Lesson Three:  What is Non-Fiction?

The teacher reads a nonfiction text on butterflies (Butterfly by Susan Canizares or From Caterpillar to Butterfly by Deborah Heiligman) and defines nonfiction.

GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS

R1E:  Develop vocabulary by listening to and discussing unknown words in stories.

LS1A:  Listen for enjoyment, for information, and for simple directions, with teacher assistance.

LESSON MATERIALS

Sources of Literature

§         Butterfly by Susan Canizares or From Caterpillar to Butterfly by Deborah Heiligman

Supplies

§         None

Handouts

• None

Vocabulary

• nonfiction

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT

Make mental notes of students’ ability to connect the text to self by their response to the question, “What did the story teach you?” which will be recorded later in anecdotal notes and on a checklist of all unit objectives.  At the end of this lesson, record your observations of students’ ability to connect the text to self by their response to the question, “What did the story teach you?”   Notes from this observation and others can be used to rate each student using the checklist at the end of this unit.

LEARNING ACTIVITIES

1.        Gather in the read-aloud area and gain attention of students by using a class signal.

2.        Introduce the title of the book and the author/illustrator.  

3.        Discuss the cover.

4.        Read Butterfly or From Caterpillar to Butterfly or your book of choice.

5.        Introduce the term non-fiction and the definition.  Define non-fiction as a book that tries to teach you something by using information that is true

6.        Discuss story.