How does it work?

Explanation Writing: How does it work?

You are writing to explain how an object works.

There are four parts you need to do in this writing task. 

Type your work directly onto this Google Doc or write on lined paper and take a picture. Make sure you share everything with your teacher.

Part 1

Read the following two examples of explanations. 

Notice: Linking words that show cause and effect

  Present tense verbs 

Precise vocabulary about the topic

Example 1:

How does a compact disc work? Compact discs are optical discs that store digital information. They can be used to hold your favourite music, data, computer software or images. However, have you ever wondered what they actually are and how they work? Compact discs are made up of many different layers. The first layer is made from a tough plastic material called polycarbonate. This makes up the thickest part of the CD but it is actually very thin (usually about 1.2mm thick). It helps to protect the data that will be put onto the CD. When the finished CD is later put into a CD player, the soft plastic layer will also act as a lens to help the laser in the CD player focus on the data - just like a lens in a pair of glasses! The second layer is the most important one - the data layer. The data is transferred onto the CD by a laser. The laser does this by…

Example 2: 

How do roller skates work? Kids and parents alike have enjoyed roller skating for fun and exercise for hundreds of years now. Today, many skaters prefer modern inline skates, which feature wheels in a row along a blade-like an ice skate. Traditional roller skates, on the other hand, have four wheels on each foot arranged in a sort of square. As a result, this makes balancing a little easier. Both traditional and inline skates rely on bearings that make the wheels turn freely and easily. Bearings allow a skater to take turns, corners, and curves while skating. Without bearings, turning a corner would be very difficult...

Part 2

Find one of these objects in your house: 

• Stationery like scissors, a stapler or a pencil sharpener.
• Toys or sports equipment like a bike, Lego bricks or a skateboard.
• Tools like a clothes peg, an egg beater or a can opener.

Look closely and carefully at its parts so you can see how it works.

Draw a picture of your chosen object. Add labels to the picture to show how it works and the names of its parts.

Part 4

Scissors are made up of two blades, and they are sharp like a knife. These blades are set up so when you press down on both the handles, the sharp bits pass each other very closely, cutting through thin paper or any type of fabric.

Scissors work like a lever. As you squeeze your fingers together, it makes the blade cross one another which is how the cut line is made. When you move your fingers apart, it opens up the blade so you can move to another part of the paper.

There are many types of scissors for different purposes. For example, kids scissors should only be used on paper. They have dull blades and rounded corners just for child safety. The larger shears used to cut metal or to trim shrubs must have very strong, sharp blades.