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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Quotation Marks in Narrative Writing
A 60 minute lesson in which students will explore the correct use of quotation marks in narrative writing.
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Narrative Features - Building a Character
A 60 minute lesson in which students will use descriptive language effectively to build a character.
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Narrative Features - Creating a Setting
A 60 minute lesson in which students will use descriptive language effectively to create a narrative setting.
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Constructing a Narrative Paragraph
A 60 minute lesson in which students will identify and use the correct paragraph structure for narrative writing.
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Parts of a Narrative Story
A 60 minute lesson in which students will identify and explore the parts of a narrative text.
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Narrative Texts - Language Features
A 60 minute lesson in which students will identify and explore the language features of narrative texts.
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Narrative Texts - Text Structure
A 60 minute lesson in which students will identify and explore the structure of narrative texts.
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Creating a Narrative Writing Station
A 60 minute lesson in which students will discuss writing goals and explore a classroom writing station.
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Writing a Fairy Tale
A 60 minute lesson in which students will independently write a fairy tale, using appropriate text structure, language and features.
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What's the Problem?
A 60 minute lesson in which students will develop a complication and resolution for a fairy tale.
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Creating a Fairy Tale Character
A 60 minute lesson in which students will develop a character for a fairy tale.
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Exploring Simple Narrative Structure
A 60 minute lesson in which students will explore the structure of a narrative text.
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Introducing Simple Narrative Structure
A 60 minute lesson in which students will identify the structure of a narrative text using fairy tales.
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Writing a Narrative - 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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Assessment - Experimenting with Poetry
An assessment task in which students will demonstrate an understanding of the elements of poetry by writing an ode and a ballad.
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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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Narrative Poetry - Simple Ballads
A 60 minute lesson in which students will plan and write a simple ballad.
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Writing a Narrative - 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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Writing a Narrative - Sensational Story Starters
A 60 minute lesson in which students will investigate exciting, attention-grabbing methods of starting a story.
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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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Descriptive Poetry - Odes
A 60 minute lesson in which students will plan and write an ode.
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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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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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Humorous Poetry - Limericks
A 60 minute lesson in which students will plan and write a limerick.
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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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Narrative Features - Creating a Setting
A 60 minute lesson in which students will use descriptive language effectively to create a narrative setting.
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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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Narrative Texts - Language Features
A 60 minute lesson in which students will identify and explore the language features of narrative texts.
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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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Forms of Poetry
A 60 minute lesson in which students will explore some well-known and commonly used forms of fixed verse.
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Informative Texts - Text Structure
A 60 minute lesson in which students will identify and explore the structure of information reports.
- 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
- Types of Writing for 7th Grade