Boys and girls typically learn to write narrative and descriptive pieces during early elementary school. By the third grade, students are experimenting with a variety of essay genres, including expository writing. Expository essays are informative, i.e., they explain a topic. When students write informational papers, they often correlate them to subject areas, such as math, science or social studies. An effective, third grade expository piece may take several weeks to complete.
Help your students understand the format by providing plenty of examples. Expose your class to expository pieces written by a variety of authors. Construct an informational piece with your students. When you "think out loud," the elements of informational writing come alive. The boys and girls will start to understand the structure of expository writing.
The best writing comes from knowledge of subject matter or a desire to learn more about it. Have your students devise a list of topics that interest them. They may need guidance in narrowing down their choices. A good subject might be something they know how to do or make, or a skill they are interested in learning. Once a student comes up with the right topic, have him make a list with two columns: "What I know" and "What I want to learn."
Have your third graders learn as much as they can about their chosen topics by reading, observing, interviewing and participating. Help them use the library, computer and print sources for their research. Introduce them to the concept of taking notes. Show them how to list facts and examples that will enrich their writing. At this age, children have a tendency to copy important facts verbatim. Teach them to summarize the main points in their own words. Help them use a graphic organizer to outline main points and details.
Third grade expository essays are generally one to three paragraphs in length. Each paragraph contains a topic sentence and pertinent details. Have the students organize and develop their paragraphs and sequence ideas, and then follow the steps of the writing process: prewriting, drafting, editing and publishing.
Give each child an evaluation rubric before she begins to write. This will serve as a guideline. Assess the papers on a five to one basis--with five being the most desirable score in a variety of categories. Tell each student whether she exceeds or meets standards, or if she is in need of further instruction or remediation. Include points in the rubric for standards such as: "clearly introduces the topic," "communicates ideas through facts and details," "uses a variety of resources," and "presents information in an interesting, clear format."