Lesson 64: Reading a nonfiction book

📖 READING (40 Lessons) • 🟡 C. Reading for Information

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Objective

Read a simple nonfiction book and use the cover, title, headings, pictures, and captions to understand and tell facts.

Materials

Mini-lesson — Parts of a nonfiction book

Some books tell made-up stories. Other books give true facts. A book that gives facts is called a nonfiction book.

A nonfiction book has parts that help you find and understand information:

  • the cover and title tell what the book is about
  • headings show what each section or page is about
  • pictures or photos help you see the facts
  • captions are short sentences near a picture that explain it
  • labels name important parts in a picture

Sometimes there is also a table of contents at the front that shows page numbers for each section.

Good readers of nonfiction books:

  • read the title and look at the cover picture first
  • use headings to know what they will learn on that page
  • look at pictures, captions, and labels to get more facts
  • ask, “What is this page mostly about?”

You can use these frames:

“This page is mostly about _____.”

“From the picture and caption I learn that _____.”

Today, you will practice using the parts of a nonfiction book to understand and tell true facts.

Picture strip: Nonfiction book parts

Guided Practice — Mini-book: Reading a nonfiction book

How to use this mini-book:

  • Read the title, headings, and sentences on each page.
  • Imagine the pictures and captions as you read.
  • Ask: “What is this page mostly about?”

On your paper, choose one page and write: “This page is mostly about _____. From the picture and caption I learn that _____.”

Useful nonfiction words
nonfiction title heading picture caption label facts

Frames: “This page is mostly about ____.” “From the picture and caption I learn that ____.”

Mini-Book: Reading a nonfiction book

1

Cover and title

The cover of a nonfiction book shows a picture and a title. The title tells what the book is about.

If the title is “All About Penguins,” you know the book will give facts about penguins.

The cover picture helps you start thinking about the topic.

2

Headings on pages

Inside the book, headings tell what each page is mostly about.

A heading like “What Penguins Eat” tells you that this page will give facts about penguin food.

Headings help you find the part you want to read.

3

Pictures and captions

Nonfiction books often have real photos or clear pictures.

A caption is a short sentence near the picture that explains it.

A caption might say, “Penguins huddle together to stay warm.” That gives you a new fact.

4

Labels and tables of contents

Labels point to parts of a picture, like “flipper,” “beak,” or “ice.”

A table of contents at the front of the book shows where each section starts.

How can these text features help you when you read a nonfiction book?

Reading Practice — Using parts of a nonfiction book

Read each short example from a nonfiction book. Drag the answer that makes the best match into the box. Chips stay in their own question. Then press “Check sentences.”

The title of a book is “Animals in Winter.”
This title tells you .

what the whole book is about how long the book is what your favorite color is

Inside a nonfiction book you read a heading that says “Where Penguins Live.”
This heading tells you .

what that page or section is mostly about how big the book is what games penguins play with toys

You see a picture of a penguin sliding on ice. Under it, the caption says, “Penguins slide on their bellies to move quickly.”
To understand the picture you should .

read the caption to learn what the picture is showing ignore the words under the picture cover the picture with your hand

On a penguin diagram you see arrows pointing to “wing,” “beak,” and “feet.”
These labels help you because .

they name important parts in the picture they tell jokes about the penguin they hide the picture from you

At the front of the book, the table of contents lists “What Penguins Eat — page 6.”
You can use this to .

find the page number for each section find where to write your name find a secret code on the cover

After you read a nonfiction page, you think about the main idea.
The main idea is .

what the page is mostly telling you about how fast you can read it how colorful the cover is

You want to pick a nonfiction book about oceans.
The best way to choose is to .

look at the cover and title to see if the topic interests you pick any book without looking only read the last page first

As you turn the page, you see a new heading that says “Baby Penguins.”
Before you read the sentences, you should .

stop and read the heading so you know what you will learn next skip the heading and guess close the book right away

Which sentence is a nonfiction fact that could be in the book? .

penguins are birds that cannot fly but can swim very well penguins drive cars to school every day penguins are tiny robots from space

You want to understand a nonfiction book well.
The best way to read it is to .

use the title, headings, pictures, and captions to help you understand the facts ignore the pictures and only look at one word turn the pages as fast as you can without reading

Quick Check — Reading a nonfiction book

What is a nonfiction book?

What does a heading tell you?

How do pictures and captions help you?

Where can you look to find which page a section starts on?

What is a good way to explain a nonfiction page after you read it?

Assessment (parent/teacher)

Exit ticket (student)

I will practice…

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