ELA.5.C.1.4

Write expository texts about a topic using multiple sources and including an organizational structure, relevant elaboration, and varied transitions.

Clarifications

Clarification 1: See Writing Types and Elaborative Techniques.
General Information
Subject Area: English Language Arts (B.E.S.T.)
Grade: 5
Strand: Communication
Date Adopted or Revised: 08/20
Status: State Board Approved

Related Courses

This benchmark is part of these courses.
5010030: Functional Basic Skills in Communications-Elementary (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 - 2024, 2024 and beyond (current))
5010046: Language Arts - Grade Five (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 - 2024, 2024 and beyond (current))
7710016: Access Language Arts - Grade 5 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
5010105: Introduction to Debate Grade 5 (Specifically in versions: 2020 - 2022, 2022 - 2024, 2024 and beyond (current))
5010016: English for Speakers of Other Languages Grade 5 (Specifically in versions: 2022 and beyond (current))

Related Access Points

Alternate version of this benchmark for students with significant cognitive disabilities.
ELA.5.C.1.AP.4: Write an expository text about a topic, using multiple sources and an organizational structure with transitions.

Related Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Lesson Plans

Disaster Relief:

Students will analyze data to develop a resupply schedule for a humanitarian mission following a natural disaster. They will apply mathematical operations over multiple steps to minimize the operational cost of the humanitarian mission.

This is an open-ended engineering design lesson where students will develop a model to help them solve a problem. There are no “right” answers as the lesson is focused on the process of developing a solution and the skills and reasoning behind the process. Students should be given the freedom to interpret the problem and parameters in unique ways to pursue their own lines of thinking in producing a solution.

Type: Lesson Plan

The Great Seal of the United States: What Did these Authors Claim?:

This is lesson #5 in the paired text unit series for The Great Seal of the United States by Terri DeGezelle and The Great Seal of the United States by Norman Pearl. In this lesson, students will learn about the “unalienable rights” expressed in the Declaration of Independence, compare the claims made and evidence provided by both authors in each text about the Great Seal of the United States, and explain how both author’s arguments support the idea that the Great Seal, a symbol of the United States, is a reminder of some rights expressed in the Declaration of Independence. Then students will write an expository essay explaining why the Great Seal of the United States was created and how this symbol of the United States is a reminder of rights conveyed in the Declaration of Independence.

This ELA/Civics Integrated Text Unit is designed to support students with the integration of civics into the ELA classroom through the reading and studying of Norman Pearl’s book The Great Seal of the United States. Throughout the unit, students will identify new vocabulary, describe both Florida and USA seals, as well as the importance of national symbols and their meaning. Using timelines, graphic organizers, worksheets, and other activities they will connect these symbols to other documents like the Declaration of Independence and the understanding of unalienable rights. Each lesson in this series leads to a culminating activity in which students will use their knowledge and understanding of symbols and relevant details to create their own Great Seal.

This resource uses books that you will need to obtain before implementing the resource. The Great Seal of the United States by Terri DeGezelle is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list.

Type: Lesson Plan

The Great Seal of the United States: The Front of the Great Seal of the United States:

This is lesson #3 in the paired text unit series for The Great Seal of the United States by Terri DeGezelle and The Great Seal of the United States by Norman Pearl. In this lesson students will apply information from both texts to examine their observations and inferences made in prior lessons and determine the symbolism represented on the front of the Great Seal of the United States. Then students will write an expository paragraph explaining why the Great Seat of the U.S. is a symbol that represents the United States.

This ELA/Civics Integrated Text Unit is designed to support students with the integration of civics into the ELA classroom through the reading and studying of Norman Pearl’s book The Great Seal of the United States. Throughout the unit, students will identify new vocabulary, describe both Florida and USA seals, as well as the importance of national symbols and their meaning. Using timelines, graphic organizers, worksheets, and other activities they will connect these symbols to other documents like the Declaration of Independence and the understanding of unalienable rights. Each lesson in this series leads to a culminating activity in which students will use their knowledge and understanding of symbols and relevant details to create their own Great Seal.

This resource uses books that you will need to obtain before implementing the resource. The Great Seal of the United States by Terri DeGezelle is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list.

Type: Lesson Plan

The Great Seal of the United States: Comparing the U.S. Seal to the Florida State Seal:

This is lesson #7 in the text unit series for The Great Seal of the United States by Norman Pearl. In this lesson, students will recognize the Great Seal as a national symbol and then compare and contrast the Great Seal of the United States to the Great Seal of Florida. Students will complete a graphic organizer and then write to tell how the two seals are alike and different.

This ELA/Civics Integrated Text Unit is designed to support students with the integration of civics into the ELA classroom through the reading and studying of both The Great Seal of the United States by Terri DeGezelle and Norman Pearl’s book The Great Seal of the United States. Students will identify new vocabulary, describe both the Florida and the United States seals, as well as the importance of national symbols and their meanings. Using timelines, graphic organizers, worksheets, and other activities they will connect these symbols to other documents like the Declaration of Independence and the understanding of unalienable rights. Each lesson in this series leads to a culminating activity in which students will use their knowledge and understanding of symbols and relevant details to create their own Great Seal.

This resource uses a book that you will need to obtain before implementing the resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

The Great Seal of the United States: Great Seal Expository Essay:

This is the last of 8 lessons in the text unit series for The Great Seal of the United States by Norman Pearl, focusing on pages 8-19 and 23. In this lesson, students will analyze the symbols used to create the Great Seal and will use the knowledge learned to deepen their understanding of symbols—what they represent and why they are chosen. As a culminating activity, students will develop a personal great seal by writing an expository essay that explains the symbols chosen to represent the country and why.

This ELA/Civics Integrated Text Unit is designed to support students with the integration of civics into the ELA classroom through the reading and studying of Norman Pearl’s book The Great Seal of the United States. Students will identify new vocabulary, describe both Florida and USA seals, as well as the importance of national symbols and their meaning. Using timelines, graphic organizers, worksheets, and other activities, they will connect these symbols to other documents like the Declaration of Independence and the understanding of unalienable rights. Each lesson in this series leads to a culminating activity in which students will use their knowledge and understanding of symbols and relevant details to create their own Great Seal.

This resource uses a book that you will need to obtain before implementing the resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

Shhh! We're Writing the Constitution: Themes of the Grand Convention (Constitutional Convention):

This is lesson # 9 in the text unit for Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz. The lesson focuses on planning an expository essay after reading and annotating the second text The Bill of Rights: A Transcription. The lesson utilizes an essay planning template to help students organize the details from each text to support a common theme/central idea shared between the two texts. As an extension, students can draft the essay or turn the planning notes into a presentation using digital programs. This lesson will help students understand why and how the Constitution was created, including: the thirteen states and important historical figures present during the creation, the challenges and conflicts that state representatives faced during writing the Constitution, motifs and themes during the “Grand Convention,” and the relationship between state and national constitutions.

The lessons in this text-based unit will allow students to identify citizens’ civic duties outlined by the Constitution, the relationship between the federal and state Constitutions, and important historical symbols. Each part of the unit will include an in-depth dive into vocabulary and how it applies to the meaning of the text.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

Shhh! We're Writing the Constitution: Researching our Representatives:

This is lesson #8 in the text unit for Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz. After reading the text, students will choose a representative (historical figures in the text) to research further. Students will complete a graphic organizer pulling information from the text and then use online sources and books to gather further information about their chosen historical figure.

This unit will help students understand why and how the Constitution was created, including: the thirteen colonies and important historical figures present during the creation of the Constitution, the challenges and conflicts that state representatives faced during writing the Constitution, motifs and themes during the “Grand Convention,” and the relationship between state and national constitutions. Lessons will allow students to identify citizens’ civic duties outlined by the Constitution, the relationship between the federal and state Constitutions, and important historical symbols. Each part of the unit will include an in-depth dive into vocabulary and how it applies to the meaning of the text.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

Shhh! We're Writing the Constitution: Historical Figures Character Traits:

This is lesson #7 in the text unit series for Shh! We're Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz. In this lesson, students will research five historical figures who led the United States to a representative government by comparing and contrasting primary and secondary sources. The students will write and reflect on what makes a good leader.

This unit will help students understand why and how the Constitution was created, including: the thirteen states and important historical figures present during the creation, the challenges and conflicts that state representatives faced during writing the Constitution, motifs and themes during the “Grand Convention,” and the relationship between state and national constitutions. Lessons will allow students to identify citizens’ civic duties outlined by the Constitution, the relationship between the federal and state Constitutions, and important historical symbols. Each part of the unit will include an in-depth dive into vocabulary and how it applies to the meaning of the text.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

Shhh! We're Writing the Constitution: Compare and Contrast the Articles of Confederation and Constitution:

This is lesson 4 in the text unit series for Shhh! We’re Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz. Students will compare and contrast the information about two founding documents, the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. They will complete a graphic organizer that shows how these documents are alike and different. Students will take information about the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution and use them to demonstrate understanding of text structure while completing a graphic organizer.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

The Articles of Confederation:

The purpose of this lesson is for students to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation while using primary and secondary sources that they will compare and contrast. The students will use the sources to explain through writing the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. The students will also identify and locate the original thirteen colonies.

Type: Lesson Plan

Aaron and Alexander: Lesson 7: Create A Children’s Book:

Students will create a children’s book to explain Aaron Burr’s and Alexander Hamilton’s political participation and political views. Students will use carefully chosen text features and a specific text structure that best contributes to the overall meaning of the text. This is the culminating lesson in a unit using the text Aaron and Alexander: The Most Famous Duel in American History by Don Brown.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

Aaron and Alexander: Lesson 6: Compare and Contrast Two Significant Individuals:

After learning about The Revolutionary War and reading Aaron and Alexander: The Most Famous Duel in American History By Don Brown, students will write an essay either comparing and contrasting Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton's political participation or their political views. Students will engage in a cooperative learning activity to brainstorm, use a graphic organizer to compare and contrast and use a rubric to evaluate their final product.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

We Learned About the Challenger:

This series includes four parts focused on the Challenger explosion. Students will read President Reagan’s address to the nation presented on the evening of the Challenger Space Shuttle explosion in January 1986. Students will then analyze the speech and determine which relevant details support Reagan’s central idea. Additionally, students will complete close reading activities individually, with partners, and in small groups as they prepare to draft an expository essay outlining the relevant details that support Reagan’s central idea.

Type: Lesson Plan

Informational Texts: Analyzing Relationships and Perspectives Across Multiple Texts:

This lesson is an instructional routine for informational text in which teachers provide guided practice and students practice comparing perspectives from multiple texts.

Culminating activity includes writing an expository essay to compare and contrast the journey of two travelers using evidence from multiple sources to support the response.

Type: Lesson Plan

Original Student Tutorial

Quote from Text:

Learn to quote accurately from a text when answering explicit questions and when supporting inferences from the text as you complete this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Teaching Idea

Stand Up! Speak Out!:

This teaching idea describes a 5th grade project that started with the guiding question, "What makes a good leader?" After conducting a survey of responses to this question, students researched a historical leader, wrote a speech from the perspective of their chosen leader, and created a conceptual portrait representing their chosen leader.

Type: Teaching Idea

Original Student Tutorials for Language Arts - Grades K-5

Quote from Text:

Learn to quote accurately from a text when answering explicit questions and when supporting inferences from the text as you complete this interactive tutorial.

Student Resources

Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Original Student Tutorial

Quote from Text:

Learn to quote accurately from a text when answering explicit questions and when supporting inferences from the text as you complete this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Parent Resources

Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.