Writing Genre Examples
Report
Definition: A report is a piece of writing that results from gathering, investigating, and organizing facts and thoughts on a focused topic.
Recommended Subject Areas: Every subject area, Social Studies in particular
Example Assignments:
• Physical Education: Writing on how fitness improves brain function.
• Social Studies: Writing on Chinese investment in Africa.
• Art: Writing on the discrimination against a particular female artist in history.
• Music: Writing on the history of a music genre.
Response to Text
Definition: A response to text analyzes ideas/concepts/structures of a text to make inferences on content, characters, themes, or author's craft, within a literary or informational text.
Recommended Subject Areas: Every subject area, English/Language Arts in particular
Example Assignments:
• English: Writing on Card’s Ender’s Game, describing how video games mirror life.
• Science: Writing on the perspective of Rachel Carson in her book, Silent Spring.
• Mathematics: Writing on Abbott’s Flatland, comparing the 2D and 3D worlds.
• Health: Writing on the impact of substance use and the brain based on one or more articles.
Persuasive Essay
Definition: A persuasive essay aims to convince readers to accept a point of view, in order to change their minds about something or to act in a certain way.
Recommended Subject Areas: Social Studies, Science, Wellness, Family/Consumer Science
Example Assignments:
• FCS: Writing on whether or not there is a link between fast food and obesity.
• Driver’s Education: Writing on whether or not the drinking age should be changed.
• Personalized Learning: Writing on whether or not self-sufficiency is a desirable goal.
• Social Studies: Writing on how President George W. Bush should be remembered.
Procedure
Definition: A procedure essay explains a process of clear, logical and easy-to-follow steps on how to do something.
Recommended Subject Areas: Science, Mathematics, Physical Education, Family and Consumer Science, Driver
Education, Art, Music
Example Assignments:
• Art: Writing on ceramics steps, from making slip and hand-building to glazing and firing.
• Science: Writing an explanation of testing a hypothesis in an experiment.
• Technology: Writing a description of the creative process, from brainstorming and designing to development and application.
• Theater: Writing the steps to move from the written play to the stage performance.
Narrative
Definition: A narrative essay tells a story or recounts an event.
Recommended Subject Areas: Every subject area, English/Language Arts in particular
Example Assignments:
• Any subject: Writing about a person or an event from a particular time period.
• English: Writing a description of the arc of a character.
• Physical Education: Writing on the student’s personal attempts to lead a healthy lifestyle.
• Music: Writing on how music has influenced the student culturally or psychologically.
Reflective
Definition: A reflection explores and shares the meaning of a personal experience, belief, or idea.
Recommended Subject Areas: Every subject area, English/Language Arts in particular
Example Assignments:
• Art: Writing on the Medici family’s influence on art and how the student would or would not compromise his/her values and aesthetics to serve them.
• Social Studies: Writing on the risks taken during the civil rights era and how the student would or would not take action on an issue.
• Science: Writing on an environmental issue and what steps the student would and would not want to take help solve the problem.
• Any subject area: Writing on a personal experience that changed the student’s understanding.
