Y06W36WR Explaining a Big Idea Through a Feature Article

Part 1

How to Write

Explanatory – Feature article

An explanatory text makes a concept, process or system understandable to a reader who is encountering it for the first time. It is written for someone who wants to genuinely understand how or why something works. The tone should be clear and patient — building understanding step by step without assuming prior knowledge.

  • Ideas & content: Select the most important information needed to understand the topic. Focus on how and why — explanation is about building genuine understanding, not just describing what exists.
  • Structure & cohesion: Move from the general to the specific. Introduce the concept, explain how or why it works, then give examples or consequences. Use cause-and-effect connectives to show relationships between ideas.
  • Voice & audience: Write as a knowledgeable guide. Define terms as you introduce them. Avoid jargon without explanation. Your reader should feel guided through the topic, not overwhelmed by it.
  • Language choices: Use precise vocabulary and define technical terms clearly. Write in the present tense for ongoing processes. Vary sentence length — shorter sentences help when ideas are complex.
  • Conventions: Spell technical vocabulary accurately. Use commas, colons and semicolons to manage complex explanations. Keep sentences clear even when the ideas are demanding.

Common pitfalls: Describing what something is without explaining how or why it works — readers need to understand the mechanism, not just the label. Including too many facts without connecting them into a clear explanation that builds understanding progressively.

Part 2

Your Task Plan for Today

The brief

Question: Write the feature article. You have space for one introduction paragraph and three body paragraphs. Choose examples and facts that best explain the concept for your audience and organise them clearly. Write in your own words. You do not need to use all of the facts provided.

Stimulus: A natural history magazine for young readers is publishing a feature explaining what animal migration is, why animals migrate and how they manage remarkable journeys. Below is a collection of facts about animal migration. They are not in any particular order.

- Some species, including bar-tailed godwits, fly non-stop for up to nine days during migration without eating or sleeping
- Migration is the regular, seasonal movement of animals from one location to another, usually in search of food, warmer temperatures or breeding grounds
- The Arctic tern travels approximately 70,000 kilometres each year between the Arctic and Antarctic - the longest migration of any animal
- Salmon are born in freshwater rivers, migrate to the ocean to grow, then return to the exact river where they were born to breed
- Many migratory birds navigate using a combination of the sun, stars, the Earth’s magnetic field and visual landmarks
- Climate change is altering migration timing - some species arrive at feeding or breeding grounds before food is available
- Bogong moths in Australia migrate from lowland breeding areas to the Australian Alps, where Indigenous Australians historically gathered to eat them
- Monarch butterflies in North America migrate up to 4,500 kilometres using the position of the sun to navigate
- Migration is found in birds, fish, insects, mammals and marine animals
- Humpback whales migrate up to 8,000 kilometres between Antarctic feeding grounds and warm tropical waters where they breed
- Light pollution from cities can disorient migratory birds, causing them to fly dangerously off course
- Some fish, including the southern bluefin tuna, migrate thousands of kilometres across ocean basins

Task Analysis: This task asks you to write a feature article based on the prompt. Your response should demonstrate clear thinking, good organisation and writing appropriate for a Year 6 reader. Focus on showing your understanding through specific examples and thoughtful details.

Quick Plan

Before you write, plan:

  • What you’re explaining — define it clearly
  • Two or three key points that build understanding
  • Real examples that show why this matters
  • Why the reader should care — your closing message

Define the key concept

Start by explaining what you’re talking about in clear, simple words. Your reader may have no background knowledge. Make sure they understand the basic idea before adding details.

Examples that teach

Use specific, concrete examples that help readers understand. Show what the idea looks like in real life. Don’t just explain the concept—show it in action.

Paragraph focus

Each paragraph should have one main idea. Start with a topic sentence that tells readers what the paragraph is about, then develop it with facts or examples.

Tone & voice

Write clearly and factually for readers your age. Avoid jargon, or explain technical terms you need. Sound like someone who understands and wants to share knowledge.