Writing Standards: Writing Informative Texts with Grouped Ideas and Details (CCSS.W.3.2)
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Common Core 3rd Grade ELA › Writing Standards: Writing Informative Texts with Grouped Ideas and Details (CCSS.W.3.2)
Sunflowers are big, bright plants. A tiny seed is hard on the outside. Bees visit the flowers later. The stem can get tall, and leaves spread out. In the soil, a root grows down. The flower head holds many seeds. People sometimes water the plant and put it in a sunny place. A green sprout pushes up after rain. Birds eat seeds in fall. The seed coat cracks open. New seeds can make more plants. The steps are all part of how a sunflower grows.
Which revision best improves the clarity, detail, and organization of this informational draft?
Add this sentence to the beginning: 'Sunflowers grow in stages—first seed, then sprout, next stem and leaves, and finally a flower that makes new seeds.'
Add: 'My neighbor grows pumpkins too, and they taste great in pie.'
Move 'Bees visit the flowers later.' to the very beginning of the draft.
Delete the sentence about watering and sun to make the draft shorter.
Explanation
Adding a clear topic sentence that groups the stages (first, next, finally) uses linking words and sets an organized structure for explaining how a sunflower grows.
A pet fish can be fun to watch. I like the way it moves. Fish need clean water. The tank has gravel and a small plant. A filter hums on the back. Food flakes sink if you drop too many. The glass can look cloudy. Once a week some water should be changed. Fish use their gills to get oxygen. I named mine Bubbles. The tank should not sit in hot sun. Put in fresh water that is safe for fish.
Which revision best improves the clarity, detail, and organization of this informational draft?
Add: 'Goldfish can be orange, white, or black.'
Add this sentence after the first sentence: 'To care for a fish, keep the water clean, feed a little, and change some water each week so the fish stays healthy.'
Move 'I named mine Bubbles.' to the beginning of the draft.
Delete 'Fish need clean water.' to make the draft shorter.
Explanation
The added sentence groups key care steps and uses linking words to connect ideas, helping readers understand how to care for a fish.
Rainforests are warm, wet places with many plants and animals. The canopy is busy with birds and monkeys. On the dark floor, mushrooms grow. Tall trees reach for sunlight. Vines hang down. In the understory, small trees and ferns grow. Some insects live high up where the leaves make a roof. Frogs hide under leaves near the ground. Big cats hunt in some rainforests. The canopy stops some rain from falling fast. People study these places to learn about life.
Which revision best improves the clarity, detail, and organization of this informational draft?
Add: 'Once I read a scary story about a jungle explorer.'
Move 'Tall trees reach for sunlight.' to the very end of the draft.
Add this sentence after the first mention of canopy: 'The canopy is the leafy roof made by the tops of many trees, where many animals live.'
Delete the sentence about insects living high up.
Explanation
Defining 'canopy' right after it appears adds a clear, helpful detail and supports understanding of later facts about rainforest layers.
A lever is a simple machine that helps you lift or move things. A board over a round log can be a lever. I like playing a video game where you build a farm. On a seesaw, one side goes up when the other goes down. The place the board rests is called the fulcrum. With a lever, you can move a heavy rock by pushing down on the long end. People also use crowbars. Using the right spot makes the job easier.
Which revision best improves the clarity, detail, and organization of this informational draft?
Move 'People also use crowbars.' to the beginning of the draft.
Add: 'Also, tools are cool.'
Add: 'Finally, always wear gloves when using tools.'
Delete the sentence about the video game.
Explanation
Removing the off-topic personal sentence keeps the focus on explaining what a lever is and how it works, improving organization and clarity.
Caring for a houseplant helps it grow, but the steps can be mixed up. Plants need water, and some need bright light. I once saw a giant tree at the park. If soil stays soggy, roots can rot. It is good to check the soil with a finger. Leaves droop when the plant is thirsty. Pots have holes at the bottom. Sunlight from a window can be too strong at noon. Plants also need space to grow. This is why a plant can stay healthy.
Which revision would best improve the clarity, detail, and organization of this information?
Group the watering ideas together and explain drainage (holes that let extra water out). Use linking words like also and another to connect water and light, and add a concluding sentence that restates how these steps keep a plant healthy.
Add a fun paragraph describing the giant tree at the park, including how tall it was and how many branches it had.
Move the sentence about checking the soil to the very end after the conclusion, and begin with the sentence about pot holes.
Replace the word also with but in every sentence to make the writing sound stronger.
Explanation
Option A groups related information (watering, light), adds a helpful definition, uses linking words to connect ideas, and provides a clear concluding sentence. These changes make the explanation easier to follow and more informative.
Butterflies change as they grow. A tiny egg sits on a leaf. Later there is a chrysalis, which is a hard case. The caterpillar eats lots of leaves. I like to draw butterflies with bright colors. Wings help adult butterflies fly to flowers. The stages go in order, but the ideas here jump around. Some butterflies migrate. The egg hatches into a caterpillar. The chrysalis opens and a butterfly comes out. These parts belong together, and a closing idea could tell why the cycle matters.
Which revision would best improve the clarity, detail, and organization of this information?
Delete the sentences about the egg and chrysalis so the paragraph is shorter and easier to read.
Group the life-cycle stages in order using linking words like first, next, then, and finally; add a fact defining chrysalis; and end with a closing sentence about why knowing the cycle helps us observe butterflies.
Add a personal story about drawing butterflies at home and describe the colors you used in your picture.
Put the sentence about migration first and scatter the stage sentences between other facts to make it more surprising.
Explanation
Option B organizes the stages in sequence with clear linking words, adds a helpful definition, and provides a concluding idea. This strengthens the explanation and makes the information easy to follow.
Our bodies need water each day. Water carries nutrients and keeps joints moving. Sometimes I forget my water bottle at recess. Being active or in hot weather means we lose more water. People say to drink when you are thirsty, but sometimes thirst is late. Some kids like juice or soda instead. The writing here mixes reasons and tips. We could tell how much to drink and give ways to remember. Your brain and muscles work better with enough water, and that helps you learn and play.
Which revision would best improve the clarity, detail, and organization of this information?
Add a colorful chart of favorite sodas and describe their flavors to make the paragraph more interesting.
Move the sentence about the brain to the beginning and delete the sentence about hot weather so it sounds less scientific.
Change every and to but to make the writing sound stronger and more exciting.
Define hydration, include one simple fact about daily water needs, use linking words like also and another to group reasons together, add two quick tips for remembering to drink, and end with a short concluding reminder.
Explanation
Option D adds a clear definition, useful facts and tips, linking words to connect related ideas, and a concluding reminder. These changes develop the topic and organize information for readers.
A habitat is a place where plants and animals live. In a pond, water, sunlight, air, and shelter all matter. Once I went fishing with my cousin. Frogs hide among plants. Turtles sit on logs to warm up. Food chains show who eats what. The ideas about parts of a habitat and animal examples are mixed. It would help to group the parts first, then show examples. A picture could help. The writing needs a closing to wrap up what a habitat gives living things.
Which revision would best improve the clarity, detail, and organization of this information?
Add more about your fishing trip, like what you caught and what the weather was like that day.
Remove the idea about shelter so the paragraph is shorter and easier to finish.
List the pond habitat parts together first using linking words like also and another, include a simple diagram of the pond (no labels), give an example under each part, and end with a concluding sentence about how habitats meet needs.
Put the sentence about food chains first, then talk about fishing, and explain the habitat parts last to keep readers guessing.
Explanation
Option C groups related information (the habitat parts), adds a helpful illustration, uses linking words to connect ideas, provides clear examples, and includes a concluding sentence. This organization makes the explanation clearer.
Bees visit flowers to collect sweet liquid. As they fly, powder from flowers sticks to them. Some bees live in hives. Many fruits grow after flowers are pollinated. People eat apples, berries, and melons that start as flowers. A worker bee carries pollen from flower to flower without trying. The hive has one queen bee. Farmers sometimes bring beehives to fields. This helps crops make more food. Bees also make honey. Bees are small, but they do big jobs for plants and for us.
Which revision best improves clarity, detail, or organization?
Add this sentence after the first two sentences: Pollination is when pollen from one flower gets carried to another so the plant can make seeds and fruit.
Add this sentence: Bees can be yellow and black, and some look fuzzy.
Move Farmers sometimes bring beehives to fields to the very beginning of the draft.
Replace sweet liquid with stuff.
Explanation
Defining pollination explains how bees help plants make seeds and fruit, adding clear, helpful detail to the topic.
Library books are for everyone to share. Keep books away from food and water. If a page tears, tell a librarian so it can be fixed. My friend once spilled juice on a comic book. Use clean hands when you read. Put books in a safe bag when you carry them. Pets can chew covers, so store books on a shelf. Return books on the due date so others can read them next. Taking care of books keeps the library strong.
Which revision best improves clarity, detail, or organization?
Add this sentence: Books can be many colors and sizes.
Move Return books on the due date so others can read them next to the beginning.
Replace My friend once spilled juice on a comic book with Keep drinks away from books to avoid spills.
Add this sentence: I read for an hour last night.
Explanation
Replacing the personal story with a clear rule gives a general, useful detail that explains how to care for library books.