Name That Genre
A story using made up characters, but could happen in real life.
Realistic Fiction
I can't wait until this weekend! We’re going to my grandparents’ house and my entire family will be there. I will spend most of my time playing games with my cousins. We always have such a good time together! The day goes by so fast, and by the end we are all exhausted... but we still don’t want to leave! The main idea of this passage is:
A. Weekends are times to travel.
B. The writer enjoys spending time with family.
C. The writer’s grandparents live far away.
D. The writer is sad to leave her cousins.
B. The writer enjoys spending time with family.
What is the author’s purpose if the writer writes to make people laugh?
To entertain
Similar to a dictionary, this helps readers define words from the book.
The glossary
Once there lived a man who owned a very special Goose. Each day the man visited the nest, he found that the Goose had laid a beautiful, solid gold egg. The man took the golden eggs to market and was able to sell them for a very high price. Although the man had plenty of money, he was not happy. He wanted the Goose to lay more than a single egg a day, so that he could become rich faster! One day, while counting his money, the man decided that he would kill the Goose, so he could get all of the eggs at once! The next day, the man killed the Goose and cut it open. Looking inside, he realized that there were no other eggs, and now the Goose was dead. What is the theme of this story?
A. Kindness
B. Greed
C. Courage
B. Greed
A suspenseful story about a puzzling event that is not solved until the end of the story.
Mystery
Wilbur and Orville Wright were brothers who were inventors, even from a young age when they built kites and bicycles. Many people credit the Wright Brothers with designing and building the first successful airplane. In 1903, their first flight only lasted 12 seconds, but it continues to inspire people all over the world to learn about science and math, to work hard to realize their dreams, and to use imagination to achieve success. The main idea of this passage is:
A. The Wright Brothers worked hard.
B. The Wright Brothers were inventors who have inspired many people.
C. Inventors build kites and bicycles.
D. The first flight was in 1903.
B. The Wright Brothers were inventors who have inspired many people.
The book titled, Tree Kangaroos is a book that compares ground kangaroos and tree kangaroos. What is the author's purpose for writing this book?
To inform
This helps readers understand where something is in the world.
A map
Once there lived two frogs who were friends. The frogs were tired of eating flies by the lake, so they decided to go exploring. As they were hopping along, they came to a village. The first house they saw looked inviting, so they decided to go inside. They jumped up to a window ledge and peeked inside. No one was home so they hopped into the kitchen. On the table was a pot of cream. The frogs had never tasted cream before but they quickly jumped into the pot to give it a try. Once they got into the pot, they found that they were unable to get back out. The cream was too smooth and slippery. The frogs kept trying to get out of the pot. They swam round and round in the cream. One of the frogs was getting tired and felt he could no longer try to escape. He stopped swimming and died. The second frog was tired and sad, but he kept moving. He swam and swam and beat the cream with his tiny feet. Soon, the cream turned into butter and the frog jumped on the butter and got out of the pot! What is the theme of this story?
A. Determination
B. Responsibility
C. Love
A. Determination
A story of a real person’s life that is written by that person.
Autobiography
Eric gripped the bat in his hands. His palms were sweaty but he took a deep breath as he stepped up to the plate. He had to score a run or his team would lose the game. When the pitcher threw a fastball, Eric’s reflexes took over and he heard the “Crack!” of the bat hitting the ball. His heart raced with excitement as he ran to first base. He was safe! The main idea of this passage is:
A. Eric plays baseball.
B. Eric scores a homerun.
C. How to play baseball.
D. Eric overcomes his nerves and makes it to first base.
D. Eric overcomes his nerves and makes it to first base.
Reusable shopping bags should be the norm and not the exception. With the push in today’s society to recycle and reuse, more people should make the swap from plastic shopping bags to the reusable type. In order to encourage people to make the change, stores need to offer a small discount for shoppers who use reusable bags, offer inexpensive reusable bags at the register, and charge customers a fee for each plastic bag used.
What is the author's purpose for writing this?
To persuade
Words near a picture or photograph to help readers better understand it.
Caption
One goat lived on a steep rocky mountain to the east. Another goat lived on a steep rocky mountain to the west. Each goat liked to travel to the other mountain to look for some green grass. In between the mountains was a rushing river. The only way to cross the river was to walk over a fallen log, which connected the two mountains. The path over the log though, was narrow. A single small animal could cross it alone, but never two animals at the same time. One day, the goats happened to meet as they both wanted to cross the log to get to the other mountain. Neither goat would wait for the other and they both walked to the middle of the log. Their pride got the best of them and they stood head to head, unwilling to back down. As their horns locked, they lost their footing and both fell into the rushing water of the river. What is the theme of this story?
A. Friendship
B. Kindness
C. Stubbornness
C. Stubbornness
A story that includes elements that are impossible- such as talking animals or magical powers.
Fantasy
Did you know that giraffes are the tallest animals in the world? They are unique in other ways, too. For one thing, they sleep only about 20 minutes each day, and usually not more than five minutes at a time. (They have to remain alert for predators.) Also, every giraffe’s coat is unique, and varies in color from white to nearly black, depending on what they eat and where they live. The main idea of this passage is:
Giraffes are unique animals.
It was a glorious morning in Florida. The sun was shining through the trees. Mr. Woodard couldn't wait to find his fishing pole and called his friend Mr. Thomas to go fishing. They had a great time. They took their dogs with them and the dogs would swim in the lake while they fished. It was so funny to watch those dogs paddle around the lake.
What is the author's purpose for writing this?
To entertain
Helps readers know where to find key topics and sections in the book (listed in the order they are presented).
Table of Contents
Once there lived a wolf who was only skin and bones. The dogs of the village protected their master’s pets well, leaving the wolf very little to eat. One day, the wolf met a dog who had wandered from his home. At first, the wolf wanted to eat the dog, but seeing how strong he looked, the wolf decided upon another plan. The wolf told the dog how well-fed and happy the dog looked. The dog told the wolf that he too could be well-fed and happy if he left the hard life of hunting in the woods and lived in the village instead. The wolf asked what he would need to do to live in the village. The dog told him that he would need to chase away other animals, protect the family from burglars, and treat the people of the house kindly. “If you do all of these things,” the dog said, “you’ll get lots of meat, bones and leftovers from the family’s dinner.” Just then, the wolf noticed that the dog’s neck was rough and asked him about it. The dog explained that he sometimes wore a collar attached to a chain. The wolf asked if this meant that he couldn’t always go where he wanted. The dog told him that sometimes this was true. The wolf immediately ran back to the woods. Nothing was worth that price! What is the theme of the story?
A. Freedom
B. Bravery
C. Believe in Yourself
A. Freedom
Texts that provide facts about a variety of topics.
Expository/Informational
Hurricanes are large, intense storms that begin over the ocean. Hurricanes move slowly toward land, usually moving 10-20 miles per hour for more than one week. The most dangerous part of the hurricane is the storm surge, when it reaches land and causes flooding. Wind and waves also contribute to the damage caused by these surges. The main idea of this passage is:
Hurricanes are dangerous storms.
Every year, millions of cars die. They stop running and they can’t be fixed. But cars can be recycled just like plastic bottles, glass jars, metal cans, and paper.
What is the author's purpose for writing this?
To inform
Separates the sections of a book. Helps you to know what that section will be about.
Headings
Long ago, Pan told everyone that he could make more beautiful music with his flute than Apollo could with his harp. The gods agreed to hold a contest and King Midas was one of the judges. After Pan and Apollo each played their instruments, all of the judges chose Apollo as the winner except King Midas. King Midas thought Pan’s music was better. This made Apollo angry! He told King Midas that he thought his ears were too small to hear the music well. “I’ll fix that for you,” Apollo said. Right away, King Midas grew long furry ears like a donkey. King Midas cried out for Pan to help, but Pan was afraid Apollo would turn on him too. So, Pan did nothing. What is the theme of this story?
Revenge