Non-fiction notes
Tony Stead's RAN chart ( reading and analyzing non-fiction )is an adaptation of the traditional KWL chart that teachers use when working with non-fiction. It's focus is on what we THINK we know, CONFIRMATION of that information, Misconceptions, NEW learning and Wonderings. It sets up the purpose for reading as students move their "knowledge" to the Confirmation segment of the chart or the Misconception segment AFTER they have participated in research. The class notes new learnings from the research and poses extension questions based on the facts. See video at left.
best non-fiction booksThe above chart is taken from Is that a Fact? by Tony Stead and is based on work from J.Martin 1985
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Every teacher has their favorites. here are a few of mine, mostly by author Gail Gibbons who may have written more primary-aged non fiction text than any other author. She's a sure bet. Classrooms need hundreds of non-fiction text in order to fully explore topics of interest among children.
Purposes of Non-Fiction Writing:
There are so many reasons to write. Knowing your audience and what message you are trying to convey is central to writing successfully. So, finding a purpose for the writing is the first step. Begin with check your curriculum to see what text types and purposes are required and select mentor text that will illustrate clearly the purpose and format of the writing. Study the mentor text and draw out key features, language or text structures, and focus on the purpose for the writing. Creating an class anchor chart will keep those elements fresh for the students and direct the learning. See below for some anchor chart ideas. After this has been done, a class write is helpful for really consolidating that information and structure. Then, the students may be ready for an independent write based on that text type and purpose. |
opinion/Persuasive Topics |
purpose and types of non-fiction writing |
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text features list |
procedural text topics-division 1 |
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non-fiction anchor charts
Below are some anchor charts that I've collected from classrooms or on the web that illustrate features of text types particular to non-fiction writing. Argument writing is quite specific and often includes writing a counter-argument. It is based on providing evidence for your lead statements. The fourth chart indicates procedural writing, using transition or signal words and is a great example for early elementary. The scientific process indicates the steps used in scientific inquiry which poses as a reference for students writing up their experiments, the Moon chart is an example of a descriptive text.
fresh from twitter...
Newsela-This amazing site has non-fiction articles that come in various reading levels beginning at a grade 2/3 level. Once you sign up, just click on the lexile level at the right to increase or decrease the level of text difficulty. Not all articles off the same range of difficulty but this nonfiction buffet ranges from space to war to kids to entertainment. It is a valuable option for ELLs, strugglers and for pushing all students to encounter text and content in increasingly demanding ways.