Reading Articles About Animals
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What you will learn
- 1Read a nonfiction article about an animal
- 2Use headings to find information
- 3Answer fact-based questions by pointing to the exact words in the text
- 4Use context clues to work out unfamiliar words in a nonfiction article
Mini Lesson
A nonfiction article about an animal is different from a story. It does not have characters and a plot — it has facts, headings, and key words. Knowing how to navigate a nonfiction article is a powerful reading skill you will use for the rest of your life.
What is a heading?
- A heading is a title for a section of the article.
- It tells you what that section is about before you read it.
- Headings help you find information quickly — you do not need to read the whole article to find one fact.
- Example headings: What does it look like? · Where does it live? · What does it eat? · Did you know?
How to read a nonfiction article
- Read the title. What animal is this about?
- Preview the headings. Scan all the headings before you start reading.
- Read each section slowly. Pause after each heading and find the key facts.
- Work out unfamiliar words. Use the other words around them to find the meaning.
- After reading, recall — can you say three facts you learned?
Key words in nonfiction writing
- "Penguins are birds that cannot fly." — states a fact
- "Did you know? A penguin can swim at 15 miles per hour." — introduces a surprising fact
- "Because, so, which means, this is why" — explain cause or reason
Words to know
Nonfiction
Writing about real things — true facts about real people, places, animals, or events
e.g. An article about penguins with real facts and photographs.
Heading
A short title for a section of an article — it tells you what that section is about
e.g. "Where do penguins live?" is a heading.
Context clue
Words around an unfamiliar word that help you work out what it means
e.g. If the text says "penguins live in colonies — large groups of penguins", the words explain what a colony is.
Colony
A large group of animals (like penguins) that live together
e.g. Emperor penguins gather in huge colonies on the ice.
Ask yourself: "What heading will help me find the answer? Then read just that section."
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