How to Teach Informative Writing

I’m writing today to share how I teach informative writing to my students.

I love teaching non-fiction writing. My students explore new ideas and learn how to gain information using non-fiction text. We use what we learn about text features to write books about animals.

How do you teach informative writing?

We begin our informational text studies by defining informational text/non-fiction text. First, I find a non-fiction book about a topic that has text features (heading, captions, and labels) and as I read the book I share how the text features help me learn new information. Next, I share what the main topic is and key details so my students become familiar with these same features and can plan on using them in their writing.

As I am reading, I ask my students to help me figure out the main topic and key details. We discuss how the title of the book, photographs, and headings can help us determine the main topic. We talk about the diagrams, captions, and table of contents and share how this text features help convey information.

To make learning about text features more engaging, I let students work in small groups and go on a text features scavenger hunt and search for text features in informational books.

After we become non-fiction experts, we are ready to apply our reading to our writing!

Strategies for teaching students how to write non-fiction texts. Free writing templates included.

Writing Non-Fiction Book

I model how to write the table of contents, the heading, and the page number. Then I model how to draw a picture and add labels. We practice writing a book for about a week or more together. After much practice, I let them research a book independently. Modeling allows students to see what’s expected of them and learn how to organize their writing.

I let my students pick an animal they want to research. Using Pebble Go, they listen to information about the animal and record their answer on the graphic organizer.

Students use Pebble Go to write a research book. Read the blog to get free writing templates to write an animal research book.

Use Pebble Go as a resource for students to gather research on a speific topic

After they record their answers, they are ready to write! We write 1 page a day. We’ll write 1 page about where the animals live. Since I modeled informative writing and they practiced the week before, the expectation is they write it independently with minimal prompting and support from me. While my students are working on their books, I walk around the classroom and conference with students. The conference topics range from writing conventions to adding describing words to their writing, depending on their needs.

Editing Our Work

To teach students how to edit their work, I use a lesson called, “My Favorite Mistake.” I pick a student’s work that has several errors (i.e., forgot to add punctuation or didn’t draw a detailed picture) and I make a copy of the page and project it on the Promethean board.

First, students share what they like.

Next, they share how the author can fix their writing.

Last, students go back to their desks and check their work for errors and fix them. I also attached a checklist on their desk for them to use. The checklist helps them remember what they need to edit for.

Students have an editing checklist on their desk. They slide the paperclip down after they check each writing convention.

Author’s Chair

Now that they are done writing and editing and putting the final touches on their research book, it’s time to share their writing. We invite another class to our room to listen to our books. We even wear our animal expert hats so the listener will get excited about what they are about to learn.