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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Animal Fact Book - Independent Writing
A 60 minute lesson in which students will independently create an informative fact book about an animal.
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Animal Information Report - Shared Writing
A 60 minute lesson in which students will construct a simple information report about an animal in pairs.
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Animal Information Report - Modeled Writing
A 60 minute lesson in which students will jointly construct a simple information report about an animal.
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Using Descriptive and Comparative Language
A 60 minute lesson in which students will understand how descriptive and comparative language is used in informative texts.
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Concrete Poetry - Shape Poems
A 60 minute lesson in which students will plan and write a shape poem.
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Informative Texts - Language Features
A 60 minute lesson in which students will identify and explore the language features of informative texts.
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Face the Facts!
A 60-minute lesson designed to introduce the purpose of informational texts.
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Fact or Opinion?
A 60 minute lesson in which students will identify the difference between a fact and an opinion.
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Applying Proofreading and Editing Skills
A 60 minute lesson in which students will learn and apply proofreading and editing skills.
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Using A Fact File - Shared Writing
A 60 minute lesson in which students will use a fact file and scaffolding sheet to write an informative text in pairs.
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Constructing a Paragraph - Modeled Writing
A 60 minute lesson in which students will correctly construct an informative paragraph.
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Informative Paragraph Structure
A 60 minute lesson in which students will explore the correct paragraph structure for informative writing.
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Informative Texts - Language Features
A 60 minute lesson in which students will identify and explore the language features of informative texts.
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For or Against?
A 60 minute lesson in which students will investigate reasons for and against a situation or topic.
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Opinion Piece - Organizational Structure
A 60 minute lesson in which students will identify and explore the organizational structure of an opinion piece.
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Writing an Opinion Piece Unit Plan - Grade 5 and Grade 6
This English unit addresses the genre of opinion writing; specifically, how to write an effective opinion piece.
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Developing Opinion Writing Skills Unit Plan - Grade 3 and Grade 4
This English unit addresses the genre of opinion writing; specifically, how to write a well-structured opinion piece.
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Experimenting with Poetry Unit Plan - Grade 5 and Grade 6
This English unit addresses the common elements of poetry and explores how these may be applied to shape poems, limericks, odes and simple ballads.
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Exploring Procedural Texts Unit Plan
This English Language Arts unit has been designed to introduce procedural texts to younger students. It addresses the purpose, structure and language features of instructions and recipes.
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Exploring Informative Texts Unit Plan - Year 1 and Year 2
This English unit has been designed to introduce the informative genre to younger students; specifically, the purpose, structure and language features of information reports.
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Developing Informational Writing Skills Unit Plan - Grades 3 and 4
This writing unit addresses the informative text type; specifically how to write a well-structured informational text.
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Writing Informative Texts Unit Plan - Year 5 and Year 6
This English unit addresses the informative text type; specifically, how to write a well-structured informative text.
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Developing Narrative Writing Skills Unit Plan - Year 3 and Year 4
This English unit addresses the narrative text type, specifically, how to plan and write an engaging story.
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Exploring Narrative Texts Unit Plan - Year 1 and Year 2
This English unit uses fairy tales to introduce the narrative text type to younger students. It addresses the structure, characters and language features of a narrative.
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Exploring Poetry - Year 3 and Year 4 Unit Plan
This English unit addresses common poetic devices such as sound play, word play and imagery and explores how these may be applied to narrative poetry.
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Writing Narrative Texts Unit Plan - Year 5 and Year 6
This English unit addresses the narrative text type; specifically, how to write an engaging narrative text.
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Introduction to Personal Recounts Unit Plan
This writing unit has been designed to introduce the recount text type to younger students; specifically, the purpose, structure, and language features of personal recounts.
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Narrative Skills - Independent Writing
A 60 minute lesson in which students will independently write a narrative, using appropriate text structure, language and features.
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Narrative Skills - Shared Writing
A 60 minute lesson in which students will write a narrative, in pairs, using appropriate text structure, language and features.
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Narrative Skills - Sensational Story Starters
A 60 minute lesson in which students will investigate exciting, attention-grabbing methods of starting a story.
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Narrative Features - Developing a Plot
A 60 minute lesson in which students will develop a plot for a narrative which includes a setting, characters and a problem to be solved.
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Quotation Marks in Narrative Writing
A 60 minute lesson in which students will explore the correct use of quotation marks in narrative writing.
- 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