Creating Informative Texts

Kindergarten students learn best when they move, talk, and use visuals to anchor new concepts. Active learning helps them feel the shift from telling a story to teaching a fact, which is a big cognitive leap for this age. Hands-on experiences make the abstract difference between narrative and informational writing visible and memorable.

• Kindergarten
• English Language Arts
• 3 activities
• 15 min–25 min

Learning Objectives

1. Design an informational drawing that clearly explains a concept about a familiar topic.
2. Explain how to organize facts to teach someone about a topic using dictated or written sentences.
3. Compare how drawing, dictating, and writing can be used to share information about a topic.
4. Identify key features of informational texts, such as labels and topic-specific facts.

Gallery Walk

⏱ 25 min·Individual

Gallery Walk: Fact Wall

Students each create one illustrated fact page about a shared topic. Pages are posted around the room, and during the gallery walk, students add a sticky note to another student's page noting one new fact they learned from it. Authors read the sticky notes and consider adding those facts to their own pages.

Prepare & details

Design an informational drawing that clearly explains a concept.

Facilitation Tip: During the Gallery Walk, set a timer for 30 seconds at each poster so students have time to read others’ facts without rushing.

Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter

Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 15 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: What Do You Know?

Before beginning an informational piece, students partner-share everything they already know about the topic. One partner records key words with drawings while the other talks, then they switch roles. Both students use their shared notes as a starting point for their own fact pages.

Prepare & details

Explain how to organize facts to teach someone about a topic.

Facilitation Tip: In Think-Pair-Share, ask students to speak in complete sentences using sentence stems like ‘I know that…’ to build explanatory language.

Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor

Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Concept Mapping

⏱ 20 min·Whole Class

Expert Chair: Teach It

After completing their informational drawing and dictation, individual students sit in the Expert Chair to explain their topic in their own words. Classmates ask one genuine question, which the expert either answers or notes as something to research further. The teacher records unanswered questions for shared inquiry.

Prepare & details

Compare how we share information in writing versus telling a story.

Facilitation Tip: For Expert Chair, provide a small handheld microphone or a teacher-made ‘microphone’ so students experience the role of teacher in a concrete way.

Setup: Tables with large paper, or wall space

Materials: Concept cards or sticky notes, Large paper, Markers, Example concept map

• Understand
• Analyze
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management

Teaching This Topic

Start with mentor texts that pair a clear information book with a story on the same topic. Point out the labels, diagrams, and topic sentences in the information book. Avoid comparing too many traits at once; focus on one feature at a time so the difference stays clear. Research shows that labeling parts of diagrams and labeling text features helps young writers see what ‘teaching’ looks like visually.

What to Expect

By the end of these activities, students will speak, draw, or write to share facts about a topic, not a story. They will label parts, name categories, or describe steps. Classroom charts and peer sharing will show their growing ability to teach others what they know.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Gallery Walk, watch for students who copy words from posters instead of sharing their own knowledge.

What to Teach Instead

Pause the walk and model how to cover the text with a hand, then ask the student to tell what they remember and record their words on a sticky note to add to the poster.

Common Misconception

During Think-Pair-Share, watch for students who describe a personal experience instead of sharing a fact.

What to Teach Instead

Hand the student a ‘teacher hat’ (a paper crown or visor) and prompt: ‘Wear the teacher hat. What fact can you teach your partner about _____?’

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

After Gallery Walk, give each student a drawing of a familiar object (e.g., apple). Ask them to dictate or write one fact and label one part. Collect and note whether they share a fact or a story, and whether the label matches.

Quick Check

During Expert Chair, listen for whether the student uses explanatory language like ‘This is…’ or ‘It has…’ rather than narrative language like ‘One time…’ Observe and record one example for each presenter.

Discussion Prompt

After Think-Pair-Share, ask students to turn and tell a partner: ‘What did you teach today?’ Listen for the topic and the fact shared. Note which students can name both clearly.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge: Ask students to write or dictate a second fact about the same topic and add a new label to their drawing.
• Scaffolding: Provide picture cards of the topic with first letters for labeling words.
• Deeper exploration: Create a class book where each page teaches one fact about a school helper, combining drawings and dictated text.

Key Vocabulary

Informational Text	A type of writing that teaches the reader about a specific topic using facts and details.
Fact	A statement that can be proven true, used to share information about a topic.
Topic	The main subject or idea that the writing is about.
Label	A word or short phrase that identifies a part of a drawing or picture.
Dictate	To say words aloud for someone else to write down.