Comparing Fiction and Nonfiction Texts Using Fairytales and Science Books by Mimi Rutland

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Comparing Fiction and Nonfiction Texts Using
Fairytales and Science Books by Mimi Rutland

• Goldilocks and the Three Bears
• By Jan Brett
• vs.
• Polar Bears by Gail Gibbons

This series of lessons is focused on the strategy
of making connections and is organized around the
genres of fiction and nonfiction texts.
Additional texts according to teachers
preference may also be included.
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Objectives

• Students will engage in class discussions
  comparing and contrasting fiction to nonfictional
  texts.
• Students will make meaningful connections between
  different texts.(Text-to- self, text-to-world,
  and text-to-text)
• Students will create sensory images when
  listening to stories read aloud.
• Students will be able to identify the elements of
  a fairy tale.
• Students will be able to identify the elements of
  a nonfiction text.
• Students will be able to identify elements that
  are alike and different in nonfiction and
  fictional books.

Connections.....
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Lesson One

• Read Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Jan Brett.
• Have students visualize what is taking place in
  the story then allow students to closely
  examine the pictures.
• Discuss elements of fairy tales have students
  describe what they already know about fairy tales
  and what they have in common.
• Identify and review elements of a fictional
  story- plot, setting, characters, problem,
  solution.
• Identify vocabulary words and phrases that are
  present in fairy tales once upon a time ,
  happily ever after, etc.
• Identify elements of characters in fictional
  stories, such as talking animals, animals wearing
  clothes and eating at the table, etc.

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Lesson Two

• Review the elements of a fairy tale and a
  fictional story.
• Review the character elements found in fictional
  stories.
• Review vocabulary words and phrases found in
  fairy tales.
• Reread specific pages of Goldilocks and the Three
  Bears citing examples of the above mentioned
  elements.
• Have students brainstorm and create a list on
  chart paper to identify elements found in
  fictional stories and fairy tales.

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Lesson Three

• Read Polar Bears by Gail Gibbons.
• Discuss elements found in a nonfictional text
  about bears.
• Discuss the difference between fact (real) and
  fiction (make-believe).
• Allow students to closely examine the pictures in
  the text.
• Have students identify facts about bears, their
  habitat, eating habits, hibernation, and
  reproduction.
• Assign students the task of researching other
  kinds of bears on the internet or with other
  books at home.

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Lesson Four

• Review the elements of a nonfiction book.
• Review the differences between fact and fiction.
• Review Polar Bears by briefly highlighting a few
  pages of the book and facts about Polar bears.
• On chart paper, have students brainstorm and
  create a list of the elements and facts found in
  the book pertaining to the Polar bears.

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Lesson Five

• Using the two lists created by students, compare
  and contrast the elements of a nonfiction book
  about bears and a fairy tale about bears.
• Guide students to identify any elements that are
  the same.
• Have students create their own Venn diagrams,
  showing several elements that are the same and
  different in both texts.
• Observe students during class discussions as they
  talk about the similarities and differences in
  fiction and nonfiction books.
• Monitor students silently as they work
  independently to create their Venn diagrams.
• Allow volunteers to share their results with the
  class.

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Individual Differences

• To accommodate individual differences, have
  higher level students partner up with struggling
  readers, as they brainstorm and create their Venn
  Diagrams.
• Allow students who are unable to write on the
  diagram draw the similarities and differences
  between the texts.

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References

• Brett, J. (1987).Goldilocks and the three
  bears.New York, NY G. P. Putnam's Sons.
• Gibbons, G.(2007). Polar bears. New York, NY
  Crabtree Publishing.