Reading Response Blog #13

12/14/2014

Lately in class we have been reading a lot of informational text, also called "nonfiction". Informational text is writing that is based on facts, real events, and real people. Reading about life in the American Colonies is a different experience than reading about the fantasy adventures of Percy Jackson or the modern troubles of students in Mr. Terupt's imaginary classroom.

This Week's Prompt:

Compare and/or contrast your experiences reading fiction versus reading informational text. Support what you say with specific examples.

What are some of the positive things about each genre?
What are some of the challenges of reading each genre?
Informational text is often more challenging than fiction. What are some strategies you use to make reading informational text easier or more enjoyable?

I look forward to reading about your experiences with informational text!
Happy Responding!

67 Comments

RHEONA

12/14/2014 01:09:17 pm

Hi Class,
In comparison to Non-fiction, fiction is much more adventuress and more likely to pull you in. But Non-fiction is way more helpful in work uses or things like that. For example In a book called Gregor The Overlander they tell you about these giant bats and cockroaches and a world that lives under the real world. But in a non-fiction book they would tell you that cockroaches can get big and fast but not bigger than a certain hight. A challenge for reading fiction is that sometimes you could get confused wile reading because it is easier to confuse someone wile writing something that is completely or mostly made up. With non-fiction it can be a challenge to read because there are usually allot of facts on the specific thing or things that the book is on, therefor you might get bored or start blanking out because of the amount of information and words on one page. A strategy for making reading non-fiction easier to read is that you could read a little at a time, so then you will not get bored and start blanking out!

sincerely,
Rheona

Sam

12/15/2014 12:50:05 pm

Dear Rheona,
I thought your example was very accurate but a little off for one reason. Yes you are right non fiction and fiction are both two totally different genera's in reading but sometimes while reading fiction you can run into some real true life facts. For example the magic tree house or magic school bus. Both of these series tell true facts but have made up adventurous plots. With so much more genera's and more there's always more facts and things to explore.

Sincerely,
Sam.

Rheona

12/19/2014 12:37:55 am

Hi Sam,
I totally agree with you! I was trying to say that MOST of the time they are not true.

sincerely,
Rheona

Rheona

12/19/2014 12:42:56 am

Hi Sam,
WOW! I agree with what you said, except in Wonder, Auggie COULD be a real person but probably with a different name or situation.

sincerely,
Rheona

Ms. Kimball

12/15/2014 12:53:11 pm

Dear Rheona,

I always found nonfiction more exciting after I read a fiction book related to it. For example, I read a book called The Art of Racing in the Rain, which is a touching story about a man, who is a race car driver, and his dog. After I finished the book, I did some research on automobile racing because the book piqued my interest on the topic and I had more questions about it that the book didn't answer. Maybe now that you've finished Gregor the Overlander, you might be interested in learning more about the critters that the author describes as characters in the story. I agree, though, nonfiction can be boring if you're not already interesting in the topic.

Have you ever done research to learn more about something you were interested in on your own?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Rheona

12/18/2014 12:31:46 am

Dear Ms.kimball!
Yes I have looked up something for my satisfaction that before. I was a book all about swimming, this was before I was on the swimteam so i wanted to get better at something I love.

What was the favorite thing that you read that was non-fiction?

P.S. What deos piqued mean?

sincerly,
rheona

Sage W

12/14/2014 01:53:33 pm

Dear Class,

When I read a passage about the Renaissance it was much different then reading a fiction book Taken. It was fun to read the passage because of the interesting facts that I hadn't known before. Taken on the other hand was an amazing book because of all the action, and the interesting take on future. Both of the genres are interesting to read but very different because of how nonfiction can be sometimes a little boring other times though it can be very interesting. Fiction on the other hand is full of action because of how the author can make up the story as they go, but in nonfiction the author can't make it up because then it would be fiction.

Alec

12/15/2014 09:25:56 am

Dear Sage,
I like how you explained that if the author made things up in a nonfiction book, it would be a fiction book. That was a cool idea. Keep up the good work!

Alec

Sage W.

12/18/2014 08:06:49 am

Dear Alec,
Thank you so much for the super nice comment!

Ms. Kimball

12/15/2014 12:59:14 pm

Dear Sage,

Good point that authors of nonfiction have to stick to the facts. Whether or not nonfiction has action depends on the topic. I know a book about Renaissance painting and philosophies probably doesn't have much action. However, a book about the battles of the American Revolution would probably have a decent amount of action. But you're right --the authors can't make things up to build excitement. That's why I think it's very important to choose nonfiction that you're interested in. I find that as I get older, I've become more interested in nonfiction because I have a lot of general knowledge about many topics, but I want to go deeper and make connections in the world that I never knew were there growing up.

Are there any topics that you find intriguing and you would like to know more about?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Olivia D.

12/16/2014 10:52:54 am

Dear Sage,

I can defiantly relate to a time when the author has made up a few things in the story. Great job, and I can't wait to read your next
blog!

Sincerely,
Olivia D.

Sage W.

12/18/2014 08:11:11 am

Dear Ms.Kimball,

I really like to read nonfiction about wars, the Renaissance, and the history of European countries especially Germany, Italy, and France.

Marc

12/21/2014 11:19:38 pm

Sage,
I agree with you that sometimes nonfiction books can be boring, but what do you think makes them boring?

From,
Marc

Sage W.

12/22/2014 01:14:48 pm

Marc,

I think a nonfiction book can be boring depending on what interests
you. For example I find nonfiction about how a country got its name slightly boring but I love nonfiction about the Renaissance, but for some people it could be the complete opposite.

From,
Sage,

Julia

12/15/2014 07:29:14 am

Dear Class,

One strategy I use to help me read nonfiction text, is writing sticky notes. This helps me make more sense of the text. A challenge about reading fiction, is that you have to use your imagination more often. Sometimes fiction books can be more enjoyable to read because there is not as much thinking involved. On the other hand nonfiction can be enjoyable because you can learn many new things. A challenge about reading fiction, is that you have to use your imagination more often.

Your Classmate,
Julia

Ms. Kimball

12/15/2014 01:04:32 pm

Dear Julia,

I agree, I like using sticky notes to interact with nonfiction. It's a great strategy, especially as you get older and the texts get more challenging and you have to take tests or write papers on them! (Like in college.) I think it's important to balance your reading diet --reading a mix of fiction and nonfiction. Sometimes you want to be sucked into a new world with imaginary characters. Other times you want to learn new things and expand your knowledge. Are there any topics you find interesting enough to read books or articles about them?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Julia

12/16/2014 12:30:19 pm

Dear Ms. Kimball,

I enjoy reading nonfiction books about history. I don't like all history books but I do enjoy some. I also like reading about specific people. What do you like reading about?

Yours Truly,
Julia

Arim link

12/15/2014 09:15:37 am

Dear class,

I'll contrast reading fiction or reading informational text. In fiction I get in a different world, don't feel bored and sometimes wanna keep reading. While in reading informational text, I get bored, don't get in my own world and I want to stop reading. But sometimes in reading realistic books I do get sometimes in my own little world of being that animal I'm reading about like how they grow up, how they play and stuff.

From Arim

Ms. Kimball

12/15/2014 01:09:26 pm

Dear Arim,

You mention being in your own world when reading fiction and sometimes nonfiction. What nonfiction topics draw you into the world like that? After I traveled to Costa Rica, which is filled with tropical rainforest, I read a lot about all of the animals I saw there, like the toucans and different types of monkeys. It was amazing to learn more about how they get their food and interact with the environment.

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Alec

12/15/2014 09:31:03 am

Dear Class,
I like reading fiction because its all made up. You can have awesome armor that shoots plasma balls but in nonfiction its all real facts. Sometimes you will yawn at nonfiction. Other times, you will be like, "Oooohhhh" and "Aghhhhhhhh". Sometimes, even fiction gets a little boring. Sometimes the author writes a very long part all about how the main character creates all his stuff. Boring....
Anyway, you should read a mix of fiction and nonfiction so that way, you can get a mix of both. Perfect....

Danny

12/15/2014 10:20:48 am

Dear Alec,
I agree you should read both fiction an non-fiction. But do you have a strategy on how to make non-fiction more fun?

Alec

12/19/2014 12:43:24 am

Dear Danny,
One strategy I use is to skim through the book until I see a good picture, a good word, or an interesting paragraph. Then, when I read about it, it would be very interesting. Good question Danny!
Alec

Ms. Kimball

12/15/2014 01:11:29 pm

Dear Alec,

What are some nonfiction topics that make you go "OOoohhhh" and "Aghhhh"? Are there any topics that you would be interested in reading more about on your own?

I agree, reading a mix of fiction and nonfiction is a good way to balance your reading diet. Do you get to do that?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Danny

12/15/2014 10:15:12 am

Danny 12/15/14

Compare and/or contrast your experiences reading fiction versus reading informational text. Support what you say with specific examples.

When I read non-fiction I look for cool facts that interest me. If I was reading a book about bugs, and I found a cool fact on a bug, I could hardly wait for the next day to tell my friends. People think that non-fiction is just boring facts, but it depends on the author.
There was a newspaper article that I read, where there was an insect that went into other insects' minds.It makes insects do things they never do. There is this grasshopper, and it is no normal grasshopper, this one has a worm inside. This worm took over the grasshoppers mind, and it made the grasshopper go to the water when it's habitat is in tall grass.
When I read fiction, I try to reflect to see what they did and why they did it. It's a really good thing to do. It helps you understand the section of the book.
In the WIngs of FIre series, Clay and his friends were hiding. I stopped reading and thought to myself, "Why are they hiding?" Well, in a earlier book they ran away from the Talons of Peace so they didn't have to train. So, I figured out that the Talons of Peace person was probably nearby, and that's why they went into hiding. I was correct!
I use the same method when I read non-fiction to understand what the author is trying to tell me.

Ms. Kimball

12/21/2014 12:48:42 pm

Dear Danny,

Those are really cool facts about the mind controlling insects! Now I want to read about them.

The strategy your described, asking "why" questions", is a very goof strategy. It helps you make sense of the text and gets you more involved in the story. And you're right --you can use that strategy with both fiction and nonfiction.

What are some of your favorite non-fiction topics to read about? Insects sure are a fun topic!

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Danny

12/22/2014 10:31:56 am

Danny Blog #13 response

Dear Ms. Kimball,
I'm glad you are interested in the mind controlling insects go to National Geographic News . There are several articles on the subject "zombie" parasites that mind control their hosts. It's really cool!
My dad and I have been following a story about five aztec vaults. They were thought to have priceless items, such as statues, gold, jewels, mysterious rocks and minerals that no one has seen before. So they decided to open the first vault, and found out that it had gold necklaces, gold bricks, bracelets, and everything you can imagine, but in gold! They were so excited, so they opened one vault after the other. They had diamonds, statues, etc.
The Aztecs didn't think they should open the fifth vault because it was sacred. It was their ancestor's home and riches. Every day after school, I would come home and ask my dad, "Did they open the fifth vault?" Finally they opened it if you want to know more tell me on Tuesday.
My dad found the articles on line and read some of them to me. The other ones I read myself. It's so interesting to me that I don't need a strategy on how to make it interesting. most people think that non-fiction is boring but I do not.

Olivia D.

12/16/2014 06:09:27 am

Dear Ms. Kimball,

When I read fiction books I find them more interesting and its easier to get into the book. On the other hand nonfiction is harder to get into especially when the topic doesn't interest me. Nonfiction is a lot of information just being crammed into my head and its harder to pay attention to it when the category doesn't make me want to read on.Though I enjoy nonfiction as well and I love learning about all the cool things. I think fiction for me is what I would normally read and I enjoy it more as well. I can usually relate to the characters and nonfiction stories just don't have the same characteristics.
In the book "Lions of Little Rock" The characters really pulled me into the story and so I whizzed right through the story. But in a nonfiction book specifically the American Colonists books, they interested me but they didn't have the same effect.

Sincerely,
Olivia D.

Ms. Kimball

12/21/2014 12:51:54 pm

Dear Olivia,

It sounds like interesting characters are one of your favorite features of fiction. Dynamic characters will make any story intriguing.

It sounds like nonfiction is a challenge for you to dive into. What are some topics that might make you interested in reading a nonfiction article or book?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Olivia D.

12/22/2014 12:32:37 pm

Dear Ms.Kimball,

The topics I would be interested in would probably be a category under the sports section. But another topic that I find more entertaining versus other categories would be unique animals and their way of doing things. Hopefully this gave you an idea of what I like to read.

Sincerely,
Olivia D.

Layla

12/16/2014 06:14:57 am

Dear Ms. Kimball,
I usually prefer fiction rather than non-fiction because fiction is more imaginative and can be more compelling than non-fiction. To compare and contrast them, I would say that fiction is more engaging and draws you in or makes you want to read it more. For example, would you rather read about dragons or pirates, or would you want to read about people hundreds of years ago? Non-fiction is a little informative sometimes, and a reader can get tired of that. But, not all non-fiction books are like that. Some can be interesting. It all just depends on what your interests are and what you prefer.
Although I like fiction better, I can get bored of it and, like what Alec said, when the author writes a lot about one event. Also like what Alec said, it's good to have a mix of what you are reading.
From, Layla

Ms. Kimball

12/17/2014 01:16:58 pm

Dear Layla,

Great analysis! Real life can be rather plain, so yeah, I would rather read about pirates and dragons! I feel that reading nonfiction requires more of my brain cells to be engaged, so that can be exhausting. However, I'm reading this amazing nonfiction book that feels like a story. It's about a man who fought in World War 2 against the Japanese. His experiences are all real, but they are so shocking and remarkable. His true life story is actually more exciting to read about than (believe it or not) dragons and pirates! I won't lie; the text is loaded with facts and a history of the war, which is harder for my mind to devour. But I am so intrigued by his story that I'm thoroughly enjoying the (nonfiction) book!

Is there a nonfiction topic you would be interested in learning more about?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Rheona

12/18/2014 12:36:44 am

Hi Layla,
I agree with you, I usually find that there is much more "reading" to do with fiction. What I mean by that is that you have o imagine and read between the lines.

sincerely,
rheona

Layla

12/16/2014 06:18:23 am

Dear Alec,
I agree with you that you can yawn at non-fiction but it's still good to have a balance because even fiction can get a little boring at times. Great job responding!
From, Layla

Nathan

12/16/2014 07:47:09 am

Dear class,

The difference I find between Nonfiction and Fiction is usually that Nonfiction has to spice up everything a bit more. What I mean by that is you don’t just say the facts in a boring manner, you have to make them exciting. Fiction books tell the story, they say what happened and sometimes make you infer some things. I prefer Fiction than Nonfiction because things can be so nice and wild! But then again, you can learn so many interesting things from Nonfiction (Honestly, “Non-fiction” is a bad name, but “Faction” has a lot more to offer!)
Also, with Fiction books you can use make believe and imagination. The same story can be seen a billion different ways. Nonfiction books are very factual and straight, they get the point across and don't leave any confusion about it.
That is the comparison of Nonfiction and Fiction. When writing this down I used what I see as the most important differences.

Yours truly, Nathan

Ms. Kimball

12/17/2014 01:25:01 pm

Dear Nathan,

I like the name "FACTion" too! Great idea!

Excellent job comparing and contrasting fiction and "faction". You are so right that fiction writers get to choose from a myriad of options of how they want their story to go. Fiction writers often don't even know how their story is going to end when they begin it. How cool is that? Nonfiction writers don't get that same flexibility and creative freedom. However, you're right --you can learn so many interesting things. Like I told Layla above, I'm reading a nonfiction story and I learned so much about the Pacific side of World War 2 that I had no clue about before. I'm actually now very interested in learning more. Who knew!?

What are some of your favorite nonfiction topics to read about?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Nathan

12/19/2014 12:46:40 am

Dear Ms. Kimball
hmmm.. my favorite nonfiction topic is probably about history. I like to learn BIG moments in history. For example: Native Americans and colonial america. I am enjoying Social Studies A LOT now. ;)
Yours truly, Nathan

Ms. Kimball

12/21/2014 12:53:44 pm

Dear Nathan,

So glad to hear you like history! Wait until we get to the American Revolution... you're going to LOVE that unit. The historical figures are so intriguing and the story of how a bunch of poor farmers beat the greatest army in the world is amazing. I hope you'll like it as much as I do!

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Amy

12/18/2014 12:38:37 am

Dear Nathan,

Great response! I loved how you made your response funny! I also liked how you gave feedback to people who write faction books! One last thing that I liked is when you ended the response with the prompt that ms.Kimball asked!

Sincerely,
Amy

Talia

12/16/2014 12:25:24 pm

Dear Ms.Kimball,
The difference I find between fiction and non fiction is that fiction leaves some of the story for you to imagine, but non fiction tells it all, and if it doesn't then it is hard to imagine the rest if you don't know much about the topic that the book is about. For example, in that packet on fire flies that we read at school, in the section called night courting it said everything. It had to say everything leading up to everything else. If it did not, then you would have no idea what was going on. On the other hand, in Because of Mr.Terupt, it didn't say a thing about Mr.T getting hit by the snowball until after the fact. You sort of have to imagine it all until the truth comes out. In a nonfiction book it would be hard to do that.
A down side to fiction is that it can sometimes get out of control. Sometimes fiction gets so silly that it starts to feel boring from silliness that the author keeps adding to make it funny, but it really gets to be way to much. My example for that will be with stories that my dad tells. They make no sense and have constant jokes that can sometimes get to be to much(especially at bedtime).
A down side to non fiction is that the author has to do things to the text to make it fun for the reader. Otherwise, the reader may get bored. In the Japanese paper house packet that we read at school didn't have anything funny, or basically anything other than facts. I got bored kind of easily reading it.
These are the downsides to fiction and nonfiction.
From, Talia

Ms. Kimball

12/17/2014 01:40:37 pm

Dear Talia,

Wow! Great job contrasting fiction and nonfiction using specific examples! I agree with you, especially about fiction often leaving things to your imagination. Nonfiction writers want you to have all of the facts, and sometimes it can be hard to imagine events, characters, or the places in nonfiction without enough background knowledge. But like you said, sometimes fiction can be too silly or outrageous, which makes it less enjoyable. (Sorry Talia's dad!)

It's clever how you mentioned our nonfiction readings from class. You're right, the Japanese Paper House text was just a bunch of facts that many readers may consider boring. The author also didn't try to spice it up, like the author of the Fireflies text did to her article. I found the Fireflies reading more enjoyable because the author tried to be informative but also entertaining.

What did you think of the Fireflies reading?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Kaela

12/18/2014 12:46:28 am

Dear Talia
You did an amazing ( and very nice and big) paragraph. I definitely agree that most of the packets we read at school dont have any funny stuff you did a really good job.
BY KAELA

Sam

12/17/2014 08:58:00 am

Dear Ms. Kimball,
There are definitely many differences between fiction writing and nonfiction writing. Fiction books are based on something that could maybe happen in real life but has not yet happened. Nonfiction on the other hand is all true events or things that have happened or are happening.
For example the fictional book Wonder is not a true story: his friends and relatives were not real people. But other books like our Native American history books are all true. Yet I love each genre, and they’re both very exciting.

Sincerely,
Sam G.

Ms. Kimball

12/17/2014 01:43:57 pm

Dear Sam,

Truth is definitely something nonfiction writers live by. I'm always intrigued by fiction writers that bas the characters in their books off of real people they know. I think R.J. Palacio based a few characters in Wonder off of real kids she met.

I'm so glad to hear you love both genres. What are some of your favorite types of stories and topics to read about?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Sage P

12/18/2014 12:25:51 pm

Dear Sam,
I really liked your summary. Are there any bad things about non fiction and fiction? I liked how you used examples from Wonder and the Native American history books. By the way I am reading Wonder and it is so good!
From,
Sage P

Sofia

12/18/2014 12:29:07 pm

Sam,
I do agree! Do you prefer non-fiction or fiction, and why?

Marc

12/17/2014 09:52:45 am

Class,
I prefer reading fiction but sometimes informational text can be fun too. For example, in fiction so much action can happen. You can be a superhero, or a invisible dog, it doesn't matter! However, in informational text I sometimes get bored with. I mostly get bored with them because the topic doesn't seem interesting to me or it's something I already know a ton about. On the other hand, in informational text can be fun and give you facts you didn't even think we're possible. That is why you need to pick a good book (or packet) to read. Also, fiction doesnt always have to best books in my opinion. For example, I discontinue somewhat a lot of books every year, because they either are too fake or the story overall doesn't have a good plot. For example, I discontinued a book called Reboot by Amy Tintera because is seemed to fake. One way is seemed to fake was when, somebody got shot multiple times and after 178 minutes she came back alive. I don't like it when authors do that because I think If a character dies he or she should stay dead. So, an important thing that the author needs to do is to pull me in, and with informational text the author needs to make the topic seem exciting and great. That is what I think about informational and fiction text.

From,
Marc

Mikey

12/21/2014 12:01:45 pm

Dear Marc,
I agree that both can be fun but it can also get you bored. I realized that some fiction books sometimes seem fake, too. Great job responding!
Sincerely
Mikey

Mikey

12/17/2014 12:53:54 pm

Dear Ms Kimball,
I prefer reading fiction books like Harry Potter and the Percy Jackson series. Fiction is very cool because it can be anything you want. In Harry Potter, there are made-up games like Quidditch where they are flying around on magic broomsticks trying not to get nailed in the head with magical flying bowling balls!! :D.The same book can be read a million different ways, it all depends on the reader's imagination ability.
Nonfiction is different because it is all real. Nonfiction has facts and cool stuff about almost anything you can think of, but it gets kind of boring after a while... A strategy I am going to try to use is to find something or someone that I want to learn about, keep me interested.
So anyway, I think it is good to balance reading Fiction and Nonfiction. I like to read both, but too much of one isn't good for you.
Sincerely,
Mikey

Ms. Kimball

12/21/2014 01:06:44 pm

Dear Mikey,

I totally agree with you that the fun of fiction books is in the reader's imagination. You did a nice job explaining that! I especially loved reading the Harry Potter series because all of the spells, creatures, and dramatic settings pushed my imagination to new levels. It was fun!

You said nonfiction is great if you find something that keeps you interested. What kinds of topics would you find interesting enough to read about?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Mikey

12/22/2014 11:15:55 am

Dear Ms. Kimball,
I'm not much of a science-type guy, so I am mostly interested in topics like sports. I like nonfiction, but to be interested, you have to pick a good topic for yourself.
Sincerely,
Mikey

Ms. Kimball

12/17/2014 01:53:47 pm

Dear Marc,

It is so true that if you aren't interested in a topic you're reading about for a nonfiction text, it can be a huge challenge to get through. However, if the author writes well and finds clever ways to pull you in, you can be pleasantly surprised that you're all of a sudden interested in the life of Beethoven or how maraschino cherries are made.

Like you said, fiction can also be a challenge to get through if the plot is bad or it's poorly written. I hate to admit it, but I've abandoned a large number of fiction books because the author didn't win me over soon enough.

What kinds of nonfiction topics do you find most exciting or interesting?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Marc

12/19/2014 12:38:57 am

Dear Ms. Kimball,
I like to read nonfiction topics about tragic events that have happened in the past. What I like to read in their is about the people that survive and retell the story. What do you like to read most?

From,
Marc

Ms. Kimball

12/21/2014 01:02:59 pm

Dear Marc,

That's so interesting! Does that mean you would be interesting in reading about a survivor of the Titanic sinking or a diary of someone who survived the Holocaust? There are so many great stories about surviving tragic events. I'll never forget this one memoir I read years ago called "Night" by Elie Wiesel. This man survived the Nazi death camps of the Holocaust and the way he described what happened was harrowing. Like I mentioned in class, I'm reading a survivor story called Unbroken. It's amazing.

I agree with you --for nonfiction, I like reading stories of survival. For fiction, I'll read a variety of genres, as long as the text is well-written. I like exciting plots and captivating writing. If a book has that, I'll read it!

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Amy

12/18/2014 12:33:41 am

Dear Ms.Kimball,

I like to read fiction books rather than non-fiction books because, in fiction books you can have creatures that don't exist for example a unicorn. But in a non-fiction book you would rather find some interesting facts about horses (the closest animal to unicorns.) What I'm trying to say is, in fiction books you find more made up things. But in non-fiction books you find information on real things we see today (well not always today but things that exist.)

Sincerely,
Amy

Ms. Kimball

12/21/2014 01:13:20 pm

Dear Amy,

It sounds like you enjoy books where you get to use your imagination. Is that true? I used to think that I only liked fantasy stories about swords and dragons and princesses. Then I realized that I enjoy mixing up what I read. I like to balance my reading with all sorts of genres now, both fiction and nonfiction. Do you ever do that?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Kaela

12/18/2014 12:42:10 am

Dear ms.Kimball
One difference between fiction and non fiction is non fiction is state on hard facts ware as fiction can be realistic, (could happen) or just stuff that is crazy and couldn't happen. Another reason is fiction books let you use your imagination and non fiction gives a specific picture to have in your head. Last of all in fiction books you can put yourself in the person (or things) shoes but in non fiction you have to read as just a reader and not a characters in the story. Those are some ways that fiction and non fiction books can be different, thank you for reading!
Sincerely Kaela

Ms. Kimball

12/21/2014 01:17:13 pm

Dear Kaela,

It's true that nonfiction writers often want you to have a truthful picture in your head. They try to write so that you don't have to use your imagination in the same way you have to in fiction. However, I've found that you actually CAN put yourself in the shoes of a character in nonfiction. It's almost easier! The story I'm reading now is about a real man who survived a prisoner camp during World War 2. The way the author describes his experiences, I can actually imagine what he went through. That's why the book is so powerful!

Have you tried reading some nonfiction outside of school recently?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Kaela

12/22/2014 10:05:05 am

Wow I didn't think there could be such a awesome storyline for a nonfiction book. Thats probably because I don't read much nonfiction outside of school. I will try to read more nonfiction books now that I know they can be so interesting and have so much affect on you. Thank you for sharing this with me so I know how interesting they are.
Sincerely Kaela

Sage P

12/18/2014 12:22:34 pm

Dear Class,

Some positive things about reading non fiction are, you get information about A LOT of things, another thing is if you read non fiction it might be easier to write a report on something for school. Some of the positive things about reading fiction are, sometimes the book can be really funny and it will make you laugh out loud, another thing is that you are probably better at your stamina when you read fiction books other than non fiction books. There are also some negative things about reading non fiction they are, I don’t really like non fiction books because they can be boring sometimes. Another thing why non fiction books can be negative is that a lot of non fiction books can be really hard. There are even some negative things about reading fiction they are, if you just read fiction you will have no knowledge about really anything. Another reason why fiction books can be negative are fiction books don’t often challenge your reading level, if you never get challenged with reading you will never really learn any new words. When I read non fiction and I don’t understand what I read, I would usually read it again and if I still don’t get it I would try to put the part that I read into easier words that I can understand, or if you still don’t get it I would ask a friend to see if they got it.
From,
Sage

Ms. Kimball

12/21/2014 01:24:27 pm

Dear Sage,

You bring up some very interesting points about fiction and nonfiction! I agree with you that nonfiction often challenges your reading level. If you're reading about a complicated topic, such as about how the internet works, then the text may challenge your brain with technical vocabulary or complex steps to follow. I love learning new things, but it definitely takes brain power!

You mentioned how fiction texts can make you laugh out loud. Can you share a story that made you laugh like that recently?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Sofia

12/18/2014 12:28:20 pm

Class,
Fiction and Non-Fiction are two very different types of text. Non-fiction tends to have one subject, with true facts about it, while fiction tends to have one subject with unrealistic facts and a story to it. For example, a non-fiction book may have the topic of a frog, and it will list true facts about a frog like how they are amphibians, while Fiction may have a story about a talking from named... Sure, Joe.
Sofia

Ms. Kimball

12/21/2014 01:26:44 pm

Dear Sofia,

Your comparison of frogs in fiction and nonfiction is amusing! Realistic fiction and historical fiction won't have talking frogs though. What are those genres like for you in comparison to nonfiction?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Sofia

12/23/2014 12:34:31 am

Ms.Kimball,
Historical fiction and Historical confiscation will have some differences, too. I notice how even though historical fiction does talk about a past event, but sometimes characters are made up, scenes are partially made up, while historical Non-fiction will have 100% true facts.
Sofia

Forrest

12/18/2014 12:43:29 pm

Dear Ms.Kimball,

I recently read an informational text about Abraham Lincoln’s life and just finished reading Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Some of the things that are similar about each book are that they are both about a person, and both have or had a struggle. The challenge of reading about Abraham Lincoln's life is that there are so many facts and things that I don’t really understand because it is about a time in history that was long before I was born. So sometimes I ask someone about that time period or I research it on the computer so I can understand what they are talking about. With Where The Mountain MeetsThe Moon or other fiction books you can let your imagination run with the book and sometimes you can play around with the facts. It has to make sense but you can infer things to understand it better.

Your student,

Forrest

Ms. Kimball

12/21/2014 01:30:59 pm

Dear Forrest,

Abraham Lincoln is such an interesting historical figure. I've been dying to learn more about him. I have a couple of books in class about him --let me know if you would like to read more. They have a lot of pictures in them, which always help me when reading nonfiction.

That's a good point that nonfiction can often take place during time periods that you may not know much about. That can make it really challenging. Your strategy of asking someone or researching it is a great idea!

Are there certain nonfiction topics you are especially interesting in?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

(P.S. Who thought we would have so much fun reading about rice!?)

Yubin

12/20/2014 09:46:13 am

Dear Ms Kimball,

In my opinion, the biggest difference between fiction and non-fiction is that non-fiction is a real story, but fiction is not. For example, there is no Neverland where Peter Pan and Tinker Bell live in this earth. On the other hand, British colonies did exist along the Atlantic coast of North America from 1607 to 1783.

Second, I think the positive thing of the fiction is that we can freely imagine and make up fun and interesting stories. On the contrary to this, the positive thing of the non-fiction is that we can learn something new. For example, when I read the book about Beethoven, I learned that Beethoven became a deaf at about the age of 30, and most of his great symphonies were composed after he lost his hearing.

Finally, my strategy to make reading non-fiction more easier is finding a word I do not know in a dictionary, or searching related resources on the internet.

Sincerely,
Yubin

Ms. Kimball

12/21/2014 01:35:41 pm

Dear Yubin,

Isn't that amazing about Beethoven!? Learning about historical figures can be so rewarding because it can give us inspiration for our own lives. Knowing that Beethoven accomplished all that he did with music AFTER becoming deaf makes me feel motivated to do more with my life.

Looking up information to build background knowledge about a nonfiction topic is a good strategy. Have you ever done that before?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

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Ms. Kimball's Grade 5 At Underwood, 2014-2015

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