A guide for using our resources

Children will identify the differences between fiction and nonfiction.

Vocabulary: fiction, illustrations, nonfiction

Literacy Focus: book genres

Simple, spectacular ideas to boost your lessons.

• When Turtle loses his favorite book, the other animals tell him about their favorite books. This is a perfect story to celebrate reading!

• Asking open-ended questions helps build language, vocabulary, and comprehension. As you read the issue, try asking the following:

1. How are photographs and illustrations diff erent?
2. What kinds of things can you use to make an illustration?
3. An illustrator is the person who makes the illustrations in a book. What do you notice about the words illustrator and illustrations?
4. What are some reasons we read nonfi ction? What are some reasons we read fi ction?

• Use pages 2-3 of the issue to do this scavenger hunt as a group.

1. Find the photo that shows pigs eating straw. Put a ✓on it.

2. Find the illustration that shows pigs talking. Put an ✘ on it.

3. Find a word that means “made-up stories.” Circle it each time you see it.

4. Find the diagram of the pig. Circle the labels.

Skill: critical thinking, reading and writing

Materials: My Book Reviews skill sheets, variety of classroom or library books

• Use your classroom library or a selection of books from the regular library for this small-group activity.
• First, have kids work together to sort the books into fiction and nonfiction. Encourage children to articulate their reasons for putting each book in the pile they chose.
• Once the books are sorted, pass out the My Book Reviews skill sheets. Have each child choose one fi ction book and one nonfi ction book they’d like to read, writing the titles on the sheet. When they have read each book, they can tell what they thought of it and draw their favorite scene.
• If you like, cut kids’ review sheets in half. Post fiction reviews on one wall and nonfi ction on another. Kids can check out each other’s reviews for recommendations!