Nonfiction Units

Independent

Online Games (Websites & Apps):

  • Conduct Internet research using a kid-friendly search engine like awesomelibrary.org, kids.gov, or americaslibrary.gov.

Videos:

 

  • Arthur Benjamin: A performance of “Mathemagic”

Games & Activities:

  • Think about the things you love—a sport, an author, a music group, an animal, a cause, a place, a game. There are nonfiction texts connected with that topic. Your job tonight is to try to find some of those texts.
  • While you are reading, think about the text’s structure and ask yourself, “How can I organize my notes to mirror the text’s structure?”

Projects:

  • Create Non-Fiction Brochures about the different topics (not just weather!) that you have researched.

Worksheets:

Family

Games & Activities:

  • You might take a moment to talk about your books with a reading friend or family member. Researchers who study learning say that talking about reading is one of the most powerful things you can do to become a better reader. Some possible points of discussion could be:
  • Talk about your book’s subject. What are you learning? What does your family know about your topic?
  • Talk about how your nonfiction book is challenging in a good way. What’s tricky? How are you tackling reading challenges?
  • Check out kids’ magazines like Time for Kids, Scholastic, National Geographic, and others. Most of these magazines also have websites.
  • Look at any newspaper and you will find a section on the weather. You may even find articles that relate to weather events around the world.
  • Go to the library and check out multiple nonfiction texts by the same author. As you read, notice techniques you see the author using and jot about those things.

Projects:

  • Ask an adult if they will take you to the public library, our school library, or a bookstore to get a book or two on your topic.
  • Be on the lookout for articles that have to do with your topic. Ask adults to help you look through magazines and newspapers.
  • Create a presentation/Podcast/Animoto or poster using any learning progression

Videos:

 

Articles & Resources:

  • Get Epic: Reading Website
  • Newsela:  Non-fiction articles for students based on levels.

Magazines:

  • Highlights (multi genre)
  • Sports Illustrated Kids
  • National Geographic Kids (big kid version)
  • American Girl (multi genre)
  • Cobblestone (Historical)
  • Odyssey (science)
  • Muse (history, science, arts)
  • Time for kids (grade 3-4 edition, grade 5-6 edition)
  • Ranger Rick