teach my students to write, follow me on TPT and stay tuned. It is my goal to make product(s) that you can use to teach students how to write very soon!

THE STANDARDS

his product is aligned with the following 3rd grade writing standards:

CCSS.ELA-LIT.W.3.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

CCSS.ELA-LIT.W.3.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

CCSS.ELA-LIT.W.3.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as need by planning, revising, and editing.

CCSS.ELA-LIT.W.3.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

CCSS.ELA-LIT.W.3.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision.) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

This product is aligned with the following 4th grade writing standards:

CCSS.ELA-LIT.W.4.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

CCSS.ELA-LIT.W.4.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

CCSS.ELA-LIT.W.4.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as need by planning, revising, and editing.

CCSS.ELA-LIT.W.4.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

CCSS.ELA-LIT.W.4.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision.) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.1 Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, in the grades 4-5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

This product is aligned with the following 5th grade writing standards:

CCSS.ELA-LIT.W.5.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

CCSS.ELA-LIT.W.5.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

CCSS.ELA-LIT.W.5.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as need by planning, revising, and editing.

CCSS.ELA-LIT.W.5.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

CCSS.ELA-LIT.W.5.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision.) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

You might also be interested in the following informative writing prompts:

Explain how Caribou Survive the Cold Weather

Explain how Water Changes the Earth's Surface

Explain the three Types of Rocks

Explain three major things that Abraham Lincoln did during his lifetime.

Or you might be interested in the following opinion writing prompts:
Which is a Better Pet, a Cat or a Dog?

Are Teens too old to go Trick-or-Treating?

Should Fidget Spinners be banned from Schools?

Should bugs be added to the school cafeteria menu?

Why should the leprechaun give you his gold?

I also have a career research project that comes with EVERYTHING you need:

Career Research Project (Write an essay describing a career of your choice.)

You might also be interested in the following:

A HUGE Rocks and Minerals Unit. It is a complete unit that has everything you would need to teach 3 weeks-worth of material.

Cloud Readers’ Theater. I love using these script every time I teach weather! They help the students remember how a cloud is formed and the four main types of clouds (cirrus, cumulus, stratus, and cumulonimbus.)

Types of Sentences Zombie Scoot Activity. This is a fun activity that can be used to review the types of sentences during the month of October.

Don't forget that you can get TPT credit just by leaving feedback!

Please go to your My Purchases page (you may need to login). Beside each purchase you'll see a Provide Feedback button. Simply click it and you will be taken to a page where you can give a quick rating and leave a short comment for the product. Each time you give feedback, TPT gives you credits that you use to lower the cost of your future purchases. TPT will round up for you too! If you provide feedback on a $4.75, you will earn 5 credits. Every 100 credits is worth $5 that you can apply towards future TPT purchases, but there is no need to wait until you have 100 to redeem them. ☺

Be the first to know about my new products, discounts, and freebies by following me on TPT! Look for the green star next to my store logo and click it to become a follower. There you have it! You will receive email updates about my store. ☺

© Lotts of Learning 2017