Comparing Biographies and Fiction
Make Comparing Genres Fun!
Today we worked on comparing genres – biography and fiction. When we began this unit, I was thinking it would be extremely hard to find biographies to pair with fictional works for compare and contrast purposes. However, I was wrong. The Magic Tree House series is a great fictional collection that brings history and biographical information into a fictional story. Another great series is the Blast from the Past collection. I used “Blast to the Past – Lincoln’s Legacy” and “A Picture Book of Abraham Lincoln”.
First, we read each of the stories. We read a selection out of the fictional chapter book due to time constraints. As we read we identified genre and information that helped us know what kind of book it was. Then, students worked in pairs to find a similarity for the two books. They wrote their response on a post it and added it to our class Venn Diagram.
Next, students wrote one thing that happened in either book that was unique to that story. They then added it to the appropriate side of the diagram. As students shared their responses with the class, they were able to analyze and dig deeper into what made the books alike and different. Students really got into the books and now have a renewed passion for the historical fiction section of the library!
Tomorrow we are doing some partner practice. Each group will be given a biography and a fictional text. After reading, they will place information on their own Venn Diagram. This will allow me time to walk the room and see who can demonstrate their knowledge independently.
Try it for Free
I created a FREE resource for comparing genres – biography and fiction that includes a fictional story and biography on Michael Phelps. You can download a copy in my TpT store here.
Happy Teaching!
