In our recent reading unit, second-graders learned how to dissect nonfiction texts and worked to become experts on an animal of their choice.

We started by learning how to take information from multiple sources and put it into our own words. We practiced simple note taking skills while we researched the habitat, diet, characteristics and offspring of an animal. The last step was to put our notes into a final project that showcased our knowledge. In all, we learned that nonfiction readers need to pay attention to details, ask questions, notice keywords, and make connections across texts.