Structured Practice

Now youll need a visual with implicit and explicit details to demonstrate. Ive
picked Van Goghs Portrait of Dr. Gachet. This has a double benefit of
exposing my students to a classic artist and being in the public domain.

Begin by asking for an implicit detail, what is this mans mood?
Hes sad!
Hes unhappy!
Hes distraught! (encourage high-level vocabulary)
Now ask for the explicit details that prove this implicit detail. Remind students
that an explicit detail is on the surface or something that we can point to.
Demand exactness and specificity in these details.
His eyes are sloping down.
His head is resting on his hand.
The picture is blue.
The man is frowning.
Now youre going to move this information into a paragraph. Explain that the
implicit detail becomes a topic sentence.
Dr. Gachet is a distraught man.
Next the explicit details prove that the topic is true. Use the explicit details
your students generated to write the rest of the paragraph.
Dr. Gachet is a distraught man. Van Gogh shows this through Dr. Gachets frown. The
downward slope of his eyes also demonstrates sadness. Finally, Dr. Gachet is resting
his head in his hand in a way that confirms his unhappiness.
Guided Practice
Pick another visual for students to practice with. Ive selected MonetsWoman
With A Parasol, again exposing students to a classic piece of art and selecting
a work that is in the public domain.

Ask students to write a paragraph answering the question How is the woman
feeling? or What is the mood of this picture? Remind them that their answer
will be an implicit detail but they will need to back this up with three explicit
details. Keep the Dr. Gachet paragraph displayed as a model.
Consider partnering students up at this point. Give them time to create a
paragraph. Walk the room and/or work with a small group that needs
help. Finally, have students share out or collect outstanding examples to
display.
Independent Practice
Now were getting to the meat. In 6th grade, this skill goes with Hatchet. Id
ask my students to write a paragraph following the pattern from our previous
examples (that means including three explicit details) to answer:
How would you describe Brians mood in the beginning of this selection?
Or:
How does the setting contribute to Brians mood?
Now, if you receive a vague answer (the setting makes him afraid because
its so scary), point out that there arent enough explicit details.
On the other hand, if you receive a list of attributes about the setting (the
setting is dark and full of animals), point out that theres no topic sentence
with an implicit detail.
Extension
1. Ask for multiple paragraph responses: In two paragraphs, describe Brians
mood from the beginning of the story and then what his mood is in the end.
This will continue the development of a response to literature.
2. Ask students to critique a set of paragraphs using a rubric. This is a great
exercise to use authentic (but anonymous) student writing. Type out a handful
of interesting examples and ask students to analyze them.