Chapter 10- Maria Ameruoso Ted Guzman Meghan Wood LTED- 618 November 13, 2014

Transcription

1 Chapter 10- Informational Books Maria Ameruoso Ted Guzman Meghan Wood LTED- 618 November 13, 2014

2 Definition & Description Informational books give factual information. They can be both expository and narrative in style. Informational books are the opposite of a traditional text books in that they often focus on one topic. They capture a child s curiosity with colorful interesting i illustrations i and photographs. h

3 Important Research Most classrooms do not have a balance of narrative and informational text (Jeong, Gaffney,& Choi 2010). This lack of resources results in an inability for students to successfully read and write informational text t (Duke, 2000). American children score lower in informational reading than in literacy reading (Mullis, Martin, Kennedy & Foy). Children who read magazines and nonfiction texts have higher reading proficiencies (Campbell, Kapinus, & Beatty, 1995). There are ample opportunities to use informational text in the classroom (Maloch, 2008)

4 Types of Informational Books Informational chapter book Informational picture book Concept picture book Photo essay Fact books Informational book series Multigenre books Activity books Reference books

5 Evaluation & Selection of Informational Books In a perfect world children should have access to a wide variety of informational text. Some of the criteria that should be considered when choosing books: Clear concise easily understandable text presented in a visually appealing manner. Accurate up to date information. Text scaffolds understanding, encourages critical thinking and introduces readers to the world of inquiry. Book is organized around a theme that brings deeper understanding of the big picture. text offers clear distinctions between fact, theory and opinion and avoids personification. Book has captions and labels l that help readers understand d the information.

6 The Significance of Style in Informational Books Style is how authors and illustrators choose to use and organize text features to best communicate information. Some of the stylistic structures that informational books use are: Description Sequence Comparison Cause and Effect Problem and Solution

7 Excellent Literature to Read Aloud reading.com/non-fiction-picturebooks.html x?pid= &aspxautodetectcookiesu p pport=1 p p y g p 14/02/informational-mentor-text-listfor.html

8 Historical Overview 1657: Orbis Pictus (The World in Pictures) by John Amos Comenius was the first children s picture book and it was also an informational book. picture-book-1658s-orbis-sensualium-pictus.html bi i t l 1660s- 1860s: The Puritan Movement stopped this promising beginning and for the next 200 years most books read by children were, intended for moralistic instruction rather than information (page 199).

9 Historical Overview 1950s- 1960s: Informational literature as a genre began. The launch of Sputnik (the first artificial i space satellite), by the former Soviet Union, inspired a race for space exploration and new technology. The U.S. spent money on science education and publishers responded with more informational onal books. As the popularity of informational books rose, more authors and illustrators started creating these types of books. 2001: Robert F. Sibert establishes the Informational Book Medal Award. Today: The dull fact books that many adults remember have been replaced with books that have an engaging writing style, an emphasis on visual design, and a focus on accuracy about topics that intrigue children (page 200).

10 Types of Informational Books Informational books are one of the largest genres in children s literature. t Biological Science- living organisms, laws and phenomena that relate to organisms or groups of organisms Human anatomy Sexuality: bodies, puberty, sex, sexual orientation Physical or Natural Science- nonliving nlivin materials Rocks Landforms Oceans Stars Atmosphere Weather Seasons

11 Types of Informational Books Applied Science- practical applications of pure science devised by people Experiments How-To Books Social Science- deals with functioning of society and interpersonal relationships (current or historical) Government Cultures Money Transportation Problematic behaviors Humanities- deals with fields that are cultural or artistic Fine Arts Performing Arts

12 Pair Fact and Fiction The Common Core State Standards has a great emphasis on reading and writing informational texts. Students are also required to compare and contrast texts. Teachers can pair an informational book with a related fiction book in order to encourage critical thinking. Examples of possible pairs can be found on page 203. See Handout: Sample Lesson Plan

13 More Lesson Ideas Choose and analyze informational books with similar controversial topics. Read like a historian and participate in a historical inquiry activity. Informational Writing Activity- After reading mentor texts, have students create their own informational texts. (Flip books, brochures, reports, how tos, etc.). Use graphic organizers to help students summarize informational texts (See Handouts). Teach close reading strategies (See Handouts: Sample Lesson Plan). Plan a Non-Fiction Text Features Scavenger Hunt (See Handouts, Let s Try It!)

14 References Short, K. G., Lynch-Brown, C., & Tomlinson, C. M. (2014). Essentials of children s literature (8 th ed.). New York: Pearson.