Ways to Explain | Open Textbooks

📖 Learn

There are many ways to explain your thinking! 🤔 Let's learn the different types of questions that ask you to explain.

💭 Type 1: "Why" Questions

These questions ask you to give a reason.

Example: "Why is the ball red?"

Answer: "Because I can see the red color."

💭 Type 2: "How do you know" Questions

These questions ask you to share your evidence.

Example: "How do you know the cat is happy?"

Answer: "Because the cat is purring and its tail is up."

💭 Type 3: "What makes you think" Questions

These questions ask you to explain your idea.

Example: "What makes you think it will rain?"

Answer: "Because I see dark clouds in the sky."

💡 Remember!

Good explanations usually start with "because" and tell what you saw, heard, or noticed!

💡 Examples

Watch how we answer different types of explanation questions!

Example 1: "Why" Question

🖼️ Picture shows: A girl with an umbrella

Question: Why does the girl have an umbrella?

Good Answer: "Because it is raining and she wants to stay dry."

✅ This answer uses "because" and gives a reason!

Example 2: "How do you know" Question

🖼️ Picture shows: A dog wagging its tail

Question: How do you know the dog is excited?

Good Answer: "Because the dog is wagging its tail very fast."

✅ This answer tells what we can SEE in the picture!

Example 3: "What makes you think" Question

🖼️ Picture shows: A boy with a big smile eating cake

Question: What makes you think the boy likes the cake?

Good Answer: "Because he has a big smile on his face while eating it."

✅ This answer explains the clue that helped us know!

✏️ Practice

Try answering these explanation questions! Remember to start with "because" and give a reason. 🤔

Practice 1

🖼️ Picture: A snowman outside

Question: Why is there a snowman?

Your turn! Say your answer out loud starting with "because..."

Practice 2

🖼️ Picture: A cat sleeping on a sunny spot

Question: How do you know the cat is comfortable?

Your turn! What do you SEE that shows the cat is comfortable?

Practice 3

🖼️ Picture: Children wearing jackets and hats

Question: What makes you think it is cold outside?

Your turn! What CLUE tells you about the weather?

Practice 4

🖼️ Picture: A baby crying with a bottle nearby

Question: Why do you think the baby is crying?

Your turn! Give your reason!

Practice 5

🖼️ Picture: A bird sitting on eggs in a nest

Question: How do you know the bird is a mother?

Your turn! What EVIDENCE do you see?

Practice 6

🖼️ Picture: A girl holding a trophy and smiling

Question: What makes you think the girl won something?

Your turn! Explain what you notice!

Practice 7

🖼️ Picture: A tree with no leaves

Question: Why do you think it might be fall or winter?

Your turn! Use the picture to explain!

Practice 8

🖼️ Picture: A boy with a bandage on his knee

Question: How do you know the boy got hurt?

Your turn! Tell what you see that shows he was hurt!

✅ Check Your Understanding

Let's see if you understand the different types of explanation questions!

Question 1: What word do good explanations usually start with?

Show Answer

💡 Because - Good explanations start with "because" to give a reason!

Question 2: When someone asks "How do you know?", what should you tell them?

Show Answer

💡 You should tell them what you SAW, HEARD, or NOTICED - your evidence!

Question 3: Which is a better answer for "Why is the sun hot?"

A) "I don't know"

B) "Because it is a big ball of fire in space"

Show Answer

💡 B is better! It uses "because" and gives a real reason!

🚀 Next Steps

Practice using "because" when you answer questions at home
Ask a grown-up "why" questions and listen to their explanations
Move on to the next lesson to practice quick explanations!