First Grade January Unit Four: Nonfiction Readers Learn About the World Unit Objectives: Student will

nt will know and use text features to locate key facts and information. Students will read non-fiction texts with fluency and intonation. Students will be able to analyze how specific pages and larger portions of text relate to each other and to the whole. Students will ask and answer questions as they read to help pay attention to what the text is saying. Students will decode unfamiliar words using strategies and comprehension. Students will compare and contrast information in multiple texts. Students will become proficient in speaking and presenting information. Organizing Non-fiction Library Strategy/ Skill Today Im going to teach you how we like Librarians can get our classroom ready for the important reading work we are about to do. Pgs. 65,66 and 79 Look through class library and decide how to organize the books for the unit. Ways to organize books.*author *subject*informational or story *leveling The class will decided on one way to organize. The teacher will model; the children will sort in groups. After sorting, books will be placed in newly labeled baskets. Groups will share the books they have sorted. Activating prior knowledge Strategy /Skill We read non-fiction to get smarter and teach others -also to answer all the questions that we have about the world. Today I want to teach you that you can use everything you know to get ready to read nonfiction texts. Pgs.67,68 and 80 Teacher will model how readers of nonfiction help ourselves get our minds ready to read our texts. Read title, study cover, take a picture walk Activate prior knowledge about topic: ask what do I already know? What words do I expect to see in this book? Teacher will model with post-its Students will go back and preview a nonfiction text and write what they already know about a topic on a post-it. Look for books by Bobbie Kalman

Mentor Texts

Special Note: Prior to book clubs in part four you will need text sets, anchor charts, homogenous /heterogeneous grouping

Part One Non-Fiction Readers Read to Become Smarter about the World and Things in it

Using Text Features Strategy/ Skill Just like explorers study the lay of the land before they travel through it, readers study the lay of the land of our nonfiction texts before we actually read them. There is a way that information is laid out in these pages. Pgs. 67 and 80 Today I want to teach you that as we get ourselves ready to read, we think about how our books work. Are there headings or sections to guide me?, Is this all about one subject? Are there different text features to support me and help me understand? Teacher will use text to show table of contents, index, glossary, headings, diagrams, tables, charts. Make an anchor chart Knowing how our books work helps us predict what our books will be about. (non-fiction text feature: scavenger hunt during guided reading groups. Students will read non-fiction texts and put post-its on pages

Using text features for a deeper understanding of text Strategy /Skill Today I want to teach you that we can use text features to help us understand and learn more about our subjects. Pgs.67 and 80 What new information does this photograph teach me? How does the label identify the new information? How do headings help me to think what is this section mostly about? Teacher will show students a photograph with a caption in a nonfiction text and explain the purpose of the caption. Teacher will show how the heading in a non-fiction text will get the readers brain ready to think about the material they will be reading. Students will write on a post-it how they used a text feature to help them comprehend.

Fluency and intonation of nonfiction texts Strategy/ Skill Today Im going to teach you that when readers read nonfiction books, we use a voice in our head that sounds like a teacher or a narrator of a documentary. Pgs.68 and 80 Teacher will show a video clip from the show Unleashed by Jeff Corwin and point out how Corwin uses different voices to pop out important information. Teacher will model how to bring special emphasis when reading important information in the text. Teacher will model how to engage the listener by changing our voices. When reading non-fiction text. We can sound like we are questioning, surprised, secretive, dramatic and so on. Students will practice fluency and intonation when reading aloud

First Grade January Unit Four: Nonfiction Readers Learn About the World

with text features.

with a partner.

Part One Non-Fiction Readers Read to Become Smarter about the World and Things in it (Pg. 66-70)

Categorize information in Non-fiction text Strategy/ Skill Today I want to teach you that non-fiction readers always want to make sure that we are thinking about what our books are mostly about.. Sometimes there are several similar chunks throughout the book Pgs. 69,70 and 80.. Teacher will model how information over a few pages goes together. What is it mostly about? What can I call it? Teacher will show students how to use headings before and after they read a section to help categorize and think about what information this book taught. Students will read a non-fiction text and practice saying to themselves This picture shows and that goes with or This page says and that goes with Students can share what they learned with a partner or the class Making connections between illustrations/photos and non-fiction text Strategy/ Skill Today I want to teach you that readers want to understand as much as we can about our subjects when we are reading informational books. Pgs.70 ,71 and 81 Teacher will model how to look closely at the illustrations/photographs and think about whether they help us

Questioning Strategy/ Skill Today I want to teach you that our reading partners can help us understand the information we are reading. Our partners may ask us questions to find out more about our subjects. Pgs.67 and 80 Teacher will call a student up to help model questioning strategies with a non-fiction text. Can you tell me the big ideas in your book? What does that really mean? Can you give me an example of that information? Students will read independently non-fiction text, jot down the big idea, share with their partner and have their partner ask them a question about what they wrote. (Partners can help each other hold on to meaning by asking questions.)

Special Notes: Some people recommend that children read a level or two below their regular level when they read nonfiction texts. Reminder: Five finger rule and Just right books: During this unit you might want to set up book clubs and or partnerships ( for sharing purposes)

Part Two Non-Fiction Readers see more than the text on the page (Pg. 70-72)

Responding to Non-Fiction Text Strategy/ Skill Today I want to teach you that as we are reading our informational books, well have lots of ideas that come into our minds. Pgs. 71,72 and 81 Teacher will model a think aloud/read aloud. Read nonfiction text aloud, pausing and in a thinking voice show kids what kinds of questions and

Reacting to Non-Fiction Text Strategy/ Skill Today I want to teach you that readers can have reactions to the information presented in our books. Pgs. 81 Teacher will model how we can feel when we read a fact in a non-fiction text. Ex. We can say Cool, Wow, Gross and explain why we are reacting that way.

Comprehension Strategy/ Skill Today I will teach you that when we are reading a text, one way we can try to understand everything that is happening in that text is to make pictures in our minds. Pgs. 71 and 81 Teacher will read a section of a non-fiction text then close our eyes and picture how our subject changes or moves or

First Grade January Unit Four: Nonfiction Readers Learn About the World

understand what the page is teaching us. How is this picture helping me understand this word, part, page or book? Independently students will look at the pictures in their book and search for the words on the page that explain this picture. (How would I connect the picture with what I read on the page)? Students will share with a partner or the class.

ideas you have about the topic from the words and pictures that are on the page. We need to pay attention to all these questions and ideas that our brains have as we read. Model how to make connections off the page ts, tt tw and use those connections to ask questions about the text you are reading. Students will read independently and jot down their responses/ questions to the text. Students will share with their partner or the class.

Students will read independently and use post-its to record their feelings about what they are reading. Students will share with their partner or the class.

acts to understand our topic better We can also act out parts of our informational books, sketch a few frames to picture how our subjects change or move and we can use gestures. ( make anchor chart) Students will read with a buddy on their level and choose ways from the anchor chart to show comprehension of the text. Have one partnership fish bowl what they did.

Special Notes: As children move up reading levels in fiction texts, their reliance on visuals and illustrations gradually diminishes. This wont happen as fast in non-fiction texts. Part Three Tackling Tricky words in Non-Fiction Pgs. 72-74 Decoding Strategies Strategy/ Skill Today I want to teach you that when you come across new or tricky words choose a word strategy that might help you figure out the tricky word. Pgs. 72, 73 and 81 Teacher will model with a non-fiction text how we can look closely at the word, get our mouths ready and read across the word keeping in mind what the page is teaching us about. Revisit the word attack anchor chart. Students will read independently and use strategies from anchor chart to decode tricky words. Students will share the strategies they used with the class. Using text features to decode text Strategy/ Skill Today I want to teach you that when readers come to unknown words they can look at the picture and the first part of the word to take a good guess at what the word could be. Pgs.73, 81 and 82 Teacher will model looking at the first part of the word and thinking what are all of the words that the word might be? We can take a good look at the picture then look at the first part of the word and then take a good guess at what the word could be. Teacher will remind students to draw upon all that they have already learned to understand a new word. (Words unique to the content). Students will use the text features of the nonfiction text and background knowledge to predict unfamiliar words. Decoding Srategy Strategy/Skill Today I want to teach you that when readers come across tricky words they can break up words starting from the beginning and moving all the way across the word. Pgs. 73 and 82 Teacher will model how to break words in to parts and how to use different vowel strategies to read the word in parts.(long, short vowels, r-controlled and vowel teams). Students will read independently and use post-its to keep track of words they had to break apart or use vowel strategies. Students will share with the class.

First Grade January Unit Four: Nonfiction Readers Learn About the World

Comprehension/ Clarifying Strategy/ Skill Today I want to teach you that readers need to not only understand how to pronounce an unfamiliar word, but to understand its meaning. Pgs.73 and 82 Teacher will model When we come to words whose meanings we dont know, we need to stop and figure these out. We can say to ourselves What does ----- mean? Let me re-read this part to see if that helps. Can the picture help me? What is it? What is it not? Is there a glossary I can use to check my idea? Ie. A coral snake is full of poison. Its bright colors warn predators to stay away. Read beyond the word predator and stop to think about what type of word would sound right. Teacher will show importance of glossary and its importance to aid comprehension of topic. Students will use glossary to double check the meaning of two unfamiliar words. Share with partner.

Using labels and pictures to decode for meaning Strategy/ Skill Today I want to teach you that when readers come to a tricky word, they can use the photograph on the page to help figure out the word meaning. Pgs. 73, 74 and 82 Teacher will model how when you come to an unknown word you make a big deal of wanting to know not only how it is pronounced, but also to make meaning of it. Teacher will model that readers can search the picture and say aloud what they are seeing in the photograph. We can use the words we say to help us figure out the tricky word. We can ask ourselves Would make sense here?(Teach students to use labels and pictures to help them when they get stuck on tricky words). Students will use labels and pictures from their books to decode words for meaning. Share words and pictures with class.

When all else fails with a tricky word/ use a post-it Strategy/ Skill Today I want to teach you that sometimes even when we work really hard to figure out a tricky word we can still be stuck. Pgs. 73and 82 Teacher will model that after we have tried a few ways to figure out a tricky word and we cant seem to do it, we can place a post-it on the page or jot the word on a post-it. Students will independently read using postits for tricky words. Students will ask their reading partner to help them with the word. Students will share tricky words with class.

First Grade January Unit Four: Nonfiction Readers Learn About the World

Part Four Readers can read more than one book about a topic to compare and contrast Pgs. 74-76

Book Clubs Procedure Since this is the first time your kids will be working in clubs you will want to start by teaching the habits and protocols for effective membership. Today I want to remind you that we are members of a reading club we talk to other club members & plan the work the club will do(pg.74,75): You will need text sets around topics & set up book clubs around them e.g. mammals Courteous conversation behaviors Take turns while talking Helpful speakers Active Listeners Come prepared to work Anchor chart

Main ideas of non-fiction text Strategy/ skill Today I want to teach you that when we meet with our non-fiction book clubs, we can decide which parts we want to closely explore and make a plan for our reading. Pgs.75 and 82 Teacher will model how book clubs will discuss the big categories in which they want to focus e.g. where mammals live, what makes mammals different than reptiles Students will jot notes on big ideas as they read the books on their topics. Collect post-its in our club folder Book clubs can share with other book clubs.

Listening/Speaking Strategy/ Skill Today I want to teach you that as we work in our non-fiction book clubs we are successful by bringing important information and listening and understanding our club members. Pgs.74 and 75 Teacher will model listening with their eyes, ears, minds and their bodies whenever another club member is speaking. Students will jot down details about a main idea while reading books independently in book clubs . Each child will take a turn sharing what they have written while the book club listens.

Comparing/ Contrasting Strategy/ Skill Today I want to teach you a way that you can use language to help you compare and contrast information across your non-fiction text sets. Teacher will model how we can we can compare & contrast the information in different texts. We note the ways in which different books on the same topic are organized. We also note that they give us different details about the same topic. Teacher will make the following chart to give to each student. Pgs. 75, 76 and83 Chart On this page in this book ___ but on this page in this book ____ The difference between ___&____ is____ Whats the same about these two is ___is ____ Unlike the _____ in this book the ____ does ____ Students will read in book clubs and use chart to compare and

Analyzing Information Strategy/ Skill Today I want to teach you that as we are talking about and discussing our information across our clubs, there are questions we can ask to lead us to think deeply about our books. Pgs. 76 and 83 Teacher will model how we can ask questions while reading and how we can discuss our questions with our club members. We may ask questions like How do? Why do? How come? Why would?and so on. Students will read in their book clubs and write down questions they can discuss with their members. Students might choose to give an oral presentation, draw a diagram or present a poster to the class sharing their expert knowledge on the topic.

First Grade January Unit Four: Nonfiction Readers Learn About the World

contrast texts. Share findings with club members.

Special Notes: Remind children that the real purpose of non-fiction is to grow smarter about our world and the things in it.

First Grade January Unit Four: Nonfiction Readers Learn About the World