Grades 3–5
Main Idea and Details Table
The tabletop organizer: one main idea, three supporting details and a closing sentence for an informational paragraph.
Writing worksheet · Informational writing
Research Notes Organizer
Note-taking boxes for any real topic: what it is, three facts, new words and where the facts came from.
- Grade level
- Grades 2–4
- Time
- About 35 minutes
- Answer key
- Not needed: answers vary
- Kids practice
- Informational writing, Research and note-taking, Text structure, Writing facts in your own words
What kids do
“Pick a real topic: an animal, a place, a sport or an invention. Read about it and take notes in your own words.”
Printed on the sheet:
- What is it? Where is it found?
- New words I learned and what they mean
- A question I still have
- Where I found my facts (book, website or expert):
Teacher tip
Model writing a fact as a short phrase, not a full copied sentence.
How to use it
- Model taking notes as short phrases, not copied sentences.
- Let kids pick a topic they already know a lot about for a first try.
- Keep a word wall or a word bank in reach so spelling does not stop the ideas.
Watch for
Opinions sneaking into facts. Ask, “Is that a fact you can check?”
Talk about it
- What is the most interesting fact you found?
- Which sentence on your sheet are you proudest of? Why?
Take it further
Have kids teach their topic to the class in a two-minute talk.
US Letter, prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use: print as many copies as you need.
More informational writing worksheets
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Grades 4–5
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A Venn diagram plus compare-and-contrast signal words, then a paragraph about how two things are alike and different.
Grades 2–3
How-To Writing: Teach the Steps
A how-to planner: what you need, then four steps to draw and write with first, next, then and last.
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