Lessons & Units :: Genre 1st Grade Unit

Lesson 2: Purposes of Reading Fiction and Nonfiction

Lesson Plan

Nature's Food Chains: What Polar Animals Eat

Nature's Food Chains: What Polar Animals Eat
Learning Goal
Identify and describe the purposes of reading a fiction book.
Identify and describe the purposes of reading a nonfiction book.
Duration
Approximately 50 minutes
Necessary Materials
Provided: Independent Practice Worksheet
Not Provided: Nature’s Food Chains: What Polar Animals Eat by Joanne Mattern, Froggy Goes to School by Jonathan London and Life Cycle of a Frog by Angela Royston, fiction books from classroom library

  • Teacher Modeling

    will explain that there are different purposes of reading fiction and nonfiction. I will tell a story about how I wanted to get a new pet dog, but I needed to know how to take care the dog. I will explain that I would want to read a nonfiction book that would teach me how to take care of my dog. When I am reading before I go to bed, on the other hand, I may want to read a fiction story just to enjoy it. I will show the cover of a favorite fiction read-aloud book and the cover of Nature’s Food Chains: What Polar Animals Eat by Joanne Mattern. I will model how to think about why I might want to read each book. For example, I will tell students, “If I wanted to know what polar bears or walruses eat, I would want to read this book because it will teach me what foods these animals eat.”

    TIP: Provide a variety of books and the reasons a reader would choose to read each book. For example, if I am in the mood to be scared, I may read a scary fiction story to entertain myself.

  • Think Check

    Ask: "How can I decide whether I should read a fiction book or a nonfiction book?" Students should respond that you should think about if you want to learn new information (nonfiction) or if you only want to be entertained (fiction).

  • Guided Practice

    will look at the cover of a favorite fiction read-aloud book and the cover of Nature’s Food Chains: What Polar Animals Eat. I will provide several examples of why someone would want to read each book, and students will determine which book I should read. For example, I will tell students, “If I wanted to read a make-believe story, which would I read? Why?” I will read a few paragraphs from each book to give the students clear examples of fiction and nonfiction texts.

  • Independent Practice

    will provide examples of reasons to read Life Cycle of a Frog and Froggy Goes to School. (Independent Practice Worksheet is provided.)

Build Student Vocabulary shrink

Tier 2 Word: shrink
Contextualize the word as it is used in the story As a tadpole’s legs grow, its tail begins to shrink, until the tail actually disappears into the tadpole’s body.
Explain the meaning student-friendly definition) To shrink means to get smaller. When the tadpole’s tail shrinks, it gets smaller and smaller.
Students repeat the word Say the word shrink with me: shrink.
Teacher gives examples of the word in other contexts Sometimes clothing can shrink in a dryer. A sweater that used to fit might shrink and become so small that it no longer fits you. The princess shrank from the ugly dragon. The little boy shrank back when the nurse came with the needle to give him his shot.
Students provide examples Can you think of something that shrinks? Tell me about it by saying, “A ____________ can shrink.”
Students repeat the word again. What word are we talking about? shrink
Additional Vocabulary Words extra, drain

Build Student Background Knowledge

Before reading Nature's Food Chains, explain to students that you are going to read about animals that live at the North and South Poles. Show them where the North and South Poles are located on a globe or map. Show students that Antarctica is located on the South Pole. It is the only continent with no one living there. Scientists and explorers come to Antarctica to see the polar animals we are reading about, or to study the ice caps in this very cold part of Earth.

Texts & Materials

Standards Alignment

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User Comments

These lessons are just what I need for my teaching of fiction and nonfiction. Thank you.

Submitted by donna.johnson_1705225 on 10/1/16