1. What is the best way to find the truth?

2. Fiction and Nonfiction

3. All categories of books or stories can be called either fiction or non-fiction.
A made up story
Can tell about things that could happen
Is read for fun
Characters may be like real people or imaginary
Non-Fiction
Has facts that can be checked and proven
The author is an expert on this information.

4. Fiction or Nonfiction? Fiction
Story is created from the author’s imagination
Stories are pretend
Animals or objects can talk, wear clothes, have jobs
People in the story can do things people cannot really do
Story might have funny pictures

5. Forms of Fiction There are three main forms of fiction.
Novel: long work of fiction; contains the basic elements of fiction; may contain subplots along with the main plot
Subplots: independent related stories
Novella: shorter than a novel but longer than a short story
Short Story: brief work of fiction; contains basic elements of fiction; one main plot; one conflict; most can be read in one sitting

6. What is Fiction? Fiction is a story that is not real.
Picture books
Chapter books
Comics
Story books

7. Genres of Fiction Mystery (Nancy Drew) Horror (Goosebumps)
Fantasy (Harry Potter)
Science-fiction (Star Wars)
Myths, Fairytales, Legends (Cinderella)
Historical Fiction (Letters from Rifka)
Can you name any others?

8. Elements of Fiction Setting Character Plot Point of View Theme
Symbolism
Other

9. Fiction or Nonfiction? Nonfiction Story is true and factual
Stories are about real people
Book gives information
Might have maps or real pictures
Pictures have captions describing the photograph
An index in the back helps find information
Might have a glossary which defines some words

10. What is Non-Fiction? Text that is TRUE and based on REAL information
Forms of Non-Fiction Text:
Newspapers Dictionaries
Encyclopedias Scholastic News
Textbooks Magazines
Non-Fiction Books

11. Forms of Nonfiction
Two broad categories of nonfiction are literary nonfiction and functional texts.
Literary Nonfiction: has elements of fiction; For example it might use vivid descriptions, a dramatic writing style, or poetic language.
Functional Texts: give instructions, show directions, explain rules, provide other information that helps you complete procedures; often use illustrations or graphics

12. Literary Nonfiction Autobiographies and memoirs:
tell the story of the author’s life
Biographies:
tell the story of someone’s life from the
perspective of another writer
Letters:
written communications from person to person

13. Essays and Articles:
brief works about a specific topic
Reviews:
tell what is good and what is bad about a work of
art or performance.
Reports:
give information about a topic explored through
research

14. Functional Texts Recipes: tell how to prepare food
Directions: tell how to operate or assemble equipment
Schedules: tell when events take place
Menus: tell which foods are available and their cost
Brochures: use pictures and text to advertise places or events
Maps: are diagrams that show areas of land
Applications: are written requests to an authority

15. Features of Non-Fiction
Table of Contents
Glossary
Index
Headings
Bold Print
Photographs/Real Pictures
Charts, Graphs, and Maps
Captions
Fact and Opinion

16. Practice Get out a piece of paper!
Write “Fiction/Nonfiction” on your paper and then answer the following.

17. Fiction or Nonfiction? 1.  a mouse that sings
2.  how to cook spaghetti
3.  the life of the president of the United States
4.  a person who can jump over a house
5.  flowers that sing
6.  an elephant that wears a ballerina tutu
7.  wild animals that live in Africa
8.  the surface of the moon
9.  a dog that can talk
10.  how to grow a garden
11.  a moose that can drive a bus
12.  how the heart pumps blood in the body
13.  a tree made of chocolate and gumdrops
14.  which foods are healthy to eat
15.  how to draw a bird