Features of Various Types of Literature

The information in this slidescreen will help you meet the following Common Core State Standard:

• Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres in terms of how authors develop different themes and topics.

To be able to meet this standard, you must first know typical characteristics of different types of genres.  This slideshare will provide that information.

Write notes on each type of genre and subgenre in your notebook.  You may want to take notes in the following headings:

Type of Genre                          Characteristics                        Special considerations

Writing Assignment:

Turn to the response section of your notebook.  Enter today's date.  Write the titles of the last three books or texts you have read.  Tell the type of literature you believe the text to be.  Then explain the reasons why you believe the texts to be of that type.  If you have difficulty knowing how to state this, here is a sample to use to help you.  Replace the phrases in all caps with your own words

"This text  LIST THE TITLE  is classified as  LIST A GENRE.  LIST THE GENRE often include(s) texts that  LIST THE FIRST CHARACTERISTIC OF THE GENRE and LIST THE SECOND CHARACTERISTIC OF THE GENRE.  LIST THE TITLE OF THE BOOK is obviously a LIST THE GENRE AGAIN because PROVIDE EXAMPLES FROM THE TEXT THAT SHOW CHARACTERISTIC 1 AND 2."

Here is an example of the above shell for the text Foster's War by Carolyn Reeder.

This text Foster's War is classified as historical fiction.  Historical fiction is set in the past and may have real events woven into a make-believe story.  Foster's War is obviously an example of historical fiction because it is set in 1941 during World War II, a real life event from history, however, Foster is a make-believe character.

If you need more information to make a decision, the following texts may be helpful for you:

The Reader's Handbook:  Use the index to look up the type of literature you are researching.

Use The Reader's Handbook to research one type of literature for which you are not as familiar.  Use the following steps to guide your research:

1. Look up the type of literature you are researching in the index.
2. Turn to those pages in the book and read them.
3. Take notes on specific considerations you have to keep in mind as you read that type of text.
4. Prepare an oral presentation based on what you have learned about how to read that type of text.

The following elements should be part of your oral presentation:

• Review the basic characteristics of the type of literature you have selected.
• Explain at least three things a reader must think about as a reader reading this type of literature.
• Have one example of this type of text.  Your example can be a text of that type, a web site illustrating that type of text, or drawn picture showing a text.
• Be prepared to present your findings at the end of the week.