Informative Writing: Facts, Details, and Quotations

4th Grade ELAWriting3 pages

About this worksheet

Point, Evidence, Explain, Link is the frame on this 4th grade informative writing sheet. A model paragraph about polar bear blubber shows each part. Students then write a guided paragraph on how cacti store water in dry deserts, finishing a sentence starter for each step. The last task asks for a full paragraph on the Transcontinental Railroad, built around a quotation about travel time. The work practices W.4.2.b and W.4.2.e, and the answer key has model paragraphs for both tasks.

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Informative Writing: Facts, Details, and Quotations: Writing - page 1

Informative Writing: Facts, Details, and Quotations: Writing - page 2

Informative Writing: Facts, Details, and Quotations: Writing - page 3

Curriculum objectives covered

W.4.2.a

“Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.”

The Point step in both tasks asks students to introduce the topic clearly in the first sentence.

W.4.2.b

“Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.”

Students develop the cactus paragraph with a fact and the railroad paragraph with a quotation.

W.4.2.e

“Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented.”

The Link step closes each paragraph with a concluding statement.

What's inside this worksheet

Model Paragraph

A box shows a Point, Evidence, Explain, Link paragraph about polar bears, with the fact that their blubber can be up to four inches thick.

Cactus Paragraph

Using the fact that a cactus can store hundreds of gallons of water in its stem, students complete four sentence starters, from "Cacti are amazing plants that are adapted to" to "Clearly, the cactus is."

Railroad Paragraph

Students write a full paragraph with all four parts, using the quotation "The new railroad reduced travel time across the United States from six months to just one week."

How teachers use it

Science tie-in

Run the cactus task during a unit on plant adaptations. The fact box gives students all the evidence they need, so they can focus on the Explain step.

Using quotations

For many students, the railroad task is the first time they fold a quotation into a sentence. Model a lead-in such as "According to historical records" before they write.

Gradual release

Read the polar bear model together, do the cactus starters with a partner, and write the railroad paragraph alone. Most classes need about 40 minutes.

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