Nonfiction Reading Informational Writing
Unit description: Building on their knowledge of sequencing and organization, students will now engage with informational texts to determine topics, central ideas, and key details. Students will write an informative response to a text that provides a clear topic and key facts or details.
This unit should be paired with the Reading Foundations which focus on the acquisition of phonological awareness and phonics which are essential foundations for reading and writing. It is essential that these skills are not taught in isolation, but applied within students reading and writing.
Essential Outcomes
Reading
- 1R1 Develop and answer questions about key ideas and details in a text.
- 1R2 Identify a main topic or central idea in a text and retell important details.
- 1R7 Use illustrations and details in literary and informational texts to discuss story elements and/or topics.
Reading Foundations- Fluency
- 1RF4 Read beginning reader texts, appropriate to individual student ability, with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
- Addressed in RF unit:
- 1RF3 Know and apply phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
Language
- 1L1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of academic English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
- 1L2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of academic English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
- 1L4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.
- 1L5 Demonstrate understanding of word relationships and nuances in word meanings.
Writing
- 1W2 Write an informative/explanatory text to introduce a topic, supplying some facts to develop points, and provide some sense of closure.
- 1W4 Create a response to a text, author, theme or personal experience (e.g., poem, dramatization, artwork, or other).
Speaking and Listening
- 1SL1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse peers and adults in small and large groups and during play.
- 1SL4 Describe familiar people, places, things, and events with relevant details expressing ideas clearly
- 1SL6 Express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly, using complete sentences when appropriate to task, situation, and audience
All Standards Addressed in this Unit
- See Reading Foundations Units: 1RF3a-g
- 1R1, 1R2, 1R5, 1R6, 1R7, 1R8, 1R9
- 1RF4
- 1L1, 1L2, 1L4, 1L5
- 1W2, 1W4, 1W6, 1W7
- 1SL1, 1SL2, 1SL3, 1SL4, 1SL6
Essential Questions and Big Ideas
- What makes a text nonfiction?
- There are different genres of books. A nonfiction text tells you facts or information about the world around you.
- In a nonfiction text the author writes to inform the reader.
- How do nonfiction texts present information?
- Information can be presented in diagrams, charts and graphs in nonfiction or informational texts.
- Bold typeface, headings and illustrations are used to highlight information in informational texts.
- How do readers find the central idea and key details within a text?
- The central idea is the topic and what the author wants the reader to know about it.
- Key details support the central idea and the author uses them to explain the topic.
- How do people share information from what they have read?
- People can write to share information they have learned from texts.
- Writers use standard conventions to present information in a clear way, including grammar, punctuation, spelling and capitalization.
- Speakers use academic English grammar to present information in a clear way.
- Writers and speakers present information in an organized way with supporting details from the text.
- People can join discussions to share information they have learned in texts.
Download the complete Grade 1 ELA Unit 3 framework to customize for your own planning.