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You know you've got something magical inside of you that you're meant to share with the world.

You can feel it in your soul.

And while sparkly celeb entrepreneurs claim to have all the answers, there's only ONE answer that can make your dreams sprout wings & change the world:

Because if you can't find your path to making meaningful money with your biz that expresses your unique awesomeness --

...You'll always be walking in someone else's footsteps.
(And that doesn't sound like you, does it??)

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Jess Keating | Bestselling author, scientist, creativity expert

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Jess is on a mission to help creatives like you own your genius, so you can turn your creatvity into a career. You'll find spirited writing and unconventional career advice for brave creative entrepreneurs, writers, and biz owners finding their own path. Subscribe for daily letters!

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Children's Book Author Meghan McCarthy's Official Website

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I am so pleased at the reception that WATERCRESS is getting. It has now received 3 starred reviews! ★ "Wang's moving poetry paired with-and precisely laid out on-Chin's masterfully detailed ...

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I am so pleased at the reception that WATERCRESS is getting. It has now received 3 starred reviews! ★ "Wang's moving poetry paired with-and precisely laid out on-Chin's masterfully detailed ...

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Jess Keating Educator Guide - The World of Weird Animals

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Ride the wave of discovery with Shark Lady activities and make the read-aloud lesson is a splash of fun and a stepping stone to a sea of knowledge!

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Melissa Stewart: Sharing the Excitement of Nonfiction

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Melissa Stewart’s website notes that if she were to be a type of punctuation, she’d be a question mark. That’s the perfect choice for a writer who enjoys asking questions, researching new topics, and writing children’s nonfiction, including more than 200 science books for young readers. Most recently, her book Whale Fall: Exploring an Ocean-Floor Ecosystem (Random House Studio, 2023) was honored as the picture book winner of the 2024 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books and as a 2024 ALSC Notable Children’s Book.

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GUEST BLOGGER: CARLA BILLUPS

Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist, by Jess Keating (2017) is a lovely award-winning picture book that tells the story of Eugenie Clark's passion for sharks as a young girl that grew as she got older. She broke the mold for women in science to become a renowned shark scientist who, through research, helped change public opinion to dispel myths about sharks. The vivid illustrations, by Marta Álvarez Miguéns add to this wonderful story.

This is book is a wonderful biography that can be used as a kick-off for an engineering and design challenge based on studying adaptations, for example, how shark fins differ and have been used for designs from car parts to surfboard parts. It's a great way to have students learn how things in nature can be used to make man-made objects perform better.

Prior to beginning the design challenge

As a believer in making STEM challenges support and extend science content, the following science content can be taught and explored before the challenge is done:

Camouflage

Animal adaptations in their environment

Purpose for dorsal fins vs. other fins on the shark

Studying how sharks are identified by dorsal fins

Tracking sharks.

But in the remainder of this article, I'd like to demonstrate how to incorporate ELA into an engineering/design challenge.

The Robo Shark Challenge

The real-world set-up: A toy manufacturer is getting complaints about its robotic shark. People think the shark needs to be more realistic, especially the dorsal fin.

The company has decided to redesign robo shark and they are going to start with the dorsal fin. They want it to be solid and work more like the real thing. Since the dorsal fin helps a shark stay stable in the water, it's important the fin can stay upright before adding it to the shark. They have asked the toy engineers to work on the problem.

Then, show the following video:

Ask students what seems realistic on this robo shark and what can be done to make the unrealistic parts seem more realistic.

The assignment

Your design team needs to design a shark dorsal fin. Your goal is to make a fin that is as tall as possible and can stay afloat the longest, while looking like a real dorsal fin. The fin must be free standing in the water.

You can use no more than one square foot of aluminum foil and only 12 inches of tape.

You will need to present your design, with data, to the toy manufacturers in any way you find most appropriate - PowerPoint, chart, infographic, video, etc.
Materials needed:

12" x 12" piece of aluminum foil

1 foot of tape (have a variety of tape for them to use)

Ruler

Timer

Tub of water large enough for fins to float

Chart paper

Discussion

What kinds of data could we collect to analyze the effectiveness of our shark fin design?

Give students time to work through the Engineering and Design Process, the one that we use in our STEM labs for our school districts is as follows

After students work through the challenge, remind them to figure out what type of data they will collect. They will need to use this data as part of their presentation.

Go back to the book and discuss with students, that without the research of scientist like Eugenie Clark, we would not have the knowledge base about sharks to understand how sharks move and the environments in which they live.
Carla Billups is an Elementary STEM Coordinator in North Carolina as well as a co-author of a science trade book The Fungus Among Us, The Good, The Bad, and The Downright Scary. She taught in elementary grades for over twenty-five years and has served on both NSTA/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book committee and the BEST STEM book committee. Her love for children's literature has been present since as far back as she can remember. Over the years, she has worked diligently to incorporate novels, non-fiction, and science trade books into all subject areas. Twitter: @cmbillups, Facebook: Carla M. Billups Link to the STEM Robo Shark Challenge: http://bit.ly/2VBElir
Click for more LITLINKS STEM + Literacy activities

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LitLinks: Robo Shark Challenge - engineering + design + language arts

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Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist, by Jess Keating (2017) is a lovely award-winning picture book that tells the story of Eugenie Clark's passion for sharks as a young girl that grew as she got older.

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Contemporary nonfiction for young people plays a crucial role in the reading and writing lives of K-12 students. It is a rich and compelling genre that supports students' development as critically, visually, and informationally literate 21st century thinkers and creators. The purpose of this position statement is to propose a paradigm shift for teaching and learning with nonfiction literature in K-12 education.

Unlike many textbooks and materials written for online or print-based school curriculum, nonfiction literature for young people does more than communicate information (Moss, 2003; Sanders, 2018). Nonfiction literature contextualizes primary source evidence, offers multiple perspectives on current and historic events, and shares new scientific discoveries.

Contemporary nonfiction addresses historical silences; explores historic and contemporary events rooted in racism, oppression, and violence; and highlights courageous trailblazers and organized groups working toward societal transformation and liberation. It presents cutting-edge research, offering readers not just settled information, but access to emerging understandings at the vanguard of scientific knowledge and exploration (Aronson, 2011; Giblin, 2000; Isaacs, 2011).

Nonfiction empowers young people in the face of current and emerging challenges locally and globally, such as racial, cultural, social, and economic injustice, censorship and disinformation, and the climate crisis. In the urgency of this moment, nonfiction for young people has never been more vibrant or vital.

Introduction

Nonfiction is published for all ages in many formats: board books, picture books, beginner readers, graphic nonfiction, transitional chapter books, and long-form. Featuring engaging text, captivating art, and dynamic design that inspires as well as informs, today's nonfiction is ideal for a wide range of educational uses as well as independent reading. Referred to as a literature of fact (Moss, 2003) and a literature of questions (Sanders, 2018), contemporary nonfiction literature provides fact-based, well-documented explorations of topics that captivate readers.

By its very name, nonfiction literature is defined by what it is not: fiction. It has also been named and renamed in ways that reveal different attributes of its identity: informational text, information books, literary nonfiction, and more (Colman, 1999; Sanders, 2018; Zarnowski & Turkel, 2011; Zarnowski & Turkel, 2012). Using rich language embedded in expository and narrative writing, nonfiction conveys information that is factually true and accurate, drawing upon vetted and verifiable source material (Colman, 1999; Freedman, 1998). Though nonfiction leverages literary elements also found in fiction, it does not employ fiction.

For more than thirty years, the criteria for NCTE's Orbis Pictus Award® for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children have articulated what comprises high-quality nonfiction literature: accuracy in texts and illustrations, supported by documentation; organization; writing style; illustrative style; and book design. Today's nonfiction literature offers readers a richer and more diverse range of topics, authors' and illustrators' notes that help readers to understand the source material and creative processes behind the book, captivating page turns, and beautifully designed formats that build a multimodal experience that is both informative and compelling (Gill, 2009; Isaacs, 2011). Reading nonfiction is not simply about taking in information. It is a deeply enriching aesthetic experience.

Nonfiction Is Underrepresented in K-12 Education
Kids Love Nonfiction
While it's widely recognized that many adults enjoy reading nonfiction, the same is not always assumed for young people.

Although adults tend to select fiction to share with children (Conradi Smith et al., 2022; Jacobs et al., 2000; Håland et al., 2021; Robertson & Reese, 2017), research shows that most young readers enjoy nonfiction, and many prefer it (Clark & Teravainen-Goff, 2020; Correia, 2011; Doiron, 2003; Ives et al., 2020; Mohr, 2006; Moss & Hendershot, 2002; Repaskey et al., 2017; Robertson & Reese, 2017). For some children, nonfiction is a gateway to literacy (Caswell & Duke, 1998; Hynes, 2000) as well as a portal to knowledge that sparks curiosity and fuels a sense of wonder (Jobe and Dayton-Sakari, 2002).

Young people need adults who foster access to high-quality nonfiction books because they appreciate the power of these titles to excite and inspire as well as inform readers of all ages. A just and equitable educational system that values and empowers all learners is one in which every child, tween, and teen has the space to explore their curiosities, interests, and identities. With so much to offer young people as readers and thinkers, nonfiction should play a far more robust role in the reading and learning lives of young people in and out of school.
Nonfiction Literature Is Underutilized in the Language Arts Curriculum and Classroom Libraries
Given the limited role and time spent on nonfiction in elementary classrooms (Duke, 2000), efforts have been made via state standards and professional organizations to increase the role of nonfiction literature and informational text in K-12 education. Yet, fiction continues to have a dominant role in reading and language arts instruction, while nonfiction is frequently underrepresented (Dreher & Kletzien, 2015). Even when nonfiction is addressed, it is often studied through the use of basal readers and online texts that lack the richness of exceptional nonfiction literature in both the quality of information and the quality of presentation.

Perhaps these circumstances remain relatively unchanged because many states no longer require courses in children's and young adult literature as part of their teacher preparation programs, denying teachers the opportunity to learn about this essential body of work (NCTE, 2018). In addition, nonfiction book awards and book lists are not as well-known as their fiction counterparts. These include NCTE's Orbis Pictus Award® for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children, the American Library Association's Sibert Informational Book Medal, and the subject-based book lists created by the National Science Teaching Association, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, which include many nonfiction books. For classrooms in underresourced communities with high concentrations of minoritized populations, financial constraints, coupled with the lack of access to certified school librarians or media specialists (Hadjioannou, 2021; Lance & Kachel, 2021), put nonfiction literature even further out of reach.

Exceptional nonfiction should serve as a mentor text for student writing. But in an age of standardized testing, much of the nonfiction writing young people do in school is limited to the genre of test-driven essay writing and short responses, which does not reflect authentic nonfiction writing. Too often, students are not given the time and freedom to explore topics of personal interest or enthusiastically share their new knowledge with others.

These practices send the wrong message to young people-that nonfiction isn't as valid and valuable as fiction, and that it's not meant for everyday enjoyment.
The Information Literacy Crisis
Cultivating children's information literacy at the earliest of ages is an essential element of 21st century literacy learning. Exposure to a variety of nonfiction texts ensures students are able to develop their capacity to critically evaluate information, the perspectives of authors and experts, and systems of power (Elmborg, 2006).

With an overabundance of information and an increase of misinformation, there is a need for greater access to nonfiction scientific literature, as well as rigorous instruction on how to critically evaluate sources (Gu & Feng, 2021). Without exposure to credible scientific information found in nonfiction texts, students are more likely to experience mistrust of scientific knowledge (Haider & Sundin, 2022).

Book banning and censorship also remain perennial concerns, frequently targeting nonfiction created by authors and illustrators from marginalized and minoritized communities. The elimination of these texts from curricula, libraries, and classrooms is a systemic silencing of voices. Our literacy classrooms must be sites that affirm and honor multiple identities and cultures, foster pride in students' communities, offering both windows and mirrors (Bishop, 1990) of contributions across the global human community. Without access to nonfiction literature from a variety of voices and perspectives, students are limited to a dominant view of history, which selectively erases the contributions of marginalized people and obscures the processes by which histories are composed.

Another impediment to students' information literacy development is the fact that time devoted to social studies and science instruction at the elementary level has diminished (Au, 2009; Blank, 2013; Duke, 2019b; Griffith & Scharmann, 2008). This is more pronounced in underresourced schools, where students are even more likely to experience limited science and social studies instruction at the elementary level (Duke, 2019b; Fitchett et al., 2014).

Recommendations to Expand the Use of Nonfiction
Encourage Nonfiction Literature as Independent Reading across PreK-12
Nonfiction literature, with its varied formats and subjects, has something to offer readers across the developmental continuum. For our youngest students, nonfiction provides an introduction to the idea that books can be sources of information, offering a multimodal avenue for the exploration of information presented through both words and visual images. As students grow older, a broader range of nonfiction texts are suitable, and when matched to students' interests and passions, these texts can cultivate a passion for reading and deepen knowledge of the world.

To support readers' exposure and access to nonfiction reading, ELA professionals can:

offer access to and support with developmentally appropriate nonfiction books for the very young and their families and caregivers, to help children effectively and joyfully engage with them.

work with school librarians and media specialists to encourage children, tweens, and teens to engage with a broad range of nonfiction (beginner readers, picturebooks, chapter books, and graphic nonfiction) matched to their interests.

nurture students' curiosity and passions by making available a rich and evolving variety of nonfiction choices within the K-12 classroom library and providing time for young people to engage with them. The dedication of space and time to nonfiction demonstrates the importance and value of these texts (Young & Moss, 2006).

support K-12 students' preferences when choosing nonfiction for independent reading to affirm that nonfiction counts as a valid form of reading and is a worthy choice for both pleasure and learning (Alexander & Jarmin, 2018).

Students will gain confidence, knowledge, and satisfaction through these transactions, and their experiences reading nonfiction will propel them to seek out and engage with nonfiction throughout their lives (Duke, 2007).
Use Nonfiction Literature in Reading Instruction
Traditional notions of reading development operate under the assumption that children first learn to read, and then read to learn (Chall, 1983). This implies that readers must know how to decode words before they can learn information from text. This is simply not true (Duke, 2019a). Readers at all stages of development can glean knowledge from text (Cabell & Hwang, 2020; Cervetti & Hiebert, 2018). Nonfiction literature is ideal for reading instruction, as it introduces students to a vast array of topics across subject areas, allowing them to build knowledge, expand vocabulary, and experience different perspectives (Kiefer, 2009; Wooten & Rowe, 2018).

To leverage nonfiction to support readers' skill and strategy development, ELA professionals can:

read a wide range of nonfiction literature to "develop broad and sustained knowledge of quality books"(NCTE, 2018) and stay abreast of new nonfiction. Teachers can use this knowledge to identify books for their reading instruction, to match their readers' needs and interests, and to build diversified classroom libraries (Short, 2018).

model how to navigate and enjoy nonfiction, with the teacher displaying enthusiasm and demonstrating strategic pathways through the book. Interactive read-alouds provide significant opportunities for discussion related to nonfiction content as well as writing structure and style.

offer young readers opportunities to explore how nonfiction texts "work" (Serafini et al., 2018; Smith & Robertson, 2019; Stewart & Correia, 2021). Nonfiction books are varied, featuring multiple subgenres, formats, structures, and text features. Reading a broad array of nonfiction with regularity and support allows students to anticipate and navigate those differences effectively when reading independently.

motivate K-12 students to read by selecting nonfiction texts that nurture their interests, concerns, wonderings, and activities of daily life. By their very nature, well-chosen nonfiction texts are a motivating force.

increase K-12 students' vocabulary and build their content knowledge by providing opportunities for students to read, listen to, and discuss nonfiction literature (Calo, 2011; Cervetti & Hiebert, 2018). Nonfiction books, with their focused content and specialized language, expose young people to sophisticated and challenging vocabulary within an authentic reading context. Ultimately, a reader's knowledge of words and knowledge of the world lays the foundation for proficient reading comprehension (Kearns et al., 2021).

harness the power of students' funds of knowledge and life experiences, including content-specific knowledge, to foster strategic use of their working memory to maintain, keep track of, and enhance text comprehension (Smith et al., 2021). Proficient readers use content knowledge to monitor understanding and synthesize their thinking.

nurture students' reading stamina and reading strategies that lead to deep comprehension by engaging them with complex, developmentally appropriate nonfiction texts. Knowledge gained by interacting with nonfiction literature increases students' literal understanding and increases their ability to make inferences (Cabell & Hwang, 2020). Filling in the information gaps that typically exist in a text is essential (Dorn & Soffos, 2005).

support the development of students' decoding skills through the use of high interest, developmentally appropriate nonfiction texts where precise vocabulary is used in meaningful contexts and is ripe for phonetic and morphological explorations. Though clearly relevant for novice readers, the technical vocabulary of nonfiction can also offer rich opportunities for decoding and foundational word work with older students.

model reading nonfiction as multimodal (Serafini et al., 2018). Foster students' visual literacies as an essential component of reading nonfiction, whether working with nonfiction picture books, graphic nonfiction, or chapter nonfiction punctuated with photographs, primary sources, maps, infographics, and more.

invite students to search for and interrogate perspective and point of view within nonfiction literature. Though nonfiction has traditionally been thought of as offering an authoritative treatment of its topics, it is important for readers to understand that nonfiction, no matter how well researched and thorough, represents the authors' perspectives and points of view. Effective readers learn how to recognize these perspectives and ask questions about power and silencing that can lead to deeper, critical explorations of texts (Graff & Shimek, 2020).

ELA teachers adhere to goals and objectives that guide their planning and instructional decisions. Nonfiction literature provides opportunities to support those goals while engaging students in authentic, intrinsically motivating work.
Use Nonfiction Literature in Writing Instruction
Nonfiction writing is often assumed to be better suited for older children and teens (Newkirk, 1989). However, research demonstrates that younger learners enthusiastically and competently write and illustrate nonfiction, mirroring their world and the things within it that fascinate them (Britsch, 2002; Duke, 2000; Newkirk, 1989). Nonfiction writing is for everyone!

As noted in the NCTE Position Statement on Writing Instruction in School, "writing is an important form of self-expression and communication as well as a tool for thinking, reflecting, and learning" (2022). Engaging, high-quality nonfiction literature can serve as inspiration for student writers. It also introduces writers at all stages of development to a vast array of formats, structures, purposes, research processes, and writing and illustrating styles.

To leverage nonfiction to support writers' development, ELA professionals can:

read a wide range of nonfiction literature to develop a strong understanding of the differences between expository and narrative texts and nonfiction text types, and identify mentor texts for craft lessons, mentor texts for teaching about various types of nonfiction writing, and book sets that can serve as sources for student inquiry projects and nonfiction writing.

ensure students have ongoing exposure to a broad variety of nonfiction books as writing models by sharing varied nonfiction literature across the day and across the year.

showcase the passion, interest, and personal experiences and priorities that fuel and guide nonfiction writing by exploring book creators' purposes and inspirations, which are often included in the backmatter. When young writers understand that the topics professional nonfiction writers choose, the approaches they take, and the concepts and themes they explore are closely linked to their personalities, beliefs, and experiences in the world, the students can begin to take this approach to their own writing (Stewart, 2020).

honor students' personal and community knowledge, perspectives, and expertise. This commitment can be served by allowing students choice in the nonfiction topics they write about and inviting and valuing ways of knowing and ways of representing knowledge beyond Eurocentric norms of what constitutes good writing (NCTE, 2022).

utilize nonfiction book creators' creative decision making as mentor processes (Dawes et al., 2019). Contemporary nonfiction readers have unprecedented access to book creators' processes and insights through interviews, websites, and backmatter. By exploring nonfiction authors' creative decision making regarding everything from choosing a topic and finding a focus to structuring a manuscript and carefully crafting language, these experienced professionals can become invaluable teaching partners.

employ nonfiction literature to model and craft lessons. Nonfiction literature can be used as readily as fiction to teach writing.

model nonfiction writing as multimodal, highlight multiple options for representing meaning, and support students as they plan for and develop original visual representations (illustrations, photographs, graphics, etc.) for their nonfiction texts (Moses & Serafini, 2022). It is important to stress that visual representations are not merely decorative or supplemental but should contribute in meaningful ways to their texts.

encourage students to write nonfiction with an awareness of their own perspective and point of view as well as the perspectives and experiences of others.

Nonfiction writing offers vital opportunities for children to explore their passions and showcase their expertise. Nonfiction literature, through its compelling content and variety of text structures, styles, and formats, can serve as enjoyable and accessible mentor texts to support young writers as they raise their voices about issues and topics that matter to them.
Use Nonfiction Literature to Teach Research Processes and Information Literacy
Nonfiction texts ignite the curiosity of students, help them develop the critical thinking skills required to evaluate sources, and offer access to a multiplicity of voices and perspectives. Exceptional nonfiction books embody an elegant balance between exacting research and engaging text and illustrations. While researching their topics, book creators seek and study primary sources, visit locales, read scientific treatises, and observe and talk to scientists and other experts. The books they create reflect this painstaking immersion, which in turn ignites the curiosity of young people. These books also capture the process of scientific exploration and offer well-lit pathways through complex histories, events, and historical silences. Because professionals in different fields have distinctive ways of constructing new knowledge and communicating those new understandings to others in and outside of their field, developing familiarity with these disciplinary literacies is a vital component of students' literacy development (Cervetti, 2021; Moje, 2015; Shanahan & Shanahan, 2008).

There is an urgency to hear and engage with the voices of those who have been historically excluded. Nonfiction texts provide possibilities to redefine what counts as credible information, to legitimize non-Western ways of knowing, and to revitalize culturally diverse practices (Burmester & Howard, 2022). Nonfiction texts that are integrated with indigenous knowledge create relevancy, igniting students' enthusiasm for scientific knowledge, sustainability, and social justice (Handayani et al., 2018). Students must be allowed to grow into critical consumers of information, developing the critical and analytic thinking skills required to question dominant narratives and explain whose voices are legitimized and whose are marginalized in nonfiction literature (Burmester & Howard, 2022).

To leverage nonfiction to support students' understanding of research processes and information literacy, ELA professionals can:

explore nonfiction books as models for sound research practices, offering young people insight into how disciplines operate and the opportunity to envision themselves as potential contributors to those fields in the future.

collaborate with content area teachers to select and share nonfiction books that support different students' disciplinary literacies.

investigate biographies of historical and contemporary innovators as well as other narrative and expository nonfiction texts to make visible the passion and curiosity that leads to scientific exploration and discovery and illuminate the processes involved in knowledge construction.

interrogate biographies of historical and contemporary activists and agents of change, as well as narrative and expository nonfiction texts about recent or historical events, to model the use of primary source evidence, to demonstrate the process of historiography, and to reveal a more nuanced and representative view of the histories of those who have been marginalized and oppressed.

select and study nonfiction books that center storytelling and oral traditions. Oral teachings that span generations deserve the same respect as written nonfiction texts. They provide students historical accounts that are often silenced in written interpretations (MacLeod, 2021) and can demonstrate the resilience of ancestral communities and of contemporary indigenous ways of knowing (Washburn, 2007; Horakova, 2021).

When young people read nonfiction literature with a critical eye, models of disciplinary and information literacy are normalized and diverse ways of knowing are recognized. Students can grow comfortable with the notion that knowledge is never fixed; even the most established understandings are open to refinement and reinterpretation. Readers will know how to evaluate the trustworthiness and perspective of a nonfiction book and apply similar standards when encountering claims of fact in other areas of their lives.
Use Nonfiction Literature to Support Visual Literacy
Nonfiction literature has never been more visually engaging. Technological advances in printing, artistic innovation, and expanded representation of illustrators from diverse backgrounds offer dynamic and dazzling visual displays in all forms of nonfiction, from the picture book to the chapter book (Giblin, 2000; Isaacs, 2011; Salisbury & Styles, 2020).

Visual literacy is broadly defined as strategies and skills related to engagement with, comprehension of, and the interpretation of visual images. Approaches to reading instruction that utilize visual literacy methodologies, including visual thinking strategies (Yenawine, 1997), increase opportunities for equitable access to the curriculum for all students, including students with language and reading disabilities (Cappello & Walker, 2016; Crawford & Calabria, 2018) and multilingual students (Louie & Sierschynski, 2015).

Because nonfiction books are research-based, readers may be tempted to assume that they represent indisputable facts and "truths" about the world. However, reading, writing, and illustrating nonfiction are all interpretative processes. Within the reading process, visual literacy is an essential component of meaning making that helps deepen text understanding (Barone & Barone, 2016) and supports the composition of multimodal products (Witte & Dail, 2018). As an interpretative aspect of readers' response to literature, visual literacy includes cognitive, affective, critical, social, cultural, and political elements connected to experience, identity, and place-based contexts of reading and viewing (Serafini, 2014).

To leverage nonfiction to support students' visual literacy, ELA professionals can:

examine images, graphics, primary sources, and illustration techniques and styles used in nonfiction and explore how they convey information, highlight particular aspects of the story or topic, develop themes, and build the emotional terrain of a book.

utilize visual text features, photography, illustrations, graphics, and iconography within nonfiction literature to activate prior knowledge and expand disciplinary inquiry and diverse perspectives. These explorations should create purposeful spaces for traumatic and critical responses as well as for critical evaluation of visual representations (Gardner, 2017; Yenika-Agbaw et al., 2018). Engaging in critical discourse with images and allowing readers to ask questions and express emotions can help expand readers' opportunities for affirmation and understanding and limit possibilities for retraumatization.

interrogate visual representation within picture books by considering whose perspectives they represent, whose stories they tell, and whose voices they leave out.

harness the visual codes and dexterity of display in graphic nonfiction to engage readers in critical visual literacy to explore racism, sexism, heterosexism, ableism, and xenophobia, among other issues.

In our increasingly visual culture, it is imperative that young people learn how to evaluate images and discern the ways in which visual elements frame information, shape perspectives, and represent points of view.
Use Nonfiction Literature to Diversify the Curriculum PreK-12 and Practice Critical Literacies
Within the context of a nation that values free speech, it is important to disrupt any presumptions that nonfiction is neutral (Dávila & Elovich, 2021). Like fiction, nonfiction texts are political (Gardner et al., 2021). As political texts, nonfiction provides a landscape for fostering readers' critical literacy skills, which are essential to becoming active participants in a democracy (Powell et al., 2001). Informed citizens of pluralistic societies appreciate multiple perspectives and worldviews (Eck, 2006) and acknowledge the dangers of any single story (Adichie, 2009).

Children's nonfiction is well-suited for students' critical multicultural analysis (Crisp et al., 2021; Yenika-Agbaw, 2021). Such analyses attend to the examination of implicit and explicit biases and the interrogation of dominant sociocultural ideologies and power structures (Botelho & Rudman, 2009). They are grounded in the notion that like fiction, nonfiction texts are crafted for specific groups of readers (Dávila, 2012), often regarded as the ideal or implied audiences (Nikolajeva, 2005). With these audiences in mind, children's nonfiction offers a medium in which students can begin to identify and interrogate sociocultural stereotypes and social narratives of the dominant or mainstream culture (Reese & McEntarffer, 2021; Rodriguez & Kim, 2021). In a "post truth" era of "fake news," as described by Comber et al. (2018), it is essential for students to learn to analyze nonfiction texts to cultivate the skills of a critical citizenry.

To leverage nonfiction to support students' critical literacy, ELA professionals can:

utilize multiple nonfiction trade books on the same topic to convey that neither history nor information can be limited to a single perspective of facts. In traditional school settings, the textbook has often been positioned as the preeminent, sanctioned, and single source of information. Incorporating nonfiction trade books in the curriculum can help debunk the myth that there is one way to perceive and represent sociohistorical events (Enriquez & Shulman-Kumin, 2014; Gill, 2009).

interrogate diverse nonfiction texts to consider representations of power and privilege, as well as issues that demand examination and critique (Behrman, 2006). Teachers can help young people develop a sense of critical questioning by encouraging them to ask key questions about biographies and other nonfiction texts: Who wrote this book? Why did they write it? Who is featured in this book? Who has power in this book? Who is missing from this book?

invite students to consider authors' and illustrators' perspectives. What do the book creators think about the topic? What are the identities of the implied readers for the book?

support students to take action and create change. Nonfiction offers young people the opportunity to learn about the world around them. When confronted with information that disrupts their understanding of justice, equity, and responsibility for humans and the natural world, young people should be supported in envisioning change and taking transformative actions.

Nonfiction literature, a "literature of questions" (Sanders, 2018), diversifies the curriculum and helps students to develop critical perspectives. But more importantly, it serves as a vehicle for recognizing patterns of systemic silencing and oppression, makes visible biases and injustices, and ignites the urgency for taking justice-oriented action.

Recommended Resources

Colman, P. (2007). A new way to look at literature: A visual model for analyzing fiction and nonfiction texts. Language Arts, 84(3), 257-268.

Crisp, T., Knezek, S. M., & Gardner, R. P. (Eds.). (2021). Reading and teaching with diverse nonfiction children's books: Representations and possibilities. NCTE.

Dávila, D. (2012). In search of the ideal reader for children's nonfiction books about el Día de Los Muertos. Journal of Children's Literature, 38(1), 16-26.

Duke, N. K. (2019, March 5). Speaking up for science and social studies [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAWO2lvAnjI

Enriquez, G., & Schulman-Kumin, A. (2014). Searching for "truth": Using children's nonfiction for social justice and Common Core goals. Journal of Children's Literature, 40(2), 16-25.

Giblin, J. (2000). More than just the facts: A hundred years of children's nonfiction. Horn Book Magazine, 76(4), 413-424.

Stewart, M. (Ed.). (2020). Nonfiction writers dig deep: 50 award-winning authors share the secret of engaging writing. NCTE.

Yenika-Agbaw, V., Hudock, L. A., & Lowery, R. M. (Eds.). (2018). Does nonfiction equate truth? Rethinking disciplinary boundaries through critical literacies. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

Zarnowski, M., & Turkel, S. (2011). Nonfiction literature that highlights inquiry: How real people solve real problems. Journal of Children's Literature, 37(1), 30-37.

References

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Gardner, R., Knezek, S., & Crisp, T. (2021). Introduction: Diverse nonfiction in preK-8 classrooms. In T. Crisp, S. Knezek, & R. Gardner (Eds.), Reading and teaching with diverse nonfiction children's books (pp. xv-xxi). NCTE.

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Gill, S. R. (2009). What teachers need to know about the "new" nonfiction. The Reading Teacher, 63(4), 260-267.

Graff, J.M., & Shimek, C. (2020). Revisiting reader response: Contemporary nonfiction children's literature as remixes. Language Arts, 97(4), 223-234.

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Gu, C., & Feng, Y. (2021). Influence of public engagement with science on scientific information literacy during the COVID‑19 pandemic. Science & Education, (31) 3, 619-633.

Hadjioannou, X. (2021). Access to high-quality, diverse book collections across a variety of challenging times and contexts. The Dragon Lode, 40(1), 8-16.

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Handayani, R.D., Wilujeng, I., & Prasetyo, Z. K. (2018). Elaborating indigenous knowledge in the science curriculum for the cultural sustainability. Journal of Teacher Education for Sustainability, 20(2), 74-88. https://doi.org/10.2478/jtes-2018-0016

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Horakova, M. (2021). Between vulnerability and resistance: Rhetorical strategies in Indigenous Canadian nonfiction. Journal of Commonwealth Literature, 56(3), 390-403.

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Jacobs, J. S., Morrison, T. G., & Swinyard, W. R. (2000). Reading aloud to students: A national probability study of classroom reading practices of elementary school teachers. Reading Psychology, 21(3), 171-193. https://doi.org/10.1080/02702710050144331

Jobe, R., & Sakari, M. D. (2002). Info-kids: How to use nonfiction to turn reluctant readers into enthusiastic learners. Pembroke Publishers.

Kearns, D. M., Lyon, C. P., & Pollack, M. S. (2021). Teaching world and word knowledge to access content-area texts in co-taught classrooms. Intervention in School and Clinic, 56(4), 208-216. https://doi.org/10.1177/1053451220944371

Kiefer, B. Z. (2009). Charlotte Huck's children's literature in the elementary school, (10 th ed.). McGraw Hill.

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Louie, B., & Sierschynski, J. (2015). Enhancing English learners' language development using wordless picture books. The Reading Teacher, 69(1), 103-111. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1376

MacLeod, L. (2021). More than personal communication: Templates for citing Indigenous elders and knowledge keepers. KULA: Knowledge Creation, Dissemination, and Preservation Studies, 5(1), 1-5.

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Mohr, K. A. J. (2006). Children's choices for recreational reading: A three-part investigation of selection preferences, rationales, and processes. Journal of Literacy Research, 38(1), 81-104. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15548430jlr3801_4

Moses, L., & Serafini, F. (2022). Image, text and design: Students' semiotic choices in nonfiction compositions. Literacy, 56(4), 340-354. https://doi.org/10.1111/lit.12293

Moss, B. (2003). Exploring the literature of fact: Children's nonfiction trade books in the elementary classroom. Guilford Press.

Moss, B., & Hendershot, J. (2002). Exploring sixth graders' selection of nonfiction trade books: When students are given the opportunity to select nonfiction books, motivation for reading improves. The Reading Teacher, 56(1), 6-17.

NCTE. (2018). NCTE Position statement: Preparing teachers with knowledge of children's and young adult literature. NCTE. https://ncte.org/statement/chiladollitguideline

NCTE. (2022). NCTE Position statement on writing instruction in school. https://ncte.org/statement/statement-on-writing-instruction-in-school

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Reese, D., & McEntarffer, B. (2021). Indigenous nations in nonfiction. In T. Crisp, S. Knezek, & R. Gardner (Eds.), Reading and teaching with diverse nonfiction children's books (pp. 41-57). NCTE.

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Stewart, M. (Ed.). (2020). Nonfiction writers dig deep: 50 award-winning authors share the secret of engaging writing. NCTE.

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Statement Authors

Xenia Hadjioannou, Co-chair, Penn State University, Berks Campus

Mary Ann Cappiello, Co-chair, Lesley University

Patricia Bandré, Salina Public Schools

Matthew Burgess, Brooklyn College & Nonfiction Author

Patricia Crawford, University of Pittsburgh

Denise Dávila, University of Texas, Austin

Roberta Price Gardner, Kennesaw State University

Kari Johnston, Austin Independent School District

Ruth Lowery, University of North Texas

Melissa Stewart, Nonfiction Author

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Position Statement on the Role of Nonfiction Literature (K-12)

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Nonfiction literature provides opportunities to support curricular goals while engaging students in authentic, intrinsically motivating work.

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GUEST BLOGGER: MEGHAN McCARTHY

Pop: The Invention of Bubble Gum tells the story of a young man named Walter Diemer. He was an accountant working for the Fleer Company in the 1920s. The factory was attempting to invent a gum that was stretchy enough to blow bubbles, but to no avail. Diemer began experimenting with the gum in his off hours. After much failure he was able to do what others weren't: invent bubble gum!

This is a story of creativity and perseverance, two qualities that I love and are invaluable to a would-be inventor. You can't give up when things don't work out. Persistence is key! The same goes for being an author. Without those two qualities, it's unlikely a writer will get published. As the famous Thomas Edison said, "genius is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration."

Communication is also important. Inventors have to submit paperwork to get their invention patented. Without being able to communicate and describe what the invention is and how it works, the invention will never get an approved patent. Without a patent, the invention can be stolen!

"Keep a Written Record of Your Invention - Record every step of the invention process in a notebook. Describe and diagram every aspect and every modification of the invention, including how you initially envisioned the idea for it.
NOLO - Getting a patent on your own

What makes an effective ad?

Communication is also important once the invention goes to market. Advertising has to succinctly communicate what the product is and why YOU need to buy it. So, it's also a good exercise to examine the gum packages and why they do and or don't seem appealing. This is an ad from 2016 for Ice Breakers Gum.

Have a class discussion on what you like and don't like about this ad.

The Gun Experiment

Want to know how large a gum bubble can get? Play close attention to her technique.

If you're struggling to blow a bubble watch this:

After watching the videos you are ready for the experiment! Buy four different kinds of gum and divide into groups. Each group will measure (or attempt to measure) the size of the bubbles the group members blow for each brand of gum.

After adding up all of the measurements, answer the following questions:

Describe what chewing each brand of gum was like. Was it sticky, juicy, gooey? Use the most descriptive words possible.

How hard or easy was it to blow a bubble with each kind of gum?

How did each piece of gum taste? Did you enjoy the taste or dislike it? Why?

Which gum are you most likely to buy and why?

Did the packaging influence which gum you liked best? Why or why not?

You may not be able to hold a bubble long enough to correctly measure the bubbles but this experiment is about having fun and learning so don't stress it!

Fun Resources

For more inspiration, watch this video for new and creative ways to describe the brands of gum (or any food!) better.

Lastly, here's a video about how modern day gum is created.
Meghan McCarthy likes: sunny days, rainbows, metal objects, antique shops, junk yards, rust, indie rock, lawn ornaments, abandoned buildings, dark, tomato sauce, paint, photoshop, bread, furniture, retro stuff, colorful rugs, overgrown plants, and cheese. Meghan does not like: cats that bite, white cars, pizza with pineapple or potato toppings, raw fish, fish odors, fake people, unmotivated people, people with fanny packs, people who slap their children, oversized drooling dogs, leaky ceilings, or undecorated apartments.
Find out more about her on her website: https://www.meghan-mccarthy.com

Click for more LITLINKS STEM + Literacy activities

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LitLinks: Bubble gum science - creativity, perseverance, & communication

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LitLinks: Bubble gum science - creativity, perseverance, and communication - guest blog post by author/illustrator Meghan McCarthy

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It's the 1920s and the Fleer Corporation is trying to create a new kind of gum, but they aren't having much luck. Can a man named Walter who knows nothing about gum save the day?

This book is part of the Read for Success collection. To learn more about Read for Success, click here.

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It's the 1920s and the Fleer Corporation is trying to create a new kind of gum, but they aren't having much luck. Can a man named Walter who knows nothing about gum save the day? This book is part of the Read for Success collection. To learn more about Read for Success, click here.

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I am so pleased at the reception that WATERCRESS is getting. It has now received 3 starred reviews! ★ "Wang's moving poetry paired with-and precisely laid out on-Chin's masterfully detailed ...

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I am so pleased at the reception that WATERCRESS is getting. It has now received 3 starred reviews! ★ "Wang's moving poetry paired with-and precisely laid out on-Chin's masterfully detailed ...

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Find fun and interesting hands-on activities, games, and more for kids and students, grades K-4 all the way to college.

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Want a fun way to review science vocabulary? Have students use seek and finds to increase science literacy!

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Swimming with Sharks | Albert Whitman & Company

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Before Eugenie Clark's groundbreaking research, most people thought sharks were vicious, blood-thirsty killers. From the first time she saw a shark in an aquarium, Japanese-American Eugenie was enthralled. Instead of frightening and ferocious eating machines, she saw sleek, graceful fish gliding through the water. After she became a scientist-an unexpected career path for a woman [...]

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Stamp Stories: Eugenie Clark, Shark Lady

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Eugenie Clark's favorite animal has been celebrated by the United States Postal Service, too. In 2017 the Postal Service issued a set of stamps that featured five different shark species. But that's only a tiny fraction of the number of shark species that we know of.

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Sharks Swimming in our Sharks Waters Exhibit

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If You Can Make It Here, They Won’t Take It Anywhere | Brooklyn Public Library

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They say you can’t go home again. But for a garbage barge called Mobro 4000, after months of sailing through much of the Northern Hemisphere and capturing the attention of the world, home was the only place it could go.

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Do you recycle at home? If you don't, you may want to reconsider after reading through today's Wonder of the Day.

Have you ever stopped to WONDER where all that trash goes that you throw away? Sure, a garbage truck probably stops by your house once a week or so to haul away your garbage. But where does it go from there?

Your local garbage truck probably takes your trash to a nearby . This is a place where trash is buried. Over time, much of it will . Some items, though, such as plastic and styrofoam, can take hundreds of years to and break down.

Your local may be a huge pile of trash, but would you believe that the world's largest pile of trash isn't a at all? It's true! It's actually in the ocean.

The central North Pacific Ocean is home to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is also sometimes called the Pacific Trash . This area of the ocean is characterized by currents known as the North Pacific . These currents collect trash and direct it toward their calm center, where it collects and stays there.

The exact size of the Pacific Trash is hard to estimate. Estimates range from twice the size of Texas to twice the size of the entire continental United States. Whatever estimate is closest, the Pacific Trash is huge!

The area is marked by high concentrations of plastics, chemical sludge and other . Much of the litter consists of tiny pieces of degraded plastic that float at or just below the surface. Because of this, the trash pile isn't easily seen from airplanes or satellites.

The North Pacific Ocean isn't the only place in the world's oceans where you'll find similar collections of trash. Any place with similar currents can collect trash in the same way. For example, a large pile of floating plastic can also be found in the Atlantic Ocean.

Although much of the trash in the Pacific Trash is invisible to the naked eye, scientists estimate that there may be six times as much plastic as there is natural in the area. These tiny bits of plastic end up in the stomachs of fish and other marine birds and animals, causing disruption in the natural habitats of the creatures affected.

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Where Is the World's Largest Pile of Trash?

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Do you recycle at home? If you don't, you may want to reconsider after reading through today's Wonder of the Day. Have you ever stopped to WONDER where all that trash goes that you throw away? Sure, a garbage truck probably stops by your house once a week or so to haul away your garbage.

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Make real world connections to nonfiction books

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I’ve created a monthly STEAM Team programming at my public library. I choose a topic and then read a fiction book, a nonfiction book, sing/dance to a song, an informative video, and then do an experiment. Last week we learned and experimented about bubbles!

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https://www.worldbook.com/true-or-false.aspx

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1 pink balloon
Add flour
Add sticker eyes

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https://www.worldbook.com/true-or-false.aspx

True or false series great for kids!