Writing Non-Fiction: Mentor Texts & Craft Strategies

February 2010

Why Non-Fiction?

Often neglected in explicit teaching Grade Level Content Expectations Real World Reciprocal relationship between

texts children read and write Develops ability to organize

knowledge and think about the world Understand various features of non-

fiction texts: headings, captions, bold-print, etc.

Dorfman & Capelli’s Top Ten:

10. To share expertise, build self-confidence and self-esteem

9. To write for wider audiences & authentic purposes

8. To build a thorough understanding of a topic

7. To enhance vocabulary, visual literacy, and technology use

6. To demonstrate our ability to write in different text forms

5. To take ownership for learning about our world and sharing that knowledge with others.

Dorfman & Capelli’s Top Ten:

4. To make use of powerful scaffolds to help create new and enjoyable patterns for our learning

3. To develop strategies for building content and to find ways to organize and synthesize our learning

2. To continue to build our curiosity for our world by promoting a spirit of inquiry

1. To provide choice—especially for those of us who would prefer reading and writing nonfiction.

Three Principles of Teaching Informational Writing

1. Use reading to support writing—reading and writing are inextricably linked.

2. Help children make information they’ve gathered their “own.”

3. Teach that informational text has purpose and features that are different from other forms.

--Duke and Armistead, 2003

Grade Level Content Expectations

Writing Across The Grades

W.GN.03.03 write an informational piece including a

report that demonstrates the understanding of central ideas and supporting details using an effective organizational pattern (e.g., compare/contrast, cause/effect, problem/solution) with a title, heading, subheading, and a table of contents.

The Genre Project

Michigan Genre Project Informational Reading and Writing

Overview: Page 5 Various Informational Genre: Page 82The format for the general description is organized by the

following subheadings:• Definition• Purposes• Characteristics• Grade Level Instructional Scope for Reading (Comprehending)• Grade Level Instructional Scope for Writing (Composing)

W.GN.00.03write a brief informational piece such as a page for a class book using drawings, words, word-like clusters, and/or sentences.

W.GN.01.03write an informational piece that addresses a focus question (e.g., What is a family?) using descriptive, enumerative, or sequence patterns that may include headings, titles, labels, photographs, or illustrations to enhance the understanding of central ideas.

W.GN.02.03write an informational piece including a magazine feature article using an organizational pattern such as description, enumeration, sequence, or compare/contrast that may include graphs, diagrams, or charts to enhance the understanding of central and key ideas.

W.GN.03.03write an informational piece including a report that demonstrates the understanding of central ideas and supporting details using an effective organizational pattern (e.g., compare/contrast, cause/effect, problem/solution) with a title, heading, subheading, and a table of contents.

W.GN.04.03write an informational comparative piece that demonstrates understanding of central and supporting ideas using an effective organizational pattern (e.g., compare/contrast) and informational text features.

W.GN.05.03write a position piece that demonstrates understanding of central ideas and supporting details (e.g., position/evidence organizational pattern) using multiple headings and subheadings.

W.GN.06.02write a personal, persuasive, or comparative essay that includes organizational patterns supporting key ideas.

Nonfiction Genre Study

Read aloud samples of the genre in focus.

Immerse Students in the genre—including student samples.

Chart features and characteristics-these create the study

Develop mini-lessons appropriate to the study and student needs

Revisit!Katie Wood Ray

When students are taught to see how writing is done, this way of seeing opens

upTo them huge warehouses of

possibilities for how to make their writing good writing.

--Katie Wood Ray