"How do I get my students interested in nonfiction?" More teachers are asking this question, as the Common Core State Standards emphasize nonfiction and reading for information. In this unit, students will be introduced to the genre of biography through studies of U.S. presidents. Students will combine reading, research, writing, and oral skills in a project in which they will present to their class about a president and learn from their peers about the other presidents. Students will then connect nonfiction with historical fiction when they are grouped together to embark on a book study of historical novels set in the time when the president they researched lived. This unit is designed to get students excited about reading nonfiction by introducing historical figures and helping students make connections with these individuals from history.
(Developed for Reading, Writing, and Social Studies, grade 4; Recommended for Reading, Writing, and Social Studies, grades 2-5)
