Fourth Graders Use Tools and Passions for Nonfiction Reading

The fourth graders have been engaging in a fascinating study of nonfiction literature. They dive into texts and gain insight by utilizing key details and "signal words" to support their identification of various text structures—such as compare-contrast, chronological, cause-effect, problem-solution, and description—and the author's voice. The students have explored articles on a wide range of topics, from how Macabee artifacts were recently unearthed in Israel to how the Wicked movie highlights accessibility. They have also loved independently reading nonfiction books, which they select based on personal interest.