How to Teach Nonfiction Writing in Kindergarten (Text Features + Writing Workshop Lessons)

Teaching Nonfiction Writing in Kindergarten (And Helping Students See Themselves as Authors)

Kindergarteners LOVE learning facts.

They love learning new vocabulary about penguins, sharks, giraffes, owls, and dolphins.
They love discovering how animals move, what they eat, and where they live.

And they deserve the opportunity to write about those things.

That’s why I created my Kindergarten Nonfiction Writing Unit — a complete writing workshop unit that introduces young learners to informational writing in a way that is structured, supportive, and joyful.

Because nonfiction writing in kindergarten isn’t about perfect spelling.

It’s about helping children think: “I am a writer!”

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Introducing Nonfiction Writing the Right Way

In this unit, we begin with a big goal:

To help students write independent nonfiction books.

We start each writing workshop lesson with a mini-lesson built around a nonfiction mentor text. Together, we notice how nonfiction authors teach readers information. We talk. We think. We plan.

One of my favorite planning strategies is using your hand:

• Your thumb is your topic.

• Each finger is a fact about your topic.

This simple strategy helps kindergarteners organize their thinking before they ever begin writing sentences.

Then we build a nonfiction book together — starting with penguins.

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Teaching Nonfiction Text Features in Simple, Meaningful Ways

Text features can feel overwhelming — unless we introduce them one at a time.

In this unit, students learn about nonfiction text features through a focused penguin study. Each lesson highlights one feature:

• Table of Contents
• Facts
• Labels
• Bold Words
• Fun Facts
• Lists
• Maps
• Headings
• Up-close photographs
• Glossary

We read age-appropriate mentor texts and then apply that feature directly to our shared penguin book.

For example:

• Students add labels like flipper and webbed feet.

• They bold vocabulary words like chick.

• They create a simple glossary.

• They glue in a map showing where penguins live.

• They go back and add page numbers to their Table of Contents.

When kindergarteners see that they can use real author tools in their own books, something shifts.

They don’t just write sentences.

They write like authors.

If you want a simple way to make text features visible and student-driven in your classroom, I also created a Nonfiction Writing Goals Anchor Chart that pairs perfectly with this unit. This anchor chart clearly displays each nonfiction text feature and helps students choose which one they want to add to their writing. Instead of guessing what to include, students can set a writing goal, add the feature intentionally, and celebrate their growth as nonfiction authors. You can see the anchor chart HERE:

When students can see their options and choose their goals, nonfiction writing becomes purposeful — and empowering.

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Supporting Sentence Writing Every Single Day

Nonfiction writing is one of the BEST ways to strengthen sentence writing in kindergarten.

Because facts require clear thinking.

Students practice:

• Writing complete thoughts

• Using capital letters and periods

• Stretching out words with phonics

• Using sight words to organize information

• Adding details to strengthen their writing

This unit includes graphic organizers, sight word cards, sentence supports, and nonfiction writing pages to help students grow at their own level.

And for students who need extra support?

I encourage forming a small “writing club” where struggling writers can reread the mentor text, use support books with sentence starters, and feel successful.

Writing is hard work.

All students deserve to feel accomplished.

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Helping Students Become “Expert” Writers

One of my favorite parts of this unit is helping students become experts.

Students draw pictures of topics they want to learn more about.
We find mentor texts.
They gather facts.
They organize ideas.

And then they create their own nonfiction books.

The unit includes support books on topics like:
Penguins, Meerkats, Sea Turtles, Ladybugs, Dolphins, Camels, Monkeys, Sea Stars, Ducks, Spiders, Elephants, Evergreens, Gorillas, Tigers, Wolves, Sharks, Owls, Woodpeckers, Pigs, Lions, Zebras, and Giraffes

Kindergarteners LOVE having choice.

And choice builds ownership.

Ownership builds confidence.

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Teaching Students to Reflect and Grow

Nonfiction writing conferences are powerful — especially when students can see their growth.

This unit includes a Nonfiction Writing Rubric aligned to kindergarten standards, including:

• Writing informative texts (W.K.2)

• Capitalization and punctuation

• Phonetic spelling

• Spacing between words

• Adding details to strengthen writing

• APCK Kindergarten Nonfiction Wr…

Students can set goals.
Teachers can guide future writing instruction.
Growth becomes visible.

And when growth is visible, confidence grows too.

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Celebrating Young Authors: Books for Breakfast

At the end of our unit, we celebrate.

We host a Books for Breakfast Nonfiction Celebration

Students bring a stuffed animal.
Parents visit.
Children share their nonfiction books.
They write a stuffed animal report.
They read their nonfiction books that they wrote.
They enjoy a snack and celebrate their hard work.

It’s simple.

It’s joyful.

And it sends a powerful message:

Your writing matters.

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How This Fits Into My Yearlong Writing Workshop

If you’ve read my post about all of my

  WRITING WORKSHOP UNITS, 

you know that I build writing step-by-step across the year.

We begin with drawing and labeling.
We move into writing lists and then repeat books.
We introduce nonfiction and how-to writing.
And then we end our year with writing special memories (personal narratives).

Each unit builds on the last.

Nonfiction writing strengthens:
• Sentence writing
• Organization
• Reading-to-writing connections
• Phonics application
• Writer identity

When kindergarteners learn how nonfiction books work as readers, and then apply those same tools as writers, everything clicks.

Why Nonfiction Writing in Kindergarten Matters

Nonfiction writing:

✔ Builds background knowledge
✔ Reinforces nonfiction reading skills
✔ Strengthens sentence structure
✔ Encourages real-world curiosity
✔ Helps students think of themselves as authors

And when we provide daily writing opportunities that are structured and supportive, students don’t just write...

they grow into confident writers.

If you’re ready to introduce nonfiction writing in a way that is intentional, engaging, and developmentally appropriate, you can explore the full

  Kindergarten Nonfiction Writing Unit 

Because when we teach nonfiction writing…

We aren’t just teaching facts.

We are building authors. 💛

And if you’d like to see how this unit fits into a complete yearlong writing workshop framework, be sure to read my post about all of my Writing Workshop Units and how they work together to build confident kindergarten writers.

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