4D

State conclusion

Preview words to use List ideas Assign order Note ideas in complete sentences

Purpose Audience Topic Hook

Describe Explain

Tell a story Persuade

This is about:

Someone who …

Something that …

Somewhere that …

Takeoffs & landings

Outside Inside

Wings hang from top of fuselage

Pontoons instead of wheels

Windshield in front, windows on each side

people who like to travel

seaplanes How would you like to fly anywhere?

Can have one or two engines

If you live near water, sea planes provide a lot more freedom to go where you want.

bank of instruments, dials, and switches half steering wheel – looks like two handles

pedals (look like brakes)

tiny seats, really crowded

land on calm water, clear of boats

enough space to takeoff and land

circle around and check things out

don’t need runways or permission

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an airplane that lands and takes off from the waterx

Land on water

Tiny seats

Don’t need runways

pontoons

Half steering wheel

dials

Watch out for boatsFly to remote areas

Seaplanes

How would you like to fly almost anywhere there is water and not need an airport to land? A seaplane might be a great vehicle for you. There are many features of seaplanes. A seaplane is an airplane that lands on and takes off from the water. The outside of the seaplane looks really strange. Instead of wheels, it has pontoons. These look like little boats that hang on each side of the plane. The pontoons are almost as big as the main part of the plane. The wings hang to the top of the fuselage, and the pontoons are attached to the bottom of the fuselage. When you sit in one, you might feel like it will never fly, but it will. Seaplanes can have one or two engines, and they always smell oily and are incredibly noisy. Like most planes, they have a windshield in front and rows of little windows on each side. The inside of a seaplane looks pretty much like most small planes. The very front of the plane has a bank of instruments, dials, and switches. The steering wheel is not really a round wheel but rather is two curved handles. Turning the wheel makes the plane go right or left. Pushing down on the wheel or pulling it out makes the plane go up or down. On the floor are two pedals that look like brakes but are used to help steer the plane. The seats are really tiny so it is really crowded to ride in one. Since seaplanes land on the water, they don’t need runways or permission to land from a control tower. They can land anywhere the pilot wants to land it as long as the water is not too rough and it is clear of boats. There has to be enough space to take off and land, so there has to be enough water to allow the plane to land in a straight line. Thus, seaplanes cannot land on curvy rivers. Seaplane pilots always circle around an area before they land to make sure it is clear and that there is enough distance to allow them to take off later when they want to leave. If you live near water, seaplanes provide a lot more freedom to go where you want.