0378 Guid

V I E W I N G G U I D E
Stenhouse Publishers
www.stenhouse.com
Contents
Copyright © 2004 by Stenhouse Publishers
Introduction 3
All rights reserved. This guide may be photocopied
for staff development use only. Program 1: Setting Up the Nonfiction
Classroom (28:12) 4
Other books and videos by Tony Stead are available
at www.stenhouse.com and include Is That a Fact?, Program 2: Helping Readers Select Texts:
Reality Checks, and Bridges to Independence. Mini-Lessons and Conferences (30:48) 9
Program 3: Whole-Class Mini-Lessons (31:35) 11

Using the Videos in Workshop Settings
Program 4: Completing the Jigsaw:
1. Check out the equipment and sound in advance.
Read-Alouds,Visual Literacy, and
Make sure the segments are cued to the correct
spot. After you begin running any segment, walk Responses (31:27) 13
to the back of the room and listen to the sound. Figures 17
The goal is to have the sound as low as possible
but still loud enough so participants in the back Time Codes for Time for Nonfiction 23
can hear.
2. Read the background information provided for
each part prior to viewing. Reading the back-
ground information helps set the scene for what
you are about to watch and tunes the audience
to the content they are about to view.
3. Ask participants to keep notes as they view each
part. We suggest you give each participant a copy
of Things to Look For (Figure 1) prior to view-
Time for Nonfiction by Tony Stead. Copyright © 2004. Stenhouse Publishers. All rights reserved.
ing and have them read through the items before
watching each part. This will help focus questions
when the instructor asks participants for com-
ment at the end of the viewing.
4. At the end of the viewing, give participant time
to record their observations and talk with each
other in pairs or small groups before bringing the
conversation to whole-group discussion.
5. If needed, use the Discussion Points (Figure 2) as
a springboard for further conversations.
2 Time for Nonfiction

Introduction
Welcome to the wonderful world of nonfiction. For the past eight years I
have worked with many teachers in different classroom settings across the
United States and Canada to make nonfiction come alive in the read-
ing/writing classroom. Two of the teachers I have had the pleasure to work
with are Lauren Benjamin, a first-grade teacher, and Lisa Elias Moynihan, a
third-grade teacher, at the Manhattan New School in New York City.
I worked with Lauren and Lisa over the course of a school year to
strengthen the place of nonfiction in the daily learning experiences they
provided for their students. We struggled at first with those elements of
reading workshop that lacked a nonfiction focus: the daily read-alouds,
independent reading, whole-class mini-lessons, and literacy centers all
needed a rethinking when it came to nonfiction.
We realized we had a giant jigsaw puzzle and were eager to put it
together to create a wonderful picture. But as with all puzzles, the first step
was working with one piece at a time.We began with the classroom libraries
and then slowly progressed to mini-lessons. Before long the picture was tak-
ing shape, and our excitement grew as we realized how powerful nonfiction
was in strengthening our children’s skills as readers and writers.We were sur-
prised how quickly and enthusiastically the children embraced nonfiction.
We were not only scaffolding their skills as readers and writers of nonfiction,
we were also fostering a passion that students would take into their adult
lives.
These videos document some of our work to make nonfiction a living
component of children’s learning. In some segments Lauren and Lisa teach
independently; in others I co-teach with one of them and demonstrate les-
sons. These videos provide the high-level support teachers need to set up
and maintain a nonfiction classroom.
In my subsequent book on independent reading, Good Choice!
Supporting Independent Reading and Response K–6, I make frequent reference
to Lauren’s and Lisa’s classrooms. From setting up the classroom library and
text selection to independent reading throughout the day and responding to
reading, my thinking has been guided by the work we did together.
Throughout this viewing guide I have added links to relevant chapters in
Good Choice! so that selected readings from the book can deepen the view-
ing experience. Enjoy! And remember to take one step at a time.
Viewing Suggestions
Each of the four programs is divided into parts that address specific aspects
of setting up and maintaining the nonfiction classroom.Think of the parts as
pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. We recommend these videos be viewed in order, as
Viewing Guide 3
the parts build on each other to construct the final puzzle.
This viewing guide includes four areas that promote reflection and con-
versation for the parts within each program. They are:
Background Information: relevant information on how the children and

teacher reached the point being demonstrated on the program.
Things to Look For: specific conversations, demonstrations, and manage-
ment strategies of particular importance within each segment.
Discussion Points: questions to generate discussion after viewing each
segment. There are no right or wrong answers to the questions raised.
Links to Good Choice!: summaries of relevant chapter content that con-
nect to the video segment.
Setting Up the
Program 1: Nonfiction Classroom
Part One: Organizing the Classroom Library
Background Information The Manhattan New School has no school library; consequently, each class-
room has a large number of books. Despite the quantity of classroom reading
material, Lauren’s first-grade classroom and Lisa’s third-grade classroom have
a shortage of nonfiction books. Our first effort was to create topic baskets
centered on the children’s interests. Each topic basket was assigned a number,
and each book in that topic basket reflected this number. The children knew
which basket to put the books back into once read. We then looked at the
readability levels within each topic basket to ensure there was enough reading
material at appropriate independent readability levels for all the children.
(Once the classroom nonfiction library was established, we needed to make
sure children selected appropriate nonfiction reading materials. Program 2
explores this.)
Things to Look For • How nonfiction materials are organized.

• The children’s role in setting up and maintaining the classroom library.
• How the children know to put the books back in the correct container.
• The way the whole-class demonstration in Lauren’s classroom connects
with her literacy centers.
Discussion Points How many books should a typical classroom library contain?
Would this number change according to grade level?

What texts, apart from books, can be housed in the classroom library?
What percentage of the material in the classroom library should be nonfiction?
What is the advantage of having the children be part of the organizational
process?
What are effective ways to get more nonfiction texts into the classroom?
Links to Good Choice! Chapter 3: Establishing the Classroom Library

• Organizing fiction materials
• Organizing info-fiction
• Providing resources to support content learning
• Providing possible nonfiction topics
• Finding out children’s interests as readers
• Keeping a record of classroom library topics
• Overcoming a shortage of materials
Chapter 4: Nonbook Resources

• Different types of nonbook resources
• The importance of providing nonbook resources
• Organizing nonbook resources in the classroom library
• Using children’s own publications to strengthen the reading/writing
connection
Chapter 8: The Question of Readability Levels

• The importance of organizing the classroom library by topics, not levels

• The value of coding some of the material in the classroom library
• How to determine the levels of materials
Part Two: Independent Reading
Background Information In both Lauren’s and Lisa’s classrooms, there is a set time each day for inde-
pendent reading. Both teachers believe this is an important and essential
component of their literacy block. Children in both classrooms are encour-
aged to make nonfiction part of their daily reading, and each teacher has
established different routines to foster this belief.
In Lauren’s classroom, the children are given twenty minutes each day to
independently read materials they have self-selected. Self-selections are
Viewing Guide 5
made during center time: each day, six children are given the opportunity to
change the reading material in their book bags. The children know which
day they can access the classroom library to change their reading material.
This does not mean they are only allowed into the classroom library on their
particular day; all children are encouraged to access the classroom library
during other times throughout the day. Browsing baskets are also established
during independent reading time so that children who have completed
reading the selections in their book bags can choose from additional reading
material. During the twenty minutes of independent reading, children are
encouraged to have a balance of fiction and nonfiction. Lauren and I provide
many whole-class demonstrations on what independent reading should look
and sound like. Initially noise was an issue, but having children find their
own special place to read soon alleviated this problem.
In Lisa’s classroom, there is a forty-minute time period for the children to
borrow reading materials, independently read, and respond to their reading.
(For information about reading responses, see Program 4.) Children have full
access to the classroom library during this time, but only six children are
allowed to change their books at any given time. This stops congestion and
gives the children the space to browse and make wise decisions before making
their selections. Initially, as in Lauren’s classroom, a borrowing roster is estab-
lished until the children are able to independently manage their selection
time. By third grade, many children are fluent readers, and they are selecting
longer and more complex texts.They borrow on a weekly or bi-weekly basis,
so congestion in the classroom library becomes less of a management issue.
Things to Look For • The importance of the process chart in Lisa’s classroom that reflects the
expectations of what occurs during independent reading time. See
Independent Reading Time (Figure 3).
• The different types of nonfiction reading material.
Discussion Points Why should nonfiction be an essential ingredient for children’s daily inde-
pendent reading?
In Lauren’s and Lisa’s classrooms, the children are on-task during independ-
ent reading time. What scaffolds would the teacher need to provide to
ensure this time works effectively?
Links to Good Choice! Chapter 1: Establishing Independent Reading and Borrowing Routines
• Setting up buddy reading as a precursor to independent reading with
kindergarten children
• Setting up borrowing routines
• Establishing reading logs

• Encouraging home reading
• Monitoring home reading
Chapter 2: Independent Reading Throughout the Day

• Types of independent reading that can occur throughout the day
• Independent reading to strengthen content understanding
Chapter 5: Independent Reading and the Computer

• The importance of incorporating the computer as part of independent
reading
• The importance of the computer for research
• Ways to help children locate relevant websites
• Ways to help children access information from websites
• Ways to help children record information from websites
• Authenticating the accuracy of websites
Part Three: Nonfiction Literacy Centers
Background Information Lauren established literacy centers at the start of the school year and dis-
played a task management board so that, each day, children would know
which center to attend. At the beginning of the school year, Lauren and I
provided clear demonstrations on what each center contained and what
constituted acceptable behavior. The duration of center times varied from

fifteen to twenty-five minutes daily.
We used this center time to roam around the classroom, providing
encouragement and appropriate demonstrations. When the children were
able to operate independently at each center, we pulled small groups aside
for reading instruction.
As we worked together to ensure nonfiction became part of the daily
routine, we realized literacy centers were not only an important link to non-
fiction but also to the content being explored in social studies and science.
We saw that reading was directly linked to our curriculum content and
should therefore be reflected in readers’ workshop.
Later in the year, Lauren explored living things as part of the science
unit. The children studied ants, ladybugs, fish, and tadpoles. We integrated
our content learning into the literacy centers by having a station for each
animal being explored. Each animal station had a variety of related reading
material about the specific animal as well as three notebooks for the children
Viewing Guide 7
to document their growing understanding. Establishing these three note-
books strengthened the children’s skills as readers, writers, observers, listen-
ers, and thinkers of nonfiction.
One of the notebooks was called “What We Have Read.” Children
recorded new information learned about a particular animal from the selec-
tion of books in the basket at the center. The second notebook was called
“What We Can See.” In this notebook, the children recorded their direct
observations of the animals at the center (magnifying glasses were placed at
each animal station to help children with this task). The third notebook,
“What People Told Us,” contained information discussed with peers who
were also stationed at the center.
Things to Look For • The importance of the children being able to articulate the purpose for
each of the three notebooks at each animal station.
• The way the children are engaged at each center.
• The way the children work together cooperatively.
Discussion Points Why should nonfiction be an important component of literacy centers?

What is the value of linking the science and social studies curriculum into
literacy centers?
What are some other possible ways of incorporating nonfiction into literacy
centers?
What management strategies need to be put in place to ensure that literacy
centers operate effectively?
Links to Good Choice! Chapter 2: Independent Reading Throughout the Day
• Different types of literacy centers/stations that can be established
• The importance of having materials ready and available
• The importance of management routines
• Ways to ensure workable noise levels
• Independent reading and content studies
• The advantage of using organizers/notebooks for children to record and
share observations

Helping Readers Select Texts:
Program 2: Mini-Lessons and Conferences
Part One: Providing Support in Whole-Class Settings
Background Information We spent a lot of time setting up a classroom library that contained many
informational texts, but the children still struggled with selecting appropri-
ate material. We overcame this challenge by providing demonstrations and
discussions at a whole-class level. How to Choose a Suitable Text/Book
(Figure 4) documents some of the children’s responses on how to select
appropriate texts based on these whole-class discussions.
In Lauren’s first-grade classroom, some of the books in each topic basket
needed a color-coded readability level to support children so they could select
appropriate texts for independent reading. These color codes were a useful
tool for the early readers who hadn’t yet fully internalized the strategies read-
ers use when selecting appropriate texts. Our ultimate goal was to equip chil-
dren with these strategies without relying on colored dots to make selections.
In Lisa’s third-grade classroom, many of the children were able to suc-
cessfully select appropriate informational texts, so less emphasis was placed
on using color codes as a secondary support. In fact, by the end of the school
year, color codes had disappeared. This should be the goal for every teacher.
Things to Look For • The strategies the children see as important when selecting a suitable
text. Refer to How to Choose a Suitable Text/Book (Figure 4).
• The children’s definition of the words suitable and text.
Discussion Points Why is it important for these demonstrations to be repeated throughout the
year?
What are other ways to help children select appropriate texts?
Links to Good Choice! Chapter 6: Whole-Class Mini-Lessons in Selecting Texts and

Reading Widely
• Discussing with the children the notion of texts that are too hard
• Strategies for working out unknown words
• The importance of comprehension
• Gaining information from visual sources
• Ways to broaden children’s reading diets
Viewing Guide 9
Part Two: Providing Support in Individual Conferences
Background Information The whole-class mini-lesson is a wonderful support to help learners select
appropriate texts. However, we needed to go deeper and keep tabs on indi-
vidual children as nonfiction readers. This is the strength of individual con-
ferences. Many times, individual conferences are directly linked to the
whole-class mini-lesson. For example, if we have been discussing how to
solve the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary in our whole-class mini-lesson,
we would look for evidence of this during the individual conference.
Gradually the conferences become centered on the individual needs of
each student rather than the global needs of the whole class. To monitor
each child’s skills, strategies, and behaviors as a nonfiction reader—which
helped inform our conversations at the conference—we used both running
records and an observation rubric. (See Observation Rubric for Nonfiction
Reading [Figure 5].) Three conferences where the teacher supports the
reader in their selection of nonfiction texts are highlighted in this program.
Conference: Lauren and Alexa
In this conference, Alexa has selected a text that is too difficult for her to
read independently. This is a recurring problem that Lauren has noted in the
past two conferences with Alexa.The problem with selection is not confined
to Alexa’s nonfiction reading; it happens when she selects narrative fiction
too. In this particular conference, Lauren knows before Alexa even begins to
read the text that it is too difficult for her to read independently. Rather than
allowing her to struggle through the book, Lauren stops Alexa after her first
error and quickly provides scaffolds.
Conference: Tony and CJ
CJ has no trouble making wise selections when it comes to fiction; however,
he often struggles when selecting informational texts. His interest in nonfic-
tion is high, but he has difficulty selecting texts that are comfortable reads.
He is often able to read the information in his nonfiction selections, but he
struggles to comprehend some of the information because of complex
vocabulary. This in turn takes away his pleasure in reading nonfiction. In this
conference I provide suggestions for CJ to help him find comfortable reads.
Conference: Tony and Simone
Simone selects both fiction and nonfiction as part of her reading and enjoys
reading a wide variety of texts. Simone is a confident reader but often finds
it difficult to stay with informational texts she has self-selected. Although
part of reading nonfiction is browsing through texts to locate specific and/or
interesting information, Simone has begun to select large quantities of infor-
mation texts but rarely reads more than a page from each selection. In this
conference, I provide suggestions to help Simone persevere with nonfiction
selections.

Things to Look For Alexa
• The types of supports Lauren provides to help Alexa make a wise selec-
tion.
• The way Lauren does not refer to Alexa’s first choice as a wrong choice.
CJ
• The types of supports I put in place to assist CJ.
• The way CJ’s confidence grows by the end of the conference.
Simone
• The background knowledge I have that allows me to best assist Simone.
• The way Simone is able to articulate what it is she is going to be work-
ing on in her reading.
Discussion Points Why is it important to provide all children with an opportunity to confer-
ence with the teacher? What do the children gain from this experience?
What does the teacher gain from these conferences?
What is the teacher’s next step for each of the children shown in this video?
Links to Good Choice! Chapter 7: Establishing Individual Conferences to Support

Children in Selecting Texts and Reading Widely
• The link between the individual conference and whole-class/small-
group lessons
• What to look for in a conference
• Setting up conferences
• Students preparing for conferences

• Providing specific support based on individual needs
• Procedures in ongoing monitoring and record-keeping
• Establishing reading binders
Program 3: Whole-Class Mini-Lessons
Background Information Children need many opportunities to discuss and explore the craft, content,
and text features of nonfiction. The whole-class mini-lesson is an opportu-
Viewing Guide 11
nity for the teacher to facilitate these understandings. This program high-
lights two important strategies—gathering new information and working
with persuasive text—that will help children become readers of nonfiction.
Part One: Gathering New Information in Third Grade

Book Used: It’s Electric! by Greg Roza
All children bring some prior knowledge—no matter how limited—when
reading informational texts. However, for many learners, they often disre-
gard new information because their thoughts are centered on their prior
knowledge. In this demonstration I show children how to first access their
prior knowledge, compare it with what they are reading, and then look at
new information they are gaining from the reading of the text.
Part Two: Gathering New Information in First Grade

Book Used: Leaping Frogs by Melvin Berger
Lauren helps children access their prior knowledge and compare it with
new learning as they read through a selected text. In both Lisa’s and Lauren’s
classrooms, the teacher acknowledges that, for independent thinking to be
strengthened, the whole-class mini-lesson needs to be followed up in a
small-group setting.
Links to Good Choice! Chapter 2: Independent Reading Throughout the Day

• Independent reading and content studies
Chapter 5: Independent Reading and the Computer

• Using the Reading and Analyzing Nonfiction (RAN) strategy to link
independent reading and content studies and to help children find and
record information from the computer
Small-Group Instruction: Building on Whole-Class Mini-Lessons

The small-group setting is an opportunity for the teacher to select texts that
are at an instructional level for each group and reinforce strategies intro-
duced in the whole-class setting. These small groups are flexible, and both
Lauren and Lisa use ongoing assessment procedures to ensure that each child
receives instruction at an appropriate level.
Things to Look For • The way I access the children’s prior knowledge and then have them
compare and contrast it with what is being read.
• The integration of language skills and content studies.
• The way the same skill can be taught in first grade and third grade but at
a different level of instruction.

Discussion Points Why is gathering new information an important strategy for children to
acquire to strengthen their reading of informational texts?
How could these lessons be extended? What are the teacher’s next steps?
Part Three: Working with Persuasive Texts
Background Information Book Used: Should There Be Zoos? A Persuasive Text by Tony Stead with
Judy Ballester and Her Fourth-Grade Class
Understanding how persuasive texts work required many demonstrations
and discussions, and we needed to spend time going deep with our conver-
sations. We used the book Should There Be Zoos? as a springboard for these
conversations: a book written by children seemed likely to have the greatest
effect on the children’s thinking. In this book, arguments for and against
zoos are presented, and children are asked to reflect on each argument and
rate it on its effectiveness in changing their thinking. We established a
Persuasive Writing (Figure 6) chart to record children’s reactions after read-
ing each argument. This chart of how their thinking was being affected was
a wonderful avenue for discussions on the power of persuasive writing.
In addition to critical thinking and reflection—the major focus of this
mini-lesson—three other essential understandings associated with persuasive
texts are explored: purpose, forms, and features.
Things to Look For • The way the children’s reading of the text informs them as writers.
• The questioning techniques Lisa uses.
• The children’s conversations.
Discussion Points What are other possibilities for working with persuasive texts?
How could persuasive texts be introduced in the early grades?
Why is it important for persuasive texts to be introduced in the early grades?
Completing the Jigsaw:

Read-Alouds, Visual Literacy,
and Responses
Program 4:
Part One: The Read-Aloud
Background Information Books Used: Thinking About Ants by Barbara Brenner

Crows! Strange and Wonderful by Laurence Pringle
Viewing Guide 13
In both Lauren’s and Lisa’s classrooms, using nonfiction as part of read-aloud
is an essential ingredient in exposing children to the content, vocabulary,
text structures, and features of informational texts. Reading nonfiction to
children is a wonderful way not only to expose them to the wide world of
informational texts but also to encourage them to make nonfiction part of
their independent reading selections.
Things to Look For • The role of the children during the read-aloud.
• How unfamiliar vocabulary is dealt with during the read-aloud in Lisa’s
classroom.
• The way both Lauren and I read the texts to engage the children.
Discussion Points Apart from the two books presented, what are some other nonfiction read-
alouds that could be used?
Why is it important for the teacher to read nonfiction to children?

Reading Widely
• Extending selections of genres and topics
• Using the read-aloud to broaden children’s selections
• Reminding students it’s not always necessary to read a novel in its
entirety
Part Two: Inferring from Visual Sources
Background Information Lauren and I have been experimenting with using a variety of visual sources
as part of our instruction in working with nonfiction. Much information is
contained in diagrams, graphs, maps, and pictures, yet children are often
unable to tap this valuable information. In this segment, I work with the
children on two major strategies. The first strategy, gathering facts, was done
on the calendar provided. The children had been working on this strategy
and were getting good at pulling out facts from a calendar. In this particular
demonstration, there was great excitement because the lesson fell on my son
Fraser’s birthday.
The second major strategy being demonstrated is how to infer from the
facts presented. This can be a complex concept for first graders and is one
that had only just been introduced in Lauren’s classroom. The word guess is
used as a preliminary scaffold to help them grasp this complex concept.

Things to Look For • The way the children are able to take facts and infer.
• The level of their inferring.
• The demonstrations I provide to stretch their thinking.
Discussion Points In addition to calendars, what other examples of visual literacy could be
introduced to children?
In Lauren’s classroom, what are the next steps to strengthen the children’s
abilities to infer?

Reading Widely
• Types of demonstrations needed to help children access information
from visual sources
Part Three: Responding to Nonfiction
Background Information Responding to informational texts is an important component of the non-

fiction classroom. In both Lauren’s and Lisa’s classrooms, we provide numer-
ous mini-lessons on the types of responses children could have as a way of
sharing the information they have read. Simply producing responses is not
adequate; children need authentic purposes for producing these responses.
Giving children an audience is a wonderful way to create this purpose. In
Part Three of this program, we share some of the responses the children pro-
duced, the mini-lessons we provided to assist them with this task, and the
sharing of their responses with a real audience.
Things to Look For • The type of responses the children produce.

• The integration of other content areas into the responses produced by
the children.
• The depth of the conversation between Fraser and Max.
Discussion Points What is the value of having children respond to nonfiction and share their
responses in a cross-grade setting?
What are some other responses to nonfiction that could be introduced to
the children?
What demonstrations did Lisa and Lauren provide to ensure that the sharing
of responses between the first and third graders was successful?
Viewing Guide 15
Links to Good Choice! Chapter 9: Responses to Reading
• How often children respond

• When children respond
• Different types of responses
• Sharing responses
• Ensuring variety
• Procedures in ongoing monitoring and record-keeping
• Responding through literature circles/book clubs
Chapter 10: Resources for Responding
Many thanks to the following publishers for permission to include their

books in this video series:
Boyds Mills Press
The Case of the Mummified Pigs and Other Mysteries in Nature by Susan E.
Quinlan. Illustrated by Jennifer Owings Dewey
Crows! Strange and Wonderful by Laurence Pringle. Illustrated by Bob
Marstall
Look What You Can Make with Paper Bags by Judy Burke. Photographs by
Hank Schneider
Look What You Can Make with Paper Plates by Margie Hayes Richmond.
Photographs by Hank Schneider
Mondo Publishing
Frogs by Michael Tyler
Mae Jemison by Sonia W. Black
Should There Be Zoos? A Persuasive Text by Tony Stead with Judy Ballester
and Her Fourth-Grade Class
Thinking About Ants by Barbara Brenner. Illustrations by Carol Schwartz
Newbridge Educational Publishing
Leaping Frogs by Melvin Berger
The Rosen Publishing Group
Facts About Tornadoes by Carrie Stuart
It’s Electric! by Greg Roza

Figure 1: Things to Look For
Program 1: Setting Up the Nonfiction Simone
Classroom • The background knowledge I have that
Part One: Organizing the Classroom Library allows me to best assist Simone.
• How nonfiction materials are organized. • The way Simone is able to articulate what it
• The children’s role in setting up and main- is she is going to be working on in her
taining the classroom library. reading.
• How the children know to put the books
back in the correct container.
Part One: Gathering New Information in Third
• The way the whole-class demonstration in
Grade
Lauren’s classroom connects with her liter-
Part Two: Gathering New Information in First
acy centers.
Grade
• The way I access the children’s prior knowl-
edge and then have them compare and
• The importance of the process chart in Lisa’s
contrast it with what is being read.
classroom that reflects the expectations of
• The integration of language skills and con-
what occurs during independent reading
tent studies.
time. See Independent Reading Time (Figure
• The way the same skill can be taught in first
3).
grade and third grade but at a different
• The different types of nonfiction reading
level of instruction.
material.
Part Three: Nonfiction Literacy Centers
• The way the children’s reading of the text
• The importance of the children being able
informs them as writers.
to articulate the purpose for each of the
• The questioning techniques Lisa uses.
three notebooks at each animal station.
• The children’s conversations.
• The way the children are engaged at each
center. Program 4: Completing the Jigsaw:
• The way the children work together cooper- Read-Alouds, Visual Literacy, and
atively. Responses
Part One: The Read-Aloud
Program 2: Helping Readers Select
• The role of the children during the read-
Texts: Mini-Lessons and Conferences
aloud.
Part One: Providing Support in Whole-Class
• How unfamiliar vocabulary is dealt with
Settings
during the read-aloud in Lisa’s classroom.

• The strategies the children see as important
• The way both Lauren and I read the texts to
when selecting a suitable text. Refer to How
engage the children.
to Choose a Suitable Text/Book (Figure 4).
• The children’s definition of the words suit-
Part Two: Inferring from Visual Sources
able and text.
• The way the children are able to take facts
and infer.
Part Two: Providing Support in Individual
• The level of their inferring.
Conferences
• The demonstrations I provide to stretch their
Alexa
thinking.
• The types of supports Lauren provides to
help Alexa make a wise selection.
• The way Lauren does not refer to Alexa’s
• The type of responses the children produce.
first choice as a wrong choice.
• The integration of other content areas into
CJ
the responses produced by the children.
• The types of supports I put in place to assist
• The depth of the conversation between
CJ.
Fraser and Max.
• The way CJ’s confidence grows by the end
of the conference.
Viewing Guide 17
Figure 2: Discussions Points
Program 1: Setting Up the Nonfiction What does the teacher gain from these confer-
Classroom ences?
Part One: Organizing the Classroom Library What is the teacher’s next step for each of the
How many books should a typical classroom children shown in this video?
library contain?
Would this number change according to grade
Part One: Gathering New Information in Third
level?
Grade
What texts, apart from books, can be housed
in the classroom library?
Part Two: Gathering New Information in First
What percentage of the material in the class-
Grade
room library should be nonfiction?
Why is gathering new information an impor-
What is the advantage of having the children
tant strategy for children to acquire to
be part of the organizational process?
strengthen their reading of informational
What are effective ways to get more nonfiction
texts?
texts into the classroom?
How could these lessons be extended? What
are the teacher’s next steps?
Why should nonfiction be an essential ingredi-
ent for children’s daily independent reading?
What are other possibilities for working with
In Lauren’s and Lisa’s classrooms, the children
persuasive texts?
are on-task during independent reading
How could persuasive texts be introduced in
time. What scaffolds would the teacher
the early grades?
need to provide to ensure this time works
Why is it important for persuasive texts to be
effectively?
introduced in the early grades?
Part Three: Nonfiction Literacy Centers Program 4: Completing the Jigsaw:
Why should nonfiction be an important compo- Read-Alouds, Visual Literacy, and
nent of literacy centers? Responses
What is the value of linking the science and Part One: The Read-Aloud
social studies curriculum into literacy cen- Apart from the two books presented, what are
ters? some other nonfiction read-alouds that could
What are some other possible ways of incorpo- be used?
rating nonfiction into literacy centers? Why is it important for the teacher to read non-
What management strategies need to be put in fiction to children?
place to ensure that literacy centers operate
effectively? Part Two: Inferring from Visual Sources
In addition to calendars, what other examples
Program 2: Helping Readers Select
of visual literacy could be introduced to chil-
Texts: Mini-Lessons and Conferences
dren?
Part One: Providing Support in Whole-Class
In Lauren’s classroom, what are the next steps
Settings
to strengthen the children’s abilities to infer?
Why is it important for these demonstrations to
be repeated throughout the year?
What are other ways to help children select
What is the value of having children respond
appropriate texts?
to nonfiction and share their responses in a
cross-grade setting?
Part Two: Providing Support in Individual
What are some other responses to nonfiction
Conferences
that could be introduced to the children?
Why is it important to provide all children with
What demonstrations could Lisa and Lauren
an opportunity to conference with the
have provided to ensure that the sharing of
teacher? What do the children gain from
responses between the first and third
this experience?
graders was successful?

Figure 3: Independent Reading Time
During independent reading time you can:
Work on your free choice reading response.

(Refer to Program 4, Part Three: Responding to Nonfiction for more informa-
tion.)
Work on your teacher-directed response.

(Refer to Program 4, Part Three: Responding to Nonfiction for more
information.)
Work on your reading strategies to make sure you understand what you are
reading. For example:
• Think about interesting facts you are discovering.
• Draw conclusions and make inferences as you are reading.
• Use your primary and secondary strategies to find out the meaning of
unknown words. (Refer to Program 4, Part One: The Read-Aloud for more
information.)
• Stop and try to retell what you are reading in your own words.
Choose a suitable text to read.
Think about bringing variety into your reading.

Build your stamina as a reader.
Record the books you have read in your reading log.
Meet with a reading partner to discuss a book or a response.
Viewing Guide 19
Figure 4: How to Choose a Suitable Text/Book
Note: This is a combination of the one shown in Lisa’s third-grade classroom

and Lauren’s first-grade classroom.
The topic is interesting.
A text that you can read and understand on your own.
A text that you can read with a partner.
A text that someone older can read to you so that you can understand it.
A text you are interested in reading.
A text you are reading for a specific purpose.
A text by an author you like.
It’s part of a series.
It’s a book that the teacher has read during read-aloud or shared reading.
It’s a text where you can get information from the pictures.

Figure 5: Observation Rubric for Nonfiction Reading
Months of Key 1: Not in evidence

Child’s name 2: Showing signs of
3: Strengthening
Independent Reading Level 4: Nearly Always
Date N/A: Not applicable
Selects nonfiction texts for independent reading

Able to select nonfiction material at appropriate
readability level
Is selecting different types of nonfiction materials
based on purpose (e.g., magazines, maps,
encyclopedias)
Has an interest in specific nonfiction topics
Can talk about information read
Has built up a stamina for independently reading
nonfiction
Reads with fluency
Reads with expression
Able to do a response to piece of nonfiction
Able to gain information from pictures and
photographs
Able to interpret information from illustrative sources
such as diagrams, graphs, maps, and tables
Uses strategies to work out meaning of unfamiliar
words
Date Comments
Viewing Guide 21
Figure 6: Persuasive Writing
Strongly Somewhat Not sure Somewhat Strongly

believe believe there believe believe
there there should be there there
should be should be zoos should not should not
My initial opinion zoos zoos be zoos be zoos
After reading an
argument for
zoos: Extinct and
endangered
animals
After reading an
argument against
zoos: Zoochosis
After reading an
argument for
zoos: Captive
breeding and
reintroduction
After reading an
argument against
zoos: Death and
disease
After reading an
argument for
zoos: Research
and education
After reading an
argument against
zoos:
Entertainment

Time Codes for Time for Nonfiction
00:00–02:00 Program 1: Setting Up the Nonfiction Classroom 28:12
02:00–11:10 Part One: Organizing the Classroom Library (09:10)
11:10–17:45 Part Two: Independent Reading (06:35)
17:45–28:12 Part Three: Nonfiction Literacy Centers (10:27)
00:45–01:36 Program 2: Helping Readers Select Texts: Mini-Lessons

and Conferences 30:48
01:36–13:58 Part One: Providing Support in Whole-Class Settings (12:22)
13:58–14:49 Part Two: Providing Support in Individual Conferences (00:51)
14:49–17:05 Conference: Lauren and Alexa (02:16)
17:05–25:29 Conference: Tony and CJ (08:24)
25:29–31:33 Conference: Tony and Simone (06:04)
00:00–00:55 Program 3: Whole-Class Mini-Lessons 31:35

00:55–11:50 Part One: Gathering New Information in Third Grade (10:55)
11:50–14:20 Part Two: Gathering New Information in First Grade (02:30)
14:20–15:28 Small-Group Instruction: Building on Whole-Class
Mini-Lessons (01:08)
15:28–31:35 Part Three: Working with Persuasive Texts (16:07)
00:00–01:05 Program 4: Completing the Jigsaw: Read-Alouds,

Visual Literacy, and Responses 31:27
01:05–08:10 Part One: The Read-Aloud (07:05)
08:10–17:40 Part Two: Inferring from Visual Sources (09:30)
17:40–21:02 Part Three: Responding to Nonfiction (03:22)

21:02–22:22 First-Grade Responses (01:20)
22:22–23:50 Third-Grade Responses (01:28)
23:50–31:27 First and Third Graders Share Responses (07:37)
Viewing Guide 23

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V I E W I N G G U I D E

Program 3: Whole-Class Mini-Lessons (31:35) 11

2 Time for Nonfiction

Background Information: relevant information on how the children and

Things to Look For • How nonfiction materials are organized.

4 Time for Nonfiction

Links to Good Choice! Chapter 3: Establishing the Classroom Library

Chapter 4: Nonbook Resources

Chapter 8: The Question of Readability Levels

• The importance of organizing the classroom library by topics, not levels

Part Two: Independent Reading

6 Time for Nonfiction

Chapter 2: Independent Reading Throughout the Day

Chapter 5: Independent Reading and the Computer

Part Three: Nonfiction Literacy Centers

constituted acceptable behavior. The duration of center times varied from

Discussion Points Why should nonfiction be an important component of literacy centers?

Links to Good Choice! Chapter 2: Independent Reading Throughout the Day

8 Time for Nonfiction

Links to Good Choice! Chapter 6: Whole-Class Mini-Lessons in Selecting Texts and

10 Time for Nonfiction

Links to Good Choice! Chapter 7: Establishing Individual Conferences to Support

• Students preparing for conferences

Program 3: Whole-Class Mini-Lessons

Part One: Gathering New Information in Third Grade

Part Two: Gathering New Information in First Grade

Links to Good Choice! Chapter 2: Independent Reading Throughout the Day

Chapter 5: Independent Reading and the Computer

Small-Group Instruction: Building on Whole-Class Mini-Lessons

12 Time for Nonfiction

Part Three: Working with Persuasive Texts

Completing the Jigsaw:

Background Information Books Used: Thinking About Ants by Barbara Brenner

Links to Good Choice! Chapter 6: Whole-Class Mini-Lessons in Selecting Texts and

Part Two: Inferring from Visual Sources

14 Time for Nonfiction

Links to Good Choice! Chapter 6: Whole-Class Mini-Lessons in Selecting Texts and

Part Three: Responding to Nonfiction

Background Information Responding to informational texts is an important component of the non-

sharing of their responses with a real audience.

Things to Look For • The type of responses the children produce.

• How often children respond

Chapter 10: Resources for Responding

Many thanks to the following publishers for permission to include their

16 Time for Nonfiction

during the read-aloud in Lisa’s classroom.

18 Time for Nonfiction

During independent reading time you can:

Work on your free choice reading response.

Work on your teacher-directed response.

Choose a suitable text to read.

Think about bringing variety into your reading.

Build your stamina as a reader.

Record the books you have read in your reading log.

Meet with a reading partner to discuss a book or a response.

Note: This is a combination of the one shown in Lisa’s third-grade classroom

The topic is interesting.

A text that you can read and understand on your own.

A text that you can read with a partner.

A text you are interested in reading.

A text you are reading for a specific purpose.

A text by an author you like.

It’s part of a series.