Nonfiction Unit (Grade 3-ish) Lessons

Fearless co-workers and Literacy teammates jumped in headfirst and started to create lesson plans for a nonfiction unit (much gratitude and thanks!). Given that we're in the last push before the state test, the lessons aren't in a typical sequence for introducing nonfiction text in the workshop setting.  As we revise the scope and sequence for future years, I would add in multiple additional lessons and not jump immediately into main idea and relevant details.  I think students need to spend considerable time processing through details (significant vs. insignificant) and then work to synthesize the details into an accurate main idea.   

Unit: Good nonfiction readers use a variety of strategies to understand what they're reading. 

Good readers get help identifying the main idea of nonfiction text by reading the title of the book or chapter. Good readers can identify significant details to support the main idea of the text they are reading. Good readers identify important details about the topic as they read.  Good readers ask themselves, "What do all of the important details have in common?" to help them identify the main idea.  Good readers use the main idea and important details to retell what information they've learned. Graphic Organizers to Support Unit: Identifying details to determine main idea - post-it "mat" and space to write main idea (There is room for 4 post-its within the "details" box). Teaching Points 3 & 4 Differentiated organizers to support what all of the details have in common to identify main idea. Teaching Points 3 & 4