In the Classroom
Introduce the activity with a demonstration.
Now demonstrate or have students demonstrate a simple process such as sharpening a pencil. Ask the students how they would explain this process to a visitor from another planet or someone from a very different culture. What would they say is the first step? It may be useful to perform the task more than once, allowing students to stop the action and list each step on the board.
Discuss how important it is to keep the reader in mind: The writer of instructions can't assume the reader will know anything about what is being described. Consequently, the writer must remember to include even seemingly obvious directions in his or her explanation. For example, steps in sharpening a pencil would have to include which end of the pencil to sharpen, which way to turn the handle of the sharpener, how fast to turn the handle, and so forth.
Set the stage for the demonstration that the students will be writing
Last Modified September 19, 1997