Informational Texts in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade-Three Classrooms

By (author) Elaine M. Bukowiecki, Marlene P. Correia

Publication date:

10 November 2016

Length of book:

268 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

ISBN-13: 9781442235137

This book presents a myriad of instructional techniques and critical literacy strategies while serving as a professional resource for inservice and preservice primary-grade teachers as they include informational texts in their classrooms. In each of the nine chapters, there is a particular topic that guides the focus of the chapter. These themes include: a rationale for incorporating informational texts in the primary-grade classroom; a discussion of the unique features of informational texts; the selection of high quality informational materials for primary readers; critical literacy; prereading, during reading, and post reading strategies; the writing of informational texts; and inquiry projects for the primary classroom. This book also contains a preface; an introduction; and an afterword, in which the controversy regarding the Common Core State Standards is discussed. Unique features of each chapter are specific standards reflecting the Common Core State Standards; strategies for all students to be successful with the Standards; transcriptions of lessons from primary-grade classrooms; examples of pupils’ work as they interact with informational materials; and a “Give It a Try” section, where a lesson plan or a pedagogical suggestion is presented for the reader to try out in his/her own classroom.

Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter 1: Making a Case for Informational Texts in the Primary Grades
Chapter 2: Introducing the Informational Text Genre and Its Features to Students
Chapter 3: Choices: Finding High Quality Informational Texts Appropriate for Primary Readers
Chapter 4: Creating Space for Critical Literacy in the Primary Classroom
Chapter 5: Pre-reading Strategies for Interactions with Informational Texts
Chapter 6: During-Reading Strategies for Interactions with Informational Texts
Chapter 7: After-Reading Strategies for Interactions with Informational Texts
Chapter 8: Writing Informational Texts
Chapter 9: Inquiry Projects in the Primary Classroom
Afterword
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Appendix D
Appendix E

To borrow from Correia and Bukowiecki’s first chapter, the book, Information Texts in Pre-Kindergarten Through Grade-Three, really does make a case for using informational text in the primary grades. It offers a clear definition for critical literacy and gives practical strategies that focus on comprehension for all phases of reading. The 'Give It a Try' sections contain easy to follow directions to help us get started. This book has information for the novice and experienced alike and is chock-full of ideas that will make children think about what they are reading!