Down the Paths of Expository Writing

This is a game about discovery.

Through the Stepping Stones board game format, players venture down one of five paths, depending on which essay type they are writing. Each path has its own adventure theme from a medieval castle to an African safari.

Roll the dice and draw a card. Some cards signal which organizer to use and which questions to think about first. Sometimes students are asked to complete a thought, or fill in the blanks with their own ideas.

As the adventure unfolds, students can:

• Unlock the "codes and secrets" of informative, persuasive, operational, and compare and contrast essays
• Utilize the game's graphic organizers and playing cards to grasp the who, what, where, when, how and why of each expository style
• Follow a framework, step by step, for brainstorming, organizing and inserting the appropriate information
• Learn to develop clear and engaging main ideas, supportive facts, transition words, examples, personal thoughts, conclusions, calls to action and more
• Identify their audience and write to that audience

And on a deeper level, students can:

• Relax and enjoy expository writing (The scoring system is non-competitive, the goal being to complete all five essay types and earn the title of Master Explorer)
• Expand their focus from only noticing the end results (or lack of them) to appreciating the journey of discovery
• Begin internalizing the process and developing an awareness of applications beyond the language arts classroom
• Build the confidence and skills necessary to eventually write independently

Contents:

• 11” x 17” 2-sided laminated game board
• 4 pads of graphic organizers
• 80 cards
• Dice and pawns
• Scoring pads

Writing Adventures Stepping Stones
Item: SS 1 $24.95