1. Non-Fiction Introduction Mrs. Barnes Grade 7 – English Language Arts

2. Experience with Non-Fiction Many students lack experience reading and working with non-fiction texts. Many students lack experience reading and working with non-fiction texts. There are tools to know and use so as to ensure reading non-fiction texts is comprehendible. There are tools to know and use so as to ensure reading non-fiction texts is comprehendible.

3. Why Read Non-Fiction? The ability to understand and write non- fiction is a very valuable skill. The ability to understand and write non- fiction is a very valuable skill. Reading non-fiction increases world knowledge and provides language that is generally not discussed in every day conversation. Reading non-fiction increases world knowledge and provides language that is generally not discussed in every day conversation. Non-fiction is a preferred reading genre of young adults. Non-fiction is a preferred reading genre of young adults.

4. The Most Common Type The most common type of non-fiction text that young adults are exposed to is the “text book” The most common type of non-fiction text that young adults are exposed to is the “text book”

5. Non-Fiction Strategies There are three strategies to use to help understand non-fiction text. 1. PREVIEW: 2. TEXT FEATURES: Looking at the title, the heading and the subheadings allows the reader to be able to predict what the text will be about – what is the main idea? Looking at the title, the heading and the subheadings allows the reader to be able to predict what the text will be about – what is the main idea? Allow the reader to take additional meaning from a text over and above words written on a page. Allow the reader to take additional meaning from a text over and above words written on a page.

6. Non-Fiction Strategies Continued - Common text features: Common text features: - Diagrams - Flow charts - Online Sources - Graphs - Maps - Timelines - Primary Sources

7. Non-Fiction Strategies TEXT STRUCTURES TEXT STRUCTURES Identify the organization of the text Identify the organization of the text There are Five kinds of text structures: 1. Description/Listing – providing info, facts, characteristics, attributes. This is usually the textbook format. 2. Compare/Contrast – point our likeness/differences between two or more subjects

8. Non-Fiction Strategies 3. Sequence/Time Order – presents a series of events that take place in chronological order 4. Cause/Effect – attempts to explain why something happens; how facts or events lead to other facts or events 5. Problem/Solution – describes a problem and presents one or more solutions to that problem