1 English SOL Institute Elementary Nonfiction Reading Strand English SOL Institute Elementary Nonfiction Reading Strand Engaging Ways to Teach with Nonfiction Jessica Hodge

2 Elementary Nonfiction Reading Nonfiction comprises at least half of what students read Nonfiction comprises at least half of what students read Content area lessons should reflect integrated English SOL within planning and instruction OR English lessons should integrate other content area information Content area lessons should reflect integrated English SOL within planning and instruction OR English lessons should integrate other content area information Key Points in Reading

3 Elementary Nonfiction Reading Key Points in Reading Comprehension skills and strategies are woven throughout Comprehension skills and strategies are woven throughout As students become independent readers, they need to be instructed in reading texts that are considerably longer and more complex in plot, syntax, and structure As students become independent readers, they need to be instructed in reading texts that are considerably longer and more complex in plot, syntax, and structure

4 Elementary Nonfiction Reading What is Nonfiction? Ways to introduce it… Gather a variety of nonfiction books and materials for students to look through or to show them Gather a variety of nonfiction books and materials for students to look through or to show them Draw them in! Be sure to include things that will interest your students. Draw them in! Be sure to include things that will interest your students. Ask students what the materials have in common Ask students what the materials have in common Discuss the definition of nonfiction Discuss the definition of nonfiction Create a class nonfiction anchor chart including everything they can think of that is nonfiction Create a class nonfiction anchor chart including everything they can think of that is nonfiction

Nonfiction Anchor Chart What is Nonfiction? BiographiesNewspapers Nonfiction is… Encyclopedias Based on fact textbooks About real things, people, places & events How-to…All about… play baseball Digital Information animals Science History What is Nonfiction? BiographiesNewspapers Nonfiction is… Encyclopedias Based on fact textbooks About real things, people, places & events How-to…All about… play baseball Digital Information animals Science History 5

6 Elementary Nonfiction Reading What is Nonfiction? More ways to introduce and learn about it… and learn about it… Fiction verses nonfiction Venn diagram Fiction verses nonfiction Venn diagram Nonfiction features reader’s theater Nonfiction features reader’s theater (see handout) Nonfiction feature hunt Nonfiction feature hunt Make nonfiction feature notebooks Make nonfiction feature notebooks Nonfiction features anchor chart Nonfiction features anchor chart

7 Elementary Nonfiction Reading Nonfiction strategies for guided reading Before Reading: Set the purpose Set the purpose Discuss prior knowledge Discuss prior knowledge Nonfiction text feature hunt Nonfiction text feature hunt Make predictions based on table of contents, about the main idea, author’s purpose, etc. Make predictions based on table of contents, about the main idea, author’s purpose, etc. Begin KWL chart Begin KWL chart Anticipation Guide Anticipation Guide 5 Finger Strategy 5 Finger Strategy

5-Finger Strategy for Informational Text 1.Read the title. Do I know anything about it? 2.Read the subtitles. What do I think the connection is between this and the title? 3.Look at words that are bolded and italicized. What are the connections? 4.Take a picture walk through the text. What connections can I make? 5.Read the first and last paragraphs. Does this help me with the big picture? 1.Read the title. Do I know anything about it? 2.Read the subtitles. What do I think the connection is between this and the title? 3.Look at words that are bolded and italicized. What are the connections? 4.Take a picture walk through the text. What connections can I make? 5.Read the first and last paragraphs. Does this help me with the big picture? 8

Feature Hunt Pre-reading Activity Example Name _____________________ Title: _____________________________________ Before Reading Preview your book. Circle all the nonfiction text features found in your book. table of contentsheadingsphotographs captionsdiagramsglossary indexcharts Name one thing you know about the person you are going to read about. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Write a question you have about the person. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Name _____________________ Title: _____________________________________ Before Reading Preview your book. Circle all the nonfiction text features found in your book. table of contentsheadingsphotographs captionsdiagramsglossary indexcharts Name one thing you know about the person you are going to read about. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Write a question you have about the person. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 9

10 Elementary Nonfiction Reading Nonfiction strategies for guided reading During Reading: Sticky Notes or bookmarks: important facts, questions, I want to know more, interesting part, favorite part, confirmed prediction Sticky Notes or bookmarks: important facts, questions, I want to know more, interesting part, favorite part, confirmed prediction Make connections (text to self, text to text, text to world, text to media) Make connections (text to self, text to text, text to world, text to media) Confirm written predictions by writing true or false next to them and recording the page number where the event occurred Confirm written predictions by writing true or false next to them and recording the page number where the event occurred

11 Elementary Nonfiction Reading Nonfiction strategies for guided reading After Reading: Write a book review. Was this book informative? Write a book review. Was this book informative? Illustrate a fact from the book and write a caption Illustrate a fact from the book and write a caption 3 facts and a fib 3 facts and a fib 3 facts and an opinion 3 facts and an opinion Complete a graphic organizer, ex: 3-2-1, web, compare/contrast, cause & effect Complete a graphic organizer, ex: 3-2-1, web, compare/contrast, cause & effect Complete KWL Complete KWL QAR QAR Confirm predictions Confirm predictions Identify the author’s purpose. Find supporting facts/statements Identify the author’s purpose. Find supporting facts/statements Write about or illustrate the main idea Write about or illustrate the main idea

3-2-1 Graphic Organizer Topic: Sharks 3 Things I Learned: 1.Large sharks eat almost anything, including other sharks. 2.Fully grown sharks range from 7 to 60 feet long. 3.Sharks do not have bones, but are made of cartilage. 2 Interesting Facts: 1.There are more than 250 species of sharks. 2.Sharks have up to 7 rows of replacement teeth. 1 Question I have: 1.How do sharks find their prey? Topic: Sharks 3 Things I Learned: 1.Large sharks eat almost anything, including other sharks. 2.Fully grown sharks range from 7 to 60 feet long. 3.Sharks do not have bones, but are made of cartilage. 2 Interesting Facts: 1.There are more than 250 species of sharks. 2.Sharks have up to 7 rows of replacement teeth. 1 Question I have: 1.How do sharks find their prey? 12

13 Elementary Nonfiction Reading Instructional Activities Using Content Area Reading Strategies Chart questions about the topic on a 5 w’s chart. Fill in answers throughout or at the end of the unit Chart questions about the topic on a 5 w’s chart. Fill in answers throughout or at the end of the unit Unit anticipation guide Unit anticipation guide Anchor Chart Anchor Chart KWL or KWLH (Know, Want to know, Learned, How can I learn more) KWL or KWLH (Know, Want to know, Learned, How can I learn more) Create a brochure about the topic. Create a brochure about the topic. Write questions about the topic for a partner to answer Write questions about the topic for a partner to answer Write a letter to a fictional or real person from that time and place in history Write a letter to a fictional or real person from that time and place in history Write a persuasive letter using facts from the unit Write a persuasive letter using facts from the unit

Unit Anticipation Guide Anticipation Guide for Ancient Egypt Think about what you already know about ancient Egypt. Use what you know to make your best guess about each statement. Circle True or False for each statement in the before column. At the end of the unit we will complete the after column. Before After Egypt is located in Asia.TrueFalse True False The climate in Egypt is hot and dry.TrueFalse True False Egyptians built pyramids as tombs.TrueFalse True False The written language in ancient EgyptTrueFalse True False was called Braille. The ancient Egyptians invented paperTrueFalse True False made from a plant called papyrus. Anticipation Guide for Ancient Egypt Think about what you already know about ancient Egypt. Use what you know to make your best guess about each statement. Circle True or False for each statement in the before column. At the end of the unit we will complete the after column. Before After Egypt is located in Asia.TrueFalse True False The climate in Egypt is hot and dry.TrueFalse True False Egyptians built pyramids as tombs.TrueFalse True False The written language in ancient EgyptTrueFalse True False was called Braille. The ancient Egyptians invented paperTrueFalse True False made from a plant called papyrus. 14

15 Elementary Nonfiction Reading Instructional Activities Using Content Area Reading Strategies Create a reader’s theater script using facts learned Create a reader’s theater script using facts learned Create a timeline of important events from a period in history or a person’s life in pictures or words Create a timeline of important events from a period in history or a person’s life in pictures or words Create a dramatic presentation. Students write their own script and act out an important event. Invite students in the audience to ask questions at the end of the presentation. Create a dramatic presentation. Students write their own script and act out an important event. Invite students in the audience to ask questions at the end of the presentation. Visualize- Draw what you saw as you were reading about an important event Visualize- Draw what you saw as you were reading about an important event

Tips & Tricks Anchor ChartsAnchor Charts Reader’s TheaterReader’s Theater Check the readability of Word documentsCheck the readability of Word documents Print on sticky notesPrint on sticky notes Anchor ChartsAnchor Charts Reader’s TheaterReader’s Theater Check the readability of Word documentsCheck the readability of Word documents Print on sticky notesPrint on sticky notes 16

Fabulous Resources for Teaching Nonfiction and More Instructions and downloadable templates for many reading strategies including QAR, KWL, 3-2-1, story maps, history frame, etc. Explanation of content area reading strategies and instructions for instructional activities using them Resources for reading, spelling and writing, including many printable sheets and bookmarks Join and create your own education boards. Explore the education section. See what great ideas your fellow educator friends are posting! Lessons, printable resources, games, etc. for sale by teachers. There are lots of FREEBIES too! educators/ educators/ This is a great list of elementary teacher blogs to check out. Instructions and downloadable templates for many reading strategies including QAR, KWL, 3-2-1, story maps, history frame, etc. Explanation of content area reading strategies and instructions for instructional activities using them Resources for reading, spelling and writing, including many printable sheets and bookmarks Join and create your own education boards. Explore the education section. See what great ideas your fellow educator friends are posting! Lessons, printable resources, games, etc. for sale by teachers. There are lots of FREEBIES too! educators/ educators/ This is a great list of elementary teacher blogs to check out. 17

Contact Information Jessica Hodge Jessica Hodge

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