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Sentence starters in the writing center of
a first grade classroom
Response to Expository/Informative Texts
The cards can be used to focus children’s attention prior to reading a nonfiction book, thus
focusing their attention on author’s purpose (to inform), the topic, and related facts and details. As a
pre-reading activity, the use of these cards will increase listening skills and enhance comprehension.
The cards can also be used after a nonfiction expository text has been read in order to
prompt children to recall what they learned and to express this fluently – first verbally and later,
in writing.
You may photocopy these cards and affix them to cardstock for classroom use, or find them
as a part of our prepackaged color-coded set of Opinion Cards, available separately.
Materials:
Expository Cards, chart paper, markers, paper, crayons
Suggestion: before the lesson, chart 4 or 5 of the following sentence starters for reference purposes:
Lesson Plan
The Expository Cards are designed for use throughout the year to inspire and empower discussion about expository/informative texts. Simply apply them to whatever nonfiction books you
read that relate to your curriculum whenever the opportunity arises.
The author taught us_____________________________________________________________________ .
I discovered how___________________________________________________________________________ .
The topic of this piece was____________________________________________________________ .
The author revealed that______________________________________________________________ .
The piece gives information about_________________________________________________ .
I realized that_______________________________________________________________________________ .
I learned that________________________________________________________________________________ .
I thought that________________________________________________________________________________ .
I found it interesting that______________________________________________________________ .
The author explains______________________________________________________________________ .
I was surprised to learn________________________________________________________________ .
Procedure:
1.) S
elect an age-appropriate nonfiction book on a curriculum related topic. Beside the book, hold
up each of the expository cards that ask about the topic, about what they’ll learn, and what the
information might be about. Use these to launch a discussion about the book cover and title. See
if children can accurately predict the author’s purpose (to inform) and name the topic (usually
reflected in the title).
2.) Introduce several of the sentence starters, emphasizing the informative verbs.
Ex. “Girls and boys, listen to some of these informative words. These are words that we use to
talk about what we’ve learned…”
Then, using the inflection in your voice, stress the informative verbs (in bold print):
“I realized that…. I learned that… I discovered that… The author revealed that…”
“As you listen to this informative text see what you will realize, learn, discover and try to
remember what the author will reveal.”
(cont. next page)
© 2015 Empowering Writers, LLC
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Lesson Plan
You might make a chart of informative verbs, including the following:
Ex:
INFORMATIVE VERBS
learn
discover
realize
uncover
reveal
explore
find out
teach
explain
figure out
inform
discuss
Note that some of these verbs better apply to the author (teach, explain, inform, reveal, discuss) and others better apply to the audience (learn, discover, realize, uncover, find out, figure
out).
3.) Read the book aloud, allowing time for students to process the information.
hen finished, ask students to share what they learned. Chart a bulleted list of facts and
4.) W
details that children remember about the topic. Then, use the sentence starters to phrase their
newfound knowledge in fluent ways. Read the complete sentences, emphasizing the sentence
variety and, then write them, having students track along, left to right.
5.) D
istribute paper and have students draw a picture to illustrate something they learned. Then,
if they’re able, refer to expository cards for an appropriate sentence starter to express their
learning in writing. An alternative is for you to script this for them.
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© 2015 Empowering Writers, LLC
l
The Magic Camera: Focusing in on Details
•S
tudents recognize specific sensory details of story
critical characters, settings, objects. At first they
verbalize their ideas with the teacher translating these
into sentences, then they will create sentences using
modeled examples and sentence starters for support.
Materials:
Photocopy of the camera for each student, card stock or oak-tag paper, string to hang the camera
around the neck, an area to explore, chart paper, and paper for student writing
Key Vocabulary:
5 senses, focus, story critical characters, settings, objects
Procedure:
Lesson Plan
Objective:
1.) M
ake a photocopy of the camera on p.147 for each student using card stock for durability. Punch
two holes on top and string a piece of yarn through to make a camera strap to hang around each
child’s neck. Punch a hole in the viewfinder so they can look through and isolate images. They’ll
use the camera to focus on story critical characters, settings, and objects around their school.
2.) A
sk students to name the 5 senses. Explain that our sense of sight helps us to describe what
we see. Tell students the camera around their neck is “magical” because it can focus in on
everything they see and will allow them to freeze the image and observe with the five senses.
What did you hear, feel, smell, and taste? Remind them that they may not need to use all their
senses to describe the captured image. Have them look through the viewfinder and note that
when they focus on a particular image that is all they see; just like when an author describes a
story critical character, setting, or object. The story action stops for the purposes of observation
while the author brings a story critical element to life through the power of description.
ake your students for a sensory walk around the school. You can walk around the hallway, the
3.) T
schoolyard, or the neighborhood.
4.) W
hile walking, stop to point out particular details of designated story critical elements. A seasonal nature walk is a perfect opportunity to focus on a setting and the characters and objects
within it. Ask students to look through the viewfinder and verbalize what they see. They will
say things like: I see a tree. I see a squirrel. Ask students to “click and freeze” their image.
Remind them that since their camera is “magical,” not only can you see characters, settings, and
objects, but you can hear, feel, smell and taste them (where applicable). Ask: What do you hear?
What do you feel? What do you smell?
5.) W
hen you finish your exploration, return to the classroom and gather students at the chart
paper. Ask students to remind you what you saw on your walk. Chart their responses using the
sentence starters (below) for the sense of sight. Ex: They will say: “I saw a gray squirrel.” You
write: Looking closely I noticed a gray squirrel. Then follow that up with more specific questions:
“What kind of tail did it have? How did it move? Did it remind you of anything else?” They say:
it was a bushy tail, it ran really fast, it was collecting nuts, etc. You write: It had a bushy tail that
swished back and forth as it collected nuts. Continue charting student responses until they’ve
exhausted their ideas.
(cont. next page)
© 2015 Empowering Writers, LLC
145
Lesson Plan
6.) O
nce you have a list of everything you saw on your walk, pass out paper to students. Have
them write one sentence describing what they saw. Offer sentence starters (below) on sentence
strips for use at their desks or have sentence starters available on the board or chart paper.
Save their papers for use on subsequent days. Students who are not developmentally ready to
write this can illustrate what they saw.
7.) T
he next day, explain that you’ll be focusing on a different sense. Gather students at the chart
paper and list everything they “heard” on their walk. Use the sentence starters below in place
of “I heard”.
ave them write a sentence about a sound, adding it to the sentence they wrote the day before
8.) H
– for students who are not ready to write, provide a new piece of paper for illustrations.
9.) Continue with each of the 5 senses (or those that apply) in the same way.
10.) A
t the end of five days, each student will have sensory sentences or illustrations with scripting.
Students who haven’t already can illustrate their work. Collect these into a class book or
bulletin board display.
Sentence Starters:
Looking closely I noticed _________. I was surprised to see ______.
I stared at __________. The ___ caught my eye and ____________.
As I listened I could hear _________. I closed my eyes and heard ___________.
In the distance I heard _________. The _____ sound filled the _________.
The ______tasted ___________. My mouth watered as I ____________.
I could just imagine the ____ taste of _____.
I felt the _______ of the __________. I ran my hand along _________ and it felt __________.
My hand touched ______ and it was _________.
The air was filled with the smell of ________. When I breathed in I could smell ____________.
I caught a whiff of_________.
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