4FN14 – Reading & Writing – Fiction and Non-Fiction

How do FreeNode lessons work?

FreeNodes are instructor-led schooling lessons with a unique approach, granting you the freedom to independently teach using a personalized lesson plan. This autonomy enables you to tailor your lessons to suit students’ individual needs, learning styles, and interests.

To use a FreeNode, read the provided class outline & follow the formatting provided for each class. Make sure to touch on the Theocratic Connection in each class. Follow the outline closely so it is aligned with our main at-home curriculum.

How Do I Use the FreeNode?

Read this lesson plan before class to familiarize yourself with the ideas and concepts you’ll be teaching the students. You may print this page out if you need to use it as a reference point during live classes.

This lesson is a guide, but feel free to expand on the content or decrease/increase what you teach depending on the learning levels of the students in your class or the amount of time you have to cover the material.

Can I show videos in FN classes?

Yes, feel free to include additional material to supplement the class lesson material. Videos, Physical Objects, Games, Activities, etc. are okay to share in live classes.

Videos should have no advertisements or logos and should be viewed by you before showing them to the students to ensure no offensive or questionable content is included.

The video should make up only 1-3 minutes of the live class and should not take the place of instructor-led instruction. Videos should be supplementary only.

How do bookmarks work?

Bookmarks help you keep track of lessons you’re going to teach in future live classes. The bookmarks you see are for all your bookmarked lessons across all grades.

You can bookmark a lesson by visiting the lesson you want to bookmark and clicking the “bookmark” button in the bookmark section.

You can remove a single bookmark by visiting a lesson you’ve bookmarked and clicking the “bookmark” button again to unbookmark it.

You can clear all of your bookmarks by clicking the “clear all bookmarks” button. Be careful, this will erase all of your bookmarks.

Class Lesson Plan

Objectives:

Students will differentiate between fiction and nonfiction writing, understand the characteristics of each genre, and identify key elements that distinguish them.

Materials:

Whiteboard
Visual aids (images representing fiction and nonfiction genres)
Examples of fiction and nonfiction passages
Bible passages related to the lesson (optional)

Introduction (3 minutes):

Begin with a brief discussion on the importance of knowing the difference between fiction and nonfiction. Emphasize that both genres serve different purposes and have unique characteristics. Relate this to the concept of imagination and reality, encouraging students to explore both worlds through reading.

Theocratic Connections:

Read and discuss a Bible passage that involves both fiction and nonfiction elements. For example, analyze a parable told by Jesus (fiction) and a historical account of an event (nonfiction). Connect the idea that the Bible contains various genres, emphasizing the importance of understanding the context to discern between fiction and nonfiction.

Activity 1 – Understanding Fiction (8 minutes):

Define fiction as stories created from the author’s imagination for entertainment. Highlight elements such as characters, settings, and plots that are usually not real. Use an example passage to help students identify these elements. Discuss the role of conflict, climax, and resolution in fiction and how it contributes to the overall storyline.

Activity 2 – Understanding Nonfiction (8 minutes):

Define nonfiction as writing based on real events, facts, and information. Discuss a nonfiction passage, pointing out the presence of specific dates and details. Emphasize that nonfiction does not necessarily follow a traditional story structure with conflicts. Use Bible examples of recorded events, such as Jesus’ life, to illustrate nonfiction.

Activity 3 – Key Differences (8 minutes):

Discuss the key differences between fiction and nonfiction, including the fact that fiction is fake while nonfiction is real. Highlight additional distinctions, such as the structured plot in fiction versus the flexible structure in nonfiction. Use visual aids to reinforce these differences.

Conclusion (3 minutes):

Summarize the key points, reiterating the importance of recognizing whether a text is fiction or nonfiction. Emphasize that both genres have their value and contribute to a well-rounded understanding of literature and the world.

Assessment:

Evaluate student understanding through class discussions, participation in activities, and the ability to identify key elements of fiction and nonfiction passages. Encourage critical thinking by asking students to explain their reasoning when distinguishing between the two genres.