Text Exemplars | Mentor Writing Texts

Using text exemplars as mentor texts to help students identify specific parts of writing will be a game-changer in your instruction! Every time I teach a specific component of writing -- whether it is developing the plot in a narrative or creating the topic sentence in an informational text -- I end up writing my own example as a mentor text for students to dissect.

After doing this for years, this incredible set of mentor texts was designed specifically to help you teach students about specific parts of writing. I have provided a model text, annotation guides and questions, and components that will help your students clearly identify and emulate the important parts of writing.

This resource includes NINE mentor texts to be used as exemplar models for students:

• Informational Text Exemplars
  • Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood
  • Rockefeller Christmas Tree

• Narrative Text Exemplars
  • A Black Tie Affair
  • A Birthday at the Zoo

• Opinion Text Exemplars
  • I Should Get an Allowance
  • Summer is the Best Season

• Comparing all three text types (Informational, Narrative, Opinion)
  • Legos (Informational)
  • No More Homework! (Opinion)
  • Saturdays a Nana’s House (Narrative)
    • Please Note: This section of the resource does not include a booklet option, and it does not break apart the sections of text like the other texts do. This 6-page document helps students identify the differences between the three writing genres with specific annotations and thoughtful questions.

Each of the six genre-specific texts includes:

• A mini anchor chart with components of the specific type of writing
  • Example: Introduction, Body, Conclusion, Transition Words, Topic Sentences, etc.

• One-page versions of the text only
• Two-page versions of the text specifically for annotating 
• Four pages of practice with the text broken down into sections with annotation guides and questions
• A one-page backwards plan guide for students to recreate a plan that the author may have used to plan his or her writing
• A rubric for students to “grade” the text
• A double-sided booklet option with annotation notes only
• Answer Key
• Digital Access in Google Slides

This resource is perfect to use as you introduce new genres of writing. I highly recommend placing these exemplars in a writing binder for easy access all year long!