Expository/Research Lesson 1

​Expository Writing

By Donna Kapa

Poll

Imagine you’re the teacher. Your goal is to explain something interesting and real.
Which statement best describes how to teach your students?

• Using facts and examples to inform your students

• Defining key terms so students understand new concepts

• Using transitions to connect ideas smoothly

• Organizing information logically with clear topic sentences

​Objectives

• Define expository writing and its purpose.

• Choose a topic to research.

• Develop a focused research question about my topic.

​What Is Expository Writing?

Expository writing explains or informs the reader about a topic using facts, examples, and clear organization—not opinions or stories.

​Expository Writing

Expository Writing Always:

• Answers “What is it?” or “How does it work?”

• Includes an introduction, body, and conclusion

• Uses facts, definitions, and examples to make ideas clear

• Avoids bias or emotion

Multiple Choice

Which sentence best fits an expository essay?

• Romeo was heartbroken when Juliet left.

• Sharks are important to ocean ecosystems.

• What if you found treasure in your backyard?

• Stop using plastic bottles!

​The Research Process

Every strong essay starts with research — finding out more about a topic and shaping what you learn into clear ideas.

Writers don’t just start writing — they explore first!

​The Research Process

Choose a Topic – Pick something that you are curious about.

Explore – Google it! Click on a few links, read headlines, and skim short articles or Wikipedia pages to find out more.

Narrow Your Focus – Zoom in on one small part that you can explain well.

Ask a Research Question – Turn your curiosity into a question to answer.

Find Credible Sources – Look for trustworthy information that helps answer your question.

Organize and Write – Plan, draft, and revise your essay.

​Next: Explore and Narrow

Before you can write an essay, you have to know what your topic is really about.

That’s where exploration comes in.
Writers start broad—they Google, read quick articles, and click around to see what’s out there.

Then they narrow down—choose one small, specific part that’s interesting and possible to explain in just a few pages.

​Next: Explore and Narrow

Think of it like using a microscope:

🔎 Zoom Out → see the big picture.

🔎 Zoom In → focus on one detail that stands out.

Multiple Choice

Why do writers narrow their topic before they start writing?

• To move quickly into writing without spending too much time on research

• To make sure their paper sounds more complex

• To focus their research so it’s not too big to manage

• To make their topic sound mysterious and keep readers engaged

​What Makes a Good Research Topic?

• Specific

• Factual

• Interesting

• Researchable

​Be Specific

Too Broad → Specific

“Animals” → “How do dolphins communicate?”

Multiple Choice

Which topic is specific enough for a research project?

• Types of natural disasters

• The Earth’s surface

• Volcanoes

• The causes of hurricanes

​Essay Topics

• Most deadly creatures

• Exotic parasites

• Rare and unusual hobbies

• Bizarre weather events

• Lost civilizations

Poll

Choose one of these broad topics for your essay:

• Most deadly creatures

• Unusual parasites

• Strange hobbies

• Bizarre weather events

• Lost civilizations

​Time to Explore!

1. Google your topic. Type it in just as it’s written (example: bizarre weather events).

2. Click a few links. Skim short articles or a Wikipedia page — no deep reading yet!

3. Find 3 quick facts or details. Example for most deadly creatures:

   1. Some are deadly because of venom.

   2. The box jellyfish can kill in minutes.

   3. Many live in Australia.

4. Post to Padlet #1:

👉 What is my topic, and what 3 facts did I find?

💬 Tip: Keep it short and simple — bullet points are fine!

​Narrowing Your Topic

Now that you’ve explored your topic, it’s time to shrink the scope — make it smaller, sharper, and easier to research.

Here’s how writers narrow a topic:

• Add a specific place, time, or group (example: “deadly creatures in the ocean”).

• Focus on one example (example: “box jellyfish”).

• Ask a smaller question about cause, effect, or importance. (How does the box jellyfish’s venom affect humans?)

Multiple Choice

A student chose the topic Unusual Hobbies and decided to focus on Extreme Ironing after Googling "Unusual Hobbies."

Which question is an example of a smaller research question that will help her narrow her topic?

• What kinds of hobbies do people do in their free time?

• What are some examples of unusual hobbies around the world?

• Why do people like doing hobbies that seem dangerous or strange?

• How did extreme ironing become a global sport?

​From Broad Idea to Smaller Questions

A smaller question helps you focus your research so it’s not too big or too vague.

To find one, start with the 5 W + H Questions:

🟠 Who is involved?
🔵 What is happening?
🟣 Where does it take place?
🟢 When does it happen?
🟡 Why or How does it happen?

​Share Your Narrowed Focus!

On Padlet #2, post:

1️⃣ My narrowed topic: (one short phrase)

2️⃣ My smaller question: (use a Who/What/Where/When/Why/How question)

​Let’s Review Today’s Learning!

✅ Here’s what we did:

1️⃣ Chose a broad topic from our list.
2️⃣ Explored it online — Googled, skimmed, and found quick facts.
3️⃣ Narrowed the topic into a smaller focus.
4️⃣ Used 5Ws + H to create a smaller research question.
5️⃣ Shared our ideas on Padlet #1 and Padlet #2.

Multiple Choice

When you first explore your topic, what’s the main goal?

• To copy the first facts you find

• To get an idea of what your topic is about

• To choose your essay title right away

• To find one long article and quote it

Multiple Choice

Why do writers narrow the scope of their topic before writing?

• To make the essay shorter and easier to grade

• To avoid using too many sources

• To finish the essay more quickly

• To keep their research focused and manageable

Multiple Choice

Which of these is the best smaller research question for the topic “Exotic Parasites”?

• What kinds of parasites exist in the world?

• How do different parasites affect in every country humans?

• How do people become infected by the brain-eating amoeba?

• What are exotic parasites?