Types of Writing Teaching Resources
Explore the different types of writing with your students this school year with printable RACES writing strategy worksheets, constructed response activities, graphic organizers and more teacher resources created by teachers for teachers.
This collection of curriculum-aligned teaching resources has been carefully reviewed by our expert teaching team to make sure every resource is classroom-ready — so we can make your lesson planning easier!
New to teaching the types of writing, or just looking for new ways to engage your students? Read on for a primer from our teacher team!
What Are the Different Types of Writing? 4 Main Writing Genres to Share With Students
If you're introducing the different types of writing — or different genres of writing — to your students, it can help to have some basic descriptions of each type at hand. That's exactly what our teacher team has put together for you!
When we sit down to write any text, we have a goal for writing. Sometimes we're looking to tell a story. Sometimes we want to share information. Other times a piece of writing is created to persuade the reader.
The goal or purpose of a text, as well as its audience, helps us determine what type of writing we need to create.
There are many different genres of writing that students will encounter as readers and writers over their lifetimes, but let's start with the four main types of writing that we cover in elementary and middle school.
1. Narrative Writing
Narrative writers tell stories, making up characters and creating different settings for their readers. The goal of this type of writing is to entertain the reader.
2. Persuasive Writing
If you're trying to convince a reader of something, you'll need to engage in persuasive writing. This type involves trying to convince a reader to take a specific action or to agree with your point of view.
3. Descriptive Writing
When we want to describe something to a reader, the type of writing we create is called descriptive writing. In this genre, we use vivid details to paint a picture in the reader's mind.
4. Informative Writing
If your goal is to create a piece of text that provides the reader with facts or instructions about a specific topic, the type of writing to choose is informative writing.
- Plus Plan
Athlete Profile Template
A worksheet to use in the classroom when writing athlete profiles.
- Free Plan
Roll to Create a Creature - Drawing Game
Use a die and a chart to create a creature to include in a narrative text or a comic strip.
- Free Plan
Emotive Language Cloze Passage Worksheet
Get students using emotive language examples in their persuasive essays with this differentiated cloze passage worksheet.
- Free Plan
Sensory Chart Graphic Organizer
A graphic organizer for students to use when categorizing sensory details.
- Free Plan
Paired Passage Worksheets-Mammals vs. Reptiles
Compare mammals vs. reptiles and add to your reading instruction with leveled nonfiction, compare and contrast passages, and worksheets.
- Free Plan
Narrative Writing Planning Template
A template for students to use when planning a narrative text.
- Plus Plan
Character Profile Template Pack
Explore the personality, appearance, feelings and actions of a character with printable character profile templates.
- Free Plan
Amelia Earhart Constructed Response Worksheet
Use this passage, second grade writing prompt, and worksheet to help students write a constructed response paragraph about Amelia Earhart.
- Plus Plan
Persuasive Techniques Worksheet Pack
Explore persuasive techniques with your students using this nine-page worksheet pack perfect for your persuasive writing unit.
- Free Plan
Time Order Words - Transition Words Word Wall
Help your students demonstrate the passage of time in their writing with 35 time-order transition word cards.
- Plus Plan
Write With Your Senses: Daily Descriptive Writing Prompts
Inspire your students to write descriptively using our 20 daily descriptive writing prompts slide deck and graphic organizer.
- Plus Plan
"All About ..." - Informational Writing Template
Practice informative writing with this versatile template.
- Plus Plan
R.A.C.E.S Writing Strategy Checklists & More
Help your students write quality constructed responses with printable R.A.C.E.S. writing checklists.
- Free Plan
Five Senses Graphic Organizer
A graphic organizer to use when brainstorming sights, sounds, smells, touches, and tastes.
- Free Plan
Note-taking Graphic Organizer
A graphic organizer for students to use when taking notes.
- Plus Plan
Olympic Host City Research & Speech-Writing Task
Explore the advantages and disadvantages of being the host city for the Olympics in this 3-page inquiry task.
- Plus Plan
Story Ideas - Character, Setting, and Complication Cards
Help your students choose a topic to write about with this set of 36 character, setting and compilation task cards.
- Plus Plan
Procedural Writing Prompt Task Cards
Need some procedural writing ideas? Download these task cards to use as a writing center activity during your procedure writing unit.
- Plus Plan
Using Rhetorical Devices Worksheet
Use this rhetorical devices worksheet to help your students create rhetorical device examples based on a specific topic.
- Plus Plan
Grandparents' Day Writing Prompt - The Very Best Day
Surprise Grandma and Grandpa with a special story telling about the Best Day Ever with a Grandparents’ Day writing prompt.
- Free Plan
Lewis and Clark Expedition - RACES Writing Strategy Worksheets
Practice using the RACES writing strategy for text evidence with a Lewis and Clark Passage, graphic organizer, and worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Report Writing Paragraph Structure – Poster and Planning Template
Explore the structure of a paragraph with this classroom poster and paragraph planning scaffold.
- Plus Plan
Identifying Procedural Language Worksheets
Help your students identify procedural language with this set of three worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Gemstones Fact File and Report Writing Scaffold
Support your students in writing an expository text about gemstones with this fact file and writing scaffold.
- Free Plan
"Facts About..." Template
Get a sense of separating fact from opinion in texts with this graphic organizer.
- Plus Plan
R.A.C.E.S. Writing Strategy Bulletin Board Display
Help your students write quality constructed responses by displaying your printable R.A.C.E.S. Writing Strategy bulletin board display.
- Plus Plan
Report Writing Poster With Annotations
Display this report writing poster to help students when learning how to write this type of text.
- Plus Plan
How to Make A Jelly Sandwich - Procedural Writing Craftivity
Teach your students all they need to know about procedural writing by exploring how to make a jelly sandwich!
- Plus Plan
Themed Letter Writing Template Pack
Print and use a letter writing template each month to encourage your students to write friendly letters.
- Plus Plan
I Am Poem Template
Get to know your students and create back-to-school poems with a printable ‘I Am… Poem template.
- Plus Plan
Procedural Writing Templates – "How to" Prompts
Get your students to write procedural texts with this set of differentiated procedure writing prompt templates.
- Plus Plan
Dogs Make The Best Pets - Reading Comprehension PDF
Assess 3rd grade reading comprehension skills with a printable Reading Comprehension Test using an opinion text.
- Types of Writing Templates
- Types of Writing Worksheets
- Types of Writing Posters
- Types of Writing Games
- Types of Writing Word Walls
- Types of Writing for Kindergarten
- Types of Writing for 1st Grade
- Types of Writing for 2nd Grade
- Types of Writing for 3rd Grade
- Types of Writing for 4th Grade
- Types of Writing for 5th Grade
- Types of Writing for 6th Grade
- Types of Writing for 7th Grade