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
Informational Text Planner - Music
An informational text planning template focusing on a musical act.
- Plus Plan
How to Make a Paper Airplane – Procedural Writing Worksheet
Explore how to make a paper airplane while your students fine-tune their procedural writing skills.
- Plus Plan
New Year's Flip Book Template
Celebrate the coming of a new year by creating this flipbook with your students.
- Plus Plan
Primary Weekly Poetry Guide - Week 2
Use this weekly poetry guide to celebrate National Poetry Month in your primary classroom.
- Plus Plan
Alliteration Poem Poster and Templates
Use this alliteration poem example and accompanying worksheets to teach your students how to write an alliteration poem.
- Plus Plan
Roll to Create a Superhero Comic
A fun, hands-on activity using a die and a chart to create a comic strip story.
- Plus Plan
Roll to Create a Superhero Character
A fun, hands-on activity using a die and a chart to create a superhero to include in a comic.
- Plus Plan
MLK Day Task Cards
Challenge students to think about the work of Martin Luther King, Jr. with this set of 13 writing task cards.
- Plus Plan
Primary Weekly Poetry Guide - Week 1
Use this weekly poetry guide to celebrate National Poetry Month in your primary classroom.
- Plus Plan
Concrete Poem Poster and Templates
Use this concrete poem example and accompanying template to teach your students how to write a concrete poem.
- Plus Plan
Fun Letter Ideas for Kids
Share fun letter ideas with your students using this engaging article featuring six creative tips to make personal letters more exciting and expressive!
- Plus Plan
Five Senses Poem Poster and Template
Use this five senses poem example and accompanying template to teach your students how to write a sensory poem.
- Plus Plan
Biography Flipbook Template
Create a flipbook that clearly illustrates the most significant aspects of a biography subject.
- Plus Plan
My Reading Favorites Template
Create a mini-book filled with your students' favorite things about reading with a printable template.
- Plus Plan
Roll to Create a Groundhog Story
A fun, hands-on Groundhog Day activity using a die and a chart to create a narrative text.
- Plus Plan
Read Across-tic America Poem Templates
Explain your love of reading using one of these 7 acrostic poem templates.
- Free Plan
"I Have a Dream" Writing Prompt Page
Observe MLK Day by encouraging students to think about their “dream” for the future by writing it as a speech.
- Free Plan
My Ideal World – Writing Template
A template for students to use when writing about their ideal world.
- Plus Plan
Storytelling Finger Puppets Template
A set of 15 finger puppets that can be used to spark the imagination for creative writing or to perform puppet shows.
- Plus Plan
5 W's and 1 H Graphic Organizer - Landscape
A blank 5 W’s and 1 H graphic organizer to use when planning a piece of writing text.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Animal Poetry Task Cards
Get your students writing simple animal poetry with this set of 12 poetry prompt task cards.
- Free Plan
Weekend Narrative Writing Worksheet
Practice writing personal narratives with your young students with this writing template.
- Plus Plan
Playground Narrative Writing Worksheet
Practice writing personal narratives with your young students with this writing template.
- Plus Plan
Expository Writing Project – Body Systems
Get your students producing high-quality expository writing with this fully scaffolded expository writing project, where students research, organize and publish an expository text about a human body system.
- Plus Plan
Story Spine Porcupine – Narrative Writing Template
Print a narrative writing graphic organizer template designed to help students plan their narrative.
- Plus Plan
Persuasive Text Worksheet
Revise the key structural elements of the persuasive text type with this informal letter.
- Plus Plan
Valentine's Day Flip Book Template
A flip book template to use around Valentine's Day.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Procedural Writing Topic Cards
Use these ideas for procedure writing with your students to help them hone their procedural writing skills.
- Plus Plan
Informative Text Research Template
A research template for students to use when writing an informative text.
- Plus Plan
Narrative Texts Teaching Slides
Teach your students the features of narrative texts using this detailed slideshow targeted at upper elementary school students.
- 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