Fiction Genres: Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Drama, Poetry, Traditional Fiction Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

Example: Realistic Fiction Some of the elements of realistic fiction: Characters behave like real people and animals Settings in the story are real or could be real Events in the story could happen in real life Conflicts in the story are similar to problems that happen in real life Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Historical Fiction Some of the elements of historical fiction: Story is set in a particular time and place in the past Characters talk, dress, and act like people of that time period Story involves characters and events that could have happened in history Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Fantasy Some of the elements of fantasy: People, animals, or objects do things they cannot do in real life. Story takes place in a make-believe setting that does not exist in the real world Story has creatures in it that are not found in real life Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Science Fiction Some of the elements of science fiction: Characters solve problems in a futuristic setting anywhere in the universe Humans, extraterrestrials, or members of other species Involve the effects of advanced science and technology on life Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Play/Drama Some of the elements of a play/drama: Meant to be performed or acted out Types of plays are tragedies and comedies Has a list that names and describes the characters Includes descriptions of scenes or settings Includes dialogue or lines Includes stage directions Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Poetry Some of the elements of poetry: Poems often contain words that rhyme Poems often contain incomplete sentences, each on its own line Poems often contain lines with rhythm or meter Poems often contain repeated words Poems often are rich in imagery Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Traditional Fiction Types of Stories: Fairy Tale, Folk Tale, Fable, Fantasy, Legend, Myth Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

Example: Fairy Tales Some of the elements of the genre of fairy tales: Begins with the phrase like “Once upon a time…” or “Once there was…” Setting is a faraway or imaginary land Characters are often royal, such as kings, queens, princes, princess… The granting of wishes and the use of magical powers A happy ending where good wins over evil Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Folk Tales Some of the elements of folk tales: Different countries have similar folk tales Folk tales often begin with “Once upon a time” or “Long ago in a far away place…” Characters can be animals or objects that can speak The story often teaches a lesson or moral Good or smart wins over evil or stupid Actions or words are often repeated (in a pattern) The story has an exciting “high point” at the end Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Fable Some of the elements of a fable: Stories are very short Stories usually have two or three characters The characters may be animals or things that act like people Teach a “lesson” or moral Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Legend Some of the elements of legends: A story about a hero or heroine May be based on facts, but the hero or heroine’s actions are “bigger” than life The story has factual elements, but through countless retellings, the characters and their actions have become exaggerated Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Myth Some of the elements of a myth: A story that offers an explanation of how something in nature looks or happens A story that explains why people act as they do The characters may be human, or gods or goddesses Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Nonfiction Genres: Biography, Autobiography, Informational Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

Example: Biography Some of the elements of a biography: An account of a real person’s life written by someone else Tells important information about a person’s life Either may be the about the person’s whole life or part of their life Events are usually told in the order they occurred (chronologically) Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Autobiography Some of the elements of an autobiography: An account by a person about his or her own life Tells important information about their own life Tells how the person talks, feels, and thinks about things Either may be the about the person’s whole life or part of their life Events are usually told in the order they occurred (chronologically) Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Informational Some of the elements of informational nonfiction: Text that provides factual information on a variety of topics. Textbooks, books about science, books about history, weather, sports, animals, travel, etc. Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig