1. 4th grade Comprehension of Literary Texts/Literary Non-fiction
TEK 4.7A Identify similarities and differences between the events and characters' experiences in a fictional work and the actual events and experiences described in an author’s biography or autobiography

2. ENGAGE
Read fictional pieces by the author. Make some inferences about the author.

3. ENGAGE Read fictional pieces by the author. Make some
inferences about the author.
Notice & Discuss:
What can you tell about the author?
What do you think the author’s interests are? Why?
Where might the author get his/her ideas from? What makes you think this?
Does this remind you of anything else you’ve read or seen? What? How?

4. EXPLORE/EXPLAIN 1
Begin filling in actual events & characters’ experiences on a T-chart (to compare the fiction story to the biography/autobiography).
Events & Character Experiences in Nettie Jo’s Friends
Actual Events & Experiences of Patricia McKissack
i.e.
--imagining talking to animals
--excited about being in a wedding

5. EXPLORE/EXPLAIN 2 Read the author’s autobiography or
Biographies about the
author. Fill in the
“actual events” part
of the comparison
chart.

6. EXPLORE/EXPLAIN 2
Read the author’s autobiography or biographies about the author. Fill in the “actual events” part of the comparison chart.
Events & Character Experiences in Nettie Jo’s Friends
Actual Events & Experiences of Patricia McKissack
i.e.
--imagining talking to animals
--excited about being in a wedding
--teacher told her she had a wonderful imagination
--told a story about a mouse & rabbit touring her around

7. ELABORATE
Write a concluding statement or reflection statement, based on the information you gathered in your chart.
Events & Character Experiences in Nettie Jo’s Friends
Actual Events & Experiences of Patricia McKissack
i.e.
--imagining talking to animals
--excited about being in a wedding
--teacher told her she had a wonderful imagination
--told a story about a mouse & rabbit touring her around
Conclusion Statement: (what is similar, different, what do you notice, what are you thinking now?) i.e. McKissack likes using her imagination. She probably got some of her ideas from stories her father told her.

8. EVALUATE Reader’s Response Kilgo’s Question Stems:
What do the characters in ________ and have ___________ have in common?
A similarity in events between the two selections is ______________.
In what way are ____________’s experiences different about his/her life than in the biography he/she wrote?

9. RESOURCES!! Jane Yolen Patricia Polacco Cynthia Rylant Seymour Simon
Richard C. Owens Publishers
Meet the Authors Series
Jane Yolen
Patricia Polacco
Cynthia Rylant
Seymour Simon
Paul Goble
Eve Bunting
Lois Ehlert

10. RESOURCES! The Children’s Literature Web Guide
“Authors on the Web” (link)
For example:
**For biographies & autobiographies about authors,
search iBistro, key word: authors**