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Patricia NewmanPatricia Newman
Sibert Honor Children's Book Author & Environmentalist
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LitLinks-improve-writing-with-NF-kidlit

LitLinks: How to improve student writing with 3 unique lessons from nonfiction kidlit

October 4, 2023 LitLinks, LitLinks-Grade 3-5, LitLinks-Grade 6-8, LitLinks-Grade K-2 No Comments
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PATRICIA NEWMAN


More ways to use nonfiction literature to improve student writing

Continuing our occassional series of lessons that use nonfiction literature to improve student writing, I’ve collected three unusual lessons that focus on specific writing skills:

  • Surprise! Walruses can help you teach reading + phonics…and eventually writing. To write about sound, students need to listen to the world around them. This lesson asks students to read about and listen to walrus sounds, and then use sound words in their own writing.
  • What do salmon mean to The Strong People? Let find out! Point of view, or being able to look at the world from another perspective, is an advanced writing skill. In this lesson, ask students to consider life from a salmon’s point of view and write a poem in two voices.
  • Easy way to practice students’ primary source interview skills. Interviewing is an important skill for nonfiction writers of all ages. We need to understand how to uncover the best information with the best questions. Help students practice their interviewing skills in this lesson.
LitLinks: Surprise! Walruses can help you teach reading + phonics
LitLinks: What do salmon mean to The Strong People? Let’s find out!
LitLinks: Easy way to practice students’ primary source interview skills

Other ways to improve student writing using nonfiction literature

In case you missed the previous two installments of this writing + nonfiction series, I’ve included the links below.

LitLinks: 5 ways to use nonfiction kidlit in the classroom
LitLinks: 4 cool ways to engage students with nonfiction kidlit

Don’t forget to check out the NCTE’s new position statement on the role of nonfiction literature in the K-12 classroom.

Give these lessons a try and let me know what you think.


Click for more LITLINKS STEM + Literacy activities

Tags: STEM+LiteracySTEM+Literacy Natural Science
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  • Home
  • Books
    • Sharks Unhooked: The Adventures of Cristina Zenato, Underwater Ranger
    • Giant Rays of Hope: Protecting Manta Rays to Safeguard the Sea
    • A River’s Gifts: The Mighty Elwha River Reborn
    • Planet Ocean
    • Eavesdropping on Elephants
    • Neema’s Reason To Smile
    • Zoo Scientists to the Rescue
    • Sea Otter Heroes: The Predators That Saved an Ecosystem
    • Plastic, Ahoy! Investigating the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
    • Ebola: Fears and Facts
    • Jingle the Brass
    • Nugget on the Flight Deck
    • Surviving Animal Attacks
    • Elite Operations series
    • Energy Lab series
    • QuickReads Fluency Library
    • Books for English language-learners
    • Writers write all kinds of things
  • Author Visit Programs
    • FAQs
    • Calendar
  • Blog
  • Educator Resources
    • Teach the Hope
    • Earth Day Every Day newsletter archive
    • Teacher Guides
    • STEM + Literacy Activities
    • LitLinks
    • KidLit creators who make kids want to read
  • Writer Resources
    • Writing Classes
    • Manuscript or Proposal Critiques
    • How I got my start
  • Who is Patricia Newman?
  • Contact
    • Stay In Touch
    • Earth Day Every Day newsletter archive
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