Informational writing for first grade classrooms doesnโt have to be boring lists of facts or robotic sentences. Instead, it can be hands-on, creative, and full of discovery! When we give our young, growing writers purpose and excitement, they become instantly engaged. Kids love to share what they know! Here are three powerful ways to incorporate informational writing for first grade, second grade, or even kindergarten classrooms using research, science journals, and writing crafts!
Kids are naturally curious and this makes research an exciting aspect of informational writing. The key is to make it doable for their age. It must be age-appropriate and you must use kid-friendly resources that are engaging, visual, and easy to navigate!
Research writing can feel tricky to teach such little writers, but you simply need to break it down. I liked to begin by studying features of non-fiction text. We would take time to look at other informational writing texts. Next, after kids have a topic, allow them to being gathering information. Let students explore books and websites, jotting down fun facts and key details on graphic organizers. Finally, have your little writers put it all together! Model how to turn notes into complete sentences. If you are doing daily grammar practice, this is a great way to remind students what conventions of writing they need to include.
Want to take it up a notch? Have students turn their research into a book! They can write about different topics, then illustrate the cover. Have an author celebration at the end and let students share their informational writing for first grade writing time!
Science and writing go hand in hand! Science journals help students think critically, make observations, and record discoveries. Informational writing for first grade definitely can happen simply ini science journals. Instead of just learning about science, they write about it! And as someone who loves all things literacy, this is wonderful to help monitor their output!
What to Include in a Science Journal:
Example Science Journal Activities:
For even more science journal ideas, check out these blog posts:
After learning about a topic, why not create something fun to show off student writing? Writing crafts both make kids’ work exciting and meaningful!
These crafts not onlyย reinforce learningย but also make forย adorable bulletin board displays!ย They are great for open house, wrapping up a research unit, using in a parent conference to show student work samples, and even for RTI purposes to give authentic examples of a students’ writing abilities.
When we make informational writing hands-on, students stay engaged, gain confidence, and take pride in their work! We want them to both love science and love writing!
Are you ready to transform informational writing for first grade? Start with kid-friendly research, science journals, and creative writing crafts, and watch your students thrive!
To make informational writing for first grade engaging for students and simple for you, many of my science units have writing included! You can make this easy with any of my science units found HERE!
Whatโs your favorite way to teach informational writing? I’d love to hear more in the comments!
I’m a K-1 teacher who is passionate about making lessons your studentsย loveย and that areย easy to implementย for teachers.ย ย Helping teachers like you navigate their way through their literacy block brings me great joy. I am a lifelong learner who loves staying on top of current literacy learning and practices. Here, youโll find the tools you need to move your K-2 students forward!
