Free Year 4 An Australian Animal — Information Report
Students research and write a structured information report on an Australian animal using subheadings for classification, appearance, habitat, diet and threats. The plan doubles as a research organiser, and the success criteria emphasise factual language, technical vocabulary and a clear general opening statement.
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- Year
- Year 4
- Subject
- English
- Topic
- Informative Writing
- Difficulty
- Level 1 · Easier
- Estimated time
- 40 minutes
- Curriculum
- Australian Curriculum
- Questions
- 6
- Answers
- Included, with working
- Format
- PDF (A4) + print
Students will practise
- organising facts under subheadings
- writing a general classification statement
- using technical vocabulary and present tense
- writing in a formal, factual voice
Curriculum: Australian Curriculum. We show specific outcome codes only where they have been verified against the official curriculum document.
What's next?
Completed: An Australian Animal — Information Report
Ready for more? Move on to Year 5 English.
How to use this writing prompt
- Print the PDF or complete it on screen. Write the student's name and date at the top.
- Read the instructions for each part together before starting. Encourage working to be shown.
- Mark with the answer sheet. Use the model answers and success criteria as a guide rather than a single right answer.
- Record the score, celebrate what went well, then follow the "What's next" suggestion.
Common questions
Who is this writing prompt for?
Year 4 students (typically ages 9–10) working on informative writing. It is pitched at level 1 · easier.
Are the answers included?
Yes. The PDF includes a full answer sheet with model answers and success criteria where there is more than one good answer. You can also view the answers online.
How long does it take?
About 40 minutes for 6 questions. Short, regular sessions work best: two or three a week beats one long one.
Do I need to sign up to download?
No. Click Download Free PDF and it opens immediately. It is free for personal, classroom and homeschool use.
What should we do next?
Explore more Year 4 english resources.
Preview
Year 4 · English · Informative Writing
An Australian Animal — Information Report
Student name:
Date:
Research first, fill in the plan, then write your report under subheadings.
The prompt
Choose an Australian animal, such as the wombat, the cassowary, the sugar glider, the saltwater crocodile or the bilby. Find out about it from a book or a trusted website, then write an information report to teach a reader who has never heard of it.
A good information report has:
• A title and a general statement that says what the animal is (for example, 'The wombat is a burrowing marsupial found in south-eastern Australia').
• Subheadings such as Appearance, Habitat, Diet, Behaviour and Threats.
• Facts written in the present tense and the third person (it, they), not 'I think'.
• Technical words such as nocturnal, marsupial, habitat, predator.
• A short concluding statement with an interesting fact or why the animal matters.
Plan
Use this table to organise your research notes before you write.
Write
Preview — the PDF contains the full resource and answer sheet.
Informative Writing in other year levels
- All About My Favourite Animal — Information Writing
Writing Prompt · Year 2 · Informative Writing · Getting started
- Explain How It Works — Explanation Writing
Writing Prompt · Year 6 · Informative Writing · Level 2 · Standard
About this resource
- Created by
- Success Tutoring
- Last reviewed
- 1 October 2026
- How it was made
- Written by our team
Free to print and share for personal, classroom and homeschool use. Please don't resell. Spotted an error? Let us know.