Part 1:

Fiction

and

Non-Fiction

After This Lesson…

Students will classify a literary

work as a specific genre by

applying context clues and justify

their reasoning by citing evidence.

Genres are categories that all written materials fit into based on common structures and themes.

There are five main genres of literature: Fiction

Nonfiction

Drama

Folklore

Poetry

What is a Genre?

Genre: Genre:

FictionFiction

Writing that is a product of the imagination

REMEMBER: Fiction = Fake

What is Fiction?

Fiction is anything that did not happen in real life.

There are four subgenres of fiction: Historical Fiction Realistic Fiction Science Fiction Fantasy

Hello There!

Subgenre: Historical Fiction Set in the past (history)

Involves real people or historical events

The story itself never happened – is made up by the author

Scott O’Dell Award

Historical Fiction Examples Novels about wars – Civil War, WWI, WWII, etc.

Novels about epidemics –yellow fever, Spanish influenza, etc.

Novels about tragedies – Titanic, aftermath of nuclear bombing

Dear America Books

Journal Format

Interesting Stories

Subgenre: Realistic Fiction

Takes place in any time period

Events in the story realistically could have occurred, but did not

Places in the story could exist in real life

Discusses real-life problems and issues

Realistic Fiction ExamplesCommon YA themes

Loss of family/friends Honesty - guilt Discovering your identity Standing up to peer pressure Choosing right over wrong Survival

Examples: Hatchet, The Bridge to Terabithia, On My Honor The Outsiders, Trapped, Freak the Mighty

Subgenre: Science Fiction

Set in the future

Involves aliens, robots, futuristic technology, space ships

Could not take place with the technology we have today

Science Fiction Examples The Hunger Games Trilogy

A Wrinkle in Time

The Giver

Ender’s Game

Bar Code

Subgenre: FantasyTakes place in the past, present, or

future

Involves monsters, creatures, magic, characters with magical or superhuman powers

Cannot take place within our society

Fantasy ExamplesHarry Potter

Percy Jackson

Monstrumologist

Goosebumps

Writing that is true or factual

Fiction = Fake / Non-Ficton = Not Fake

Not-Fake = Real

Genre: Genre:

Non-FictionNon-Fiction

Non-Fiction is any true depiction of a person or event in history.

Based on facts or evidence gathered during research

There are four subgenres of Non-Fiction: Informational Writing Persuasive Writing Biography Autobiography

What is Non-Fiction?

Subgenre: Informational Writing

Explains something to the audience

Provides information – Sources, Facts, Statistics, Dates

Can cover many different topics Science Social Studies Life Skills Language Skills Hobbies

Informational Writing Examples

Newspaper / Magazine Articles

Textbooks

Encyclopedias

Record Books

Subgenre: Persuasive WritingTries to influence or convince the reader

Tells one side of the story (bias or favoritism)

Will present an argument and supporting evidence

May be opinion-based

Persuasive Writing Examples Letters to the Editor Pamphlets Brochures Political Speeches Advertising

campaigns

Subgenre: Biography

Story about a person’s life

Written by someone other than who the story is about

Official or unofficial

Biography Examples

Steve Jobs: Thinking Differently

Who Was/Is … (Leonardo daVinci, George Washington, etc.)

Discovery Education – JFK, Abraham Lincoln

Magazine Interviews

Subgenre: Autobiography

Written about someone’s life

Written by the person it is about

Memoirs / Diaries / Journals

Autobiography Examples

The Diary of Anne Frank

Guts: The True Stories Behind Hatchet and the Brian Books

A Girl from Yamhill: A Memoir

Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio

PracticePractice

ProblemsProblems

1. Each slide will describe a piece of writing.2. You will write the genre and subgenre in your notes.

1 Your Science Textbook

Your science textbook contains much of the human knowledge of Earth and the universe.

Genre: ______________________________

Subgenre: ___________________________

2 In My Own Words by Eva Perón

Eva Perón writes the story of her life from childhood to her rise in political power in Argentina.

Genre: ____________________________

Subgenre: _________________________

3 They Came from the Sun by Tom Mitchell

The story of a race of aliens that come to enslave the residents of Earth with their advanced weaponry. Only

one teacher can stop them, but is it too late?

Genre: ____________________________

Subgenre: _________________________

4 The Watsons Go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis

It is the story of an African American family living in Flint, Michigan who go to their grandmother's home in

Birmingham, Alabama in the year 1963. The story is told around the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, an actual event in history, even though the

characters never really existed.

Genre: ______________________________

Subgenre: ___________________________

5 “Going, Going ... Green!” By Angela Gaimari

In this essay, Gaimari tries to convince people to do small things to help the environment. She gives

readers many suggestions on how to live more eco-friendly and asks readers to make the change.

Genre: ____________________________

Subgenre: _________________________

6 Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

In his first year of middle school, the main character Greg Heffley deals with “cooties,” learning to wrestle,

Halloween, acting in the school play, and other problems that many middle school students face.

Genre: ____________________________

Subgenre: _________________________

In the fourth and final novel in the Twilight series, Bella, a newly-turned vampire, must defend her vampire husband

and family, and new half-vampire, half-human baby from an unjustified attack by the Volturi, the ancient vampire

authority, using powers developed in her mind.

Genre: ____________________________

Subgenre: _________________________

7 Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Up Next

Classifying Literature: Part 2