• During the lesson, emphasize the importance of identifying story structure and summarizing to check for understanding and to recall essential information. Observe students to determine if they understand how to summarize literary nonfiction.
• Informally, assess if students are able to summarize the text through your anecdotal observation and notes.
• At the end of the lesson, have partners read a selected piece of literary nonfiction, fill in a story map, and write a summary paragraph.
• Use the following checklist to evaluate students’ understanding:
  • Student demonstrates the ability to identify important information in literary nonfiction (based on story structure) and to complete a story map.
  • Student accurately uses the information in the story map to write a summary paragraph.
• Collect and use the story maps to assess students’ understanding. Provide specific feedback to each student.

Focus question: How can we use a story map to summarize literary nonfiction?

Ask a volunteer to tell what s/he did over the weekend, giving specific events in order from Saturday to Sunday. As the student speaks, document the events on chart paper. Ask, “Is what you are sharing true? Can we classify it as nonfiction?” (Yes, these things really happened.) Together, determine the character, setting, problem, and solution. Record the information on chart paper. Then summarize the student’s weekend.

Part 1

Explain that when we think of nonfiction, we usually think of informational text. Tell students that nonfiction can also be in the form of a story. Say, “No matter what genre of text, we need to be able to summarize it. Summarizing helps us do three things: remember the story, arrange the information we read in order, and determine the importance of the information we read.” Reinforce that literary nonfiction is in the form of a story. Tell students that they will use a story map to gather information and to help summarize a literary nonfiction text.

Display the Lesson 2 Story Map (L-4-3-2_Lesson 2 Story Map.docx) on the board/interactive whiteboard.

Introduce the book Sky High: The True Story of Maggie Gee. Before reading, have students make predictions based on the title and the cover. Explain that Maggie Gee is one of only two Chinese American women who served as members of the Woman Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) in World War II. Then do the following:

• Read the story to students. During the reading, demonstrate using good reading strategies by thinking aloud as you read. Thinking aloud should include referencing the character’s response to certain events and explaining how that response impacted the story, in particular the sequence of events.
• After reading, confirm with students that this is a true story (the events really happened and the people are real) and is therefore nonfiction. Confirm also that it is written in story format, making it literary nonfiction. Explain that biographies and important events are often written about in literary nonfiction format.
• Have students decide what information should go in the story map.
  • Main Idea: A young woman who dreamed of flying realizes her dream.
  • Character: Maggie Gee
  • Setting: California and Texas
  • Problem/Conflict:  Maggie wanted to fly an airplane.
  • Important Event 1: World War II began, and Maggie wanted to do something to help her country.
  • Important Event 2: Maggie took flying lessons and was chosen to join the WASP.
  • Important Event 3: Maggie flew planes during World War II.
  • Ending: Maggie helped her country.
  • Important Event Solution: Maggie leaned to fly planes.
  • Model how to write a summary, using the information from the story map. Say, “You will need to rearrange your information so that your sentences go together (with transitions if necessary) and make sense.” (Example: Maggie Gee was a young woman who dreamed of flying and realized her dream when she decided to do something to help her country during World War II. She took flying lessons and was so good that she was invited to join the WASP. Maggie flew many missions during World War II and helped train many pilots. Maggie made her dream of flying come true and at the same time helped her country fight in World War II.)

Part 2

Ask, “What are the parts of a story map? Why do we summarize?” Remind students that summarizing verifies that they understand the story and helps them recall information.

Distribute copies of literary nonfiction works to small groups and copies of the story map to each student.

Have students look at the front cover of their texts and make a prediction. Instruct students to read the story with their group and complete the story map. After students have completed the story map, have them use the information in the story map to write a summary of their book.

While students are working, walk around the room and observe each group to check for understanding. Collect the maps and summaries. Check students’ work to verify that they understand the concept of summarizing literary nonfiction.

Extension:

• For further practice, use one of the books listed below or a similar book of your choice. Reinforce that literary nonfiction is nonfiction with literary elements.
  • My Brothers’ Flying Machine: Wilbur, Orville, and Me by Jane Yolen. Little, Brown Young Readers, 2003 (written in lyrical prose).
  • A Picture Book of Sacagawea by David A. Adler. Holiday House, 2001.
  • Sacagawea by Liselotte Erdrich. Carolrhoda Books, Inc., 2003.
  • Trapped by the Ice! Shackleton’s Amazing Antarctic Adventure by Michael McCurdy. Walker Books for Young Readers, 2002 (written in diary format).
  • If additional practice is needed, have small groups summarize an experience they had recently.