Nonfiction.While novels, poetry, and short stories stimulate the young to dream and aspire, nonfiction provides them with tools to guide and support their efforts at accomplishment. A child who wants to learn to ice-skate can read a book on technique. One who longs to explore can read about exotic places and cultures--even learn how to make maps. You'll likely find that nonfiction can win over the most reluctant readers. Bring in books on cyberspace Coined by William Gibson in his 1984 novel "Neuromancer," it is a futuristic computer network that people use by plugging their minds into it! The term now refers to the Internet or to the online or digital world in general. See Internet and virtual reality. Contrast with meatspace. , wrestling, volcanoes, or sharks; have kids search Amazon.com for nonfiction books that center on their interests. There's a topic out there for every student, and it's likely that someone has written a book about it. Perhaps some of the activities within this unit can help each of your students discover a book that leads into a new world of fun, learning, and satisfaction. Lights ... Action ... Research Invite students to invent a scenario, or story outline, for a feature film. Encourage them to begin by choosing a setting (time and place) for the movie, which can give them ideas for the characters and their adventures. For example, a scenario about the Caribbean might involve scuba divers Several; any number more than two; different. Divers is a collective term used to group a number of unspecified people, objects, or acts. It is used frequently to describe property, as in divers parcels of land. and sharks. Explain that they must know enough facts about the setting to make it seem real to their audiences. Guide them to test their knowledge by creating idea webs about their settings. For example, a person might write "geography of Texas" in the middle of the page. He or she would then write such features as flat, hot, dry, and so on around the central topic. Send students to the library or the Internet (nationalgeographic.com and classroomconnect.com, for example) to find new facts for their webs. If children are having trouble coming up with a setting, you might suggest such books as Stone Age Farmers Beside the Sea: Scotland's Prehistoric pre·his·tor·ic also pre·his·tor·i·cal adj. 1. Of, relating to, or belonging to the era before recorded history. 2. Of or relating to a language before it is first recorded in writing. Village of Skara Brae Skara Brae (skâr`ə brā), Stone Age village, on Mainland in the Orkney Islands, N Scotland. Dating from c.3200 to 2200 B.C., the village was preserved under a sand dune until uncovered by a storm in 1851. , by Caroline Arnold (Clarion A family of application development systems for Windows from SoftVelocity, Inc., Pompano Beach, FL (www.softvelocity.com). Clarion provides a comprehensive set of tools for development, including a screen builder, 4GL and application generator. Books, 1997); Wild West Shows: Rough Riders Rough Riders, popular name for the 1st Regiment of U.S. Cavalry Volunteers, organized largely by Theodore Roosevelt in the Spanish-American War (1898). Its members were mostly ranchers and cowboys from the West, with a sprinkling of adventurous blue bloods from the and Sure Shots, by Judy Alter (Watts, 1997); and Children of Guatemala, by Jules Hermes (Lerner, 1997). After students have brainstormed, encourage them to design a movie poster to promote their film, using details about the setting that they have gleaned from their reading about terrain, buildings, vegetation, climate, and so on. Mysteries of the Pyramids Ignite youngsters' interest in ancient Egypt  Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled due to vandalism. by displaying the poster after page 42. How do students think these mighty pyramids were constructed? What do they imagine Egyptian scientists knew about building, mathematics, and science? Ask students to imagine being a scientist or mathematician, in these ancient times, who does not have the fund of knowledge and technology that we have today. Refer them to several books, such as Science in Ancient Egypt, by Geraldine Woods (Franklin Watts, 1998). Then challenge students to use what the early Egyptians knew about construction, math, and science to write a nonfiction piece about an innovation of their own, such as a new medicine. Stepping Stones
The Stepping Stones are three prominent rocks lying 0.5 miles north of Limitrophe Island, off the southwest coast of Anvers Island. Becoming aware of just how much they already know can give students the confidence to learn more. Help them tap their own knowledge with the reproducible on page 45. Explain that they must "walk" a pathway made up of six stepping-stones, each of which is keyed to the number of a specific project. Listing at least two things they know about accomplishing each project will allow students to step to the next stone. If they have trouble, they will need to research books, magazines, or the Internet to discover more information. Show and Tell Many of today's nonfiction books include more than just high-quality illustrations. CD-ROMs now often accompany printed text. Some books, however, are interactive while remaining low-tech. Paint and Painting (Scholastic, 1994), includes a scrap of papyrus and mimics the surface of a cave wall for readers to feel. Ask students to write a paragraph about something that interests them and to illustrate their writing in a creative, interactive way. For example, if they are describing a bird, they can illustrate their paragraph with one of its feathers, draw the musical notes of its call for the reader to whistle, or record the bird's song. Videos for Students Let's Start Juggling Bret Wengeler teaches juggling (MVP (Multimedia Video Processor) A high-speed DSP chip from Texas Instruments, introduced in 1994. Officially introduced as the TMS320C80, it combines RISC technology with the functionality of four DSPs on one chip. Home Entertainment, 1999). Betye & Alison Saar Alison Saar is an American artist who was born in Los Angeles, California in 1956 and grew up in Laurel Canyon, California. Her parents were Betye Saar, a well-known African American artist, and Richard Saar, an art conservationist. Conjure con·jure v. con·jured, con·jur·ing, con·jures v.tr. 1. a. To summon (a devil or spirit) by magical or supernatural power. b. Women of the Arts Mother and daughter artists show how they work with found objects to make art (L&S Video, 1994). Sight The images that animals see, optical illusions, and age-old beliefs about the sense of sight (Eyewitness An individual who was present during an event and is called by a party in a lawsuit to testify as to what he or she observed. The state and Federal Rules of Evidence, which govern the admissibility of evidence in civil actions and criminal proceedings, impose requirements , DK Vision, 1997). Plant Explores the world of growing things (Eyewitness, DK Vision, 1997). Habitats: Realm of the Tiger Videos, posters, transparencies, student handouts, and more (National Geographic, 1998). CD-ROMs for Students Field Trip to the Earth Students investigate our planet (Sunburst Communications, 1999). To order call 914-747-3310 or visit the Web site www.sunburst.com A Field Trip to the Sea Deluxe Students dive into the mysterious oceans to learn about the diverse life underwater (Sunburst Communications, 1999). The Way Things Work Based on David Macauley's book of the same name, this CD-ROM CD-ROM: see compact disc. CD-ROM in full compact disc read-only memory Type of computer storage medium that is read optically (e.g., by a laser). teaches students how ordinary machines work (Darling Kindersley, 1996). |
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