Genre 3rd Grade Unit

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Genre 3rd Grade Unit

Lessons

Lesson 1: Realistic Fiction Identify the characteristics of realistic fiction.

Allie's Basketball Dream

Lesson 2: Fantasy Identify the characteristics of fantasy.

Zathura

Lesson 3: Science Fiction Identify the characteristics of science fiction.

Commander Toad and the Intergalactic Spy

Unit Extension Ideas

Discuss the genre of books in read aloud sessions and literature groups- specifically realistic fiction, fantasy, and science fiction. Have students explain how they determine the genre.

Have students sort books in the classroom library based on genre and create a list of books for each genre.

Have students write book reviews of their favorite books, explaining the genre.

Create a fiction and nonfiction bulletin board that students can add to as they read books from each genre. (See Additional Activity A Poster in Teacher and Student Materials below.)

Challenge students to write two versions of an event in two different genres; for example, an argument on a basketball court (Realistic Fiction) and an argument on a basketball court on Mars (Science Fiction). Ask students to explain the differences between the two versions. They can use a Venn diagram as a planning tool to compare and contrast the two versions of the event. (See Additional Activity B Worksheet below.)

Orally give students a characteristic of a specific genre and ask students to hold up a card listing the genre. (See Additional Activity C below.)
Students can identify the genres of current movies in the theater, or you can watch part of a movie in class and students can identify the specific genre.

Teacher and Student Materials Get All

More Books for Teaching Genre

Moondogs

Lexile: 490L

Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the UFO

Lexile: 480L

Aliens for Breakfast

Fountas and Pinnell: M
Lexile: 420L

Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery

Fountas and Pinnell: Q
Lexile: 710L

Henry and Ribsy

Fountas and Pinnell: O
Lexile: 740L

My Teacher Is an Alien

Fountas and Pinnell: S

What's Cooking, Jenny Archer?

Fountas and Pinnell: M
Lexile: 440L

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Unit Reading Passages

Teaching with the Unit Reading Passages

The most effective way to use the unit reading passages is through the Textual Analysis process.