Nonfiction text features give kids so much information on just about any topic. Do you know a kid who isn’t interested in frogs? Imagine if your frog book had no pictures. I honestly do not think I’ve met one, and what better way to draw a child into a tough lesson than with a book you KNOW they will love. Frogs! by National Geographic has the most amazing photos, and it’s perfect for modeling nonfiction text features.
In order to help students process nonfiction text, teachers can use think aloud to model how we pay attention to key features in nonfiction. Tanny McGregor in Genre Connections recommends launching nonfiction text studies with a concrete object. She uses a plant seed package, and the teacher models how we look at the picture of the plant, the name, and the plant requirements lists on the package. As we look at the package, the plant may trigger memories of times we’ve seen the plant or even eaten the plant’s produce. Other concrete objects I thought of was a box of cereal or food, a paint can, or board game.
Teaching Nonfiction Text Features
The next step is to teach the specific language and “look fors” to your students. First, you’ll want to demonstrate the text features. I suggest giving my nonfiction text features paper bag book a try. It includes introductory pages, modeling pages, practice pages, and application pages. My students love it. Here’s what a few customers said about these books:
“I am looking forward to using this resource with my class. I used a paper bag book project last year and it was a big hit. Very engaging!“
“My students really enjoying completing these paper bag projects! We have done one for main idea and key details and it is very engaging and fun for the students! Thank you!“
Nonfiction Books for Modeling Text Features
National Geographic nonfiction books are some of my favorites. They have the BEST nonfiction options for so many topics kids just love. This books has all the nonfiction text features you want kids to see-excellent pictures, captions, sidebars, headings and subheadings, charts, diagrams, and maps. There are so many different types of frogs shown in this book, and the children. I’ve used this title with have just been amazed by the new information they’ve learned. Many chose to find other Frog books at the library after too. 🙂
Just take a look at some of the pictures, and you’ll probably agree. My favorite is the picture of the Goliath frog which is the size of a rabbit! Here are a few just to give you an idea how the book is organized and what the pictures look like.
To build excitement prior to reading, teachers might show this Youtube video from National Geographic. I think the pictures are just amazing, and I know my kids would love them.
Links to Other Text Features Posts:
- 5 Signs You Should Teach Nonfiction Text Features
- Teaching Nonfiction Text Features with Exploring the Deep Dark Sea
- Nonfiction Text Features: Books and Lesson Ideas
Resource Download:
This free resource is for teaching text features. It is shown with a book about penguins, but can be used with this book or any other with nonfiction text features.
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I love National Geographic books too for the same facts that they include so much! I also love Tanny McGregor and her ideas for making reading real!
What great ideas to use with the book and to get kids excited about frogs!
Andrea
Reading Toward the Stars
Thanks Andrea! I am really enjoying Genre Connections. She has such great ideas.