Genre

• I can identify different types of literature like poetry, novels, short stories, biographies, autobiographies, and dramas based on their characteristics.

Essential Questions

• What are some of the forms of literature?

• What are the characteristics of each genre?

• How does genre effect your own reading choices?

Biography

• A story the writer tells about another person’s life.

• Non-fiction: A true story about a real person.

• Look for facts and dates: where the person was born, where he went to school, what made him famous, date of birth, dates of special life events.

Examples:

Autobiography• A story a person tells about his/her

own life: “I auto write a story about myself.”

• Non-fiction: A true story about a real person.

• Look for facts and dates: where the person was born, where she went to school, what made her famous, date of birth, dates of special life events.

Examples:

Drama

• A story that is meant to be acted out or performed for an audience.

• The story is revealed through the actor’s dialogue.

• There are different acts and scenes.

• There are stage directions.

Examples:

Poetry

• Has a special look: Written in lines and stanzas.

• Sounds pleasing to listen to: it often rhymes, but it doesn’t have to.

• Poems appeal to your senses - they create mind pictures.

• Poems appeal to your mind and your heart - they make you think and feel.

Examples:• My Ancestor (by Phil Ryan)

I look in the mirror And what do I see? I see an image of someone That looks a little like me. Could it be the face Or maybe the hair? I know who it is now: It’s my great-great-grandma Claire.

Novel• Fiction: a book that tells a made

up story.

• Has a setting, plot, and characters.

• Novels are longer books - chapter books. There are few, if any, pictures.

• Novels describe characters and events that take place over a period of time.

Examples:

Short Stories

• Often called picture books

• Fiction that is short in length - it can be read in one sitting

• Usually focuses on one event or problem

• Examples include fairy tales, folk tales, and fables (stories that have animals for characters and are meant to teach a lesson).

Examples:

Closure

• On your whiteboard, write the title of your favorite book and what genre it is.

• What characteristics helped you determine the genre?