Exploring Five Types of Nonfiction

Students are introduced to Melissa Stewart's Five Types of Nonfiction. Through examples of nonfiction directly from the library shelves, students use a compare and contrast model to describe the way information is communicated and organized through the text and text features within the books.

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURE

Before students arrive, place stacks of books at each table. There should be one type of nonfiction at each table, enough for every student to have their own book. Labeling every book of a certain type with a colored sticky or other marker will be helpful later in the activity.

When students arrive, ask them to sit at the tables in groups of four or five. Begin by asking students what types of nonfiction books they like to read. Take several responses. Share with the class that nonfiction books are often identified by topic (eg. dog books) or series (eg. Who Would Win), but that there is another way to categorize books that may help students describe what type of nonfiction they like to read.

Share that nonfiction author Melissa Stewart has come up with a way to describe five types of nonfiction based on how authors structure their nonfiction books. Inform students that there is one of each type of nonfiction book at their tables and that they will be working to describe every kind of nonfiction based on how the information is organized in the book.

Pass out books to students or invite them to select a book at their table. Give students 60 seconds to silently explore their book. Advise students not to try to read the book from cover to cover but instead to browse the book looking at how information is shared on the pages. Then give groups of students three to four minutes to talk within their groups, focusing on the differences between how information is shared in the books. As students discuss, walk between groups, paying special attention to assure that students are not focused on the topic of the book but the structure. Redirect students as necessary.

Next, tell the group that they will talk with other students that have the same type of nonfiction as they do. Remind them that their topics will be different, but how the author shares information will be similar. Reorganize students into new groups using sticky notes or other organizational means. Give students three to four minutes to discuss similarities between their books. After those three to four minutes, give students the opportunity to begin writing their similarities on white boards or butcher paper for an additional four to five minutes. During the discussion and writing, circulate to check for student understanding. Redirect discussions and ask probing questions as necessary.

Transition back to a whole class discussion. Depending on available time, either allow students to share their findings or summarize the students' findings to the class. Take the opportunity to highlight unique features of each set of nonfiction titles as well as similarities across multiple types of nonfiction.

As each type of nonfiction is reviewed by students or the librarian, share the name of that type of nonfiction.

End the lesson by asking students again to share their favorite type of nonfiction (using the five categories).

ASSESSMENT

Students can be assessed using an exit slip asking them to share features of their favorite type of nonfiction.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Stewart, Melissa. "It's Time for the Sibert Smackdown!" School Library Connection, October 2022. https://schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Article/2293101.

Stewart, Melissa. "The Five Kinds of Nonfiction." School Library Journal, May 2018.

For more on this activity, see Steven Tetreault's editorial, "Spotlight on Nonfiction with Tom Bober" and the accompanying episode of the SLC Podcast, "One Lesson at a Time," where Tom Bober shares with us the process of bringing this lesson to students.