how to write an informational essay 3rd grade

Filter Results

• clear all filters

Resource Type

•  Worksheets
• Guided Lessons
• Lesson Plans
• Hands-on Activities
• Interactive Stories
• Online Exercises
• Printable Workbooks
• Science Projects
• Song Videos

middle-school

•  Fine arts
•  Foreign language
•  Math
•  Reading
•  Writing Process
•  Writing Organization and Structure
• Genre Writing
•  Fiction Writing
• Reflective Writing
• Research Writing
• Informational Writing
• Opinion Writing
• Persuasive Writing
• Argument Writing
• Narrative Writing
•  Essay Writing
• Response to Literature
•  Handwriting
•  Grammar
•  Science
•  Social emotional
•  Social studies
•  Typing
•  Holidays
•  Seasonal
•  Teacher Resources
•  Common Core

Third Grade Essay Writing Worksheets and Printables

How to Teach Third Graders How to Write an Essay

Kristie sweet.

According to the California Department of Education, third-grade students should be able to write well-developed essays that clearly illustrate a main idea. Students this age should be familiar with both narration and description and use standard English conventions. Third-graders need to apply the writing process to essay assignments, so teachers should use those steps in instruction: pre-writing, rough draft, revision and editing/proofreading. Assignments should allow students to be creative within these conventions.

Pre-write. Start with a brainstorming activity focused on the assignment. For instance, if the paper needs to be a description, tell students to make a list of places that are meaningful to them along with a few words that illustrate the importance. Give an example. One line of a brainstorming sheet might look like this: "mountains: peaceful, relaxing, quiet."

Develop a thesis statement. The thesis statement is a single sentence that explains what the paper is about. Ask students to summarize their point in one sentence. Again, use an example, such as this: "One of my favorite places is a spot by the river in the mountains because it is peaceful and relaxing."

Write a rough draft. Develop the ideas that support the thesis with specific details. Third-graders should focus on one body paragraph at a time, creating a vivid picture and connecting the ideas clearly to the point: "The sounds of the area make it a good place to relax."

Add an introduction and conclusion. Essays should include introduction and conclusion paragraphs that are separate from the body paragraphs. Explain that the purpose of the introduction is to give the thesis but also get the reader's attention through something like a quote or statistic. The conclusion should summarize the ideas and emphasize the point. Practice introductions and conclusions by putting several thesis statements on the board and having students come up with samples of good beginnings and endings. The peaceful mountains essay might begin with an introduction focusing on the stresses of everyday life, for instance.

Share. Peer evaluations help students become better writers by using feedback from others. Give some guidelines regarding evaluations; students should look for a clear thesis, make certain the details support the main idea and see if the language and mechanics create reading difficulties.

Revise. Use the suggestions from peer review to restructure sentences and add or delete details.

Edit and proofread. Look for grammar, spelling and punctuation errors. Remind students of grammar issues you have studied and how to find them in their writing. Reading aloud is a good strategy, and students who finish papers on a computer should run a spell check.

About the Author

Kristie Sweet has been writing professionally since 1982, most recently publishing for various websites on topics like health and wellness, and education. She holds a Master of Arts in English from the University of Northern Colorado.

Related Articles

How to Write an Introduction for a Character Analysis

How to Write a Good High School English Essay

Synonym & Antonym Activities for 3rd Grade

How to Write an Eagle Scout Speech

How to Transition to the Body of an Essay

Tools to Help You Organize Thoughts & Write a Research...

What Is the Difference Between AP English Literature...

Lesson Plan Ideas for Teaching Point of View for Middle...

How to Write an Analytical Paragraph

How to Restate an Expository Writing Prompt

How to Make Paper Hold a Brick

How to Write a Request for a Waiver for the Military

How to Revise an Essay

How to Write an Essay on Encouraging Students to Volunteer

How to Write a Conclusion for a Compare & Contrast...

How to Choose a Title for Your Research Paper

How to Add More Curl to My Wavy Hair

Polish Crafts for Children

Classroom Activities for Hairy Maclary

What Is a Dictation Sentence?

Regardless of how old we are, we never stop learning. Classroom is the educational resource for people of all ages. Whether you’re studying times tables or applying to college, Classroom has the answers.

• Accessibility
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Copyright Policy
• Manage Preferences

© 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Based on the Word Net lexical database for the English Language. See disclaimer .

How to Teach Informational Writing: Lessons & Activities (25 Topic Ideas)

Are you wondering how to teach informational writing to your second, third, fourth, or fifth-grade students?

Informational writing is an essential skill for elementary students. It teaches them how to communicate facts and ideas.

In this blog post, we will explore lessons, activities, and ideas to help you teach informational writing in an engaging and effective way.

Choose Engaging Informational Writing Topics

To capture students’ interest, select high-interest and relevant topics for them to write about.

Consider their personal experiences, hobbies, or subjects they are curious about. This will make the writing process more enjoyable, motivate students to research, and will cause them to be eager to share what they learn.

Here are some informational writing topics that elementary students could research and write about:

• Ancient Egypt
• Space exploration
• Endangered species
• Human body systems
• Native American tribes
• Recycling and its importance
• Rainforests
• The solar system
• Famous landmarks around the world
• Ocean life and ecosystems
• The water cycle
• Revolutionary War
• Inventors and their inventions
• Different types of rocks and minerals
• Historical events (such as World War II or the Civil Rights Movement)
• The Great Barrier Reef
• How plants grow from seeds
• The human digestive system
• Natural disasters (hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes)
• The life cycle of a butterfly
• The history of video games
• The importance of exercise and healthy eating
• The process of photosynthesis

If you want your whole class to research and write about the same topic, you can use my informational writing units.

Each unit has a science-based topic and includes two research texts (one two-page article and one mini book) that you can print so all students have the same materials!

Butterflies

Solar System

Use informational writing anchor charts.

Anchor charts serve as visual references throughout the writing process.

Use anchor charts or posters that can assist students and that they can later refer back to as they write.

Create your own anchor charts that outline the key elements of informational writing, such as introductions, text features, writing in their own words, and strategies for gathering information.

Teach Using Informational Writing Examples

Whenever you are teaching your students a specific type of writing, it’s crucial that you have mentor texts, or writing examples, for them to look at.

These exemplar pieces allow students to visualize what a finished writing piece should look like.

For informational writing, you can give your students a variety of nonfiction texts to explore.

Some examples are:

• Nonfiction books
• Previous student’s exemplar writing piece (save some each year!)
• Mentor Texts

12 Informational Writing Lesson Plans

• What’s an Informational Report?
• Choosing a Topic and Finding Sources
• Finding Facts (Researching)
• In My Own Words
• Informational Report Outline
• Write an Introduction
• Writing as Paragraphs
• Writing an Ending
• Editing to Add Text Features
• Editing with a Partner
• Revising & Revisiting the Rubric

You can get these 12 lesson plans in my informational writing units.

These lessons are designed to walk your students through the process of writing an informational report step-by-step.

Classroom Activities and Games for Teaching Informational Writing

• Informational or Not Informational Sort: Present students with specific topic and have them determine whether each topic is an informational report topic or not. Example: How to Save the Panda, Goldilocks and the Three Bears
• Just Right Topic Sort: Present students with a variety of topics and have them determine if the topics are just right or too narrow in focus. (Example: Life cycle of a frog vs. tadpoles to frogs.)
• Informational Writing Stations: Set up different stations where students can explore different topics, conduct research, gather facts, and create their own informative pieces. This hands-on approach keeps students engaged and encourages independent learning.
• Create an Informational Brochure: Have students design and create informative brochures on various subjects. This activity allows them to practice rewriting information into in their own words and adding text features.
• Virtual Field Trips: Take students on virtual field trips to explore different places and gather information. After the trip, students can write informational reports about their virtual experiences.
• Infographic Creation: Have students create visually engaging infographics that present key information in a concise and attractive manner. This activity combines writing, design, and critical thinking skills. Example: Students can research their home state and make a set of visually appealing flashcards that have information teaching others about their state.
• Informational Writing Gallery Walk: Display students’ informational writing pieces around the classroom. Arrange a gallery walk where students can read and provide feedback on their peers’ work. Invite other classes to visit.

Ready to Teach? Get Everything Your Need to Teach Informational Writing In These Units!

Teaching Personal Narrative Writing?

Pin this post for later!

You might also like...

Tips for Teaching Figurative Language -Fun Activities and Lesson Plan Ideas

6 Easy Tips for Teaching Personal Narrative Writing (Small Moment Graphic Organizer)

Biography Writing Unit (Grades 2-5)

What teachers are saying, find what you need.

Let's Connect

Join my email list.

Get teaching ideas, lesson tips, and freebies sent right to your inbox!

• Skip to main content

Not So Wimpy Teacher

The Not So WImpy Teacher creates resources for busy teachers in grades 2-5 who are looking to deliver engaging and meaningful lessons without overwhelm and chaos.

Informational Report Writing Unit THIRD GRADE

Grade Level: 3rd Grade

My third grade informational report writing unit includes 8 weeks of done-for-you writing lessons about how to write an engaging informational report essay, including research, note taking, and paraphrasing skills. This unit contains detailed lesson plans, mentor texts, anchor charts, student writing tasks, and rubrics –everything you need to be a capable, confident writing teacher with students who love to write.

More about this resource

If teaching writing has ever made you cry, weep, tear out your hair, question your existence, or binge-watch reality television—because it’s just that frustrating and overwhelming—this writing unit is perfect for you. 

If your students dread writing time more than meatloaf in the school cafeteria…this writing unit is perfect for them, too. 

Teaching writing can be tough. Teachers tell me that their district-provided writing curriculum is:

• too complicated

Or worse, they don’t have any curriculum at all. Yikes! 

But my third grade informational report writing unit makes teaching writing easy . It takes all the guesswork out of teaching writing and gives you the tools you need to teach engaging and effective writing lessons without breaking a sweat.

The ready-to-use lessons and activities in this informational report writing unit will teach your students h ow to conduct research, take note, paraphrase, craft a strong lead, choose interesting details, write topic and concluding sentences, and structure paragraphs .   And all you have to do is print and teach . The lesson plans are that simple. Seriously.

Student-friendly mentor texts make it easy to provide illustrative examples of new writing skills. You don’t have to waste your time and money hunting down just the right book.  Focused mini lessons and daily writing tasks simplify the writing process helping ALL students, even reluctant writers, experience success. Preprinted anchor charts make it easy to model new skills and engage in shared writing without wasting valuable time. And best of all, my informational report writing unit  makes writing fun  for  ALL  your students – from  reluctant writers  to  excited writers . The  Student Success Path  helps you identify where your students are on their writing journey and plan just-right lessons and  interventions .  Short, focused lessons  keep students engaged. Simple, direct writing tasks help kids develop confidence.  Conference materials,  including outlines and topic cards, you can use to guide small group discussion make it easy for you to  differentiate lessons.

Choice empowers students to write about things they care about and makes them more invested in their writing. And that’s a big deal because students who enjoy writing and get lots of practice perform better on standardized testing. 

Plus, these materials are  easy-to-use . Everything is organized in folders to help you find just what you need. A  Quick Start Guide  makes it simple to get started and provides tips on how to prep materials for long-term use.

The 2-week  Starting Writing Workshop mini-unit  will help you start your writing instruction on the right foot. Detailed teacher directions show you exactly how to use all the resources and activities.  

How Our Writing Curriculum is Aligned with the Science of Reading :

• Structured writing routine: Our writing curriculum is organized into 4 genres. Each 8-week unit is carefully structured, beginning with foundational skills before moving into more advanced skills. Students are taught a systematic approach to writing including: brainstorming, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing.
• Explicit instruction: Daily lessons begin with explicit instruction including access to examples via mentor texts, modeling, and directed practice. Each skill is broken down into bite-size pieces so that students can learn one skill at a time. Students practice skills independently, working on one sentence or paragraph at a time.
• Differentiation: Writing is differentiated through small group instruction that provides reteaching, additional practice, and support at appropriate levels.
• Daily opportunities to write: The majority of the writing lesson is reserved for independent writing time, providing students with large blocks of time to write and practice skills every day. 
• Demonstrates the connection between reading and writing: Mentor texts provide concrete examples of writing skills and allow children to experiment with and apply sophisticated skills and language in their own writing. In addition, constructing their own writing pieces helps students recognize, connect, and understand these strategies when reading.  

What’s Included:

• Detailed teacher directions and suggestions for simple implementation
• Unit-at-a-glance calendar for each unit
• 7 exclusive videos walking you through how to get the most out of these writing units
• 40 days of lesson plans that include guiding questions, materials, mini lessons, student work tasks, student share tasks, intervention, and several extension activities
• 13 original mentor text passages
• 24 informational report task cards
• 24 paraphrasing facts task cards
• 24 informational report writing prompt task cards
• 11 teacher anchor charts (blank and filled in versions)
• Student anchor charts and printable for writing notebooks
• Conference and goal tracking forms
• Writing grades tracking forms
• List of 10 additional mentor text books (Remember, using them is optional, because I’ve included all the mentor texts you need) 
• 6 different writing publishing papers
• Student writing notebook cover and dividers
• Teacher notebook covers and binder spines
• Multiple ideas for author share celebration
• DIGITAL writing notebooks on Google Slides
• Conferencing Materials – Conference outlines, a sample conference, and topic cards you can use to guide your small-group conferences
• Student Success Path – Identify where your students are on their writing journey
• Starting Writing Workshop Bonus – Two weeks of writing lesson plans to help build stamina and set your students up for writing success

Skills Covered:

Students learn h ow to use research, take notes, and paraphrase, and write an engaging information report with a strong lead, topic and concluding sentences and details. Lessons include:

• Setting goals
• What is an informational report?
• Generating report ideas
• Narrowing your report idea to a seed
• Research and note taking
• Paraphrasing
• Table of contents
• Writing a lead
• Topic and concluding sentences
• Word choice-adding vocabulary and definitions
• Adding details
• Transitions
• Writing a conclusion
• Text features

How to Use it in the Classroom: 

A typical day of writing:.

I recommend you set aside 30-45 minutes for writing each day (or more if you have it). Check out the sample schedules below. Each day follows the same plan:

• Mini-Lesson (8-10 minutes): The day kicks off with a mini-lesson to teach a particular skill. The mini-lesson uses mentor text (remember, it’s included in the unit) and anchor charts. For the teacher version of the anchor charts, you can project and fill them out with the class, or print and display them in your classroom. The student versions are smaller so they can fill them out and keep them in their writing notebooks for reference.
• Work Time (18-20 minutes) : Students will apply the skill they just learned into their writing each day. The included writing tasks make it crystal-clear what to do during independent writing time–for you and your students. By the end of the unit, they will have completed two full masterpieces and many other independent writings. 
• Share Time (2-5 minutes) : Students are encouraged to share a piece of their writing with a partner or with the entire class. This makes writing more meaningful to kids and holds them accountable.

Organization made easy:

• The informational report writing unit is organized into multiple folders and files so it’s easy for you to find what you need.
• A 40-day daily schedule so you know exactly what to teach each day.
• Detailed daily lesson plans make teaching writing easy.

Differentiation:

There are many ways to differentiate writing assignments:

• These daily writing prompts are intentionally short and sweet so that all students, even those below grade level, can feel successful. Most tasks can be completed in 1-2 sentences.
• More advanced writers can write longer responses, or work on a second masterpiece if they finish early.
• Students can complete fewer task cards or work with a partner; you can also provide support to students as they work on task cards.
• The process for teaching writing includes group conferencing time. These groups should be based on ability so that you can individualize your instruction to meet the specific needs of the group.

Why you’ll love this writing unit:

• You’ll save hours of prepping and planning time. The daily lesson plans are easy to implement. All you have to do is print and teach. 
• Mentor texts are included. You do not need to hunt down or purchase any additional books! (Unless you want to. Far be it from me to stand between a teacher and new books.) 
• Digital anchor charts project onto your white board-so you don’t have to be Picasso or Renoir to anchor your kids in the lesson.
• Pre-printed student anchor charts make it easy for students to follow along without having to write every word and draw complicated diagrams.
• Digital student notebooks are perfect for 1:1 classrooms and a great way to save paper.
• These lessons work for all students, even students below grade level.
• Task cards incorporate movement, reinforce concepts, and make learning fun. Daily share time encourages students to take pride in their writing.
• Direct writing instruction provides a solid foundation of writing skills that leads to increased test scores.
• Aligned with the Science of Reading .

*****************************

More Third Grade Writing Units:

Personal Narrative for Third Grade

Opinion Writing for Third Grade

Fiction Narrative for Third Grade

Frequently Asked

Yes. I also have personal narrative , opinion essay , and fiction narrative writing units available.

This informational writing unit is available for grade 3. I also have informational writing units available for grades two , four , and five .

I prefer composition notebooks because they are sturdy and easy to use and store. But other teachers have used spiral bound notebooks or three-ring binders.

Yes. These writing lessons are based on Common Core standards.

The lessons for consecutive grade levels are very similar because the standards are similar. The biggest difference is that the reading level on the mentor text passages is modified to meet the specific grade level. Other differences include new examples in the lesson plans and anchor charts and new task cards. It is generally fine to use units that are one level above or below grade level. You might want to select the lower grade level to ensure that the mentor texts are easier for students to read.

Each unit includes eight weeks of materials. I recommend spending 30-45 on writing each day. The lesson takes 8-10 minutes and the rest of the time would be used for independent writing.

Students complete two masterpieces in each unit. But they may work on additional pieces if they finish daily assignments early.

My writing units are a standalone curriculum. They are not based on or aligned with any other curriculum. However, they are based on the writing standards. My curriculum is organized into units of study and formatted in the workshop model and hundreds of teachers have successfully used my writing units with their district provided curriculum.

My writing units are a standalone curriculum. They are not based on or aligned with any other curriculum. With that being said, I have hundreds of teachers who have chosen to use my units as a supplement to their Lucy curriculum because it is more manageable and engaging for students.

You May Also Enjoy These Resources

Engaging Writing Prompts for 3rd Graders

Students in 3rd grade should be writing regularly in a variety of styles and for a variety of audiences. Useful writing projects for 3rd graders include  opinion , informative, and narrative essays, as well as short research projects.

For many students, the most difficult part of writing is facing the blank page. The following grade-level appropriate writing prompts provide plenty of inspiration to help your students get started on a number of different writing assignments.

Narrative Essay Writing Prompts

Narrative essays tell a story based on real or imagined events. Students should use descriptive writing and dialogue to tell their tale.

• Scary Stuff. Think of something that scares you and explain what makes it so frightening.
• Grouchy Pants. Describe a day when you were grouchy. What made you so grumpy and how did you get in a better mood?
• School Rules. If you could make a new school rule, what would it be? How would your rule change an average day at school?
• Snappy Travel. Imagine you could snap your fingers and be anywhere else in the world. Write about where you’d go.
• Family Tales. What is the most interesting story that a family member has ever told you about their life?
• Food Forever. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would you choose?
• Book Bound. If you could be the main character from your favorite book, who would you be? Write about an adventure you might have.
• Seeing Double. Imagine that you have an identical twin who is a different class than you. What pranks would you play on your teachers and classmates?
• Nessy's Life. Have you heard of the Loch Ness Monster ? Imagine you’re the monster. Describe your life under the sea.
• Lost. Have you ever been lost? Write about your experience.
• Perfect Party. Describe what the ultimate birthday party would look like if you could do anything you wanted.
• Kindness Counts. You’re given $100 to do random acts of kindness for others. What do you do?
• Memory Eraser . Describe something that happened to you that you wish you could forget. Explain why.

Opinion Essay Writing Prompts

When writing an opinion essay , students should clearly state their opinion, then back it up with sound reasons and facts. Opinion essays should close the essay with a concluding paragraph and a summary of the argument. 

• Be a Friend. What does it mean to be a good friend?
• Growing Up or Down. Would you rather be older than you are right now or younger? Why?
• Hello? Some kids in 3rd grade have cell phones. Do you? Do you think that’s good or bad?
• Best Pets. Which animal makes the best pet? Give at least three reasons for your opinion.
• Tattletale. If you saw one of your friends doing something that you knew was wrong, should you tell on them? Why or why not?
• School Favorites . What do you think is the best subject in school? What makes it the best?
• Off Limits . Is there a TV show that you’re not allowed to watch or a video game that you’re not allowed to play? Explain why your parents should allow it.
• Summer School. Should your school be in session year ‘round with more breaks throughout the year or continue to give students the summer off? Why?
• Junk Food Fans. Should candy and soda machines be available to students on school property? Why or why not?
• School Supplies. What is the most important tool in your classroom? What makes it so useful?
• School Pride . What is the best thing about being a student at your school?
• What’s in a Name? If you could change your name, what would you choose and why?

Informative Essay Writing Prompts

Informative essays introduce a topic, explain a process, or describe an idea, then provide facts, definitions, and details. Students should organize related information into paragraphs in order to write the most logical essay possible. Remember that they should also include introductory and concluding paragraphs.

• Real Superheroes. Superheroes in movies and comics can do some pretty amazing things, but think of someone you consider to be a real-life hero. What do (or did) they do that makes them a hero? 
• Liar, Liar. Someone told your best friend a lie about you and your friend believed them. Explain how you’d handle the situation.
• Student Teacher. Think of something that you found difficult to do at first (such as multiplication or tying your shoes), but that you now understand. Explain the process so that someone else could learn to do it.
• Holidays . What is your favorite holiday? Explain how you celebrate it.
• Pet Sitter. Your family is going on vacation and a pet-sitter is coming to care for your pets. Write a note explaining how to care for them.
• PB&J. Write out the step-by-step process for making the perfect peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
• Chores. What is a household chore for which you are responsible? Explain how to do it.
• Emergency Drills. Think of one emergency drill that your school practices. Write a paper describing exactly how to do it as if you were explaining it to a brand-new student.
• Allergies. Do you have a serious allergy to something like peanuts or milk? Write an essay explaining why it’s so important for you not to come into contact with the allergen.
• Color Wheel. What is your favorite color? Choose an animal or object that is that color and describe it.
• State Fun Facts . Describe some interesting facts about your state to someone who has never visited.
• Family Traditions. Describe a unique family tradition that your family has.
• Game On.  What's your favorite game? Explain the rules to someone who has never played it before.

Research Writing Prompts

Students in 3rd grade can conduct simple research projects that build on their knowledge about a topic. They should use digital and print media to explore the topic , take simple notes, and create a basic outline before beginning the writing process.

• State History. What is the history of your state? Research the history and write an essay about one key event in your state's past.
• Marsupials. Marsupials are animals who carry their babies in pouches. With the exception of the opossum, all marsupials live in Australia. Choose one of them to learn more about.
• Insects. They may be small, but insects play an important role in our environment. Choose an insect to research and write an essay about its characteristics.
• Jaws! Are Great White sharks really man-eaters? Research this question and write an essay about your answer. 
• Bat Signal. How do bats use echolocation?
• Explorers. Choose a famous (or not-so-famous) explorer to research.
• Comic Book Heroes. When was the first comic book published and what was it about?
• Extreme Weather. Choose an extreme weather event such as a tornado, hurricane, or tsunami, and explain its cause.
• International Space Station. Learn more about the International Space Station: how it's used, who visits it, and why it's important. Write an essay about your findings.
• Ben Franklin, Inventor . Many people know Benjamin Franklin as a Founding Father and statesman, but he was also an inventor. Learn about some of the things he invented.
• Legends.  Research a popular legend such as the Lost City of Atlantis, Big Foot, or Paul Bunyan . Write an essay describing the evidence for or against the legend.
• Presidential History. Research the childhood of one American president and write an essay about what you learn.
• 4th Grade Writing Prompts
• Second Grade Writing Prompts
• Writing Prompts for 5th Grade
• First Grade Writing Prompts
• Writing Prompts for 7th Grade
• 49 Opinion Writing Prompts for Students
• Fun March Writing Prompts for Journaling
• 24 Journal Prompts for Creative Writing in the Elementary Classroom
• May Writing Prompts
• October Writing Prompts
• January Writing Prompts
• November Writing and Journal Prompts
• February Writing Prompts
• September Writing Prompts
• Writing Prompts for Elementary School Students
• Martin Luther King Jr. Writing Prompts

• My Classroom

• Writing Informational Text -- Step by Step!!

10 comments

I am lucky enough to have this pack and this post makes me want to hurry up and teach it NOW instead of waiting till it rolls around in our curriculum like I am supposed to! I love the way this makes the students expand their thinking/writing past the old, "First you feed your dog. Then you play with your dog...The End!" Thank you again for such a valuable resource, Kathy!

Hi Kathy. I love this product, and I love your blog. You actually inspired me to start my own blog. If you have time, please check it out at: www.pinkwatermelons.blogspot.com. My blog is less than one week old so I'm still learning. I'm so impressed by how professional and informative your blog is. Thank you for sharing your ideas, susan k.

Thanks for the detailed post! I am looking forward to using this soon. I am your newest follower and love your blog" Joanne Visit me at Third Grade Is The Place To Be

Wow; my teachers really need this. Wonderful step-by-step examples! Thank you.

Thank you for sharing such a detail look at your informational text unit. My students have enjoyed this unit so much.

I really love all this hope it makes people and teachers learn from here

Thank you for sharing this! I am tutoring twin 3rd Graders and I usually teach middle school, so this was helpful to me in our informational text practice.

Great post. Makes me want to rush right out and go to TeacherpayTeacher and get the Informational text material. Thanks.

This is great!!! Do you have resources for Persuasive Writing/Speeches...

I sure do!! Visit my TPT shop! I have a mini-unit on Persuasive Letter Writing and Writing Reviews.

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Let's Connect

Follow this blog with bloglovin

Subscribe and receive a FREE GIFT

Popular posts.

Blog Archive

• ►  December (1)
• ►  November (1)
• ►  August (1)
• ►  April (1)
• ►  January (1)
• ►  November (2)
• ►  July (1)
• ►  December (2)
• ►  July (2)
• ►  March (1)
• ►  January (2)
• ►  June (2)
• ►  April (3)
• ►  September (1)
• ►  August (2)
• ►  November (3)
• ►  March (2)
• ►  October (1)
• ►  June (1)
• ►  May (2)
• Earth Day Freebie and Reader's Theater ON SALE!
• New Products...and HUGE Giveaway ends Friday
• ►  January (3)

Total Pageviews

© 2015 Third Grade Doodles . Blog Design by Design by Christi . Built on Phoebe Template designed by Georgia Lou Studios All rights reserved.

In order to continue enjoying our site, we ask that you confirm your identity as a human. Thank you very much for your cooperation.

How to Write an Expository Essay for Grade Three

How to Make an Outline for a Fourth Grade Research Paper

Third grade is often the year when students first begin to experiment with structured writing, such as the expository essay. Writing an expository essay in third grade is a lot like making a sandwich. Just as a good sandwich has three parts -- the top bun, fillings and bottom bun -- a good expository essay also has three parts: the introduction, details and conclusion.

Choose a Topic

You write an expository essay to tell or teach the reader about a topic. Start by choosing a topic that you think is interesting and that you already know a lot about. You might choose to write about an animal you like, a place you have visited or a person whom you have read about. If you have too many ideas, make a list and then close your eyes and pick.

Do Some Research

Research is when you look for more information on a topic. Start your research by choosing and reading a book about your topic. Pick a book that is nonfiction, as it will have factual information that you can use in your essay. As you read, take notes. Use a notebook to copy down the facts that you think are most important and to write down questions that you have. You will refer to these notes as you write your essay.

Write the Introduction

The beginning of your expository essay is your introduction -- where you capture the reader's attention and tell her what the main idea of the essay is going to be. Make the introduction as interesting as possible so that the reader wants to keep reading. A good way to start an introduction is with a question or with an amazing fact. For example: "Did you know that great white sharks can eat up to 11 tons of food a year? Sharks are amazing and important fish."

Add Some Details

Once you have hooked the reader's attention, tell him more about your topic. Details are individual facts that provide more information about a topic. The best details give sensory information. That means that they give more information that helps your reader imagine how things feel, smell, sound, taste or look. Try to include at least three details in your expository essay. For example: "Sharks might look smooth when they are in the water, but their skin is actually very rough. Sharks are often called silent hunters, because the only sounds they make are crunching sounds -- after they've caught their prey."

Write a Conclusion

The final part of your expository essay is the conclusion where you return to the main idea of your essay and restate it in different words. The conclusion helps tie the whole essay together and reminds the reader of the most important points. Conclusions often start with phrases like "in conclusion," "as you can see," "finally" or "in the end."

Proofread Your Work

If you wrote your essay on paper, reread it and look for spelling, punctuation and capital letter mistakes. If you find any, fix them. If you wrote your essay on the computer, print out a copy and read it on paper, looking for the same kinds of mistakes. Before you hand in your work, check that your name is on the paper. You want to get credit for the hard work you did.

Related Articles

How to Write an Anecdotal Essay

How to Stay on Topic When Writing an Essay

How to Write a Dissertation Summary

How Do Reflective Essays Differ From Analytical Essays?

How to Write a Scholarship Letter

How to Pair a Wrap Dress With Boots

What Is a Descriptive Paragraph?

How to Add Figurative Language to an Essay

A lifetime resident of New York, Christi O'Donnell has been writing about education since 2003. O'Donnell is a dual-certified educator with experience writing curriculum and teaching grades preK through 12. She holds a Bachelors Degree from Sarah Lawrence College and a Masters Degree in education from Mercy College.

• Mathematics
• Reading and Writing
• Intervention
• Professional Learning
• Virtual Events
• What is Phonics?
• Teaching Grammar
• Vocabulary Games
• What is Virtual Learning?
• About Sadlier
• Find a Sales Representative
• International Distributors
• International Programs
• Online Catalogs
• Sadlier School Site Map
• Pricing & Ordering Information
• Sadlier’s W-9
• Sadlier’s Sole Source Letter
• Sadlier’s Credit Application
• Privacy Policy
• Return Policy
• Terms & Conditions

Sadlier's English Language Arts Blog

• Author Interviews
• Interactive Read Alouds
• Close Reading
• Vocabulary/Vocab Gal
• Writing with Vocabulary
• Assessments
• Charts/Posters
• Graphic Organizers
• Back to School
• End of School
• Classroom Management
• Grammar & Writing
• Thinking Routines
• About Our Bloggers

April 23, 2021 CG Writing Lessons CCSS 6-8 , CG Writing Lessons CCSS K-5 , CG Writing Lessons 9-12 , CG Writing Lessons K-5 , CG Writing Lessons 6-8 , CG Writing Lessons CCSS 9-12 , ELA K-5 , ELA 6-8 , ELA Focus - Writing , ELA 9-12 , ELA Resources - Charts/Posters , Core Grammar

Informative/explanatory writing in the classroom, grades 3–12, by: tiffany rehbein.

Lets explore the importance of teaching informative/explanatory writing in the classroom. Students need to have the ability to clearly convey concepts and information in their writing. This skill is crucial for communication in future careers and life! Download a FREE Informative/Explanatory Writing Kit now!

The Purpose of Informative/Explanatory Writing

The primary purpose of informative/explanatory writing is to increase knowledge. When writing an informative/explanatory text, the writer answers questions of why or how. Informative writing educates the reader by imparting straightforward information on a certain topic. Unlike other types of writing, informative writing does not aim to change the reader's thinking or move the reader to take action.

Download a kit of resources that will help students improve their informative/explanatory writing skills.

Elements of an Informative/Explanatory Essay

A well-written informative essay should include the following elements:

Has an introduction that introduces a topic and grabs the reader's attention

Clearly conveys information and ideas about a topic

Develops a topic with a variety of specific, relevant details, such as facts, examples, quotations, and anecdotes

Clearly organizes ideas and information, using strategies such as compare/contrast, cause/effect, definition, and classification

Uses formatting, graphics, and multimedia, such as hyperlinks when appropriate

Uses precise language and vocabulary appropriate to the topic

Uses appropriate transition words and phrases that clarify the relationship among ideas

Uses a formal style and tone

Ends with a conclusion that summarizes the main points and follows logically from the information presented

Follows the conventions of standard English

This checklist is a great tip sheet for students to keep in their folders! Teachers can access this checklist in the Informative/Explanatory Writing Kit .

Introductions and Conclusions for Informational Writing

Introductions

In many essays, the first paragraph should introduce your topic to readers and include a thesis statement, or claim. A thesis statement is one or two sentences that state your main idea.

A strong introduction also needs to capture the readers’ attention. Students can use one of the following to get readers interested right away:

• Include an unusual fact
• Ask a question
• Include vivid description
• Tell a brief story

Introduction examples for informative/explanatory texts...

WEAK – Money has been important to people throughout history. This paper will describe the history of money and explain why people started using it. It will also describe different types of money.

STRONG – Think of these four things: knives, beads, cows, and whales' teeth. What do they have in common? The answer is that people have used them as money in trades. Through history, different cultures have used some surprising forms of currency.

Conclusions

A good conclusion sums up your main point and restates the these statement in a new way.

Students should use their conclusion to bring your writing to a satisfying finish. Students can use the following strategies to wrap up an essay:

• Summarize key points
• Make a prediction
• Offer an opinion or a suggestion
• Explain the topic's importance

Download a tip sheet for students that outlines strategies for writing introductions and conclusions for informative/explanatory texts!

Transition Words and Phrases for Information Writing

A well-written informational essay uses techniques to build coherence between and within paragraphs. Coherence in writing means that a reader can move easily and clearly from one idea to the next. To achieve coherence, writers use transitions words and phrases. Linking ideas and key information with transition words and phrases will tie one sentence to another and show the connections between ideas.

Below is a tip sheet that lists transition words and phrases that can be used to build coherence between and within paragraphs. Download my Informative/Explanatory Writing Kit to make get the worksheet for your students!

Informative/Explanatory Writing Assignments

There are a number of ways for students to practice writing informative/explanatory texts. Some of my favorite informative writing assignments are:

• Basic Paragraph
• Brochure/Pamphlet

Writing Assignment Idea #1

My Informative/Explanatory Writing Kit includes an informational writing activity worksheet for students! With this informative writing assignment students will write about something they like to make or do. It could be their favorite recipe or craft, a game they like to play or hobby. Using the worksheet, students will write the directions of how to follow the rules, recipe, or steps to create something. In addition to writing about something they like to make/play, students will underline all linking words and draw an illustration!

Below are two additional writing assignments you could assign students to work on their informative writing skills. In addition to looking at the ways your students write informative or explanatory texts, you will also have the chance to check that proper nouns are capitalized properly. What a great way to combine writing and grammar!

Writing Assignment Idea #2

To assess how well your students write informative/explanatory texts, use calendar holidays as a writing topic. For instance, you might ask students to choose their favorite holiday and explain in writing why they like it the best.

To help students choose a holiday for an explanatory essay, you could provide them with a list. Some common holidays follow:

• Thanksgiving
• New Year’s Eve
• Valentine's Day
• St. Patrick's Day
• Fourth of July

Writing Assignment Idea #3

Want to be more creative? You can add a twist to the informative essay and provide your students with some lesser-known days of celebration. This would encourage students to do some research and inform their audience. Here are some possible calendar celebrations students could research and write about:

• Metropolitan Museum of Art Opened in NYC (1872)
• Jackie Robinson Day
• World Fish Migration Day
• National Plush Animal Day
• King Tut Day
• William Shakespeare's Birthday
• Transportation Week
• World Architecture Day

Informative/Explanatory Writing Format

Informative or explanatory writing follows an organized format. Using the anagram INFORM, teachers and students can easily remember the elements of an informative essay . Download a poster to remind your students about the parts of the INFORMative essay! 

3rd grade writing

by: Jessica Kelmon | Updated: August 4, 2022

Print article

This year, your child’s stories will amaze you, showing character development and dialogue. Your child’s opinion pieces and informational writing will be more organized. With this new writing prowess, your child will be using more sophisticated language and better grammar.

Building 3rd grade study skills

Third graders are expected to use books, websites, and other digital sources to do research projects and to build knowledge about different topics — both on their own and as part of group work with their peers. But there’s a new skill to learn this year: taking notes. Third graders need to start writing down what they learn from each source they use, keeping track of the source name and page so they are able to find it again, and then practice sorting any evidence they find into relevant categories.

3rd grade opinion pieces

Of course your child has an opinion — and here’s how they learn to share it in writing! Opinion pieces will likely start with your child reading a couple of books and responding to what they’ve learned. Your child should start their opinion piece by clearly introducing the topic, stating their opinion, and then giving multiple reasons to support their opinion. Kids should practice using linking words (e.g. because, therefore, since, for example ) to connect their reasons to their opinion, and then end their writing with a conclusion.

3rd grade informative writing

The purpose of informative writing is to convey facts and ideas clearly. After introducing their topic, kids should group related information into a few clear, well thought-out points. They should develop these points using facts, definitions, and details and using linking words (e.g. also, another, and, more, but ) to connect their ideas within each point. Your child can also include illustrations when they may help make or clarify a point. Finally, kids should end their work with a concluding sentence or two.

Can your 3rd grader write an informational essay?

3rd grade narrative writing

Narrative is just a fancy word for story — and this year your child’s stories will be much more complex. Using a narrator, characters, dialogue, and descriptive details, your third grader’s writing should show a story unfolding — including how the characters feel and respond to what happens. The sequence of events should be clear. Be sure not to let your child’s story simply stop by writing “The End”. Instead, the story should read like it’s coming to a close.

Check out this related worksheet: •  How to write a story

bttr, better, best!

Expect to see your child spending more time writing this year, whether it’s in the planning, writing, revising, or editing phase. While planning , your child may read or reread books on the topic, discuss their ideas aloud, brainstorm ideas, gather and organize information visually, jot down notes about the points they’ll make, and start to think about the structure of the piece. Once a first draft is in, the teacher or other students will go over it with your child. They’ll ask questions and suggest details or facts that could be added, clarified, or improved. Do the word choices convey what your child really meant? Is there an introduction and a conclusion? Are the story’s events in order? Using all these questions and suggestions as guidance, your child will do a revision , adding to, reordering, and improving the content. After one or more revisions, the teacher might help your child with the final edit — focusing on spelling and grammar, capitalizing proper nouns, ensuring nouns and verbs are in agreement, and checking that periods, commas, and quotation marks are used correctly. Following these steps — planning, writing a first draft, revising their work, and editing the final piece — teaches third graders that gathering information, organizing their thoughts, strengthening and clarifying their ideas, and improving grammar and presentation are all key to quality writing.

See what 3rd grade writing looks like

A red-letter year for grammar!

This year your child will learn the functions of nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs — and what role they play in a sentence. By year’s end, your child should be using regular and irregular verbs in simple past, present, and future tense (e.g. stopped/stop/will stop and knew/know/will know ) — all while ensuring subject-verb agreement (e.g. I know/he knows ). Your child should also use comparative adjectives and adverbs (e.g. big/bigger/biggest and quickly/quicker/quickest ) and choose between them based on whether they’re modifying nouns (adjectives) or verbs (adverbs). In writing compound and complex sentences, your child will use conjunctions that show connection (e.g. and, or, but ) and dependence (e.g. if, when, because ).

Check out these related worksheets: • Big, bigger, biggest • Verb machine! • 3rd grade spelling list #15: irregular plural nouns

Third graders should use increasingly precise words. This means understanding root words (e.g. knowing that add is the root of addition and additional ), choosing the right word from synonyms (e.g. knew, believed, suspected, heard, wondered ), and using words to signal timing (e.g. after, then, later ). With all this focus on word nuance, your child may need a thesaurus handy.

Related: Print this list of 3rd grade academic vocabulary words .

Check out these related worksheets: •  3rd grade weekly spelling lists • Prefix practice • Writing practice: alternatives to “said”

And it’s live!

When the research is done — and the planning, writing, revisions, and edits are complete — the final step for some of your third grader’s writing is to publish the work. Your third grader should have some keyboarding skills by the end of the year. It’s a new level of independence and tech savvy. And while adults should be there to help out, your child should become comfortable taking the lead.

What about cursive?

Penmanship matters. Traditionally, third grade is when students learn cursive, so it’s a great idea to ask the teacher whether or not they’ll be learning cursive in class. If not, you may want to work on this skill with your child at home.

Updated August 2022

Homes Nearby

Homes for rent and sale near schools

6 ways to improve a college essay

Quick writing tips for every age

Writing on the wall

Why parents must teach writing

Yes! Sign me up for updates relevant to my child's grade.

Please enter a valid email address

Thank you for signing up!

Server Issue: Please try again later. Sorry for the inconvenience

Because differences are our greatest strength

Video: How third graders write informational essays

By The Understood Team

Kids in third grade are expected to write informational essays. That involves steps like coming up with ideas and supporting them. Watch this video from Understood founding partner GreatSchools to find out how most kids this age go about writing an essay.

Student Writing Samples | Informational Writing

Informational Writing - Grade 3 - Dogs

Read Time 4 mins | Mar 25, 2020 5:14:37 PM | Written by: Toolbox

WOOF! WOOF!  Warren, a third grade student, loved to act like a dog. He’d get down on all fours and sniff around the room, bark on command, and even sit and stay (on a good day).  As you can imagine, writing was about the last thing Warren wanted to do. In fact, most days he completed very little for his classroom teacher. I was brought in to provide intervention services for this wiggly third grader and to help him to produce writing that had some substance. A large task, but not insurmountable.

What kind of dog are you? What color fur do you have? How about your tail? Is it long or short? What do you like to do? What kinds of things do you need in order to survive?   Surprisingly, Warren had very specific answers to all of these questions, as a result of having plenty of first-hand “experience.”

This led me to our writing lesson of the day and the coming week. Warren and I were going to write about dogs. Luckily I knew I had a nonfiction book about dogs that I could put my hands on. We embarked on our writing lesson on the main idea, “appearance.” After engaging Warren in an oral discussion and looking at pictures of dogs we both had a good idea about physical characteristics and variations in dogs. I worked with Warren on this paragraph and, amazingly, he wrote about ten sentences, more than he had written in the previous month.

Warren went on to become a somewhat fluent writer over the course of the next few months.   We just had to unlock his potential and develop some very specific skills to rely on.   The sample is a good illustration of the applied skills that I work on with my students.

The introduction introduces the main ideas that are each broad enough to cover a number of interesting details, each of which is distinct from the others.   The author uses many specific details and examples, an amazing fact, and an anecdote – all tools for   showing rather than telling . There is also a bit of linking a fact to the idea of elaborating on that by explaining why that fact is important to the main idea. (Ex. Lonely people can get a dog – they’d have a cuddly friend, they go through an entrance blocked by fire to lead people out.) There’s also good word choice throughout this piece.

What worked:

• strong organizational strategy
• effective combination of broad yet distinct main ideas
• numerous specific examples along with why these facts are important to the main idea
• good word choice
• use of a hypothetical anecdote to bring the reader in touch, hypothetically, with the topic
• creatively restates main ideas in the conclusion

Empowering Writers has a proven methodology, specific strategies, and lessons to teach each of these skills.

Recommended Resources

• Empowering Writer's Methodology
• Informational & Opinion Writing Guide for Grade 3  

All Formats

Resource types, all resource types.

• Rating Count
• Price (Ascending)
• Price (Descending)
• Most Recent

3rd grade writing-essays resources

Reading Strategies Bundle | Comprehension | Differentiated Passages | Posters

ELA Daily Reading Journal Full Year Middle School

Printable Literacy Games Pack | Science of Reading Activities for Kindergarten

Summer School Activities, Fun Summer Review Packets, Kindergarten 1st 2nd Grade

End of Year Memory Book 3rd Grade | Last Week of School Activities 3rd Grade

3rd Grade Fun End of the School Year Math Review Activity Summer Coloring Page

RTI: 80 Fluency All-in-One Passages for Progress Monitoring (Questions Included)

3rd Grade Math Centers Task Cards Bundle | Games | Math Spiral Review Activities

Paragraph Writing How to Write a Paragraph of the Week Writing Prompts Narrative

• Google Apps™
• Easel Activity

Animal Reports | A Lapbook & Animal Research Project | Informational Writing

Biography Graphic Organizers Research Project Book Report and Writing Templates

I "Mustache" Your Opinion Writing Unit | Prompts & Graphic Organizers

Opinion Expository Writing Graphic Organizers Personal Narrative Paragraph HowTo

Informative Writing Unit | Print & Digital | Google Slides | Writing Prompts

Opinion Writing Essay Persuasive Graphic Organizers Anchor Charts 3rd - 5th

Life-Size Human Body Project Bundle: Human Body Systems w/ Digestive System

Writing Rubrics - Paragraph Rubrics - Essay Rubrics - 1 Point Rubric

Paragraph Outlining Color Coding Writing a Single Paragraph Prewriting Outline

The Writing Process Pencil Posters, Center Bulletin Board Large Clip Chart

Personal Narrative Story Writing Resources, Paper, Videos, Organizers, & Slides

Paragraph Writing of the Week Graphic Organizers- Differentiation for Grades 2-3

Compare & Contrast Essay - Compare & Contrast Writing - Template / Organizer

Fact Based Opinion Writing - Should Animals be in Zoos?

Opinion Writing Unit | Print & Digital | Google Slides | Writing Prompts

Paragraph of the Week and Essay of the Month Writing Bundle

Black History Month Project - Research, Essay, Report Template, Worksheets

Full-Year Writer's Workshop Writing Curriculum Grades 3-5 Interactive Notebook

Transitions Words Paragraph Writing Anchor Chart Printable Transition Word List

Informative Writing Sentence Starters Graphic Organizers Prompts 3rd-5th Grade

Fictional and Personal Narrative Writing Graphic Organizers, Posters, Prompts

3rd Grade Writing Units BUNDLE Personal Fictional Opinion Informational

Expository Informative Writing Prompts Graphic Organizers Posters 3rd 4th Grade

• We're hiring
• Help & FAQ
• Privacy policy
• Student privacy
• Terms of service
• Tell us what you think

Reading & Math for K-5

• Kindergarten
• Learning numbers
• Comparing numbers
• Place Value
• Roman numerals
• Subtraction
• Multiplication
• Order of operations
• Drills & practice
• Measurement
• Factoring & prime factors
• Proportions
• Shape & geometry
• Data & graphing
• Word problems
• Children's stories
• Leveled Stories
• Context clues
• Cause & effect
• Compare & contrast
• Fact vs. fiction
• Fact vs. opinion
• Main idea & details
• Story elements
• Conclusions & inferences
• Sounds & phonics
• Words & vocabulary
• Reading comprehension
• Early writing
• Numbers & counting
• Simple math
• Social skills
• Other activities
• Dolch sight words
• Fry sight words
• Multiple meaning words
• Prefixes & suffixes
• Vocabulary cards
• Other parts of speech
• Punctuation
• Capitalization
• Narrative writing
• Opinion writing
• Informative writing
• Cursive alphabet
• Cursive letters
• Cursive letter joins
• Cursive words
• Cursive sentences
• Cursive passages
• Grammar & Writing

Breadcrumbs

Download & Print Only $6.49

Informative writing prompts

Grade 3 writing prompts.

Students are prompted to write short informative essays about grade level appropriate subjects. Some example sentence starters (stems) and linking words are provided.

Write about conflict

Write about junk food

Write about pets

Write about a future field trip

Write about cheering someone up

Write about your favorite sport

Members only:

Write about third grade

Write about a special place

Write about transportation

Write about heroes

What is K5?

K5 Learning offers free worksheets , flashcards  and inexpensive  workbooks  for kids in kindergarten to grade 5. Become a member  to access additional content and skip ads.

Our members helped us give away millions of worksheets last year.

We provide free educational materials to parents and teachers in over 100 countries. If you can, please consider purchasing a membership ($24/year) to support our efforts.

Members skip ads and access exclusive features.

Learn about member benefits

This content is available to members only.

Join K5 to save time, skip ads and access more content. Learn More

• Forgot Password?