Y06W41WR Explaining a Topic Clearly for Readers

Part 1

How to Write

Explanatory – Magazine 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 article. You have space for one introduction paragraph and three body paragraphs. Choose the facts that best explain the topic for your audience, organise them logically and write in your own words. You do not need to use all of the facts provided.

Stimulus: A school science magazine is publishing an article for Year 6 students explaining what weather satellites do, how they work and why they matter. Below is a collection of facts about weather satellites. They are not in any particular order.

- Before weather satellites were launched in the 1960s, many storms went undetected until they hit land, causing significant loss of life
- Geostationary satellites orbit at approximately 36,000 kilometres above the Earth and remain fixed above one point on the equator
- Modern weather satellites can detect temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, cloud cover and rainfall
- A single weather satellite can cost several hundred million dollars to build and launch
- Satellite images of cyclones show a distinctive spiral cloud pattern that makes them identifiable from space
- Polar-orbiting satellites fly at around 850 kilometres altitude and gradually cover the entire Earth across many orbits
- Because geostationary satellites stay in the same position, they can take continuous images of the same area - useful for tracking how storms develop
- The Bureau of Meteorology in Australia uses data from several satellites including Himawari-9, operated by Japan
- Satellite data is combined with ground-based weather stations and ocean buoys to produce weather forecasts
- Infrared satellite imagery shows the temperature of clouds and land surfaces, allowing forecasters to track severe storms at night
- Satellites also monitor long-term climate trends including sea surface temperature, Arctic ice coverage and deforestation
- Weather satellites orbit the Earth continuously and capture images and data about the atmosphere, oceans and land surface

Task Analysis: This task asks you to write a magazine 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.