Textbook Assignment 4

Nonfiction

Historical Fiction

Graphic Novels

KWLS

(K) What do you already know about the topic?

Nonfiction: Nonfiction is writing based on facts, real events, and real people. When you walk into a library, it is definitely the biggest section. All the books that give facts about animals fall into this category. It is also a category that a lot of students especially in the upper grades like fourth and fifth like reading because they learn so much information.

Historical Fiction: Historical Fiction includes stories that are written to represent a time period or convey information about a specific time period or a historical event. We usually think that these books are about information that happened a long time ago.

Graphic Novels: Nowadays, graphic novels are very popular among young readers. They are books written in a comic-strip format. There are a large number of visuals that connect with the text.

(W) What you learned after you completed reading.

Nonfiction: Dr. Small once said that nonfiction tends to be defined by what is not. Nonfiction is an umbrella of terms such as narrative, expository, biography, autobiography, and memoirs. There are different criteria to look for when evaluating nonfiction for children. It is imperative to look for the qualifications of the author. This can be done by checking their website, reading the author’s note, or researching for accuracy. Next, is whether the facts are accurate? We can look at our resources such as The National Science Teacher Association to check for fact validation. We can also compare books and see if they have the same information. Looking for the scope and purpose of the book is another part of the criteria to look for. Do you want broad or narrow information? For criteria number four, we have to ci=consider the organization of the book, like the table of contents, glossary, and index. These categories will certainly help students find the information they are looking for without wasting any time. Finally, it is very important to see what roles do the visuals play. They should elaborate on the information presented and help students not feel overwhelmed with the text.

Historical Fiction: Historical fiction refers to a story that happened in the past. Some of the criteria to look for include checking if the book smoothly tells a good story that blends the history in the story itself. It must also include accurate facts. A good place to check for this is The Council on Books for Children, which provide a list of Notable Trade Books in social sciences.  The values must reflect the time that it is referring to and the social environment must also be consistent. Lastly, it is important for the readers to be able to relate to the theme of the story. 

Graphic Novels: Graphic novels have become extremely popular and are now a very important component of libraries. They are a sequential art that can include history, fantasy, or nonfiction. Graphic novels combine text and illustrations to convey the story presented. . Just like picture books, they can be enjoyed by a variety of readers. They are not just for students that are unmotivated.

Without a doubt, they can be used as a teaching tool that will encourage children even with special needs.

(L) What you still need to learn.

All the information I learned was very informative. I do notice that boys are a lot more interested in nonfiction than girls. Is there a specific reason for this or is it just a coincidence. Also, will graphic novels like Manga affect a student’s way of reading?

(S) How you will share this information with others.

I will share all the information I learned about Nonfiction, Historical Fiction, and Graphic Novels with my students, parents, and colleagues. During our upcoming open house. I will have a variety of books for them to look at and even check out.