---
title: Informational Writing- Grade 4 - Japanese New Year
description: Learn how to improve student writing by looking at prescriptive feedback and recommended lessons for an informational student sample from grade 4.
---

[Toolbox ](https://blog.empoweringwriters.com/toolbox)

# [Informational Writing- Grade 4 - Japanese New Year](https://blog.empoweringwriters.com/toolbox/informational-writing-grade-4-japanese)

 Written by [Toolbox](https://blog.empoweringwriters.com/toolbox/author/toolbox) | Dec 8, 2021 4:11:27 PM

<https://blog.empoweringwriters.com/hubfs/Student%20Samples%20(Images%20and%20PDFs)/Japanese%20New%20Year_Grade%20Informational_Opinion%20.pdf>  
[(Click image to download sample and feedback)](https://blog.empoweringwriters.com/hubfs/Student%20Samples%20(Images%20and%20PDFs)/Expository/Cats_Grade%204th%205th%20Informational_Opinion.pdf)

**Informational/Opinion Writing  
****Grade 4 Sample  
****Japanese New Year's**

**Feedback for Improvement**

*Topic:  Japanese New Year  
**Main Idea #1:  Food  
**Main Idea #2:  Family  
**Main Idea #3:  Pictures*

**What worked:**

- **Organization:**  This piece included an introduction and three main ideas.  However, the essay was incomplete - almost as if the student ran out of time.
- **Main Idea Sentences:**  The student includes a main idea sentence for each main idea paragraph written. The main ideas are broad yet distinct.
- **Elaborative Detail and Powerful Vocabulary:** Excellent use of the Detail Generating Questions along with powerful word choice: “slow cooked salmon bursting with orange”, “grain was colorless and delicate”, “tender with cubes of tofu”, “warm, delicate broth”.

 

**Feedback with Prescriptive Lesson:**

**CHOOSE a Focus Skill: **What skill will make the biggest impact for this writer?

**Introductions:  **This piece needs an effective lead. The topic sentence was well written.

- Section 5 Lesson 1: Leads and Topic Sentences
- Section 5 Lesson 2: Writing an Attention-Grabbing Lead

**Conclusions:** Needs to include a conclusion that sums up the entire piece.

- Section 5 Lessons 7-13

Recommended Resources

- [Empowering Writer's Methodology](https://www.empoweringwriters.com/how-to-teach-writing)
- [Informational & Opinion Writing Guide for Grade 4](https://store.empoweringwriters.com/collections/grade-4/products/the-hub-grade-4-expository-opinion-writing)<https://store.empoweringwriters.com/collections/grade-3/products/complete-set-editing-revising-and-more-grade-3-digital-guide-with-interactive-student-pages>

## Downloads

 “Japanese New Year's" Informational/Opinion Writing - Grade 4

[View full post](https://blog.empoweringwriters.com/toolbox/informational-writing-grade-4-japanese)

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