Students spend a lot of time on informative, or informational, writing (also called expository writing), especially as they get older. Research papers, biographies, informational essays, and how-to guides all fit into this category. This type of writing requires relevant details supported by reliable facts, presented in language that’s clear and unemotional. Introduce elementary students to this important composition style with our free printable informational writing graphic organizers!
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Informational Writing Graphic Organizer Pages
Here’s what’s included in our informational writing bundle:
Top 10 Informative Writing Prompts for Kids
These are some our favorite expository writing prompts and essay topics for students. Plus, see our complete list of 70+ more here!
- Write about how to plant and care for a garden.
- Explain how a new law is passed in the United States.
- Describe how to live a healthy lifestyle for someone your age.
- Describe the life of a famous artist, musician, actor, or athlete.
- Explain the difference between an alligator and a crocodile.
- Write about the history of the internet.
- Explain how to make a campfire.
- Tell about how the average person lived during a specific historic time and place.
- Describe the life cycle of any animal.
- Write about the history of the Olympics.
Informational Writing FAQs
What is informative writing?
Informative writing (also called expository or informational writing) is intended to explain, describe, or teach readers about a topic. It uses facts and evidence to present the information in clear, detailed language. Examples of informational writing include research papers, lab reports, biographies, informative essays, and how-to guides.
How is informative writing different from opinion or narrative writing?
Informational writing sticks strictly to facts presented in a neutral tone by an unbiased author, without offering an opinion or trying to persuade the reader. Opinion writing uses facts, but the tone is different—it includes personal anecdotes and language meant to play on a reader’s emotions. Narrative writing tells a story (true or fictional), with a clear plot that includes a beginning, middle, and end.
For example, an encyclopedia entry on Kamala Harris is informational writing. A letter to the editor asking people to vote for Kamala Harris in the next election is opinion or persuasive writing. A personal account of what it was like to work for Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign is narrative writing.
What are the key components of strong informative writing?
Informational writing includes a clear main idea, well-organized and reliably sourced facts and supporting details, and logical transitions and conclusions. It may use technical language specific to the topic. This type of writing often requires a bibliography or list of research sources.
Why should students use graphic organizers for informational writing?
Informational writing requires research and planning. One common mistake student writers make is including too much information—a graphic organizer can help narrow down the important facts and supporting details. Planning ahead with an organizer leads to stronger main ideas and clearer structure overall, with logical transitions and coherent explanations. Using graphic organizers is especially important for those new to informative writing or students who struggle when writing in general.
How can I help students find reliable sources for informative writing?
Start by teaching students to think critically about the sources of their facts and use primary sources whenever possible. (Wikipedia is not a reliable primary source!) Show them how to identify potential bias, and choose sources that are reliable, neutral, and widely trusted whenever possible. Learn more about helping students find reliable sources for informational writing here.
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