Unit 6: Growing Expertise in Little Books – Nonfiction Reading

Unit​ ​6:​ ​Growing​ ​Expertise​ ​in​ ​Little​ ​Books​ ​-​ ​Nonfiction​ ​Reading In this unit children will be introduced to a new reading genre – nonfiction reading. Children will learn how to gather information about the world through their reading, ask questions, summarize material, and become “experts” on a variety of topics. Children will get to enjoy jumping into a new adventure with each information book!

Unit​ ​Outcomes:

  • I can use strategies to read tricky words.
  • I can think about what is happening in my books.
  • I can reread in different ways.
  • I can talk about my books with my partner.

Independent

Online Games (Websites & Apps):

Information and Storybooks: Read the book excerpt on this website and determine whether you’re listening to fiction or non-fiction:

Games & Activities:

Nonfiction/Fiction Sort: Take 10 books off your bookshelf.  Make two piles – an information book pile and a storybook pile.  Check with a family member and see if they agree!

Projects:

  • Make your own information book: Pick three facts you learned from one of your own information books, write them on each page, and illustrate!  You might want to use watercolors to really bring your pages to life.  
  • Adventure caps: Every time you read an information book you get to go on a new learning adventure!  Make an adventure cap with materials around your house.  Be sure to wear it when you go on a new reading adventure!

Worksheets:

Use this worksheet below to keep track of your new book facts!

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Family

Games & Activities:

Compare and contrast these two books about birds. Reminder – to compare is to talk about what is the same.  To contrast is to talk about what is different.  

Projects:

  • Pick one topic to become a reading expert on.  Bugs, an animal, a country…you name it!  Rent three books about the topic from the library and get reading!
  • Read an information book on your level.  Count how many new words you learned in the book!  Explain to a family member what each one means.

Videos:

Pick one video from the National Geographic Kid Website here. Write down three things you learned – feel free to illustrate, too.

Articles & Resources: