5 Kinds of Nonfiction Text Set 3
Because educators have let me know that they’d like additional text sets to read and discuss with students as they use this activity to introduce the 5 Kinds of Nonfiction classification system, I’m sharing four more here this fall. You can scroll down to find text sets built around the themes of dinosaurs and activism. […]
5 Kinds of Nonfiction Text Set 2
Because educators have let me know that they’d like additional text sets to read and discuss with students as they use this activity to introduce the 5 Kinds of Nonfiction classification system, I’m sharing four more here this fall. You can scroll down to find a dinosaur-themed text set. Today’s topic is activism. Black Lives Matter: […]
5 Kinds of Nonfiction Text Set 1
The best way to introduce students (and other educators) to the 5 Kinds of Nonfiction classification system is to pull all the books off a shelf in the nonfiction section of your school library and sort them. You can find guidelines for this kind of activity here. An important first step in this process is sharing […]
Rainforest Read Alouds + Combining Science with ELA
Many elementary classrooms do a unit about rain forests, and it’s a wonderful way to combine science and language arts. Here are five fantastic read alouds that look at the topic through a variety of lenses—fiction, nonfiction, and informational fiction; expository and narrative; biography and cumulative text. There’s something to engage every child. The Leaf […]
Narrative Nonfiction Is 100% Verifiable
During a recent discussion on social media, I realized that some educators seem to be confused about the meaning of the term “narrative nonfiction.” First and foremost, narrative nonfiction is meticulously researched and every single fact and idea is true. In other words, the information presented in the text is 100 percent verifiable. Period. The […]
10 Bedtime Books for Curious Kids
Kids love nonfiction! Studies show that 40 percent of elementary-aged children prefer fact-based books and another 30 percent enjoy fiction and nonfiction equally. So doesn’t it make sense to share these titles with young readers at home as well as at school? Here are ten science-themed nonfiction picture books that are perfect for exploring as […]
Best Nonfiction of 2020 Roundup
Next Monday is a big day in children’s literature. The winners of the American Library Association’s Youth Media Awards will be announced. So today seems like a good time to look back at some of the highly-regarded titles published last year. There’s no doubt about it. 2020 was a phenomenal year for nonfiction, and it seems […]
Sibert Smackdown! There’s Still Time!
The American Library Association’s Youth Media Awards are less than 3 weeks away. I can’t wait to find who the winners will be, can you? As a nonfiction lover, the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal is my favorite award of all. And that’s why I started the Sibert Smackdown five years ago. It’s a fun activity for students in […]
My 10-ish Favorite STEM Books of 2020
Today I’m finishing up my posts for 2020 with my annual list of favorite STEM books. This year’s list includes fifteen titles because I just couldn’t narrow it down to ten. It was a stellar year for nonfiction, and for STEM titles in particular. Six of the books appeared on from my #SibertSmackdown list a […]
It’s Time for the Sibert Smackdown!
The Sibert Smackdown is an activity intended to build enthusiasm for the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal, which is given each year as part of the American Library Association’s annual Youth Media Awards. It focuses on picture books because they are more manageable to read in a school setting. Here’s how it works. Students in grades 3-8 read the […]