Writing Informative Texts: Organizing Facts and Details
Writing Informative Texts: Organizing Facts and Details Objective: Students will learn to write informative texts by organizing facts and details clearly and logically to support a topic.
Learning Objectives
- Identify the topic and supporting details in an informative text.
- Use a graphic organizer to plan writing about a chosen topic.
- Write a short informative paragraph with clear facts and details.
- Practice organizing information logically to help readers understand the topic.
Materials Needed
- Notebook or lined paper
- Pencil
- Example informative text (printed or digital)
- Graphic organizer worksheet
Key Vocabulary
- Informative Text
- A type of writing that gives facts and explains information about a topic.
- Topic
- The subject or main idea of a piece of writing.
- Details
- Facts or pieces of information that support the main idea.
- Organize
- To arrange information in a clear and logical order.
Detailed Activities
Understanding Informative Texts
- Read an example informative text aloud with your child.
- Discuss the topic of the text and identify important facts or details.
- Ask your child to point out how the facts support the main idea.
Planning Your Informative Writing
- Choose a simple topic your child knows well (e.g., favorite animal or food).
- Use the graphic organizer to list the main topic and three supporting facts.
- Help your child arrange the facts in a logical order.
Writing the Informative Paragraph
- Write a clear topic sentence together that introduces the subject.
- Use the facts from the organizer to write 3-4 sentences providing information.
- End with a concluding sentence that wraps up the paragraph.
- Review and read the paragraph aloud to check for clarity.
Parent & Instructor Notes
- This lesson focuses on helping your child understand how to share clear and organized information in writing.
- Encourage your child to think about what someone who doesn’t know the topic would want to learn.
- Be patient and provide examples when helping with organizing facts.
Assessment Questions
- What is the main topic of your paragraph?
- Can you name three facts that support your topic?
- How did you decide the order of your facts?
- Why is it important to organize your information clearly?
Extension Ideas
- Have your child write a second informative paragraph about a different topic.
- Create a small booklet by combining several informative paragraphs about related topics.
- Use drawing to add pictures that support the facts in the writing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Try brainstorming together by asking questions about the topic, or use books and videos as resources.
Follow the steps slowly, use the example text as a model, and encourage your child to express ideas in their own words.
For a 7-year-old, 4-5 sentences are a good length to practice organizing information clearly.
Teacher’s Guide
Common Misconceptions:
- Children may confuse opinion with fact, so remind them that informative writing should focus on facts.
- Some students might write a list of facts without organizing them into sentences or paragraphs.
- Students may overlook the importance of a concluding sentence.
Scaffolding Ideas:
For Struggling Students:
- Provide sentence starters or a partially completed graphic organizer.
- Use familiar topics to make it easier to gather facts.
- Work together on writing one sentence at a time.
For Advanced Students:
- Encourage adding more supporting details or examples.
- Have them write multiple paragraphs on related subtopics.
- Introduce simple linking words like ‘first,’ ‘also,’ and ‘finally’ to improve flow.
Pacing Recommendations:
- Spend about 10 minutes reading and discussing the example text.
- Allow 15 minutes for planning and organizing with the graphic organizer.
- Use 15-20 minutes for writing and reviewing the paragraph.
- Adjust timing based on your child’s engagement and needs.
Standards
- 7.W.8 — Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
Printable Worksheet
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