Differences Between Fiction and Non-Fiction

How is non-fiction different from fiction
  • Non-fiction books are usually about a single topic (i.e. volcanoes, mammals, butterflies)     
  • Non-fiction books have no characters, problems, or solutions
  • It tries to teach you something (instead of a plot, it gives facts)
  • There is no specific order as to how the book has to be read, you could start in the middle and turn to any page you choose without missing information
 

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Making Predictions

Readers make predictions about the kinds of things they expect to learn instead of the things they expect to happen.
  • Making predictions activates schema and helps readers start thinking about what they might learn from reading a non-fiction book.
  • By activating schema, the reader’s mind is ready to make connection to new information which will help them comprehend more of what they read.
Noticing When Something New is Learned
  • While students read non-fiction books, have them use sticky notes to record what they learn.
  • Recording new learning will help students realize when they learn something new and it also helps them remember the new information.
  • Label each sticky note with NL for new learning followed by the title of the book, and what page number it was found on.
Teaching Students About Non-Fiction
*Miller suggests using a “convention notebook” when introducing non-fiction text
   o   These notebooks can be any size, but each student should have one
   o   On each page of the notebook students are taught about various non-fiction conventions
   o   Each convention has an example and explains what exactly the topic is
   o   By taking one convention a day and explaining what it is and where to find it, students will have a
           much better idea of what defining features non-fiction has
   o   A suggestion for the convention notebook set-up is as follows:
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 Some examples of possible conventions to share with students are as follows:
      Labels
     Photographs
     Captions
     Comparisons
     Cutaways
     Maps
     Types of print
     Close-ups
     Tables of contents
     Index
     Glossary

  Locating Specific Information

  • Four Steps to Finding Information
                   1.Think, what do I already know about the topic?
        2. What type of book or other source will help me best?
                   3. Where will I find the information?
        4.
How is the information organized in the source? How will I go about locating what I need?
          -To help record what you learn write in margins, use highlighters, keep sticky notes or
                                      note cards, and utilize the services provided by your school librarian!
  • After you have found information, think to yourself, what did I learn?
  • Once you know what you’ve learned, think how can I synthesize my learning for myself and others?
  • There are many ways to show what you learn but merely thinking about what you find interesting and what you would like to share with others will get you headed in the right direction.