If you’re teaching informational writing in grades 3–5, one of the biggest challenges students face is knowing how to start their sentences. Informational writing sentence starters, sometimes called informational paragraph…
Elementary school is a critical time for teaching students how to write effectively. One of the most important types of writing to teach in elementary school is informational writing. Here…
Easy to read animal articles written at a middle elementary school level that include QR codes and a fact sort for informational writing. These animal articles have been a lifesaver…
As students begin writing more independently, they need clear guidance on what to improve and how to improve it. During Week 4 of our informational writing unit, the instructional focus…
As students prepare for more independent informational writing, they need opportunities to organize facts around a clear idea rather than just a specific animal. During Week 5 of our informational…
One of the biggest challenges students face in informational writing is keeping their paragraph focused. Even when students have strong facts, they often include unrelated details or struggle to decide…
Writing an introduction is one of the hardest parts of informational writing for young students. Many students jump straight into facts without telling the reader what the paragraph will be…
At the start of our informational writing unit, I focus on helping students understand the routine we will use throughout the unit. This first week is less about writing independently…
How do you teach expository writing in your classroom? I wish I could do it throughout the year thematically as we approach different content. We can do that occasionally, but…
October is the perfect time to study and write about creatures that come out at night. Bats, spiders, owls . . . this month is filled with creepy creatures that…
Engaging students in reading and writing about high-interest topics, like African animals for kids, can be achieved through the use of real text. Students need on-level information text in order…
Many students can identify strong facts during informational writing, yet still struggle to turn those facts into clear, meaningful sentences. They know what they want to say, but not how…