Analyzing Non-Fiction
Jessica L. Shupik of Motivation High School in Philadelphia.
Jessica L. Shupik
Motivation High School
Philadelphia
Title: Analyzing Non-Fiction
Objective: Students will be able to identify and analyze bias,
narrative non-fiction, and informative non-fiction.
Goals:
Students will be able to:
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Identify and define bias
Analyze the author’s purpose and use of narrative and
informative non-fiction
Time: One class period of approximately 50 minutes
Lesson:
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Teacher will lecture and lead a class discussion on bias, narrative
non-fiction, and informative non-fiction.
Class will review worksheet “Things to consider when reading
non-fiction.”
Collaborative groups will receive a newspaper article (different
articles for each group). Students will read and analyze the article
for examples of bias, narrative non-fiction, and informative nonfiction using the “Things to consider” worksheet. Students will also
highlight words/phrases that signal bias.
Groups will decorate posters with the words/phrases that they
pulled from their articles.
For homework, students will analyze a newspaper article using
the “Things to consider” worksheet.
Evaluation:
Students will be evaluated on completion of the “Things to consider”
worksheet, participation and collaboration within their groups,
completion of the bias poster, and completion of a related homework
assignment to practice analysis of non-fiction.
Materials: one newspaper article per collaborative group, a
newspaper article for homework, “Things to consider when reading
non-fiction” worksheet
Things to consider when reading non-fiction
1. Who is telling the story?
a. Does this person have any bias or opinion that may make the text slanted
toward one opinion or idea?
b. What seems to be the purpose of this story? What is it trying to tell the
reader? What might the author have done to make sure he/she
accomplished his/her purpose?
2. How much of a narrative can possibly be exactly how it happened?
a. How do you know that the author did not make up parts of the story? Did
they do research? Do they have proof?
b. Does the author admit to making some things up? Does it matter if they
do?
c. Can the author have left out or added some information even if it was
true? How could leaving out or adding information affect the way a reader
understands the story?
d. Can a person’s memory be unreliable? Can you you remember something
that didn’t actually happen?