21+ Activity Ideas for Nonfiction Children’s Books
Parents, teachers, librarians, and children’s book authors have the same goal, to inspire kids to become good readers for academic and career success as well as lifelong enjoyment. It's vital for students to master informational texts according to the education learning goals set forth in…
Parents, teachers, librarians, and children’s book authors have the same goal, to inspire kids to become good readers for academic and career success as well as lifelong enjoyment. It's vital for students to master informational texts according to the education learning goals set forth in the Common Core State Standards and similar guides.
Students must be familiar with a number of concepts to effectively read and write informational text.
Providing quality resources to young readers is a great way to start. Nonfiction books for kids have come a long way from the traditional style that included just the facts plus some photographs. A wide variety of attractively designed titles are available including narrative nonfiction, image-laden books that are great for browsing, and “active” nonfiction that teaches the skills to make or do something. For a helpful guide to 5 overall categories of nonfiction books, please see the posts about The Nonfiction Family tree on children’s author Melissa Stewart’s blog, such as this article.
How are book-based activities useful?
Reader engagement is increased by activities that help students think deeply about and work with the text, images, vocabulary, diagrams, and other content in the book. Writing, drama, art, and other creative projects require multiple learning styles and brain pathways, and help make the information much more memorable. Let's explore some options!
Blog post: 21+ activity ideas for nonfiction children's books
Introducing the book
Make it as simple or involved as you prefer. Sometimes it's fine to jump right into reading a book with little advance preparation and go with the flow. Here are some additional approaches to try:
• Preview a book’s content ahead of time to get kids thinking about it. For example, to introduce the topic of my book Step by Step, show a photograph of animal tracks and invite guesses about which animal made them.
• Read a page or two aloud with students and ask for predictions about what the rest of the book will contain. Take a survey to see what students believe about the topic.
• Students can complete a KWL chart to record what they Know before reading the book, what they Wonder about while reading, and what they Learn from it.
• Older students can choose a book to read on their own then create a project based on its content. Suggest a few ideas such as the ones listed below to help them get started.
• Read a fictional story that relates to the nonfiction book’s content.
Record the content
During or after reading, make a list, mind map, or topic cloud of the subject matter, themes, and curriculum connections for the book. The image below lists the topics in Step by Step.
Click the book cover image to get FREE Step by Step activity pages in my TPT shop
Inspiration for creation
Brainstorm activities that will allow students to think carefully about, research, write, and create using the book's content. Some may require advance prep by the teacher. Below are several examples that work for many nonfiction books, depending on the age level.
• Scavenger hunt inside the book for vocabulary words, facts, and/or pictures
• Coloring pages, a craft, diorama, mobile, drawing, or painting
• Diagram with labels
• Write a song, chant, or poem
• Book review in a unique form such as comic book style
• A new front cover design
• Sequencing cards to put events in order
• Illustrate and describe a step-by-step process
• A follow-up slide presentation about the content
• Poster to summarize or promote the book
• Mini-book or class book inspired by the topic
• A chart or map of the information
• A board game, illustrated glossary, skit, or bulletin board display
• Think of a food tie-in such as this example of animal tracks snack ideas
Putting it all together
Round up some materials, help the kids start planning, and let the creating begin! The activities will vary depending on the book, student level, and time available. And based on my experience, kids find book-inspired projects challenging, enjoyable, and very memorable.
Hopefully this article has given you some fresh ideas for nonfiction book extensions to help your students get more out reading informational texts. If you would enjoy more posts about children's books, classroom activities, educational resources, and freebies >>> please subscribe on the blog sidebar. Thanks so much for coming by!
Happy reading,
Loreen Leedy
Children's author-illustrator
Instagram: @loreenleedybooks
Pinterest: @LoreenLeedy
Facebook: @authorLoreenLeedy
21+ Activity Ideas for Nonfiction Children's Books
Plant Adaptation Book and Activities
Amazing Plant Powers has been out for awhile but I just got around to making these FREE printable activity pages...oops! This picture book is full of information about plant adaptations and has received nice reviews such as "A great supplement to plant units, and a welcome introduction to informational texts,” from a review by School Library Journal...
Amazing Plant Powers has been out for awhile but I just got around to making these FREE printable activity pages...oops! This picture book is full of information about plant adaptations and has received nice reviews such as "A great supplement to plant units, and a welcome introduction to informational texts,” from a review by School Library Journal. More info is available on this page of my web site.
Click book cover image to get FREE activity pages in my TPT store.
My husband Andy and I co-wrote it and took most of the photographs, which are the primary images in the book. Andy has a Ph.D. in plant pathology so that was a big help! Amazing Plant Powers is available from the usual sources so request it from your librarian or order it from a bookstore to make use of these printable pages.
The objective for these activities is to engage students in looking closely at the text, photographs, vocabulary, and other content in the book, per the Common Core State Standards for Reading Informational text. Here is what is included:
• a photosynthesis diagram to label
• plant power searches
• book report poster activity
• plant superhero writing prompt
• plant product search
• scavenger hunt
• journal note pages
Click image to view FREE printable pages for Amazing Plant Powers.
I hope these pages will be useful and enjoyable for your classroom or library. Thank you so much for coming by, and if you’d enjoy more posts about children's books, classroom activities, educational resources, and freebies >>> please subscribe on the blog sidebar.
Happy reading!
Loreen Leedy
Children's author-illustrator
Instagram: @loreenleedybooks
Pinterest: @LoreenLeedy
Facebook: @authorLoreenLeedy
Making Animal Tracks Step by Step
If you're planning baby animal, nature, or habitat themes for primary kids in your classroom or library, my new nonfiction picture book Step by Step will come in handy. The book starts with pages full of muddy paw prints and the question, "Who walks in the mud?” When young readers turn the page they'll find the answer...
If you're planning baby animal, nature, or habitat themes for primary kids in your classroom or library, my new nonfiction picture book Step by Step will come in handy. The book starts with pages full of muddy paw prints and the question, "Who walks in the mud?” When young readers turn the page they'll find the answer (a puppy.)
A puppy walks in the mud, that’s who!
The next page asks, “Who waddles to the pond?” It turns out to be a mallard duckling. The simple pattern of the text combined with realistic illustrations make it an ideal informational text for Preschool to Grade 1 readers (or readers-in-training.) It works well as a read aloud and for individual perusal. The back matter includes additional facts for kids to discover.
The book's first review has already come in and is very positive (whew!):
“...The simple, patterned presentation neatly imparts multifaceted information, and a handy, succinct addendum will encourage second and third views. Effortlessly enlightening.” Kirkus Reviews
I'm super excited that a board book edition of Step by Step for babies and toddlers will also be available. Though I've been in the children's book biz since 1984, this is my very FIRST board book. The official publication date is in May.
Let's brainstorm a few ways to use this book, shall we?
THEMES
• baby animals and their names
• animal tracks
• nature
• habitats
• doing things “step by step”
CONTENT
• tracks • footprint • paw print • toes • claw • walk • waddle • crawl • run • hop • dig • mud • sand • snow • mammal • bird • reptile • invertebrate • insect • crab • birth • hatch • egg • baby • grow
ACTIVITY IDEAS
• Whose Tracks are These? Cut sponges into animal footprint shapes, glue to corregated cardboard, then print tracks with paint. Draw a picture of the animal that corresponds to the tracks.
• Who’s Making Tracks? Trace around feet on construction paper, cut out and make tracks leading to each child’s picture on a bulletin board.
• We Learn Step by Step: bulletin board promoting perseverance, grit, staying on task.
For FREE printable activity pages that tie in directly, please click on the image below to pick them up in my TPT shop:
Thanks so much for reading and I hope you'll come back for more posts about children's books, classroom activities, educational resources, and freebies! >> Please subscribe on the blog sidebar if you get a chance>>>
Happy reading!
Loreen Leedy
Children's author-illustrator
Instagram: @loreenleedybooks
Pinterest: @LoreenLeedy
Facebook: @authorLoreenLeedy
Click the kitty to follow my TPT shop!
A hatching sea turtle. Click image for more info on Tracks in the Sand.