Summary
Breaks down what makes a text nonfiction, how to recognize key nonfiction text features (headings, captions, sidebars, glossaries), and why authors use these features to support the reader's understanding.
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All ages
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
- How is nonfiction different from fiction? Name two differences beyond 'one is true.'
- What nonfiction text features did the video describe? List them.
- Why would an author use a sidebar instead of putting the same information in the main text?
- If a nonfiction book had no text features at all — just paragraphs — how would your reading experience change?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: nonfiction, text feature, heading, caption, sidebar, glossary, index.
Try it: Open a nonfiction book or article. List every text feature you find and write one sentence about what purpose each one serves. Which feature was most helpful to your understanding?