Non Fiction Text Structures For Better Comprehension And Response

Non-fiction text structures organize information into comprehensible patterns. Knowing how to recognize and use these structures to navigate non-fiction text greatly improves students' understanding of what they read. Gail Saunders-Smith simplifies the process by providing teachers of grades 4-8 with: ways to teach each of the five non-fiction text structures: compare/contrast, cause/effect, sequence/procedure, question/answer, and exemplification; engaging whole-class and small-group activities using written, verbal, image, three-dimensional, and technology responses; study skills for locating, recording, and using information; tools for assessing student understanding, and explanations of the text features that organize information within the text structures; and mini-lessons for whole-class, small-group, and independent application of students' text structure knowledge. Examples, photographs, student samples, and graphic organizers support your teaching, and a bibliography of professional books and resources for locating leveled non-fiction texts make this a complete, ready-to-use guide for improving student comprehension.

This New York Times Best Illustrated Book is a mostly true and completely stinky story that is sure to make you say, “Pee-yew!” Teaching environmental awareness has become a national priority, and this hilarious book (subtly) drives home the message that we can’t produce unlimited trash without consequences. Before everyone recycled . . . There was a town that had 3,168 tons of garbage and nowhere to put it. What did they do? Enter the Garbage Barge! Amazing art built out of junk, toys, and found objects by Red Nose Studio makes this the perfect book for Earth Day or any day, and photos on the back side of the jacket show how the art was created. Here Comes the Garbage Barge was a New York Times Best Illustrated book of 2010, a Huffington Post Best Picture Book of the Year, and a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year. The Washington Post said, “Cautionary? Yes. Hilarious? You betcha!” and the New York Times Book Review raved, “[A] glorious visual treat.”

Two professors share their research-based, field-tested approach for helping students identify and analyze the most common expository text structures in order to better comprehend the nonfiction they read. Students gain valuable experience recognizing descriptive, sequential, problem-solution, and cause-effect patterns in texts. Using graphic organizers helps them visualize and remember key information in the article. Detailed lesson plans with companion reproducible articles and diagrams help teachers confidently put theory into practice. For use with Grades 46."

Perfect for small group instruction geared toward Response to Intervention, BTR Zone: Bridge to Reading motivates reluctant and struggling readers with high-interest nonfiction focused on science, adventure, biography, history, and sports. With scaffolds such as on-page definitions, photographs, illustrations, captions, subheads, and informational graphics, BTR Zone books provide practice with the text features so important to understanding informational text. A teaching plan steeped in Common Core State Standards for Literacy provides instruction for vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and authentic writing - truly providing a bridge for students to become more strategic readers.

Offering a fresh approach, this much-needed text mirrors the features that are traditionally found in nonfiction texts—illustrations, diagrams, insets, boxed materials—to help clarify and explain the concepts being presented. This is a perfect complement to reading methods courses, which includes a wealth of nonfiction titles that teachers can readily use effectively in a balanced literacy program. Packed with ideas and suggestions for the classroom, Pike and Mumper offer everything one needs to know in order to use nonfiction texts in the classroom, from using them in literature circles, and as models for writing or for research purposes--Publisher's description.

Use reader response strategies to achieve Common Core goals in reading and in writing! Response journals—brief, personal writing in response to reading—can significantly improve reading comprehension. What′s more, when scaffolded over the year, reader response strategies promote engagement, build understanding of complex literary and informational text, and even help students provide supporting evidence in their writing—all goals of the Common Core. For educators eager to use reader response strategies, veteran teacher Lesley Roessing presents a unique, step-by-step approach that inspires thoughtful reading and skillful writing in Grades 5–12. Based on research and her own classroom experience, Roessing′s innovative writing exercises encourage students to read more deeply, develop questions, and participate actively in class. Beginning with simple response tasks and moving toward more complex assignments, the book provides a scaffolded curriculum for the full academic year. Developed for language arts and content area teachers, as well as literacy specialists, this resource includes: Examples of response journals for a wide range of genres, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and students′ personal reading Strategies for using reader response to guide classroom discussions, group work, book clubs, and journal writing at home Adaptations for students with diverse abilities Numerous classroom-ready templates and samples of student work Discover a well-structured writing curriculum that promotes confident learning and the joy of reading.