Nonfiction Reading Fair Projects

Example: Johnny Reb and Billy Yank

By Lucy Dixon, Three Rivers Elementary

1. Title 2. Author 3. Publisher and publication date 4. Structure of the text 5. Student prediction 6. Student connection 7. Author’s Purpose 8. Plot Summary 9. Graphic organizer 10. Follow-up question to author

Nonfiction Projects Must Contain the Following

Elements:

The TITLE is the name of the book.

The AUTHOR is the person who wrote the book.

Title and Author

The NAME OF THE PUBLISHER can be found on the verso* page (sometimes called the copyright page). The verso is the back of the title page.

The DATE THE BOOK WAS PUBLISHED can also be found on the verso page.

HINT: It is usually found after a little c with a circle around it like this: ©1999. Publication date of 1999.

Publisher and Publication Date

What genre does the book fall into?

– Instructional? (teach you how to do)

– Explanatory? (tell you about something)

– Discussion? (give different POVs)

– Opinion? (try to persuade you)

Structure of the Text

Before reading, what did you think the book would be about? Tell in a complete sentence.

Example - I predict this book will be about soldiers and fighting during the Civil War.

Student Prediction

How did you connect with the book? Again, write in complete sentences.

– Text to self (my dad is in the military)

– Text to text (reminds me of “Civil War on Sunday”)

– Text to world (reminds me of the war in Afghanistan)

Student Connection

A brief description of the order of events in the story. Complete sentences are a MUST.

Example – This book is about the differences and likeness between the north and the south during the Civil War. The focus is on the military and life in the military….

Plot Summary

Why did the author write the book? Do I need to remind you about the complete sentences?

– Entertain (to amuse you?)

– Inform (to teach you something?)

– Persuade (to make you think a certain way?)

Author’s Purpose

Graphic Organizer

Use a chart to explain the elements in the story.

Example -

Johnny Reb Billy Yank

Follow-up Questions to Author

If you could ask the author a question, what would it be? Complete question!

Examples: Did being from the north or the south effect your viewpoint in the book?

What sparked your interest about writing about the Civil War?

Is the writing neat and easy to understand? Use complete sentences! Did you use your imagination? Did you

make it creative and interesting? Did you follow directions, and is your

project durable (no pieces falling off)? Did you write about the most important

information? Do you understand what the author was trying to say in the story?

Does your project make others want to read it?

Did you do the work yourself (individual)?

What are the judges looking for?

Must Haves!! Title

Author

Publication

information

Plot

summary

Structure of

text

Student

connection

Student

prediction

Author’s

purpose

Graphic

organizer

Follow up

question to

the author Name your

elements

Dress it up!!

TOOLS:

Pencils

Markers

Crayons

Rulers

Colored

paper

Stencils

or

Printer

BLING:

Glitter

Feathers

Pebbles

Tin foil

Plastic toy

Photos

Beads

Ribbons

Popcycle

sticks

Foam

letters

Category M- 4th-5th Grade (Non-fiction/Individual)

Category M- 4th-5th Grade (Non-fiction/Individual)

Last But Not Least

Do Your Best! Be Proud of Your Project! Learn Something You Never

Knew Before!

And don’t forget those complete sentences.