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Mr. A's Writing Tools
writingtools.org
Writing Assignment
Emperor Penguins
Standard: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
What to Do
Let's learn about emperor penguins! You will read about these Emperor Penguins
1
Emperor penguins live in Antarctica, one of the coldest places on Earth. The temperature can drop to sixty degrees below zero. Even in this freezing cold, emperor penguins find ways to survive.
2
Emperor penguins have special bodies that help them stay warm. They have a thick layer of fat called blubber under their skin. On top of that, they have tightly packed feathers that keep out wind and water. These feathers are so close together that cold air cannot get through.
3
Penguins also keep warm by huddling together in large groups. They stand very close to each other and take turns being on the outside of the group. The penguins in the middle stay the warmest. When the outside penguins get too cold, they move to the center to warm up.
4
Emperor penguins are also great swimmers. They dive into the icy ocean to catch fish and squid. They can hold their breath for over twenty minutes and dive deeper than any other bird. After eating, they come back to land to feed their chicks. Word Bank
Writing Steps
1
What Are We Looking For?
Tell us in your own words:
- What is this passage about? - What do we need to find out about how penguins survive the cold? You can use short sentences or bullet points. There is no wrong way to answer this! Let us read the passage together! Read it carefully.
Now think about this question: How do emperor penguins survive in the cold? Before we look for answers, let us make sure we understand what the passage is about and what we need to find out.
Scoring Guidance — Step 1
Look for:
Main Idea Detail / Evidence 1 Detail / Evidence 2 Detail / Evidence 3
2
Find a Detail in the Text
Find ONE detail from the passage that helps answer the question:
1. The detail: Write a detail from the passage. 2. Where you found it: Was it at the beginning, middle, or end? Try starting with: - "The passage says..." - "The author tells us..." - "In the passage, it says..." Let us find a detail that helps answer our question:
How do emperor penguins survive in the cold? A detail is something the author wrote in the passage. You can point to the exact words!
Scoring Guidance — Step 2
Look for:
Sentence Starters
In the text, the author shows that ___.
The author writes, "___," which shows ___.
This is important because ___.
Overall, the text shows that ___.
3
Answer the Question
Write your answer to the question using the detail you found:
Try starting with: - "Based on the passage..." - "The text tells us that..." - "According to the passage..." Make sure your answer uses information from the text! Great job finding a detail! Now let us use it to answer the question.
Remember our question: How do emperor penguins survive in the cold? Use the detail you found to help write your answer. Your answer should use information from the passage, not just what you think or feel.
Scoring Guidance — Step 3
Look for:
Sentence Starters
In the text, the author shows that ___.
The author writes, "___," which shows ___.
This is important because ___.
Overall, the text shows that ___.
4
Find More Details
Find ONE MORE detail from the passage that helps answer the question:
1. Another detail: Write a different detail from the passage. 2. How it helps: Tell us how this detail helps answer the question. Try starting with: - "The passage also says..." - "Another detail is..." - "The author also tells us..." Good readers find more than one detail to make their answer stronger. Look for another sentence or fact that helps answer:
How do emperor penguins survive in the cold?
Scoring Guidance — Step 4
Look for:
Sentence Starters
In the text, the author shows that ___.
The author writes, "___," which shows ___.
This is important because ___.
Overall, the text shows that ___.
5
Put It All Together
Write your complete answer in 2-4 sentences. Your answer should:
1. Answer the question about how penguins survive the cold 2. Use at least two details from the passage 3. Use your own words to explain what the text says Try starting with: - "The passage tells us that..." - "Based on the text..." Make sure your sentences connect to each other! Amazing work! Now put everything together to write a complete answer to our question:
How do emperor penguins survive in the cold?
Scoring Guidance — Step 5
Look for:
Sentence Starters
In the text, the author shows that ___.
The author writes, "___," which shows ___.
This is important because ___.
Overall, the text shows that ___.
How Did I Do?Circle one box for each step. 2Find a Detail in the Text
3Answer the Question
4Find More Details
5Put It All Together
Before You Turn InI did every step
I checked my spelling
I am proud of this work
ReflectionWhat was hard? What are you proud of?
For the Teacher
Teacher Guide — Emperor PenguinsRI.3.1 — Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. · Grade 3 · ~20 min
The student pages use short directions and a How Did I Do? star self-check instead of a printed rubric — most readers at this grade can't parse rubric language yet. Walk through the stars together after the last step. Score finished work against the full rubric below. Scoring Rubric
Step-by-Step Coaching Notes
Step 1 — What Are We Looking For?
Step 2 — Find a Detail in the Text
Step 3 — Answer the Question
Step 4 — Find More Details
Step 5 — Put It All Together
Students on devices? Coach this assignment live.
Scan the code — or visit the link — for the AI-coached version: step-by-step feedback on every draft, auto-scored on the rubric, no answer key to grade. Free for teachers.
writingtools.org/free/evidence3_penguins_v1
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