An Informative Piece With Headings
A 40-minute Grade 3 lesson on writing an informative text grouped into sections, with headings, facts and definitions.
An Informative Piece With Headings is a free 40-minute Grade 3 English lesson plan for Common Core standard W.3.2 — write to explain a topic, grouping related information together. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the mathematics, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.
- Grade:
- Grade 3
- Length:
- 40 minutes
- Standard:
- W.3.2
Grade 3 · Writing
W.3.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
Objective
Students will be able to group facts into sections and write a heading for each.
Students are successful when they can
- Groups related facts together.
- Writes a heading that covers its section.
- Uses a definition or an illustration where it helps.
What you need
- A set of unsorted facts on cards
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — sort twelve facts
5 min- Sort twelve fact cards into groups. Do not name the groups yet.
- Note that different sorts are possible.
Teach — the heading comes last
13 min- Take one group. Read the facts. Write a heading that covers all of them.
- Test it: is there a fact in the group the heading does not cover? Move it.
- Do a second group.
- Say why headings come after sorting: a heading written first forces facts into it.
- Add a definition inside one section and say why it goes there rather than at the end.
“Sort first. The heading has to fit the facts, not the other way round.”
Guided practice — three sections
12 min- Students sort their own facts into three groups and head each.
- They move any fact its heading does not cover.
- They draft one section in full.
Independent practice
8 min- Students complete the informative writing page.
- Facts and a planning grid are on the sheet.
Close
2 min- Read one heading and its facts. Ask whether they all fit.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Writes headings first and forces facts under them.
Why: Headings feel like a plan.
Fix: Sort the cards physically. The groups emerge from the facts.
A heading that covers only the first fact in its section.
Why: It was written after reading one card.
Fix: Read every fact in the group against the heading. One misfit means a rewrite or a move.
One section holding everything and two holding one fact each.
Why: One area was researched more.
Fix: Balance the groups or drop a section. Three uneven sections read as one section with appendices.
If they are not there yet
- Two sections rather than three.
- Give the headings and sort under them.
If they finish early
- Add a subheading inside a long section.
- Sort the same facts a different way and compare.
- Write a caption for an illustration you would add.
Exit ticket
Write a heading for this group of facts. Does it cover all of them?
What to look for: A heading covering every fact. One that fits only the first means the check-each-fact step needs enforcing.
Printable practice for W.3.2
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Group Your InformationWrite on the lines. Use the checklist.
Questions about An Informative Piece With Headings
How long does the An Informative Piece With Headings lesson take?
40 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 13 min, guided practice 12 min, independent practice 8 min, close 2 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.
Which standard does An Informative Piece With Headings teach?
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2 — W.3.2, Writing for Grade 3: “Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.” In plain terms, write to explain a topic, grouping related information together.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
A set of unsorted facts on cards and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.
What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?
Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: writes headings first and forces facts under them; a heading that covers only the first fact in its section and one section holding everything and two holding one fact each. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.
How do I know whether the lesson worked?
The exit ticket asks: “Write a heading for this group of facts. Does it cover all of them?.” A heading covering every fact. One that fits only the first means the check-each-fact step needs enforcing. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.
Is there a worksheet to go with An Informative Piece With Headings?
Yes — 1 printable W.3.2 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.
Is An Informative Piece With Headings free to use?
Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on 7 September 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.
Last reviewed 2026-09-07. Aligned to W.3.2 of the Common Core State Standards for English language arts.