Kids delight in learning about the world and to learn about the world, students need to read nonfiction books. As students get older, the amount of nonfiction reading increases. As adults, reading nonfiction text is a part of our daily lives: reading instructions, business letters, information, etc. Students are, therefore, needed to be encouraged to read nonfiction materials. Moss (2003) asserted that “early exposure to the language of nonfiction can help enhance children’s understanding of exposition and may prevent the difficulties many students encounter with these texts later on.” When students are used to reading nonfiction texts, they will probably not feel too overwhelmed by the information they are required to read as they move to middle school, high school, and college.
Nonfiction reading is a life skill and it doesn’t have to be boring. In third grade, “Surgery Day” had students scan nonfiction articles and magazines to learn about text features.
First, third grade surgeons reviewed the list of nonfiction text features before they were given instructions on how to perform their surgery.
Nonfiction reading is a life skill and it doesn’t have to be boring. In third grade, “Surgery Day” had students scan nonfiction articles and magazines to learn about text features.
First, third grade surgeons reviewed the list of nonfiction text features before they were given instructions on how to perform their surgery.
Then, it was time to save patients’ lives! They “transplanted” their chosen text features onto a “patient” and labeled the specific text feature using a band-aid.
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After an operation, it was important to document and report what they did as surgeons. Doctors were expected to:
1. write the text features transplanted. 2. write the purpose of the text feature to the passage or article. 3. explain how the specific text features help them understand a nonfiction article. |
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Once the report is done and the operating table was sterilized, the doctors used the phone (Yes, they learned how to dial and use a land phone) to call the lead surgeon (teacher) and check on the patient.Students had so much fun learning about nonfiction text features that one of them said, “That was fun! I want to do it again!”
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Source:
Moss, B. (2003). Exploring the literature of fact: Children’s nonfiction trade books in the elementary classroom. New York: Guilford.
Moss, B. (2003). Exploring the literature of fact: Children’s nonfiction trade books in the elementary classroom. New York: Guilford.