Teaching Informational Writing: A Complete Guide

Writing to Inform and Explain

Informational writing is the most common type of writing students will do in their academic and professional lives. Teaching it well prepares students for research papers, reports, essays, and workplace writing.

Text Structures

Teach the common informational text structures explicitly:

Description -- Describes a topic with details, characteristics, and examples.

Sequence -- Presents information in order (first, next, then, finally).

Compare and Contrast -- Shows similarities and differences between two or more things.

Cause and Effect -- Explains why something happens and what results.

Problem and Solution -- Presents a problem and proposes solutions.

Understanding these structures helps students both read and write informational text.

Teaching the Process

Choose a Topic -- Students write better about topics they know or are curious about. Allow choice when possible.

Research -- Teach age-appropriate research skills: using multiple sources, taking notes in their own words, and identifying key facts.

Organize -- Use graphic organizers to group related information. Teach students to create subtopics and arrange facts logically.

Draft -- Write with a clear introduction that states the topic, body paragraphs organized by subtopic, and a conclusion that wraps up.

Revise and Edit -- Teach specific revision strategies: adding details, improving transitions, checking for clarity.

Key Skills by Grade

K-2 -- Simple "all about" books with facts, pictures, and labels.

3-5 -- Multi-paragraph reports with introduction, body, conclusion. Begin citing sources.

6-8 -- Research-based essays with evidence, analysis, and proper citations.

Common Issues

• Copying directly from sources instead of paraphrasing
• No clear organizational structure
• Missing topic sentences in paragraphs
• Weak introductions and conclusions

Use the AI lesson plan generator to create informational writing lessons and the rubric generator for assessment criteria.