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Contents
Copyright © 2004 by Stenhouse Publishers
Introduction 3
All rights reserved. This guide may be photocopied
for staff development use only. Program 1: Setting Up the Nonfiction
Classroom (28:12) 4
Other books and videos by Tony Stead are available
at www.stenhouse.com and include Is That a Fact?, Program 2: Helping Readers Select Texts:
Reality Checks, and Bridges to Independence. Mini-Lessons and Conferences (30:48) 9
Time for Nonfiction by Tony Stead. Copyright © 2004. Stenhouse Publishers. All rights reserved.
ing and have them read through the items before
watching each part. This will help focus questions
when the instructor asks participants for com-
ment at the end of the viewing.
4. At the end of the viewing, give participant time
to record their observations and talk with each
other in pairs or small groups before bringing the
conversation to whole-group discussion.
5. If needed, use the Discussion Points (Figure 2) as
a springboard for further conversations.
sons. These videos provide the high-level support teachers need to set up
and maintain a nonfiction classroom.
In my subsequent book on independent reading, Good Choice!
Supporting Independent Reading and Response K–6, I make frequent reference
to Lauren’s and Lisa’s classrooms. From setting up the classroom library and
text selection to independent reading throughout the day and responding to
reading, my thinking has been guided by the work we did together.
Throughout this viewing guide I have added links to relevant chapters in
Good Choice! so that selected readings from the book can deepen the view-
ing experience. Enjoy! And remember to take one step at a time.
Viewing Suggestions
Each of the four programs is divided into parts that address specific aspects
of setting up and maintaining the nonfiction classroom.Think of the parts as
pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. We recommend these videos be viewed in order, as
Viewing Guide 3
the parts build on each other to construct the final puzzle.
This viewing guide includes four areas that promote reflection and con-
versation for the parts within each program. They are:
Setting Up the
Program 1: Nonfiction Classroom
Part One: Organizing the Classroom Library
Background Information The Manhattan New School has no school library; consequently, each class-
room has a large number of books. Despite the quantity of classroom reading
material, Lauren’s first-grade classroom and Lisa’s third-grade classroom have
a shortage of nonfiction books. Our first effort was to create topic baskets
centered on the children’s interests. Each topic basket was assigned a number,
and each book in that topic basket reflected this number. The children knew
which basket to put the books back into once read. We then looked at the
Time for Nonfiction by Tony Stead. Copyright © 2004. Stenhouse Publishers. All rights reserved.
readability levels within each topic basket to ensure there was enough reading
material at appropriate independent readability levels for all the children.
(Once the classroom nonfiction library was established, we needed to make
sure children selected appropriate nonfiction reading materials. Program 2
explores this.)
Discussion Points How many books should a typical classroom library contain?
Would this number change according to grade level?
Background Information In both Lauren’s and Lisa’s classrooms, there is a set time each day for inde-
pendent reading. Both teachers believe this is an important and essential
component of their literacy block. Children in both classrooms are encour-
aged to make nonfiction part of their daily reading, and each teacher has
established different routines to foster this belief.
In Lauren’s classroom, the children are given twenty minutes each day to
independently read materials they have self-selected. Self-selections are
Viewing Guide 5
made during center time: each day, six children are given the opportunity to
change the reading material in their book bags. The children know which
day they can access the classroom library to change their reading material.
This does not mean they are only allowed into the classroom library on their
particular day; all children are encouraged to access the classroom library
during other times throughout the day. Browsing baskets are also established
during independent reading time so that children who have completed
reading the selections in their book bags can choose from additional reading
material. During the twenty minutes of independent reading, children are
encouraged to have a balance of fiction and nonfiction. Lauren and I provide
many whole-class demonstrations on what independent reading should look
and sound like. Initially noise was an issue, but having children find their
own special place to read soon alleviated this problem.
In Lisa’s classroom, there is a forty-minute time period for the children to
borrow reading materials, independently read, and respond to their reading.
(For information about reading responses, see Program 4.) Children have full
access to the classroom library during this time, but only six children are
allowed to change their books at any given time. This stops congestion and
gives the children the space to browse and make wise decisions before making
their selections. Initially, as in Lauren’s classroom, a borrowing roster is estab-
lished until the children are able to independently manage their selection
time. By third grade, many children are fluent readers, and they are selecting
longer and more complex texts.They borrow on a weekly or bi-weekly basis,
so congestion in the classroom library becomes less of a management issue.
Things to Look For • The importance of the process chart in Lisa’s classroom that reflects the
expectations of what occurs during independent reading time. See
Independent Reading Time (Figure 3).
Time for Nonfiction by Tony Stead. Copyright © 2004. Stenhouse Publishers. All rights reserved.
• The different types of nonfiction reading material.
Discussion Points Why should nonfiction be an essential ingredient for children’s daily inde-
pendent reading?
In Lauren’s and Lisa’s classrooms, the children are on-task during independ-
ent reading time. What scaffolds would the teacher need to provide to
ensure this time works effectively?
Links to Good Choice! Chapter 1: Establishing Independent Reading and Borrowing Routines
• Setting up buddy reading as a precursor to independent reading with
kindergarten children
• Setting up borrowing routines
• Establishing reading logs
Background Information Lauren established literacy centers at the start of the school year and dis-
played a task management board so that, each day, children would know
which center to attend. At the beginning of the school year, Lauren and I
provided clear demonstrations on what each center contained and what
Time for Nonfiction by Tony Stead. Copyright © 2004. Stenhouse Publishers. All rights reserved.
Viewing Guide 7
to document their growing understanding. Establishing these three note-
books strengthened the children’s skills as readers, writers, observers, listen-
ers, and thinkers of nonfiction.
One of the notebooks was called “What We Have Read.” Children
recorded new information learned about a particular animal from the selec-
tion of books in the basket at the center. The second notebook was called
“What We Can See.” In this notebook, the children recorded their direct
observations of the animals at the center (magnifying glasses were placed at
each animal station to help children with this task). The third notebook,
“What People Told Us,” contained information discussed with peers who
were also stationed at the center.
Things to Look For • The importance of the children being able to articulate the purpose for
each of the three notebooks at each animal station.
• The way the children are engaged at each center.
• The way the children work together cooperatively.
Time for Nonfiction by Tony Stead. Copyright © 2004. Stenhouse Publishers. All rights reserved.
• Different types of literacy centers/stations that can be established
• The importance of having materials ready and available
• The importance of management routines
• Ways to ensure workable noise levels
• Independent reading and content studies
• The advantage of using organizers/notebooks for children to record and
share observations
Background Information We spent a lot of time setting up a classroom library that contained many
informational texts, but the children still struggled with selecting appropri-
ate material. We overcame this challenge by providing demonstrations and
discussions at a whole-class level. How to Choose a Suitable Text/Book
(Figure 4) documents some of the children’s responses on how to select
appropriate texts based on these whole-class discussions.
In Lauren’s first-grade classroom, some of the books in each topic basket
needed a color-coded readability level to support children so they could select
appropriate texts for independent reading. These color codes were a useful
tool for the early readers who hadn’t yet fully internalized the strategies read-
ers use when selecting appropriate texts. Our ultimate goal was to equip chil-
dren with these strategies without relying on colored dots to make selections.
In Lisa’s third-grade classroom, many of the children were able to suc-
cessfully select appropriate informational texts, so less emphasis was placed
on using color codes as a secondary support. In fact, by the end of the school
year, color codes had disappeared. This should be the goal for every teacher.
Things to Look For • The strategies the children see as important when selecting a suitable
text. Refer to How to Choose a Suitable Text/Book (Figure 4).
• The children’s definition of the words suitable and text.
Time for Nonfiction by Tony Stead. Copyright © 2004. Stenhouse Publishers. All rights reserved.
Discussion Points Why is it important for these demonstrations to be repeated throughout the
year?
What are other ways to help children select appropriate texts?
Viewing Guide 9
Part Two: Providing Support in Individual Conferences
Background Information The whole-class mini-lesson is a wonderful support to help learners select
appropriate texts. However, we needed to go deeper and keep tabs on indi-
vidual children as nonfiction readers. This is the strength of individual con-
ferences. Many times, individual conferences are directly linked to the
whole-class mini-lesson. For example, if we have been discussing how to
solve the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary in our whole-class mini-lesson,
we would look for evidence of this during the individual conference.
Gradually the conferences become centered on the individual needs of
each student rather than the global needs of the whole class. To monitor
each child’s skills, strategies, and behaviors as a nonfiction reader—which
helped inform our conversations at the conference—we used both running
records and an observation rubric. (See Observation Rubric for Nonfiction
Reading [Figure 5].) Three conferences where the teacher supports the
reader in their selection of nonfiction texts are highlighted in this program.
Conference: Lauren and Alexa
In this conference, Alexa has selected a text that is too difficult for her to
read independently. This is a recurring problem that Lauren has noted in the
past two conferences with Alexa.The problem with selection is not confined
to Alexa’s nonfiction reading; it happens when she selects narrative fiction
too. In this particular conference, Lauren knows before Alexa even begins to
read the text that it is too difficult for her to read independently. Rather than
allowing her to struggle through the book, Lauren stops Alexa after her first
error and quickly provides scaffolds.
Conference: Tony and CJ
CJ has no trouble making wise selections when it comes to fiction; however,
Time for Nonfiction by Tony Stead. Copyright © 2004. Stenhouse Publishers. All rights reserved.
he often struggles when selecting informational texts. His interest in nonfic-
tion is high, but he has difficulty selecting texts that are comfortable reads.
He is often able to read the information in his nonfiction selections, but he
struggles to comprehend some of the information because of complex
vocabulary. This in turn takes away his pleasure in reading nonfiction. In this
conference I provide suggestions for CJ to help him find comfortable reads.
Conference: Tony and Simone
Simone selects both fiction and nonfiction as part of her reading and enjoys
reading a wide variety of texts. Simone is a confident reader but often finds
it difficult to stay with informational texts she has self-selected. Although
part of reading nonfiction is browsing through texts to locate specific and/or
interesting information, Simone has begun to select large quantities of infor-
mation texts but rarely reads more than a page from each selection. In this
conference, I provide suggestions to help Simone persevere with nonfiction
selections.
Discussion Points Why is it important to provide all children with an opportunity to confer-
ence with the teacher? What do the children gain from this experience?
What does the teacher gain from these conferences?
What is the teacher’s next step for each of the children shown in this video?
Background Information Children need many opportunities to discuss and explore the craft, content,
and text features of nonfiction. The whole-class mini-lesson is an opportu-
Viewing Guide 11
nity for the teacher to facilitate these understandings. This program high-
lights two important strategies—gathering new information and working
with persuasive text—that will help children become readers of nonfiction.
Time for Nonfiction by Tony Stead. Copyright © 2004. Stenhouse Publishers. All rights reserved.
record information from the computer
Things to Look For • The way I access the children’s prior knowledge and then have them
compare and contrast it with what is being read.
• The integration of language skills and content studies.
• The way the same skill can be taught in first grade and third grade but at
a different level of instruction.
Background Information Book Used: Should There Be Zoos? A Persuasive Text by Tony Stead with
Judy Ballester and Her Fourth-Grade Class
Understanding how persuasive texts work required many demonstrations
and discussions, and we needed to spend time going deep with our conver-
sations. We used the book Should There Be Zoos? as a springboard for these
conversations: a book written by children seemed likely to have the greatest
effect on the children’s thinking. In this book, arguments for and against
zoos are presented, and children are asked to reflect on each argument and
rate it on its effectiveness in changing their thinking. We established a
Persuasive Writing (Figure 6) chart to record children’s reactions after read-
ing each argument. This chart of how their thinking was being affected was
a wonderful avenue for discussions on the power of persuasive writing.
In addition to critical thinking and reflection—the major focus of this
mini-lesson—three other essential understandings associated with persuasive
texts are explored: purpose, forms, and features.
Things to Look For • The way the children’s reading of the text informs them as writers.
• The questioning techniques Lisa uses.
• The children’s conversations.
Time for Nonfiction by Tony Stead. Copyright © 2004. Stenhouse Publishers. All rights reserved.
Discussion Points What are other possibilities for working with persuasive texts?
How could persuasive texts be introduced in the early grades?
Why is it important for persuasive texts to be introduced in the early grades?
Viewing Guide 13
In both Lauren’s and Lisa’s classrooms, using nonfiction as part of read-aloud
is an essential ingredient in exposing children to the content, vocabulary,
text structures, and features of informational texts. Reading nonfiction to
children is a wonderful way not only to expose them to the wide world of
informational texts but also to encourage them to make nonfiction part of
their independent reading selections.
Things to Look For • The role of the children during the read-aloud.
• How unfamiliar vocabulary is dealt with during the read-aloud in Lisa’s
classroom.
• The way both Lauren and I read the texts to engage the children.
Discussion Points Apart from the two books presented, what are some other nonfiction read-
alouds that could be used?
Why is it important for the teacher to read nonfiction to children?
Time for Nonfiction by Tony Stead. Copyright © 2004. Stenhouse Publishers. All rights reserved.
Background Information Lauren and I have been experimenting with using a variety of visual sources
as part of our instruction in working with nonfiction. Much information is
contained in diagrams, graphs, maps, and pictures, yet children are often
unable to tap this valuable information. In this segment, I work with the
children on two major strategies. The first strategy, gathering facts, was done
on the calendar provided. The children had been working on this strategy
and were getting good at pulling out facts from a calendar. In this particular
demonstration, there was great excitement because the lesson fell on my son
Fraser’s birthday.
The second major strategy being demonstrated is how to infer from the
facts presented. This can be a complex concept for first graders and is one
that had only just been introduced in Lauren’s classroom. The word guess is
used as a preliminary scaffold to help them grasp this complex concept.
Discussion Points In addition to calendars, what other examples of visual literacy could be
introduced to children?
In Lauren’s classroom, what are the next steps to strengthen the children’s
abilities to infer?
Discussion Points What is the value of having children respond to nonfiction and share their
responses in a cross-grade setting?
What are some other responses to nonfiction that could be introduced to
the children?
What demonstrations did Lisa and Lauren provide to ensure that the sharing
of responses between the first and third graders was successful?
Viewing Guide 15
Links to Good Choice! Chapter 9: Responses to Reading
Time for Nonfiction by Tony Stead. Copyright © 2004. Stenhouse Publishers. All rights reserved.
Mondo Publishing
Frogs by Michael Tyler
Mae Jemison by Sonia W. Black
Should There Be Zoos? A Persuasive Text by Tony Stead with Judy Ballester
and Her Fourth-Grade Class
Thinking About Ants by Barbara Brenner. Illustrations by Carol Schwartz
Newbridge Educational Publishing
Leaping Frogs by Melvin Berger
The Rosen Publishing Group
Facts About Tornadoes by Carrie Stuart
It’s Electric! by Greg Roza
Viewing Guide 17
Figure 2: Discussions Points
Program 1: Setting Up the Nonfiction What does the teacher gain from these confer-
Classroom ences?
Part One: Organizing the Classroom Library What is the teacher’s next step for each of the
How many books should a typical classroom children shown in this video?
library contain?
Program 3: Whole-Class Mini-Lessons
Would this number change according to grade
Part One: Gathering New Information in Third
level?
Grade
What texts, apart from books, can be housed
in the classroom library?
Part Two: Gathering New Information in First
What percentage of the material in the class-
Grade
room library should be nonfiction?
Why is gathering new information an impor-
What is the advantage of having the children
tant strategy for children to acquire to
be part of the organizational process?
strengthen their reading of informational
What are effective ways to get more nonfiction
texts?
texts into the classroom?
How could these lessons be extended? What
are the teacher’s next steps?
Part Two: Independent Reading
Why should nonfiction be an essential ingredi-
Part Three: Working with Persuasive Texts
ent for children’s daily independent reading?
What are other possibilities for working with
In Lauren’s and Lisa’s classrooms, the children
persuasive texts?
are on-task during independent reading
How could persuasive texts be introduced in
time. What scaffolds would the teacher
the early grades?
need to provide to ensure this time works
Why is it important for persuasive texts to be
effectively?
introduced in the early grades?
Part Three: Nonfiction Literacy Centers Program 4: Completing the Jigsaw:
Why should nonfiction be an important compo- Read-Alouds, Visual Literacy, and
nent of literacy centers? Responses
What is the value of linking the science and Part One: The Read-Aloud
social studies curriculum into literacy cen- Apart from the two books presented, what are
ters? some other nonfiction read-alouds that could
What are some other possible ways of incorpo- be used?
rating nonfiction into literacy centers? Why is it important for the teacher to read non-
Time for Nonfiction by Tony Stead. Copyright © 2004. Stenhouse Publishers. All rights reserved.
What management strategies need to be put in fiction to children?
place to ensure that literacy centers operate
effectively? Part Two: Inferring from Visual Sources
In addition to calendars, what other examples
Program 2: Helping Readers Select
of visual literacy could be introduced to chil-
Texts: Mini-Lessons and Conferences
dren?
Part One: Providing Support in Whole-Class
In Lauren’s classroom, what are the next steps
Settings
to strengthen the children’s abilities to infer?
Why is it important for these demonstrations to
be repeated throughout the year?
Part Three: Responding to Nonfiction
What are other ways to help children select
What is the value of having children respond
appropriate texts?
to nonfiction and share their responses in a
cross-grade setting?
Part Two: Providing Support in Individual
What are some other responses to nonfiction
Conferences
that could be introduced to the children?
Why is it important to provide all children with
What demonstrations could Lisa and Lauren
an opportunity to conference with the
have provided to ensure that the sharing of
teacher? What do the children gain from
responses between the first and third
this experience?
graders was successful?
Work on your reading strategies to make sure you understand what you are
reading. For example:
• Think about interesting facts you are discovering.
• Draw conclusions and make inferences as you are reading.
• Use your primary and secondary strategies to find out the meaning of
unknown words. (Refer to Program 4, Part One: The Read-Aloud for more
information.)
• Stop and try to retell what you are reading in your own words.
Viewing Guide 19
Figure 4: How to Choose a Suitable Text/Book
A text that someone older can read to you so that you can understand it.
It’s a book that the teacher has read during read-aloud or shared reading.
It’s a text where you can get information from the pictures.
Time for Nonfiction by Tony Stead. Copyright © 2004. Stenhouse Publishers. All rights reserved.
Date Comments
Viewing Guide 21
Figure 6: Persuasive Writing
After reading an
argument for
zoos: Extinct and
endangered
animals
After reading an
argument against
zoos: Zoochosis
After reading an
argument for
zoos: Captive
breeding and
reintroduction
After reading an
argument against
zoos: Death and
Time for Nonfiction by Tony Stead. Copyright © 2004. Stenhouse Publishers. All rights reserved.
disease
After reading an
argument for
zoos: Research
and education
After reading an
argument against
zoos:
Entertainment
Viewing Guide 23