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.
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Developing Narrative Features PowerPoint - Grade 5 and Grade 6
A 26-slide editable PowerPoint template to use when teaching your students about the characteristics and craft of composing a narrative text.
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Procedural Writing Topic Cards
Use these ideas for procedure writing with your students to help them hone their procedural writing skills.
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Informative Text Research Template
A research template for students to use when writing an informative text.
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Narrative Texts Teaching Slides
Teach your students the features of narrative texts using this detailed slideshow targeted at upper elementary school students.
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Write a Short Story – The Discovery or Invention
Get your students analyzing and writing an invention story with this engaging and fully scaffolded writing project booklet.
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Writing Prompt Jar – Cut and Assemble Kit
A set of labels and prompts to create a writing prompt jar.
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Sequence Persuasive Text Examples – Cut and Paste Worksheets
Use this example persuasive text pack to teach your students about sequencing arguments in a logical order.
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Rhetorical Devices Teaching Slides
Explore types of rhetorical devices with your students using this detailed and age-appropriate slideshow perfect for your persuasive writing unit.
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Write a Short Story – Overcoming Obstacles
Get your students analysing and writing overcoming obstacles short stories with this engaging and fully scaffolded writing project booklet.
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Personal Recount Planning Template
A template for students to use when planning a personal recount.
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Fact File Sorting Activity
Use this fact sorting activity to teach your students about informational writing.
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Doctors Fact File and Report Writing Scaffold
Support your students in writing a report about doctors with this fact file and writing scaffold.
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Eagles Fact File and Report Writing Scaffold
Support your students in writing an expository text about eagles with this fact file and writing scaffold.
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Simple Recounts - Writing Scaffold
A simple scaffolding worksheet to use when writing a recount.
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Elephant Fact File and Report Writing Scaffold
Support your students in writing an expository text about elephants with this fact file and writing scaffold.
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Introduction to Personal Recounts PowerPoint
Use this personal recount set of teaching slides to teach younger students about the structure and language features of personal recounts.
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Note-Taking Practice Worksheets
Use this set of note-taking practice worksheets to help your students identify key facts, details and vocabulary when researching information.
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My Broken Ankle - Narrative Text Structure Worksheet
A worksheet for teaching students how to write using a basic narrative text structure.
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Surprise! - Narrative Text Structure Worksheet
A worksheet for teaching students how to write using a narrative text structure.
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Assessment Rubric - Opinion Writing
An assessment rubric designed to help teachers to assess students' opinion writing.
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Police Car Ride - Narrative Text Structure Worksheet
A worksheet for teaching students how to write using a basic narrative text structure.
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Assessment Rubric - Poetry
An assessment rubric designed to help teachers to assess student's poetry.
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Assessment Rubric - Narrative Writing
An assessment rubric designed to help teachers to assess students' narrative writing.
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Assessment Rubric - Procedural Writing
An assessment rubric designed to help teachers to assess students' procedural writing.
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5 Expository Writing Prompts
Use this set of 5 writing prompts to assess your students’ expository writing skills.
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Assessment Rubric - Informative Writing
An assessment rubric designed to help teachers to assess students' informative writing.
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5 Procedural Writing Prompts
Use this set of 5 procedural writing prompts to assess your students’ procedural writing skills.
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Information Text Structure Worksheet – The Apple iPad
Teach your students about informational text structure with this cut-and-paste sequencing worksheet.
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Identifying Informative Language Worksheets
Explore the types of language found in expository writing using this set of three reports on a variety of age-appropriate topics.
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Report Writing Paragraph Structure – Poster and Planning Template
Explore the structure of a paragraph with this classroom poster and paragraph planning scaffold.
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How To Make A Sandwich – Procedural Writing Activity
Get your students writing a procedure for their favorite sandwich with this example procedure text and writing scaffold.
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Roll to Create Activity - Editable Version
An editable template for you and your students to create your own 'Roll to Create' activities.
- Types of Writing Templates
- Types of Writing Worksheets
- Types of Writing Posters
- Types of Writing Games
- Types of Writing Word Walls
- Types of Writing Projects
- 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