1. Elaboration Module Series of Lessons
Defining Elaboration
Asking the Questions that Lead to Elaboration
Recognizing Elaboration
Show, Don't Tell
Specific, Concrete Details versus General Language
Elaboration within Sentences
Layering -- Elaboration Using Multiple Sentences
Criteria for Assessment
Each lesson has four parts.
Entry—a short beginning activity designed to generate interest, review the previous lesson, make connections, and/or relate material to student’s daily lives
Lesson—the new information or concepts for the section
Activity—the place where students apply the lesson on their own. This could be seen as the performance assessment—where the student demonstrates his/her proficiency at using the material from the lesson
Assessment--This activity will also serve as formative assessment for the teacher; that is, if the students are not “getting it,” it would be a good idea to go back and re-teach the concepts using different examples and/or other teaching strategies. Students likely need more time and opportunity to grasp the concepts.
In this section the teacher will find Scoring Guides and sample papers at varying levels of success.
Copyright 2006 Washington OSPI. All rights reserved.

2. RECOGNIZING ELABORATION
Lesson 3
Copyright 2006 Washington OSPI. All rights reserved.

3. The main reason I love Halloween is the candy
The main reason I love Halloween is the candy. Oh my gosh, it’s like heaven—even for big kids. What I’m trying to say is that my mom lets me collect and eat all the mini candy bars, fruity treats, and sour chewies that I can. When I get to heaven, it will have all those kinds of candy. Last year, I was running out the door at 5:30, pillowcase in hand, hitting the houses in my neighborhood with my friend Steven. You might not believe it, but I got 237 individual servings of candy, and it was my highest record yet. I figure at 20 pieces a day it will take me 12 days to polish it all off. There’s nothing better than candy if you’re a kid.
Read this paragraph orally to students.
It might be advantageous for students to have copies of this paragraph so they can see the entire piece at the same time and mark different kinds of elaboration on the papers. See Candy, a 7th grade sample that could be used for any grade level, in the Document Folder.
Lesson 3
Copyright 2006 Washington OSPI. All rights reserved.

4. Where is the elaboration?
What I’m trying to say is that my mom lets me collect and eat all the mini candy bars, fruity treats, and sour chewies that I can.
DEFINE
The writer is attempting to
define how getting candy
on Halloween is like heaven.
This illustrates defining as an elaboration strategy.
Lesson 3
Copyright 2006 Washington OSPI. All rights reserved.

5. Where is the elaboration?
Last year, I was running out the door at 5:30, pillowcase in hand, hitting the houses in my neighborhood with my friend Steven.
- ANECDOTE
The writer is including a bit of a narrative story with personal experience to make his point about how he was going to get candy.
This illustrates anecdote as an elaboration strategy.
Lesson 3
Copyright 2006 Washington OSPI. All rights reserved.

6. Where is the elaboration?
You might not believe it but I got 237 individual servings of candy, and it was my highest record yet. I figure at 20 pieces a day it will take me 12 days to polish it all off.
STATISTICS
The writer is making up or remembering statistics that make his point about getting a large amount of candy.
This shows the use of statistics as an elaboration strategy.
Lesson 3
Copyright 2006 Washington OSPI. All rights reserved.

7. Recognizing Elaboration
If you can find elaboration strategies in someone else’s writing, you become more aware of them.
If you are more aware of them, you will become more thoughtful about threading it into your writing to. . .
TELL THE READER MORE.
This is a good opportunity to remind students that when they read text, “read like writers.” Have them intentionally look for elaboration strategies in all types of texts.
Lesson 3
Copyright 2006 Washington OSPI. All rights reserved.

8. Recognizing Elaboration with a Partner
The following paragraphs are also about Halloween. In groups of 2-3,
Which elaboration techniques do you recognize?
Student samples (Halloween paragraphs) are found in the Document Folder. These are 7th grade post-instruction samples that could be used for any grade.
Lesson 3
Copyright 2006 Washington OSPI. All rights reserved.

9. Your Turn
Find the types of elaboration in the following paragraph written about adding a home economics class to the school curriculum.
See student sample - Home Economics
Student sample Home Economics is found in the Document Folder. These 2 paragraphs are from an actual student response from the 7th grade WASL Pilot (2001). While this excerpt is not a complete essay, students may find the elaboration strategies that help make this an effective response.
1st argument is that home economics will help you become independent.
elaboration support. - They wouldn’t have to rely on the freezer for a T.V. dinner or have to buy a new shirt if their old one has a button that has come off.
- When they went off to college, those kids would already know many of the skills needed to live away from home and the adjustment wouldn’t be so much of a challenge.
2nd argument is that home economics integrates other subjects
- Concepts taught in classes like math and science are integrated into any home economics class.
- Fractions are taught in cooking and sewing along with basic mathematic equations to make a double batch or balance a checkbook.
- Science is evident all around, for instance when the kids would be experimenting with a new ingredient in a recipe.
- Home economics is just as academic as other classes.
Your 10th grade students may recognize that this paper includes a concession/rebuttal (concedes an opposing argument and responds). I understand that you may not want to include a home economics class because it is not as rigorously academic as others. (concession) But those same concepts (rebuttal).
This is typically taught as an effective persuasive technique.
Lesson 3
Copyright 2006 Washington OSPI. All rights reserved.

10. Elaboration Module Series of Lessons
Defining Elaboration
Asking Questions that Lead to Elaboration
Recognizing Elaboration
Show, Don't Tell
Specific, Concrete Details versus General Language
Elaboration within Sentences
Layering -- Elaboration Using Multiple Sentences
Criteria for Assessment
Each lesson has four parts.
Entry—a short beginning activity designed to generate interest, review the previous lesson, make connections, and/or relate material to student’s daily lives
Lesson—the new information or concepts for the section
Activity—the place where students apply the lesson on their own
Assessment—These activities will also serve as formative assessments; that is, if the students are not “getting it,” it would be a good idea to go back and re-teach the concepts using different examples and/or other teaching strategies. Some students may need more time and opportunity to grasp the concepts.
There is an Elaboration Scoring Guide and a Student Checklist as well as sample student papers at varying points throughout the module for a more formal assessment.
Copyright 2006 Washington OSPI. All rights reserved.