Celebrate Nonfiction

Exploring the Joy of Nonfiction Reading and Writing

Having Fun with Common Core: Pretty Colors

Since reading
standards is such a drag, I’ve decided to present them in a slightly more
palatable way—using pretty colors.

Key
Ideas and Details #1
Kindergarten
Grade 1
Grade 2

With
prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

Ask and
answer questions about key details in a text.

Ask and
answer such questions to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5

Ask and
answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly
to the text as the basis for the answers.

Refer
to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says
explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Quote
accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when
drawing inferences from the text.
Key
Ideas and Details #2
Kindergarten
Grade 1
Grade 2

With
prompting and support, identify the main topic and retell key details of a
text.

Identify
the main topic and retell key details of a text.

Identify
the main topic of a multi-paragraph text as well as the focus of specific
paragraphs within the text.
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5

Determine
the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support
the main idea.

Determine
the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details;
summarize the text.

Determine
two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key
details; summarize the text.

There, that looks
almost friendly. These are the first two CCSS for ELA in the Reading
Informational Text category. Basically they say that after reading a nonfiction
book, your kiddos should be able to identify the main topic and key details in
of the text.


This certainly isn’t
a new idea. In fact it’s pretty basic. What’s the point of reading if you don’t
understand or remember the content? But as we know, this isn’t always easy for
kids, especially beginning readers.

One great way to help
students build their fluency and comprehension is Reading Buddies. You can find
a great article about Reading Buddies here,
but in a nutshell, the benefits for the younger child include:

—reading practice
with real audience
—focus and try harder
—may get more kid-friendly explanations

And the benefits for
the older child include:
—build self-esteem
—feel like making an important contribution

Both students:
—gain enthusiasm for reading
—develop cooperative learning behaviors

And the benefits for
the school community include:

—friendships and
understanding across grade levels
—may reduce bullying

But here’s my special
twist on Reading Buddies. Instead of using books at the younger child’s reading
level, use books with layered text. The simpler text is perfect for the young
child, and the more complex text will challenge the older child. So both are
learning. And after reading, they can discuss the art and content of the
spread—a practice that will certainly address CCSS for ELA: Reading
Informational Text #1 and #2.

My books A Place for Butterflies, A Place for Birds,
A Place for Frogs, A Place for Fish, and
A Place for Bats are perfect for this kind of Reading Buddies program. And
I even have activities for the buddies to do after reading the books. I’ll talk
more about them in a future post.

Here are some other books with layered text. They are also perfect for a Reading Buddies program in which both students participate.

Actual Size by Steve Jenkins

Beaks by Sneed B.
Collard (illus. by Robin Brickman)

The Bumblebee Queen by April
Pulley Sayre (illus Patricia J. Wynne)

A Butterfly is Patient by Diana
Hutts Aston (illus. Sylvia Long)

An Egg is Quiet by Diana Hutts
Aston (illus. Sylvia Long)

Meet the Howlers by April Pulley Sayre (illus. Woody Miller)

Move! by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page

A Seed is Sleepy by Diana Hutts
Aston (illus. Sylvia Long)

What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page

When the Wolves Returned  by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent (photos Dan and
Cassie Hartman)

Wings by Sneed B. Collard (illus. by Robin Brickman)

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