The Best Informative Writing Mentor Texts that Students Will LOVE
Are you looking for some engaging informative writing mentor texts to use in your classroom? When students are gathering facts, it is important to use authentic facts and details for their research. Below are some ideas to gather great informative or nonfiction texts for your classroom.
What if You Had… Animal Series
If your students are doing research on animals or animal adaptations, the What If You Had Animal Feet Series is an AMAZING place to start. Each book details different things animals can do with the various adaptations discussed in the books. I love to pair this with a month long writing project in which students research various animal adaptations, pick which ones they would most like to have and then write about it in a book. You can read more on my blog or snag this project on my Teachers Pay Teachers store.
Who Was… Biography Series
Who Was.. books are AMAZING to teach students about different important figures in history and in our modern era. These chapter books are easy enough for second graders to access, but are also accessible to first graders via read aloud by the teacher. I love having students use these books to create a research project on an important figure then share it with the class. You can read more about the Biography Project here or you can snag this fun and easy to use resource on TpT.
National Geographic Kids
Looking for free, no prep, and DIGITAL research for kids? Have students research animals, planets and more on Kids.NationalGeographic.com. I absolutely LOVE this website and use it for our habitat projects and our space unit. I love the real life pictures that this website includes along with the diagrams, interactive videos, easy to read text and more. Be sure to check it out for your classroom!
Epic! Books
Another great resource library is Epic! Books. Students can log on and have access to HUNDREDS of books about any topic, both fiction and nonfiction. As a teacher, you can assign books or libraries, limit what your students see or help guide student research while students explore this digital library. We use this for any and all research, as well as a fun reading choice throughout the day.
Local Library
If you are looking for specific books about a topic, don’t forget to utilize both your school library and local library. These places are FULL of books that your students can DEVOUR in your classroom. Plus, who doesn’t love the feeling of the glossy cover on hardcover texts from the library?
Brain Pop Junior
Another great place for informative research is Brain Pop or Brain Pop Junior. While many of the videos require a subscription, there are also free videos included as well. Who said that research has to be limited to just texts, anyway?
What are your favorite informative writing mentor texts or resources? Drop them in the comments below!
Please note, this post might contain affiliate links. This means that at no cost to you, I will earn commissions on purchases made on my recommendations.