s/o Narrative nonfiction for 6th grade struggling reader

[LaughingCat]

I love the idea of lewelma's thread on reading non-fiction - but I am struggling to put it in action with my struggling reader.    She reads at a 4th grade level but interest is definitely more at that of a 6th/7th grade level.     Perhaps if there was some science/history area she loved it would be easier - but there is not.  The only non-fiction she looks at on her own is cook books and crafts.  I would like to find some science books that are interesting to older kids (even adults?) but written at a lower reading level  -- so far everything I have looked at is either too 'childish', too hard or too visually scattered or (#1 issue!) too boring!.    Seeing lewelma's thread on the accelerated board and all the interesting books suggestions made me think I should see what the hive could come up with for interesting suggestions.

 

ETA: generally nature/animals doesn't go over here either - which cuts out just about all the interesting looking books I've found on other threads (like the Scientist in the Field books - which seem like they might be about right with some scaffolding)

[LaughingCat]

Since I was going to the library anyway and stuck on this in my head - I went through the non-fiction section again and just picked out some books.  I think I get stuck on the dream of finding the perfect book that will 'draw' her into reading it.  Like if I can just find interesting enough books she will become a 'reader.'  So instead today I tried to stay focused on using the books as a teaching strategy

 

Here's what I got:

The elements: a visual exploration (a hold that looks perfect actually but may be too specialized for her to pick it - she did enjoy a recent elements unit though)

National Geographic investigates ancient Inca (fits with a SS unit)

Earth's core and mantle: heavy metal, moving rock (fits with science unit)

The might Mars rover (Scientists in the Field)

Extreme scientists (Scientists in the Field)

 

and these just looked more interesting than the average book in a quick glance

Why is milk white?

The time book: a brief history from lunar calendars to atomic clocks

A drop of water

 

[lewelma]

LaughingCat, although my ds is not a struggling reader, he is definitely not a nonfiction lover.  So in contrast to my older who was able to read a textbook at this age, my younger still desires narrative nonfiction and struggles with most expository text. My attitude is that  you simply meet them where they are at and build them up year by year; I never want to dump my kids in the deep end with reading a textbook in highschool like I was.  Point being, IMO you are on the right track, looking to get your kid reading material that is at a challenging-but-not-too-challenging level for her.

 

The person who has all the ideas is Rose, so PM her and get her over here.  One idea might be The Odyssey magazine.  Short articles written on interesting topics but at a reasonably low level partly because the articles are short.  Here is an example:

 

Wind-energy. 

The question is as old as it is bold: how can energy be extracted from the wind?  For centuries clever inventors have devised clever contraptions to do just that.  First sails pushed ships across the waters.  Then wings helped planes soar into the skies.  Once windmills hoisted water from wells and pulverized grain into flour.  Now giant turbines arrayed across  vast wind farms power a multitude of modern machines.  And still the game's afoot.  Ambitious turbine designers seek innovative strategies for taking more and more energy from the breeze.

 

Well, maybe not that easy.  This does not look 4th grade, does it?  hum

 

What about the National Geographic readers: http://shop.nationalgeographic.com/ngs/category/national-geographic-readers-series#2&9004:S060&1&S060&true

 

Or National Geographic for kids. 

 

My younger boy is only going to books, having had an entire year with magazine articles.  So maybe you need to find shorter stuff.

 

Have you been to the library?  That is the best way for me.  I just pick books that are at the right reading level and make sure to bring home a stack of 20 on lots of different topics.  Then I have required 20 minutes a day building up to 40 minutes (which we are not at yet). 

 

I also do team reading on books that are interesting but too hard.  You read a paragraph, I read a paragraph.  And we summarize at the end of each.  When I take my turn, I interrupt myself occasionally and describe the thoughts going through my mind.  "hum, I wonder what that means?  I need to read it again....  Oh, that is the second point the author has made, now what was the first?  I better go check..."  Kids need to know that nonfiction reading is *not* linear.  Sometimes they think they are failures if they have to go back and reread sections.  So I am constantly reassuring that this is *very* normal and even desired, even for very advanced adult readers. 

 

Happy to help you think this through.  I am in the middle of developing a plan also.  I'm going to have 2 parts 1) independent reading of narrative nonfiction, and 2) shared reading of expository text leading to graphic organisers of the material. 

 

Ruth in NZ

[lewelma]

oh, posting at the same time.  Will read what you wrote....

[lewelma]

Those National Geographic investigates were exactly the ones I was thinking of when I linked you to their page.  Great that your library has them. My ds really enjoyed the scientist in the field series also. 

 

Sit with her and check the level.  Also, usually I need to read the first section (or chapter) to draw my ds in.  I list all the questions that I have, and wonder out loud what might be explained in the book.  Basically, just be enthusiastic about each book and how interesting it might be.  In the end though, I have found that I have to prioritize reading with this child.  He *must* read independently (I'm very open to his input in his schooling, but I do *require* this), and I find that I still need to sit with him for the harder stuff.  They just have to put in the time to get better.

 

 

[lewelma]

What about biographies? 

[Arcadia]

If she likes cook books, on your next trip to the library ask the librarian for recommendations on kitchen chemistry books.  My kids like the eating their experiments aspect, as well as reading and then messing up the kitchen.

[LaughingCat]

I realized that maybe I don't have a good handle on her level for reading non-fiction. That Odyssey excerpt for example seems fairly straightforward- I would guess that she could read and understand it with no problem (will have to test that - my guess is she will not understand "the game's afoot" reference or know what a turbine is).    The same for the books I picked - I was going for interesting looking and an intuitive 'not too easy or too hard' looking - but I guess we will see how close I was. 

 

The 'you read a paragraph and summarize then I read a paragraph and summarize' sounds great - I have been trying to do more "along with" activities - like for note taking we both take notes on the same thing (video or less than one page article) and then look at them together.    I will definitely have to work on my enthusiasm level though - I suppose I could talk about what made the books look more interesting to me than 'regular' non-fiction.

 

Biographies - I wouldn't even know where to start lol!  The biographies are separated out at our library and I can't even remember the last time I looked at them.  Any recommendations for a particular book or series?

 

The National Geographic Investigates was a lucky find - the rest of the Inca books looked like the typical drudgery.  I will look at what else they have in that line at our library.

 

I put a Odyssey magazine on hold at the library - and I will get some Ask magazine's as well to compare to (don't see a science only Cricket mag at the lower level).   

 

FWIW I forgot that she does love experiment books too - probably because I don't :leaving:   They usually fit in the too visually scattered category, they are mostly directions rather than reading, she skims rather than reading them anyway and I have no desire to do the experiments (I have no problem with her gathering supplies and doing any experiments - but when I get roped in, then it becomes Mom doing all the gathering and cleaning up). 

[Chrysalis Academy]

Ok, you said no to nature/animals but yes to crafts/cooking/experiments, right?  What else is she interested in?

 

I'll look at my book lists and post again soon, got to switch computers.

[Chrysalis Academy]

So, while i'm not able to get at my other files, I thought i'd describe my strategy:  what I tend to do is pick a topic, either because it fits what we're studying or because one of the girls expresses an interest in it.  By all means have her pick topics if you are trying to "hook" her!  Then I will do a library search on the computer.  We have a great interlibrary alone across 3 counties here, so I have access to a lot more books via interlibrary loan than I would if I just went to our small local library.  I will type in the subject, as many variations of it as I can think of, and then limit my search by juvenile/teen and then look at what comes up, with newer stuff showing first.  When I see something I think looks good, I look at what subject it's indexed by, then click to search that subject.  I'll put a ton of books on hold - 20 or 30, even, on a topic or a set of related topics.  From all those, i'll cull through them once they come in and choose a small handful that we'll actually read.  It's really a fishing expedition to find a few pearls.  The rest go back, the keepers, we read - with my 3rd grader, usually read aloud, though she'll read the book if she's really interested.  Some I'll read aloud to the girls together, some I'll assign to the 7th grader to read on her own.

 

My point being, I kiss a lot of frogs to find the gems!  To toally mix my metaphor.  I only read aloud or have them read things that look really interesting.  At this point, I have go-to authors or series, for sure - like the Scientist in the Field series.  We like the Silversteins too, usually.  I'll post a list of good ones in a minute.

[Chrysalis Academy]

Ok, because she's interested in cooking & food, I'd try something by Michael Pollan - Food Rules is an easy first read, but you'd really like to go with something like The Omnivore's Dilemna, which is a natural history of foods.

 

The Planets by Dava Sobel was a wonderful book she read in 6th grade.

 

Here are our favorites from the year we did biology:

 

Using the Microscope/Intro to the Microscopic World

·         The Usborne Complete Book of the Microscope – Kirsteen Rogers

·         Antoni Van Leeuwenhoek: First to See Microscopic Life – Lisa Yount’

·         Hidden Worlds: Looking Through a Scientist’s Microscope – Stephen Kranmer

·         Broll, Brandon. Microcosmos: Discovering the World Through Microscopic Images from Maynard, Christopher.

·         Micro Monsters: Life Under the Microscope 20X to Over 22 Million X Magnification

·         Rainis, Kenneth G. and Russell, Bruce J. Guide to Microlife.
Danbury, Connecticut: Franklin Watts, 1996

Cells

·         The Way Life Works – Mahlon Hoagland

·         The Lives of a Cell: Notes of a Biology Watcher – Lewis Thomas

·         Rebecca Johnson – Mighty Animal Cells; Powerful Plant cells

 

Bacteria, Viruses, & Fungi

·         Invisible Allies: Microbes That Shape Our Lives - Farrell, Jeanette.

·         Parade of Life: Monerans, Protists, Fungi & Plants – Prentice Hall Science

·         The Good, the Bad, the Slimy: The Secret Life of Microbes – Sara Latta

·         A World of Microorganisms – Robert Snedden

·         The Benefits of Bacteria – Robert Snedden

·         Pond Water Zoo: An Introduction to Microscopic Life – Peter Loewer

·         Explore the World using Protazoa – Roger Anderson

·         Morrison, Gordon. Pond. Walter Lorraine Books, 2002.

·         Paul DeKruif – The Microbe Hunters

·         Microcosmos: Four Billion Years of Microbial Evolution – Lynn Margulis

·         Tales from the Underground: A Natural History of Subterranean Life – David Wolfe

·         Magical Mushrooms & Mischievous Molds – George Hudler

·         Molds, Mushrooms & Other Fungi – Steve Parker

·         Fungi – Alvin Silverstein

·         Fungi – Judy Wearing

·         Fungi – Elaine Pascoe

 

 Botany

·         Botany – Ellen McHenry (curriculum)

·         Plant Projects for Young Scientists – Salvatore Tocci

·         Botany Projects for Young Scientists – Maurice Bleifeld

·         Plants – Janice VanCleave

·         Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring the Earth to Life – Molly Bang

·         Anatomy of a Rose – Sharman Apt Russell

·         Botany for Dummies

·         Essential Atlas of Botany

·         Fifty Plants that Changed the Course of History

·         100 Flowers and How They Got Their Names

·         Photosynthesis – Alvin & Virginia Silverstein

·         The Botany of Desire – Michael Pollan

 

This year, she's read:

The Magic of Reality – Richard Dawkins (12 chapters)

McHenry:  The Elements

Dr. Art’s Guide to Planet Earth (6 chapters)

Dr. Art’s Guide to Science

Evolution – Daniel Loxton

Bones, Brains & DNA – Ian Tattersall

The Third Chimpanzee for Young People – Jared Diamond

From Then Till Now – Christopher Moore

A Compact History of Humankind: The History of the World in Big Eras – Meredith Ryley, ed.

Science 101: Ecology

Eyes Wide Open: Going Behind the Environmental Headlines – Paul Fleischman

[LaughingCat]

I had her read the Odyssey excerpt above in lewelma's post - I was almost right - she did know what a turbine was (not exactly - but enough to get by) but she didn't know what pulverized meant.  So I think I am about right when I 'intuit' her level when looking at the text.   

 

It's just so hard looking through all the books hoping to find an 'interesting' looking one. Sad to say there are a lot of boring kids non-fiction books out there - I've done the 'put lots of books on one topic on hold' plenty of times before only to find that not one of them was interesting.   Yes they would be fine if she really wanted to find out more about a topic - but so far there has been no topic strong enough to draw her in that way.    I think I need to go the opposite route and find interesting books - so the good writing can draw her in rather than the topic drawing her in. 

 

I put Food Rules on hold at the library although I think it will be too hard - but food writing is a direction I hadn't considered at all (vs. cookbooks) - so that part's great.  Plus other books from the lists above too - thanks for all the suggestions! -- because even if they are not the right level, I can make a list to use as she improves as well so I'm not just randomly going through the shelves.    And at least I have a pile now that I am going to have her look through and pick from - including several National Geographic Investigates and Scientist in the Fields.

 

[Farrar]

One of my fifth graders really is struggling with nonfiction and I've been trying to build him up with it more this year and give it more focus. The Nat Geo Investigates ones are pretty good. But they can be disjointed - telling a lot of stories at once, which can be hard, at least for him. The Scientist in the Field ones are, IMO, difficult. They sometimes use a lot of specialized vocabulary. They read like National Geographic articles - engaging, but almost at an adult level, honestly. I see people talk about using them with elementary schoolers a lot, but they're solidly at a middle school level in my opinion.

 

For awhile I was just throwing ds into the sort of things we read aloud and felt like I couldn't understand why he wasn't getting it. But he wasn't. So I have switched it up and am alternating between having him read things that are below level a bit to have him practice this nonfiction reading skill and things that are more of a stretch. I've been branching out in terms of what we take out and getting more creative with it. He has picked out some interesting things. Also, I have been finding that biographies are the easiest for him by far in terms of narrative nonfiction. So I've been having him read things he can read in one sitting and then do a narration on. It's been much more focused.

[LaughingCat]

Farrar - what easier non-fiction books that you/he have found particularly engaging? and have you found a particular biography series or author is particularly good?

 

Part of the problem is I know I cannot have her pick out (or even look through what I have picked out at the library) - she will reject all the books (and we will argue :glare: ).  I need to find the books and put them in a 'choice' basket and require that she pick one (and, really, require that she read it to me).  I have done it before - but I never really found any non-fiction that was both engaging and at her level (I was completely focused on topic then though -- I would pick things that fit with other things she was learning)  so it was always basically her trudging through --   and then it fell away for awhile as we have focused on other things.    Now her level is higher - but she will still have trouble if the ideas/stories are too convoluted, 

[lewelma]

I think I need to go the opposite route and find interesting books - so the good writing can draw her in rather than the topic drawing her in.

 

This is *exactly* what has worked for my ds.  And it is why magazines have worked.  Lots of topics, all good writing, something new every month that he did not even know he was interested in.  National Geographic has been our saviour.  He has read it almost cover to cover for 1.5 years now as the majority (as in 80%) of his nonfiction reading.

 

For my ds, short has been the key to building up his level.  5 pages is just less intimidating than 50 or 100.  Only now is my goal to build up to actual books on a topic.

[deerforest]

For biographies, my DD loved the "Who was.." Series like "Who was Helen Kellar." She read them in first or second but I'd place their reading level around 3rd. They aren't top-notch writing and are pretty formulaic, but they are what gave DD her interest in biographies.

 

So, they are likely too easy but might be a way to see if she is interested in biographies.

 

Not exactly a ringing endorsement but take a look at one at the library!

[Chrysalis Academy]

I just discovered the Michael Pollan has published an Omnivore's Dilemma - Young Reader's Edition for teens!!! I picked it up for Shannon to read next.  Maybe your dd would enjoy it too?  Food Rules is incorporated into it.

 

http://michaelpollan.com/books/the-omnivores-dilemma-young-readers-edition/

[Farrar]

Because I have been finding that reading it all in one sitting is the first step, I've been having my ds dial it back to things like the Adler picture book biographies. It's slightly below reading level and meaty but short so he can focus on the information. I think a lot of the suggestions being given here are probably too hard. They would be for my ds, who also is struggling a little with nonfiction and also reads at about a 4th grade level.

 

I have to leave but I can come up with some others later if you don't get any leads.

[LaughingCat]

I think starting easier might be better than starting too hard and then backtracking -  I went through my stack again, spending a little more time actually reading parts and did end up pulling the Scientist in the Fields for later.  Also I pulled out a couple easier books out to 'start with' --  the problem is generally her fixed ideas on what is too 'babyish'  - however in this case, since I have some Adler's I think I will just stick them in with those couple easier books and tell her we're going to do a bit of experimenting with different types of books.  

 

I would love to hear more ideas :)

[LaughingCat]

Yesterday she read Plate Tectonics by Nemeth - which is listed as AR 4.5 (picked due to recent study of ) -- this book was about right word wise - it was below level understanding wise.  So she had no trouble reading the whole thing (other than her normal reading issues which happen no matter how easy the book) and narrating it back to me. No doubt helped by knowing the material already - although she told me 2 things she learned from the book after.

 

So today I ended up jumping right in and trying  one of the National Geographic Investigates at AR 7.7 (that fit perfectly in with a current unit study).  Definitely a big step up.  This book is only do-able with the 'you read a paragraph, I read a paragraph and summarizing after' method.  Although I changed the summarizing to "you summarize after I read, and I summarize after you read" so that the act of reading itself would not get in the way of understanding to start out with.   And it is definitely not a 'finish in one sitting' book - we did one chapter (about 15 min - but I could tell that was enough vs. much longer session yesterday ). 

 

Still I think it will be good to intersperse a harder book like this in with easier books like yesterday.   Now just to find more easier yet engaging science books LOL!    Will be trying out an Adler biography as well.