Name:_____________________ Date: _________________

Nonfiction Studies – Native American Unit KIPP 2009: ______________

Do Now
Spiral Vocabulary Check. Mild

Cultural regions adapt nomadic

migrated environment
Directions: Please fill in the blanks with the word that is missing.
Native Americans came from Asia through the Bering Strait. They
(1)_________________________________ to the Americas. These Native
Americans had to (2) _______________________________ to a new way of life.
Their (3)__________________________________ was new to them. Some of
them came from cold lands of Asia and had to adapt to a new climate which was
warmer. Many of the Native Americans were (4)_________________ and moved
around a lot. Eventually Native Americans split into about six different areas.
These areas were called by scientists – the Northwest Coastal Area, the Plains
Area, the Plateau Area, the Eastern Woodlands Area, the Northern Area, and the
Southwestern Area. These different areas where people had similar cultures were
called (5) ___________________________________.

hunt Grind Fish Leader

tribe
SPICY. Complete the analogies.

1.
collect : gather :: chase : _____________________
2.
warrior : fighter :: chief : _____________________
3.
plains : buffalo :: rivers : _____________________
Vocabulary Sheet
 Native American Unit
Word: _________________________________________

Context:
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

Meaning:
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

Visual:

Changes?
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Mini Lesson
Aims:
1. To determine importance by using the table of contents, the index
and subtitles to fill out a graphic organizer.
2. To discover key components to a successful nonfiction program by
skimming and answering questions about Stephanie Harvey’s
Nonfiction Matters.

Criteria for Success:

I used nonfiction text features like the table of contents, the index
and subtitles to quickly find the answers to at least one key
question.
I read the most important parts and retold the answers in my head.
I wrote every answer in words I really understand.

Watch me 

Question Answer in Words I Understand

How do I implement
nonfiction studies in
a content area?

Try this one with a partner! 

Question Answer in Words I Understand

What kind of
resources do you
need to start a
nonfiction inquiry
class?

Question Answer in Words I Understand

What are some
reading strategies
you might want to
consider teaching in
a nonfiction studies
class?

Question Answer in Words I Understand

How do you manage
nonfiction inquiry
projects?
Question Answer in Words I Understand
How can you teach
under an umbrella
topic? OR

Make your own

question and use
one of the books in
the front to help
you with this.

Question:

Share: What did you find difficult about trying to find important
information? What new questions do you have about nonfiction studies?
Session Outline

Hi everyone! My name is Leyla Bravo and I am the 5th Grade Nonfiction

Studies Teacher at KIPP Infinity Charter School in Harlem, New York. I
have been teaching there for about three years and previously taught a
bilingual special education class in the Bronx before then. For the three
years at KIPP Infinity I have been teaching nonfiction studies and have
loved it and found that nonfiction studies has made students skyrocket
not only in reading and writing but also in the content areas.
What is Nonfiction Studies?

Well the first burning question many of you probably have is “What
exactly is nonfiction studies?” Nonfiction studies is a literacy class
whose primary purpose always is to improve the reading, writing
listening and talking skills of our students. The way nonfiction studies is
run at our school we do six to eight week thematic units around science
and social studies and therefore teach content through these classes
instead having the traditional science and social studies class. Students
must research their topic of choice within the umbrella topic, read,
research, note take and eventually produce a final project on their topic.
It’s a semantic change, nonfiction studies is what we are prioritizing and
so with that the main priority is the reading and writing.

Why Nonfiction Studies?

It is always a pleasure for teachers when students can truly articulate
something that they have learned from you. It’s even more indulging
when a student comes to their own understanding from their own
reading and writing. Why do we do nonfiction studies is best explained
in this video, taken this month.

Bryce video
What have you noticed in this video?

What is being taught?

Reading and writing strategies are the main priority. Content is spiraled
through do nows and homework throughout the year so the content that
is most important will really stick with students.