Expository Writing Teaching Resources
Whether you call it expository writing, informational writing or writing informative texts in your classroom, it's important for students to learn to write in a manner that shares straightforward information on a certain topic to educate their reader. It's a skill that will serve them well throughout their education and well into adulthood.
Getting your students started with informative writing this school year? The Teach Starter team of teachers has put together everything you need to teach this core writing type to your elementary writers, including printable worksheets, writing prompts, writing templates, and more.
Each resource in this collection has been thoroughly reviewed to ensure it's ready to be used in your classroom, and you'll find editable options so you can make the adjustments you need to meet state-level standards and meet your students where they are.
New to teaching this type of writing or looking for a handy refresher? Read on for a primer from our teacher team, including a definition you can use explain what you mean when you introduce expository or informative writing to your students.
What Is Informative Writing or Expository Writing? A Kid-Friendly Definition
We have always found it is helpful to have a definition handy when we are introducing the different genres of writing to our class. Here's one the ELA teachers on our team use for expository writing:
Expository writing is a type of writing that is created to educate the reader with facts.
This type of writing goes by a number of names, so maybe your district calls it something else. Here's a look at just a few of the names it may be called:
- Expository writing
- Informational writing
- Explanatory writing
- Informative Writing
Informative Writing vs. Persuasive Writing — How to Explain the Difference to Your Students
Informative writing is just one of the many writing styles your students will learn in elementary school, but it's important to establish the clear differences between them.
Take persuasive writing, for example. Like informational writing, it requires becoming educated on the topic a student is writing about, and it involves using facts in writing.
On the other hand, a persuasive writing essay is written to convince the reader of something. In higher grades, it transitions into opinion writing because it takes a side on a topic rather than remaining impartial.
That's not true of an expository writing piece, which takes a "just the facts, Jack" form.
What Are the 5 Elements of Informative Writing?
As you dive into teaching informational writing, there are 5 elements you'll want students to focus on explaining to the reader. They're often called the 5 Ws:
- Who
- What
- When
- Where
- Why
Students may also include a sixth element, which explains "how" something happened.
5 Informative Writing Examples to Share With Your Students
You may want to start your students off on your informational writing unit with examples to help familiarize them with this sort of writing. Fortunately, informational writing is found all around us in daily life.
Students have almost surely read more than a few examples of expository writing along the way, but they may not have known what to call it.
Some examples that students will likely recognize include:
- Procedural or "how to" texts such as instruction manuals or recipes
- School cafeteria menus
- Road signs
- Event flyers
- This description of informative writing!
Consider challenging students to bring an example of informative writing to class as a form of homework!
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Build-a-Bat Report Writing Template
Research, write and create a bat report with a cut-and-assemble bat shaped writing template.
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Benjamin Franklin - Constructed Response Worksheet
Learn facts about Benjamin Franklin with an informational reading and writing activity focusing on the constructed response format.
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Paul Revere Constructed Response Worksheet
Integrate reading, writing, and American history with a constructed response worksheet about Paul Revere and the American Revolution.
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Susan B. Anthony Constructed Response Worksheet
Integrate reading, writing, and American history with a constructed response worksheet about Susan B. Anthony and the women’s rights movement.
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The Louisiana Purchase -Constructed Response Worksheet
Integrate reading, writing, and Social Studies content with a Louisiana Purchase Constructed Response worksheet and graphic organizer.
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Armstrong vs. Earhart -Differentiated Paired Passage Worksheets
Combine reading and history content with differentiated reading comprehension worksheets.
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Writing a Biography Project
Use this PowerPoint template for students to author a researched-based biography on a historical figure.
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Planning an Informative Text
A planning sheet that can be used to write an informative text.
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How Do Rocks Form? – Informative Text Structure Sorting Activity
A sorting task to help students learn about the structure of an informative text.
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Elements of a Biography Poster
Use this biographical writing poster with annotations to help your students understand how to write an engaging biography.
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The Science Behind Shaping Pretzels – Worksheet
An activity for students to practice procedure and sequence.
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Biography Research Template
A research template for older students to use when writing a biography.
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Biography Brochure Template
Help your students organize their thoughts about their biography subject.
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5 W's and 1 H Graphic Organizer - Portrait
A blank 5 W’s and 1 H graphic organizer to use when planning a piece of writing text.
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Informative Text Writing Task – How Does the Respiratory System Work?
A scaffolded writing task for students to complete when learning about the informative text type.
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Informative Text Writing Task – How Does a Plane Fly?
A scaffolded writing task for students to complete when learning about the informative text type.
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Informative Text Research Template
A research template for students to use when writing an informative text.
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Writing A Biography Poster
Display this poster in your room as a visual reminder of the structure of a biography.
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Informative Texts Writing Task - Weather
A fact file and a scaffolding template that can be used to write an informative text about weather.
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How to Wash Your Hands - Sequencing Cards
A set of 8 cards showing the steps for how to wash your hands properly
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Developing Procedural Writing Skills PowerPoint - Year 3 and Year 4
A 14 slide editable PowerPoint template to use when teaching your students about the structure and language features of procedure texts.
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Biography Writing Template
Guide students through the structure and elements included in biography writing.
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Exploring Procedural Writing Teaching Slides
Teach your students about writing a procedure using this detailed slideshow targeted at 1st- and 2nd-graders.
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Informative Paragraph Planning Template
A planning template for students to use when writing an informative paragraph.
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Information Report Text Type Poster - With Annotations
A poster about the information report text type, including an annotated example.
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Athlete Profile Template
A worksheet to use in the classroom when writing athlete profiles.
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Facts and Opinions - Caterpillars
A fun activity for students to use when identifying facts and opinions about caterpillars.
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Informative Writing - Animal Research Task
Use a printable animal research organizer booklet for students to record facts about animals when learning to write informative texts.
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"Facts About..." Template
Get a sense of separating fact from opinion in texts with this graphic organizer.
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Informative Text Structure - Sorting Activity (Butterflies)
A fun sorting activity to use in the classroom when learning about the structure of informative texts.
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How to Make Fairy Bread Flipbook
Use this “How to Make Fairy Bread” procedural writing activity to help familiarize your students with the structural elements of procedure texts.
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How to Wash Your Hands Flipbook
Use this “How to Wash Your Hands” procedural writing activity to help familiarize your students with the structural elements of procedure texts.
- Expository Writing Templates
- Expository Writing Worksheets
- Expository Writing Posters
- Expository Writing Word Walls
- Expository Writing for Kindergarten
- Expository Writing for 1st Grade
- Expository Writing for 2nd Grade
- Expository Writing for 3rd Grade
- Expository Writing for 4th Grade
- Expository Writing for 5th Grade
- Expository Writing for 6th Grade