Comparing Fiction and
Nonfiction Texts Using
Fairytales and Science
Books
by Mimi Rutland
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
By Jan Brett
vs.
Polar Bears by Gail Gibbons
This series of lessons is focused on
the strategy of making connections
and is organized around the genres
of fiction and nonfiction texts.
Additional texts according to
teacher’s preference may also be
included.

Students will engage in class discussions comparing and
contrasting fiction to nonfictional texts.

Students will make meaningful connections between different
texts.(Text-to- self, text-to-world, and text-to-text)

Students will create sensory images when listening to stories read
aloud.

Students will be able to identify the elements of a fairy tale.

Students will be able to identify the elements of a nonfiction text.

Students will be able to identify elements that are alike and
different in nonfiction and fictional books.
Objectives

Read Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Jan Brett.

Have students visualize what is taking place in the story; then allow
students to closely examine the pictures.

Discuss elements of fairy tales; have students describe what they
already know about fairy tales and what they have in common.

Identify and review elements of a fictional story- plot, setting,
characters, problem, solution.

Identify vocabulary words and phrases that are present in fairy tales;
“once upon a time” , “happily ever after”, etc.

Identify elements of characters in fictional stories, such as talking
animals, animals wearing clothes and eating at the table, etc.
Lesson One

Review the elements of a fairy tale and a fictional story.

Review the character elements found in fictional stories.

Review vocabulary words and phrases found in fairy tales.

Reread specific pages of Goldilocks and the Three Bears
citing examples of the above mentioned elements.

Have students brainstorm and create a list on chart paper
to identify elements found in fictional stories and fairy
tales.
Lesson Two

Read Polar Bears by Gail Gibbons.


Discuss elements found in a nonfictional text about bears.

Discuss the difference between fact (real) and fiction
(make-believe).


Allow students to closely examine the pictures in the text.
Have students identify facts about bears, their habitat,
eating habits, hibernation, and reproduction.

Assign students the task of researching other kinds of
bears on the internet or with other books at home.
Lesson Three

Review the elements of a nonfiction book.

Review the differences between fact and fiction.

Review Polar Bears by briefly highlighting a few
pages of the book and facts about Polar bears.

On chart paper, have students brainstorm and
create a list of the elements and facts found in
the book pertaining to the Polar bears.
Lesson Four

Using the two lists created by students, compare and contrast the
elements of a nonfiction book about bears and a fairy tale about bears.

Guide students to identify any elements that are the same.

Have students create their own Venn diagrams, showing several
elements that are the same and different in both texts.

Observe students during class discussions as they talk about the
similarities and differences in fiction and nonfiction books.

Monitor students silently as they work independently to create their
Venn diagrams.

Allow volunteers to share their results with the class.
Lesson Five

To accommodate individual differences,
have higher level students partner up with
struggling readers, as they brainstorm
and create their Venn Diagrams.

Allow students who are unable to write on
the diagram draw the similarities and
differences between the texts.
Individual Differences

Brett, J. (1987).Goldilocks and the three
bears.New York, NY: G. P. Putnam's Sons.

Gibbons, G.(2007). Polar bears. New York, NY:
Crabtree Publishing.
References