You need to review or introduce nonfiction skills, but you’re fresh out of ideas (or hoping you can hit the “easy” button. Honestly, same.). I’m a big fan of turning your nonfiction reading activities into reading stations. You’ll be able to cover more ground, and you have a moment to breathe while students work (or at least sip some lukewarm coffee). To help you out, I’m sharing a few nonfiction activities that are effective and easy to prep.
Tips for Implementing Reading Stations
I could pretend that reading stations are a total breeze. But they can take a lot of work (and give you a tension headache) if you’re not careful. I would know! Before you jump into your reading stations, I suggest –
#1 Setting Expectations. If you want your stations to run smoothly, you have to lay down the law (in the nicest way possible). Make sure you cover expectations, like staying on task, what to do if they finish early, and working as a group. I also recommend modeling your nonfiction reading activities, so they know what to expect – and you don’t waste time explaining instructions again and again.
#2 Choose the Groups. You can randomize your groups or let students choose (if you’re feeling brave), but personally, I’m a fan of creating the groups. You’ll have a better chance of students staying on task if they aren’t elbow to elbow with their besties.
#3 Spread It Out. There’s no need to cram all your stations into one day or rush through things. I recommend setting timers for each station and knocking out 2-3 stations in a day, depending on how long they need. This gives students a chance to go deep into each skill, and you’re not feeling frazzled from the constant movement.
If you want more tips for managing your reading stations, check out my literature stations blog.
Nonfiction Reading Activities for Stations
Now that you’re feeling ready for your reading stations, let’s dig into the good part. I’m going to share four of my favorite nonfiction reading activities. Add these to your stations when introducing nonfiction skills, reviewing, or during test prep season.
#1 Genres
There are several different nonfiction genres, from biographies to how-to guides. In this station, students will learn or review the definitions of each genre. I recommend giving them a reference sheet for this, so they can refer back as needed (my nonfiction stations include reference sheets!).
Once they have the definitions down, they will look at snippets from different genres. Have students identify what the genre is and why it fits in that category. This is one of my favorite nonfiction reading activities to get students thinking about the elements of each genre.
#2 Summaries
Summarizing can be a head-scratcher for many students. They struggle to hone in on the key elements of a text. With this station, you can break summarizing down and see more success. Start by choosing a nonfiction article or excerpt.
Then, have students answer some questions, like what is the main idea? And what are the big takeaways? Lastly, students turn those answers into their summary. This scaffolds the process for them, and students get a better idea of what information to include (and not include) in their summaries. You can grab the complete summary station, with guided questions, in my done-for-you nonfiction stations!
#3 Primary and Secondary Sources
Sources can throw middle schoolers for a loop, so I had to include this on my list of nonfiction reading activities. This station is a good introduction or refresher to primary and secondary sources. Plus, you’ll get to challenge their analytical skills.
Pick a secondary and primary source that focuses on the same topic. Have students identify each source, and then analyze them. What makes the source reliable or unreliable? What can they infer from each source? Are there any conclusions they can draw when putting the information together? I’ve done the hard work of compiling sources inside my nonfiction stations!
#4 Text Features
I’ve watched plenty of students skip right over text features. And that’s when I knew I had to include this in the low-prep nonfiction stations. Start by reviewing the different types of text features. (You already know I’d recommend using reference sheets!)
Then, have students look at examples from nonfiction texts and answer questions like, what information does the feature give you? How does it help you better understand the text?
No-Prep Non-Fiction Reading Stations
Make your life easier and grab the low-prep Nonfiction Reading Stations. This resource includes both digital and print nonfiction reading activities, so you can choose what works best for you. Plus, reference materials, student response sheets, answer keys, and more.
You’ll get easy-to-prep stations to make your nonfiction review low-key and easy to set up. The stations cover topics like central idea, author’s purpose, text structures, primary and secondary sources, genres, and much more.
Whether you’re introducing nonfiction skills or reviewing content, these stations will take the prep off your plate.