How do you add detail to an informational text?

In this lesson you will learn how to add detail to an

informational text by including stories and examples in body

paragraphs.

Let’s ReviewLet’s Review

An informational text gives facts about a non-fiction topic.

Animal Survival

IntroductionNatural AdaptationsControlled AdaptationsCamouflageAggressive Mimicry/LuringConclusion

DetailsDetails

Let’s ReviewLet’s Review

Writing Process

1

Write Drafts

Revise and Edit

Generate Ideas

2 3

Let’s ReviewA Common Mistake

Not going into detail about your topic.

This essay is about animals.

What about

animals?

Let’s ReviewCore Lesson

Ask, “What parts of my text are dull or uninteresting?”

1

2 Create a chart to collect additional stories and examples from your resources.

3 Add the new information into necessary paragraphs.

Let’s ReviewCore Lesson

Ask, “What parts of my text are dull or uninteresting?”

1Controlled Adaptations

Some animal adaptations, however, are not always used. They can choose to change hair and skin colors at will. They can even change how their body looks to a predator. Chameleons and coleoids can change to many different colors, while possums play dead and make their body rigid.

What are coleoids?

Let’s ReviewCore Lesson

Ask, “What parts of my text lack are dull or uninteresting?”

1Mimicry/Luring

While camouflage is a way to hide from predators, mimicry and luring is used by predators. Mimicry happens when animals look like other things. In aggressive mimicry, a way animals attack for food, they make their body parts look yummy to “lure” prey.

What animals do this?

Let’s ReviewCore Lesson

2 Create a chart to collect additional stories and examples from your resources.

Text Example Story• What are

coleoids?

• Descriptionsof mimicry/luring

• Can morph fleshy body into colors, shapes, and patterns.

• Turtles use pink, worm-like tongue to lure fish.

• Octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish

• All mollusks

• Female fireflies

• Anglerfish

Let’s ReviewCore Lesson

3 Add the new information into necessary paragraphs.

Controlled Adaptations

Some animal adaptations, however, are not always used. They can choose to change hair and skin colors at will. They can even change how their body looks to a predator. Chameleons and possums commonly do this, but so do coleoids, a mollusk group of octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish. These animals can change more than color or body shape, they can even change their texture!

Examples

Story

Let’s ReviewCore Lesson

3 Add the new information into necessary paragraphs.

Mimicry/Luring

While camouflage is a way to hide from predators, mimicry and luring is used by predators. Mimicry happens when animals look, smell, or sound different. Female fireflies and anglerfish are just some that use mimicry. In aggressive mimicry, a way animals attack for food, they make their body parts look yummy to “lure” prey. Turtles mimic worms with their tongues so fish will swim right into their mouths!

Example

Story

Let’s ReviewCore Lesson

Ask, “What parts of my text are dull or uninteresting?”

1

2 Create a chart to collect additional stories and examples from your resources.

3 Add the new information into necessary paragraphs.

In this lesson you learned how to add detail to an

informational text by including stories and examples in body

paragraphs.

Let’s ReviewGuided Practice

Create a chart to collect examples and stories that will add detail to your informational text.

Let’s ReviewExtension Activities

Practice adding detail on your own. Add 2 examples and 2 details to the text below. Then, re-write your new text:

I like school. We learn a lot. Lunch is fun. I talk to my friends. At recess I play. Then I go home and do homework.

Let’s ReviewExtension Activities

Switch drafts with a partner and read through their paper, making sure to write down at least 5 questions you have about the information to help them start their detail chart.

Let’s ReviewQuick Quiz

Create a chart to collect examples and stories that will add detail to your informational text.