A Set of Worksheets for Comparing Narrative and Informational Texts

Understanding the differences between narrative texts and informational texts is an important aspect of literacy development. This knowledge allows students to identify how authors can approach the same subject in contrasting ways, enhancing their ability to identify and interpret text structures, purposes and language choices.

This set of worksheets has been designed by the Teach Starter team to help students deepen their understanding of narrative and informative texts through a process of comparison. The worksheet pack features two carefully curated texts on three different topics:

• Forces of Nature: Volcanoes (Informative)
• Might Mount Koru (Narrative)
• Wild Weather: Thunderstorms (Informative)
• The Midnight Thunderstorm (Narrative)
• All About Archaeology (Informative)
• The Great Discovery (Narrative)

A comparison table is also included that can be used to compare any pair of narrative and informative texts. The table guides the students in comparing elements of the two texts such as purpose, topic, text structure, text features and language. 

This set of comparing narrative and informative texts worksheets downloads as an easy-print PDF or an editable Google Slides digital document.

How to Use These Comparing Narrative and Informational Text Worksheets

Here’s a suggested approach to using this resource with your students to compare narrative and informational texts:

1. Introduce the Text Types – Begin by discussing the two main types of texts: narratives (stories that entertain or share experiences) and informational (texts that educate or inform). Discuss the purpose, structure and language features of each.
2. Choose and Read Texts – Choose one of the pairs of texts featured in the resource, such as the texts on volcanoes. Read the narrative text as a class, pausing to ask questions about the characters, setting, plot and language features. Then read the informational text, pointing out facts, text features (such as headings or diagrams) and how the text structures information clearly and logically.
3. Model the Comparison – Project the comparison table on your interactive whiteboard. As a class, complete the table by comparing and contrasting the purpose, topic, text structure, text features and language of the two texts on volcanoes.
4. Group, Pair or Independent Work – Assign each student (or pair of students) another pair of texts, either on thunderstorms or archaeology. Instruct the students to read the two texts, then complete the worksheet independently or with a partner. Encourage students to refer to the sample completed as a class if they need a guide.
5. Sharing Findings – Bring the class back together and ask students to share one or two key observations about their text comparisons.

Download These Compare and Contrast Texts Worksheets

Use the Download button to access your preferred version of this resource. (Note: You will be prompted to make a copy of the Google Slides template on your personal drive before accessing it.)

As the download contains multiple texts, we suggest printing one copy of the entire resource, then removing the texts you wish to use before making copies for your students.

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