Grade Levels: K-3

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This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP Jr. topic Reading Nonfiction, and supports the standard of using details, illustrations, and other features of a text to describe its key ideas. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Ask:

  • What nonfiction book can you find in your classroom or school library?
  • Why might someone read this book? What would they learn more about?

Step 2: BUILD KNOWLEDGE

  • Play the Reading Nonfiction movie.  
  • Click the pause button each time a question appears in Annie’s Notebook and discuss it as a class. Then play to see how Annie answers it. 

TIP: The pause button turns red to remind you to pause. 

Step 3: APPLY and ASSESS

Students take the Easy Quiz or Hard Quiz, demonstrating what they learned about the topic while applying essential literacy skills.

Step 4: DEEPEN and EXTEND

Students express what they learned about reading nonfiction while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student or grade-level needs.

  • Draw About It: Draw a picture of an animal and add a caption.
  • Activity: Make a mini nonfiction book about something that interests you.
  • Talk About It: Make a list of your favorite nonfiction books.
  • Write About It: Share something new you learned from a nonfiction book.

More to Explore 

Reading Skills Unit: Continue to build understanding around comprehension strategies by exploring more BrainPOP Jr. topics.

Teacher Support Resources:

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments