1. Reading and Writing Non-Fiction

2. Engagements with Language
Reading
Writing
Speaking
Listening

3. Reading Writing Speaking Listening
Language Engagement
Reading Writing Speaking Listening
Over the course of a day, what is your
experience with nonfiction?

4. “Unfortunately, little nonfiction, beyond personal narrative, is practiced in classrooms. Children are content to tell their own stories, but the notion that someone can write about an idea and thereby affect the lives and thinking of others is rarely discussed.”
Donald Graves, 1994

5. The Reading/Writing Connection
Bringing nonfiction into the classroom—
Exposure and Access
Use in All Content Areas
Teach Nonfiction Text Features

6. Features of Nonfiction Text that Support All Content Areas
Key features support readers in navigating through resources
Provides access to rich content
Allows readers to access information efficiently
Provides readers with a deeper understanding of content
Extends information and student learning beyond the text
Organizes the information
Frontloads vocabulary, diagrams, tables

7. Some Key Purposes for Writing Nonfiction
To describe (descriptive reports)
To explain
To instruct
To persuade
To retell/nonfiction narrative
To explore and maintain relationships with others

8. Students Best Learn How to Write NF When They:
See a purpose for the writing and have an audience in mind.
See many models of different types of nonfiction writing for a variety of purposes.
See demonstrations of how to write different types for different purposes.

9. Are given time and opportunity to engage in working with nonfiction texts.
Are allowed to take on responsibility for their learning.
Are given opportunities to learn from each other.
Are expected to learn.
Feel comfortable in having a try.

10. Nonfiction Reading/Writing Activities/Strategies
Modified Inquiry Project
Mini-Research Projects
Interactive Editing
RAN Strategy
Morpheme/Contextual Vocabulary
Levels of Understanding
Directed Reading and Thinking Activity (DRTA)

11. Modified Inquiry Projects
Exploration for a specific purpose
Uses a comprehensive framework
Modeled reading/writing
Shared reading/writing
Guided reading/writing
Independent reading/writing

12. The Life Cycle of a Frog
Read alouds & shared reading
Anchor Charts—shared writing
Interactive Writing
Writers Workshop

20. Mini-Research Projects
Introducing nonfiction inquiry through mini-research engages kids without overwhelming them—later, long-term projects don’t seem so overwhelming
Learners are naturally curious—Teachers who invite kids to identify an interest and ask questions about it are rewarded with classrooms filled with excitement, enthusiasm, and wonder
-Harvey, 1998

23. Interactive Editing
A strategy used to teach writing to both proficient and struggling readers.
Writing instruction in both form and content.
A model for writing from any content area.
Using the reading of text as a model to cooperatively write new products.
A strategy that supports comprehension through discussion.
A way to teach students different writing types and styles
-Swartz, 2001

24. RAN Strategy Reading & Analyzing Nonfiction
What I Think I Know
Confirmed (Yes, I Was Right)
Misconceptions
New Information
Wonderings
KWL Strategy:
What I Know
What I Want to Know
What I Learned
-Tony Stead, 2006

25. RAN Strategy What I Think I Know Confirmed New Information Wonderings
Misconceptions
New
Information
Wonderings
Children state information they think is correct about a topic
Children research to confirm prior knowledge
Children research to discard prior knowledge
Children research to find additional information not stated in prior knowledge
Children raise questions based on the new information gathered

26. RAN Strategy: Writing Links
Allows the writer to think about prior knowledge before drafting
Encourages the writer to research to confirm or disregard prior thinking
Helps the writer read to locate new information, not just prior thinking
Ensures accuracy of information because the writer is including only information that is confirmed prior knowledge or new information explicitly stated in the materials they are reading
The category “Wonderings” encourages the writer to read to locate specific information

27. Writing Organizer
My Name________________ Name of Book _____________________
What I think I know
Now I know it’s true
New facts I found out

28. Content Area Vocabulary
The “key” to unlocking comprehension in any content area

29. Vocabulary Strategy #1 Morphemes
Use your knowledge of morphemes
to decode the following word.
What does it mean:
PNEUMONOULTRAMICROSCOPICSILICOVOLCANOCONIOSIS

30. Need some help? Let’s see if context helps ( Vocab Strategy # 2)…
Because of his proximity to Mt. Saint Helens, he contracted PNEUMONOULTRAMICROSCOPICSILICOVOLCANOCONIOSIS
Pneumono - related to the lungs
Ultra - transcending; super
Micro – small
Scopic– related to a viewing instrument
Silico- the mineral silicon
Volcano- eruption in the earth from which molten rock, steam, and dust issue
Coni ( konis) – dust
Osis – referring to a disease condition

31. Levels of Understanding (Raphael, 1984)
Text Explicit : “Right there” information
Text Implicit: “Think and Search” information
Experienced Based: “On My Own” information

32. Directed Reading & Thinking Activity (DRTA)
Strategy for expository text
Self-questioning
Students predict forthcoming information
Sets purposes for reading that are personally interesting
Questions not answered in
text are researched further

33. DRTA steps
Students survey the chapter topic by considering title, headings, illustrations, diagrams, etc.
Students write down questions that come to mind ( A running journal is useful)
As a class discuss various student generated questions
Students individually or buddy read the text, discuss answers in small or whole group
Students decide which questions where NOT answered, and where they might find the answers in further research

34. “Writing is not about what is in our minds
“Writing is not about what is in our minds it’s about what’s going on around us.”
Tony Stead, 2006