The Expository Essay

1. The Expository Essay BuildinganExpositoryEssay Part 1

2. Brainstorming 1. Choose the topic Snowmen Making snowballs Good snow Fun Creative Top hat Frosty the Snowman Hard work Different shapes Snowman kits Carrot nose Stick arms Fun faces Child’s play Cold weather

3. Build your outline. • Introductory Paragraph • Attention getter a.k.a Hook • General background information • Thesis statement • Body Paragraph • Topic sentence • Detail • Supporting details • Concluding sentence • Concluding Paragraph • Restate thesis • Summarize • Clincher

4. What will you need for your first draft? • Introductory Paragraph • Attention gettera.k.aHook • Background information • Body Paragraph • Topic Sentence • Details with transition words • Supporting details • Be sure to use compound and complex sentences! • Concluding sentence

5. Introductory Paragraph • Attention getter a.k.a Hook • Capture your reader’s attention • General background information

6. Make an attention getter • There are four kinds of attention getters. • Question • Have you ever made a snowman? • Fact • The average annual snowfall in Glacier Park, Canada is 1471 centimeters. • Personal Story • As a child, nothing was more exciting than waking up that first winter’s morning to the sight of freshly fallen snow… • Quote •  The Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas once said “ It snowed last year too: I made a snowman and my brother knocked it down and I knocked my brother down and then we had tea.”

7. Give relevant background information. • Background information in a “How to” essay explains why the topic is important. • Think about the Wh-questions. • Why is this topic important? • Who will benefit from the information in your topic? • When and where did you learn this “how to” information.

8. Let’s see the attention getter and the background information together in an introductory paragraph.

9. Example using a QUESTION attention getter. Have you ever made a snowman?Building a snowman can be a wonderful way to enjoy a snowy day. However, making a good snowman is hard work and can be tricky if you don’t have experience.

10. Example using a FACT attention getter. The average annual snowfall in Glacier Park, Canada is 1471 centimeters. That is a lot of snow, but knowing how to make an awesome snowman can alleviate some of the stress from having to live with it snowing all the time.

11. Example using a PERSONAL STORY attention getter. As a child, nothing was more exciting than waking up that first winter’s morning to the sight of freshly fallen snow. I could hardly wait to get outside to play in the new wintery wonderland and to build my first snowman of the season. Over the years, I have made hundreds of snowmen and now know the secrets to constructing an awesome snowman.

12. Example using a QUOTE attention getter. The Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas once wrote, “ It snowed last year too: I made a snowman and my brother knocked it down and I knocked my brother down and then we had tea.” Indeed, making a snowman is a cherished memory for many people. However, creating an awesome snowman can be challenging and involves a bit of work.

13. The Body • Topic sentence with controlling idea • Transition word • First, second, third, in addition, also, next, then… • Detail • Supporting detail • Explain, example, extra • Concluding sentence

14. Topic Sentence Controlling Idea with It is easy to make a fabulous snowman by following three important steps.

15. Details with transition signals It is easy to make a fabulous snowman by following three important steps. The first step is having the right snow. Not all snow is the same. Snow that is too wet or too dry does not make good snowballs. Perfect snow will form a snowball easily when cupped in your hands. Once you have the perfect snow, the next step is rolling it into a gigantic snowball. Proper rolling technique insures that your snowman is jolly and round, and not sad and deformed. You must rotate the ball as you roll it to get big, fat snowballs. The final step to making an incredible snowman is accessorizing. Nowadays, accessory kits are available that include a fake carrot nose, buttons for eyes and even a black top hat. Of course, many people still like to use decorations and old clothes from home to make their snowmen one of a kind, unique creations. Either way you choose to go; a face, arms, a scarf and a hat are necessities for every respectable snowman.

16. The concluding sentence It is easy to make a fabulous snowman by following three important steps.The first step is having the right snow. Not all snow is the same. Snow that is too wet or too dry does not make good snowballs. Perfect snow will form a snowball easily when cupped in your hands. Once you have the perfect snow, the next step is rolling it into a gigantic snowball. Proper rolling technique insures that your snowman is jolly and round, and not sad and deformed. You must rotate the ball as you roll it to get big, fat snowballs. The final step to making an incredible snowman is accessorizing. Nowadays, accessory kits are available that include a fake carrot nose, buttons for eyes and even a black top hat. Of course, many people still like to use decorations and old clothes from home to make their snowmen one of a kind, unique creations. Either way you choose to go; a face, arms, a scarf and a hat are necessities for every respectable snowman. In conclusion, following these three fundamental steps will ensure that you have a spectacular snowman that is a true masterpiece.

17. The Body It is easy to make a fabulous snowman by following three important steps.The first step is having the right snow. Not all snow is the same. Snow that is too wet or too dry does not make good snowballs. Perfect snow will form a snowball easily when cupped in your hands. Once you have the perfect snow, the next step is rolling it into a gigantic snowball. Proper rolling technique insures that your snowman is jolly and round, and not sad and deformed. You must rotate the ball as you roll it to get big, fat snowballs. The final step to making an incredible snowman is accessorizing. Nowadays, accessory kits are available that include a fake carrot nose, buttons for eyes and even a black top hat. Of course, many people still like to use decorations and old clothes from home to make their snowmen one of a kind, unique creations. Either way you choose to go; a face, arms, a scarf and a hat are necessities for every respectable snowman. In conclusion, following these three fundamental steps will ensure that you have a spectacular snowman that is a true masterpiece.

18. The Final Touches • Give your essay a Title. • Make sure you have formatted it correctly. • Proof-read for grammar. • Proof-read for spelling. • Proof-read for punctuation. • Proof-read for details fitting with the controlling idea. • Read it again and ask a friend to read it, too!

19. Awesome Snowmen by Virginia Holthe The average annual snowfall in Glacier Park, Canada is 1471 centimeters. That is a lot of snow, but knowing how to make an awesome snowman can alleviate some of the stress from having to live with it snowing all the time.

20. It is easy to make a fabulous snowman by following three important steps.The first step is having the right snow. Not all snow is the same. Snow that is too wet or too dry does not make good snowballs. Perfect snow will form a snowball easily when cupped in your hands. Once you have the perfect snow, the next step is rolling it into a gigantic snowball. Proper rolling technique insures that your snowman is jolly and round, and not sad and deformed. You must rotate the ball as you roll it to get big, fat snowballs. The final step to making an incredible snowman is accessorizing. Nowadays, accessory kits are available that include a fake carrot nose, buttons for eyes and even a black top hat. Of course, many people still like to use decorations and old clothes from home to make their snowmen one of a kind, unique creations. Either way you choose to go; a face, arms, a scarf and a hat are necessities for every respectable snowman. In conclusion, following these three fundamental steps will ensure that you have a spectacular snowman that is a true masterpiece.

21. The End