Expository Writing Teaching Resources
Whether you call it expository writing, informational writing or writing informative texts in your classroom, it's important for students to learn to write in a manner that shares straightforward information on a certain topic to educate their reader. It's a skill that will serve them well throughout their education and well into adulthood.
Getting your students started with informative writing this school year? The Teach Starter team of teachers has put together everything you need to teach this core writing type to your elementary writers, including printable worksheets, writing prompts, writing templates, and more.
Each resource in this collection has been thoroughly reviewed to ensure it's ready to be used in your classroom, and you'll find editable options so you can make the adjustments you need to meet state-level standards and meet your students where they are.
New to teaching this type of writing or looking for a handy refresher? Read on for a primer from our teacher team, including a definition you can use explain what you mean when you introduce expository or informative writing to your students.
What Is Informative Writing or Expository Writing? A Kid-Friendly Definition
We have always found it is helpful to have a definition handy when we are introducing the different genres of writing to our class. Here's one the ELA teachers on our team use for expository writing:
Expository writing is a type of writing that is created to educate the reader with facts.
This type of writing goes by a number of names, so maybe your district calls it something else. Here's a look at just a few of the names it may be called:
- Expository writing
- Informational writing
- Explanatory writing
- Informative Writing
Informative Writing vs. Persuasive Writing — How to Explain the Difference to Your Students
Informative writing is just one of the many writing styles your students will learn in elementary school, but it's important to establish the clear differences between them.
Take persuasive writing, for example. Like informational writing, it requires becoming educated on the topic a student is writing about, and it involves using facts in writing.
On the other hand, a persuasive writing essay is written to convince the reader of something. In higher grades, it transitions into opinion writing because it takes a side on a topic rather than remaining impartial.
That's not true of an expository writing piece, which takes a "just the facts, Jack" form.
What Are the 5 Elements of Informative Writing?
As you dive into teaching informational writing, there are 5 elements you'll want students to focus on explaining to the reader. They're often called the 5 Ws:
- Who
- What
- When
- Where
- Why
Students may also include a sixth element, which explains "how" something happened.
5 Informative Writing Examples to Share With Your Students
You may want to start your students off on your informational writing unit with examples to help familiarize them with this sort of writing. Fortunately, informational writing is found all around us in daily life.
Students have almost surely read more than a few examples of expository writing along the way, but they may not have known what to call it.
Some examples that students will likely recognize include:
- Procedural or "how to" texts such as instruction manuals or recipes
- School cafeteria menus
- Road signs
- Event flyers
- This description of informative writing!
Consider challenging students to bring an example of informative writing to class as a form of homework!
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Simple Procedure Texts Writing Scaffold
A scaffolding sheet to assist younger students in writing a simple procedure text.
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Exploring Procedural Writing Teaching Slides
Teach your students about writing a procedure using this detailed slideshow targeted at 1st- and 2nd-graders.
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Writing Informative Texts PowerPoint
A 19 slide editable PowerPoint template to use when teaching your students about the structure and language features of informative texts.
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Information Report Text Type Poster - With Annotations
A poster about the information report text type, including an annotated example.
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Explanation Text Type Poster - With Annotations
A poster about the explanation text type, including an annotated example.
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Procedure Writing Checklist
Now your students can make sure that they have everything they need in their procedure.
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Facts and Opinions - Caterpillars
A fun activity for students to use when identifying facts and opinions about caterpillars.
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Informative Text Structure - Sorting Activity (Frogs)
A fun sorting activity to use in the classroom when learning about the structure of informative texts.
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How to Make Hot Chocolate Flipbook
Use this “How to Make Hot Chocolate” procedural writing activity to help familiarize your students with the structural elements of procedure texts.
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Build a Procedure Text – Cut and Paste Worksheets
Use these different examples of procedure writing to teach your students about the structural features of procedure texts.
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Polar Bear Craft Template
Pair a polar bear craft and informational writing to create a fun winter animals bulletin board.
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Penguin Craft & Writing Template
Research and write about penguins and their adaptations, then create a fun penguin craft to display student work.
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Interactive Build A Snowman Sequencing Activity
Practice sequencing and writing procedural texts with an interactive How to Build a Snowman game.
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How to Decorate a Christmas Tree - Year 1 Procedural Writing
Practice sequencing and writing procedural texts with an interactive ‘How to Decorate a Christmas Tree’ slide deck and differentiated writing prompts for 1st grade.
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How to Build a Snowman - Procedural Writing Worksheets
Explain how to build a snowman with a pack of printable procedural writing worksheets
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My Family Fire Escape Planning Worksheet
Plan ahead and encourage families to develop a fire escape plan with a pair of printable fire escape planning worksheets.
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Grandparent Interview Template - Primary Grades
Inspire your primary grade students to interview a grandparent on Grandparents’ Day with Printable Grandparent Interview Questions.
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How to Be a Grandparent - Grandparents' Day Writing Prompts
Draw and write to create a fun “How to Be a Grandparent” handbook to share with loved ones on Grandparents’ Day.
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Informative Text Writing Graphic Organizer Pack
Make writing an informative text easy with graphic organizers for your students!
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Informative Writing Word Wall
Display key vocabulary related to informative writing with a set of 48 word wall cards.
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Hop into Informational Writing - Spring Bulletin Board
Celebrate a new season and your budding writers with a new Spring bulletin board display.
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Day and Night Worksheets
Use this set of printable worksheets to encourage students to think about the differences between night and day.
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Easter Writing Prompts and Word Wall Pack
Provide your students with Easter Writing Prompts and vocabulary cards to create a fun Easter Writing Center.
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International Women’s Day Writing - Biography Template
Learn and write about an influential woman in history with a biography template.
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Biography Word Wall
A set of 30 vocabulary words related to biography writing.
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Influential Black Leaders - Research Project
Help your students learn about and recognize some of the most influential Black leaders in history with Black History Month Research Project.
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Using Descriptive Adjectives - Tree Sloth Writing Prompt
Help your struggling writers build their skills with a descriptive paragraph prompt worksheet about tree sloths.
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President's Day Crafts - Biography Writing Template
Encourage students to dive into writing a biography Abraham Lincoln or George Washington with a printable Presidents’ Day Craft template.
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Valentine's Day Informational Writing - Writing Prompt Activity Pack
Sweeten up your informational writing lessons with a Valentine’s Day Informational Essay pack.
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Easter Craft – How to Catch the Easter Bunny
Show off your students’ writing skills this spring with a “How to Catch the Easter Bunny” craft activity.
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Abraham Lincoln Brochure Project
Demonstrate learning about the Abraham Lincoln’s contributions to America with a brochure project.
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Contributions of Cultures Around the World – Research Project
Research the cultural contributions from countries around the world with this research activity.
- Expository Writing Templates
- Expository Writing Worksheets
- Expository Writing Posters
- Expository Writing Word Walls
- Expository Writing for Kindergarten
- Expository Writing for 1st Grade
- Expository Writing for 2nd Grade
- Expository Writing for 3rd Grade
- Expository Writing for 4th Grade
- Expository Writing for 5th Grade
- Expository Writing for 6th Grade