Should We Transform Informational Text?
I have a confession to make. I love to read informational text. On any day, I will gladly cuddle up with a nonfiction book and a bowl of popcorn. But, I do not represent most people.
If you have ever heard the proverbial sigh when you have said, "Class, take out your textbook" then you know where I am going with this. Students swarm to the adventure section of the library bookshelves while the nonfiction rows of books remain ... well ... forgotten.
If there a way to change this? The answer is yes!
Last year, I asked my students to create graphic novels about a science topic they had learned during the year.
The Rules
- Select a topic.
- Research the topic and take notes.
- Create a fiction story that would teach a topic such as biomes, habitats, food chains, etc.
The Results
For a week, students independently researched topics of their choice and combined information from several sources to develop a baseline for their stories. Fiction intersected with nonfiction and creativity when the students transformed the information into stories with characters.
Yes, this graphic novel was created by a student. I did provide choices. Students were given the option to create a graphic novel or elaborate posters.
By the way, the interest in informational text did increase with my students.
Click an image to access resources.
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