GENRES
& THE CCGPS
What is a genre?
A category of composition
characterized by
similarities in form, style, or
subject matter.
Composition
Prose
Fiction
Story
Folktale
Poetry
Nonfiction
Fable
Myth
Drama
Composition
Prose
Fiction
Story
Folktale
Poetry
Nonfiction
Fable
Myth
Drama
Composition
Prose
Fiction
Story
Folktale
Poetry
Nonfiction
Fable
Myth
Drama
Composition
Prose
Fiction
Story
Folktale
Poetry
Nonfiction
Fable
Myth
Drama
Composition
Kindergarten
Prose
Fiction
Story
Folktale
Poetry
Nonfiction
Fable
Myth
Drama
Composition
Kindergarten
Prose
Fiction
Story
Folktale
Poetry
Nonfiction
Fable
Myth
Drama
Composition
Kindergarten
Prose
Fiction
Story
Folktale
Poetry
Nonfiction
Fable
Myth
Drama
Composition
Kindergarten
Prose
Fiction
Story
Folktale
Poetry
Nonfiction
Fable
Myth
Drama
Composition
Grade
1
Prose
Fiction
Story
Folktale
Poetry
Nonfiction
Fable
Myth
Drama
Composition
Grade
2
Prose
Fiction
Story
Folktale
Poetry
Nonfiction
Fable
Myth
Drama
Composition
Grade
3
Prose
Fiction
Story
Folktale
Poetry
Nonfiction
Fable
Myth
Drama
Composition
Grade
3
Prose
Fiction
Story
Folktale
Poetry
Nonfiction
Fable
Myth
Drama
Composition
Grade
4
Prose
Fiction
Story
Folktale
Poetry
Nonfiction
Fable
Myth
Drama
Composition
Grade
4
Prose
Fiction
Story
Folktale
Poetry
Nonfiction
Fable
Myth
Drama
Composition
Grade
5
Prose
Fiction
Story
Folktale
Poetry
Nonfiction
Mystery
Adventure
Myth
Drama
Story
K Characters, Settings, Major Events
1 + Central Message or Lesson
2 + Moral, Character challenges, Story structure, Point of view
3
4 + Theme, Distinction between visual & oral representation
5 + Chapter-to-chapter fit, differences in fiction genres
Poetry
K Recognize a poem
1 + Words that evoke feelings or affect the senses
2 + Beats, alliteration, rhymes, repeated lines
3 + Stanza
4 + Theme of a poem, verse, meter
5 + How the speaker reflects, how stanzas fit together
Drama
K
1
2
3 Refer to scenes and they build on each other
+ Theme of a drama; explain differences between poetry and
4
prose; connect written with visual form
+ Contrast 2 or more characters; explain how scenes fit
5
together
Nonfiction
Main topic & details; illustrations & text; author’s support for
K
points; similarities & differences in 2 texts
1 + Connection between individuals, etc.; text features
+ Main topic multi-paragraph text; connect historical events,
2 scientific concepts, or steps; author’s main purpose; how
graphics contribute to meaning
3 + Search tools; distinguish child’s point of view from author’s
+ Describe text structure; distinguish first- from second-hand
4
accounts; describe differences in focus
+ Quote from text; determine 2 or more main ideas; explain
5 relationships between 2 or more individuals, events, ideas;
use multiple print & digital sources; integrate multiple texts
Folktales, fables, and myths – oh, my!
Characteristic
Folktale
Fable
Myth
Has a moral
Sometimes
Yes
No
Animals are characters
Sometimes
Yes
Sometimes
Rarely
Sometimes
Yes
Is quite brief
Yes
Yes
Yes
Has characters, plot, and setting
Yes
Yes
Yes
Explains a natural phenomenon
How do we teach genres?
Focus on the defining characteristics.
Use plenty of examples.
Point out the characteristics.
Contrast genres to highlight differences.