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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Informative Text Writing Task – How Does a Plane Fly?
A scaffolded writing task for students to complete when learning about the informative text type.
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Story Spine Porcupine – Narrative Writing Template
Print a narrative writing graphic organizer template designed to help students plan their narrative.
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Persuasive Text Worksheet
Revise the key structural elements of the persuasive text type with this informal letter.
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Valentine's Day Flip Book Template
A flip book template to use around Valentine's Day.
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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 Text Structure - PowerPoint
A 20-slide editable PowerPoint template to use when teaching your students about the text structure and language features of narrative texts.
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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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Story Leads To Hook Your Readers
How to hook your reader: 11 techniques to open your story with a bang and grab your reader's attention!
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Writing Checklists - Various Genres
Use these Writing Checklists to ensure that your students have everything they need in their pieces of writing.
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Friendly Letter Anchor Chart
Use this friendly letter anchor chart to explain and simplify the letter-writing process for your elementary students.
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Super Sentence Starter Sack
Choose a sentence starter from the Super Sentence Sack to start your students off and writing.
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5 Star Writing Poster Checklist
A poster and checklist highlighting five important items to double check when writing.
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Topic Sentence Starter Cards
A pack of 32 narrative, persuasive, and report (informative) writing sentence starter cards.
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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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Poetic Devices Teaching Slides
Explore examples of poetic devices using this comprehensive and age-appropriate slide deck perfect for your poetry writing unit.
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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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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
An 18 slide editable PowerPoint template to use when teaching younger students about the structure and language features of personal recounts.
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Informative Paragraph Starters - Topic Sentence Cards
20 topic sentences to be used at the beginning of an informative paragraph.
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Information Report Writing Template
Use this information report template to help your students correctly structure their expository 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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Informative Text Checklist - Structure, Language and Features
A checklist for students to use when proofreading and editing their informative texts.
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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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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.
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Assorted Writing Prompts Grid
A writing grid with 20 writing prompts.