Informative Writing Introduction

Lesson Overview

This 60-minute lesson is the first in a 20-lesson unit titled "Informative Writing Unlocked" designed for Year 6 students. It introduces students to the purpose and key features of informative writing and explores how it differs from other text types. The lesson also introduces the concept of multimodal texts to expand students’ understanding of how information can be presented through multiple modes beyond just writing.

Curriculum Alignment

Australian Curriculum (v9) - English Year 6

ACELY1718: Understand how authors creatively use cohesive devices, imagery and topic-specific vocabulary to express and develop ideas and events.
ACELY1719: Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, selecting text structures, language features, images and digital resources appropriate to purpose and audience.
ACELY1802: Understand how to use visual features and multimodal elements to enhance meaning in texts.
ACELY1715: Understand how grammar and vocabulary choices influence the effectiveness of texts.
ACELY1709: Identify the audience and purpose of imaginative, informative and persuasive texts.
General capability: Literacy, ICT capability; Critical and Creative Thinking

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Explain the purpose of informative writing and distinguish it from other writing styles (e.g. narrative, persuasive).
Identify key characteristics of informative texts: factual language, clear structure, organised information.
Understand what multimodal texts are and how images, graphs, and digital elements can support informative writing.
Begin to recognise the role of audience and purpose in shaping text choices.

Resources Needed

Whiteboard and markers
Chart paper or interactive whiteboard
Sample texts (excerpts from an informative article, narrative story, persuasive text)
Examples of multimodal informative texts (e.g., infographics, webpages)
Student notebooks or digital devices
Lined paper and coloured pencils or tablets with drawing apps

Lesson Structure (60 minutes)

1. Engaging Starter (10 minutes)

Activity: Whole-class discussion using a simple question: "What is informative writing? When do we use it?"
Teacher notes down ideas on board. Encourage students to think about writing they have done or seen that teaches or explains information (e.g., reports, instructions, websites).
Contrast briefly with stories (narrative writing) or jokes (imaginative/persuasive) to elicit differences.

2. Explicit Teaching & Modelling (15 minutes)

Present a short informative text extract (e.g., a paragraph about a local animal).
Identify and discuss with students the features: clear heading, factual language, labelled parts, sequencing facts logically.
Compare features with a narrative and a persuasive text side-by-side using a Venn Diagram on chart paper, highlighting differences in purpose, language, and structure.
Introduce multimodal texts: Show examples of infographics or webpages combining text with pictures, icons, headings, charts.
Explain how combining modes helps readers understand information better.

3. Guided Exploring (15 minutes)

Students work in pairs to explore sample multimodal informative texts on tablets or printed sheets.
Task: Identify informative features and multimodal elements (pictures, labels, graphs).
Pairs record their findings as a simple list or poster on A4 paper.
Circulate to prompt and support students in identifying facts and supporting images.

4. Independent Application (15 minutes)

Students individually write a short paragraph introducing an informative topic they know well (their favourite animal, sport, hobby).
Encourage them to use clear factual language and think about how they might add images or diagrams later.
Option: Students can draw a simple diagram or label to accompany their paragraph to acknowledge multimodality.

5. Reflection and Sharing (5 minutes)

Invite a few students to share their paragraph and diagram.
Facilitate a quick discussion on how clear the information was and how pictures/labels helped.
Recap key purposes and features of informative writing and multimodal texts learned today.

Differentiation

Support: Provide sentence starters and word banks of informative vocabulary for students needing help to begin writing.
Extension: Challenge advanced students to include technical vocabulary and think about how they would present the information for a specific audience (e.g., younger students, friends, experts).

Assessment

Formative Assessment through observation during pair work and independent writing.
Collect student paragraphs and drawings to check understanding of informative purpose, factual language, and beginning use of multimodal features.
Use student reflections and class discussion responses to gauge comprehension.

Teacher Notes & Tips

Emphasise that informative writing is about teaching or explaining real-world facts clearly and accurately.
Link multimodal texts to everyday examples students meet (websites, posters, manuals) to make the concept meaningful.
Use student interests to select informative topics, increasing engagement.

By combining reading, discussion, exploration, and writing tasks, this lesson aligns closely with the Australian Curriculum v9 English standards for Year 6 and sets a strong foundation for the subsequent lessons in the unit on informative writing and multimodal texts.