Exploring the 5 Kinds of Nonfiction with Students Majoring in Education by Valerie Bang-Jensen
A few weeks ago, Professor Valerie Bang-Jensen let me know about a great activity she’d developed for her undergraduate education students, and I asked if she’d share more details in a blog post. I’m so grateful that she agreed. Thank you, Valerie, for this wonderful way of introducing the 5 Kinds of Nonfiction classification system […]
Info Writing Tip: Nonfiction Books by Text Structure
Nonfiction children’s books can be sorted into five majorcategories—active, browseable, traditional, expository literature, andnarrative. When students understand the characteristics of these categories, they can predict the kind of information they’re likely to find in a book and how that information will be presented. As a result, they can quickly and easily identify the best books […]
The Goal of 5 Kinds of Nonfiction
Recently, I’ve been receiving emails from authors who haven’t had a chance to read 5 Kinds of Nonfiction: Enriching Reading and Writing Instruction with Children’s Books. They are sending me a PDF of their nonfiction book and asking me to classify it for them. While I do read the PDF and send them my thinking about […]
Info Writing Tip: The Idea Incubator
In most schools, students do an informational writing unit in the winter—right after the holiday break. But now’s the time to do one small thing that will make a HUGE difference when January rolls around. We all know that students do their best informational writing when they select their own topics. They’re more invested in the […]
A Deep Dive into Nonfiction by Kim Haines
After reading school librarian Meredith Inkeles’s blog post about students writing book reviews for nonfiction books, fourth grade teacher Kim Haines was inspired to combine that lesson with a variety of other activities that I’ve share on this blog, on my website, and in 5 Kinds of Nonfiction: Enriching Reading and Writing Instruction with Children’s Books […]
My Favorite Research Story by Miranda Paul
Today we continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors discuss the joys and challenges of the research process with an essay by Miranda Paul. Thank you, Miranda. I often ask readers, “How long do you think it takes to make a book?” Older students know that research and writing can take a year or more. […]
My Favorite Research Story by Laurie Ann Thompson
Today we continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors discuss the joys and challenges of the research process with an essay by Laurie Ann Thompson. Thank you, Laurie. Many people assume the best research happens deep in the dusty nonfiction stacks at the library, on an ancient microfiche reader in an historical archive, or on […]
My Favorite Research Story by Heather Lang
Today we continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors discuss the joys and challenges of the research process with an essay by Heather Lang. Thank you, Heather. Kids and adults are often surprised to hear me say that research isn’t only about gathering facts. Sure, that’s critical to writing successful nonfiction. But for me, it’s […]
How I (Accidentally) Became a Nonfiction Writer by Meg Thacher
After reading this recent article on PLOS SciComm, veteran astronomy instructor and author Meg Thacher responded on Facebook, admitting that she had once harbored a bias against nonfiction for kids—thinking of fiction as “real reading” and nonfiction “as research.” What changed her mind? Read on to find out. When I was a kid, I loved fiction. […]
My Favorite Research Story by Michelle Cusolito
Today we continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors discuss the joys and challenges of the research process with an essay by Michelle Cusolito. Thank you, Michelle. I slide the regulator into my mouth and slip beneath the waves. I breathe slowly though my mouth as I follow my scuba diving instructor away from shore […]