Literature/Fiction
A made-up story set in the past that includes real historical settings, events, or people, but with fictional characters and details.
An example of this would be Number the Stars by Lois Lowry- set during World War II, blending fictional characters with real historical events.
What is Historical Fiction?
A true story of a person’s life, written by that person.
Example: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
What is an autobiography?
A poem that tells a story, with characters, a plot, and a setting.
Example: The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe
What is Narrative Poetry?
A serious play that usually tells the story of a heroic character who faces downfall or death due to a flaw, fate, or conflict.
Example: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
What is a Tragedy?
A form of writing that looks like regular prose (paragraphs) but uses poetic language, imagery, and rhythm.
Example: A box of Light by prose poet Brian Turner
What is Prose Poetry?
Stories that blend imagination with science and technology, often set in the future or in space, exploring advanced inventions or other worlds.
Example: The Martian by Andy Weir
What is Science Fiction?
A step-by-step type of informational writing that explains how to complete a task or process. It gives clear directions, often in numbered or bulleted steps, and may include diagrams or illustrations.
Example: How to Bake a Chocolate Cake — includes ingredients list and detailed steps for mixing, baking, and decorating the cake.
What is a How-To Guide?
A short poem that expresses personal feelings or thoughts, often in a musical way.
Example: Sonnet 18 (“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”) by William Shakespeare
What is Lyric Poetry?
A play that uses humor, irony, or exaggeration to criticize human flaws, society, or politics.
Example: The Government Inspector by Nikolai Gogol
What is Satire?
Stories centered on solving a problem or crime, often involving clues, suspects, and unexpected twists.
Example: The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
What is Mystery?
Made-up stories that could actually happen in real life, with believable characters, settings, and events.
Example: Wonder by R.J. Palacio
What is Realistic Fiction?
A true story of a person's life, written by someone else.
Example: Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
What is a biography?
A poem in which the speaker addresses a silent listener, revealing their character, emotions, or a dramatic situation
Example: My Last Duchess by Robert Browning
What is Dramatic Poetry?
A dramatic work that uses exaggerated emotions, sensational events, and stereotyped characters to appeal strongly to the audience’s emotions.
Example: Uncle Tom's Cabin (Stage adaptations in the 1800's)
What is a Melodrama?
A type of folktale that includes magical elements, imaginary creatures, and usually a “once upon a time” beginning.
Example: Cinderella — a story of kindness, magic, and transformation.
What is a Fairytale?
Stories that include magical elements, mythical creatures, or supernatural powers that could not happen in real life.
Example: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
What is Fantasy?
Nonfiction writing that gives facts about a topic to teach or explain something, without telling a story.
Example: National Geographic Kids: Volcanoes by Anne Schreiber
What is an informational text?
Writing arranged with a rhythmic pattern and sometimes rhyme; the basic unit of poetry. It can mean a single line or a section of a poem.
Example:
“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood” — opening verse of The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost
What is Verse?
A lighthearted play with humorous situations, misunderstandings, and usually a happy ending.
Example: A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare
What is a Comedy?
Stories set in a society that appears undesirable or frightening, often controlled by an oppressive government, where freedom is limited.
Example: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
What is Dystopian?
Traditional stories passed down through generations by word of mouth, often teaching a moral or lesson
Example: The Tortoise and the Hare-- Aesop's fable about perseverance.
What is a Folktale?
A true account of specific memories or experiences from the author’s life, often focused on a theme or period of time rather than their entire life story.
Example: I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
What is a Memoir?
A long, narrative poem about the adventures of a hero, often reflecting the values of a culture.
Example: The Odyssey by Homer
What is Epic Poetry?
A comedy that uses extreme exaggeration, absurd situations, and physical humor to entertain.
Example: Noises Off by Michael Frayn
What is a Farce?
Writing that presents facts and evidence to convince the reader to agree with a viewpoint or take a specific action.
Example: Silent Spring by Rachel Carson — arguing for environmental protection.
What is Persuasive/Argumentative?