New
New
Year 1

Differences between fiction and non-fiction texts

I can compare fiction and non-fiction texts.

New
New
Year 1

Differences between fiction and non-fiction texts

I can compare fiction and non-fiction texts.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Fiction books are made up by the author and non-fiction books provide information based on facts.
  2. Fiction books have fictional characters and places and non-fiction books provide information about real subjects.
  3. Fiction books often have illustrations and non-fiction books often have photographs or diagrams of real things.
  4. Fiction books usually follow a story structure and non-fiction books are usually organised by topic or subject.
  5. Fiction books often have a moral and non-fiction books are designed to provide information and teach new things.

Common misconception

Pupils may struggle to name the features of a non-fiction text (contents, glossary, caption etc.)

This content will continue to be covered as the children move through school. The key learning here is understanding the difference between fiction and non-fiction. Continue to model the language and point out the differences for the children.

Keywords

  • Fiction - made up stories with characters, places and adventures which did not happen in real life

  • Non-fiction - real information or events

  • Fact - something that is known to be true or proved

  • Feature - special characteristics that belong to a text

  • Comparison - similarities and differences between two things

Have available lots of examples of fiction and non-fiction texts known to the children so they can practically compare. Provide children with the features you want them to sort into a Venn diagram for Task C. In Task B, children could do this verbally or through drawings depending on writing skills.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need a copy of the 2018 Alanna Max edition of 'Lulu Gets a Cat' by Anna McQuinn.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
What do story books often have in them?
Correct answer: illustrations
videos
facts
Correct answer: words
Q2.
Which of these are characters from the story 'Little Red Riding Hood'?
forest
Correct answer: wolf
bridge
Correct answer: grandmother
Q3.
What do we call the name of a book?
the author
the illustrator
Correct answer: the title
illustrations
Q4.
What are the hand-drawn or painted pictures in a story book called?
the author
the illustrator
the title
Correct answer: illustrations
Q5.
Put these key parts of a story in the order they usually go in.
1 - beginning
2 - middle
3 - end
Q6.
What type of text is 'Lulu Gets a Cat'?
poetry
instructions
Correct answer: a storybook
an information book

6 Questions

Q1.
Match these keywords to their definitions.
Correct Answer:fiction,made up stories which did not happen in real life

made up stories which did not happen in real life

Correct Answer:non-fiction,real information or events

real information or events

Correct Answer:fact,something that is known to be true or proved

something that is known to be true or proved

Q2.
Identify the key features of a non-fiction text.
Correct answer: a contents page
follows a story structure
made-up characters
Correct answer: photographs
Q3.
Identify the key features of a fiction text.
a contents page
Correct answer: follows a story structure
Correct answer: made-up characters
photographs
Q4.
What do both fiction and non-fiction texts always have?
a contents page
Correct answer: a title
photographs
a moral
captions
Q5.
Which of these are non-fiction texts?
nursery rhymes
Correct answer: instructions
Correct answer: an information book
a storybook
Q6.
What is a heading?
the title of a book
a lesson that can be learnt from a story
Correct answer: a smaller title that helps to organise information on a page
a page at the beginning of a book that tells you where to find information

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