Informational Texts

Assignments due April 8
1. Before you read anything about informational texts, I would like for you to blog about your impressions of nonfiction texts. What do you think about these kinds of books? How do you think children will respond to these types of books?
2. Read Ch. 11 Temple.
3. Read Rosa by Nikki Giovanni and Bryan Collier (Please share this text). We will discuss in class next week.

4. Read any additional picture book biography (Jeanette Winter or Kathleen Krull are two of my favorite biographers), and read an informational book of your choice. Use the suggestions offered in Temple to help you select a book. I would recommend the following authors as being some of the BEST writers of informational text:
• Steve Jenkins (remember him ☺)
• Seymour Simon
• Gail Gibbons
• Russell Freedman
• Jim Arnosky
• Aliki

5. Complete a Bio-Poem for “your famous person” using the following template:

Bio-poem
Line 1: First name of biographical subject
Line 2: Four adjectives or phrases describing the person
Line 3: Husband/wife/sibling/child/friend of . . .
Line 4: Lover of . . . (three things, people, places, or ideas)
Line 5: Who feels . . . (three emotions)
Line 6: Who finds happiness in . . .
Line 7: Who needs . . .
Line 8: Who gives . . .
Line 9: Who fears . . . (three things)
Line 10: Who would like to see . . .
Line 11: Who enjoys . . .
Line 12: Who like to wear _________ when_________
Line 13: Resident of . . . (city/state/country)
Line 14: Last name of biographical subject

Please include any additional research that you find about this person or links to websites, photos, etc. If possible, try to include a visual of your famous person. Please post this bio-poem on your blog.

6. Bring your biography and your informational text to class Wednesday and be prepared to share your books. Think about the following reader response questions during/after reading your nonfiction book:

• What did you notice in the book?
• How did the book make you feel?
• What does the book remind you of from your own life?
• What interesting facts did you learn from the book?
• Explain the significance of an important quotation or passage from the book. What does it mean? How did it make you feel? What does it remind you of?
• How do you relate this information to your own life?
• What special meaning do these words have for you?

NOTE: These questions also serve as excellent reader response questions-no matter what the genre!

7. Also, please complete your blog entries for each book; you should have a total of 3 entries (2 biographies and 1 informational) after your readings.
8. Enjoy!