📖 ReadingGrade 2Lesson 17
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Read Nonfiction Texts About Animals

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Learning Objectives

  • 1Use headings and bold words to find information in a nonfiction text
  • 2Answer fact-based questions using information from the text
  • 3Tell the difference between a fact (can be checked) and an opinion (a personal view)
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Mini Lesson

Nonfiction texts are about real things — real animals, real places, real events. Unlike stories, they are written to inform the reader. Knowing how nonfiction is organized helps you find information quickly and read it more deeply.

Key nonfiction text features

  • Headings — titles for each section that tell you what it is about.
  • Bold words — important vocabulary that is highlighted for attention.
  • Facts — true statements that can be checked. Different from opinions.
  • Topic sentences — the first sentence of a paragraph usually states the main idea of that paragraph.

How to read nonfiction well

  • Read the headings first to preview what you will learn.
  • When you see a bold word, read the sentence again carefully — it is a key term.
  • After each section, stop and ask: "What is the one most important fact I just learned?"

Fact vs opinion

  • A fact can be proved: "Penguins cannot fly."
  • An opinion is someone's view: "Penguins are the best birds."
  • Nonfiction texts are built from facts — watch for any opinion sneaking in!
Nonfiction Text FeaturesA diagram of a nonfiction page showing four labeled features: a heading at the top, a bold word in the first paragraph, a fact box, and a topic sentence at the start of the second paragraph.Nonfiction FeaturesWhat Do Penguins Eat?HeadingPenguins arecarnivores.They eatfish and squid. They catch theirfood by diving under water.Bold wordFast Fact:Emperor penguins can dive 500 m deep.Penguins live in large groups.These groups are called colonies. Acolony can have thousands of birds.Topic sentenceFact box
A nonfiction page with four features labeled — heading, bold word, fact box, and topic sentence.
Fact vs OpinionTwo columns comparing facts and opinions. Facts can be checked and are used in nonfiction. Opinions are someone's view and cannot be proved. Three examples of each are shown.Fact vs OpinionFACTCan be checkedand proved true."Penguins cannot fly.""They live inAntarctica.""They eat fishand squid."OPINIONSomeone's view —cannot be proved."Penguins are thecutest animals.""The best petwould be a penguin."
Facts can be proved and belong in nonfiction; opinions are personal views that cannot be proved.
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Ask yourself: "What heading tells me where to look for this fact? Is this sentence a fact I could check, or is it someone's opinion?"

Vocabulary
Nonfiction
A text about real things — real animals, places, events, or ideas — written to inform the reader with factse.g. An article about penguins is nonfiction.
Heading
A short title at the start of a section that tells the reader what that section is aboute.g. "What Do Penguins Eat?" tells you the next paragraph is about penguin food.
Bold word
An important vocabulary word printed in a darker style to catch the reader's attentione.g. In the article, carnivores, colony, and waterproof are all bold.
Fact
A true statement that can be checked and provede.g. "Penguins cannot fly."
Opinion
What someone thinks or feels — cannot be proved right or wronge.g. "Penguins are the cutest animals."
Topic sentence
The sentence — usually the first one of a paragraph — that states the main idea of that paragraphe.g. "Penguins live in large groups." — the rest of the paragraph explains what a colony is.
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