Foundations of Language and Literacy · Junior Infants · Reading Pictures and Stories · Spring Term

Different Kinds of Books

Learning to navigate non-fiction texts to find facts and answer questions about the real world.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Primary - Reading
• NCCA: Primary - Purpose and Genre

About This Topic

Information Texts introduce Junior Infants to the idea that books can be used to find facts and learn about the real world. This aligns with the NCCA's 'Purpose and Genre' element, where students learn to distinguish between fiction and non-fiction. At this level, the focus is on navigating the unique features of information texts, such as photographs, labels, and diagrams, which differ significantly from the narrative structure of storybooks.

In an Irish context, this might involve exploring books about native Irish animals, local history, or how things are made. Understanding that these books provide 'true' information helps children develop a sense of inquiry and research. This topic particularly benefits from hands-on, student-centered approaches where children can act as 'researchers' to find specific answers to their own questions about the world.

Key Questions

1. What is different about a book with real photographs and a book with drawings?
2. How can the pictures in a book help us learn something new?
3. What can you find out just by looking at the pictures in this book?

Learning Objectives

• Classify books as either fiction or non-fiction based on their content and features.
• Identify specific factual information within non-fiction texts using photographs and labels.
• Compare and contrast the visual elements of fiction books (drawings) and non-fiction books (photographs).
• Explain how pictures in a non-fiction book can help answer a specific question about the real world.

Before You Start

Introduction to Books and Stories

Why: Children need a basic understanding of what a book is and that stories are told in books before they can differentiate between types of books.

Recognizing Pictures

Why: This topic relies on children's ability to look at and interpret images, so prior experience with pictures is essential.

Key Vocabulary

Non-fiction	Books that tell about real people, places, things, or events. They are used to learn facts.
Fiction	Books that tell imaginary stories, often with made-up characters and events. They are for entertainment.
Photograph	A picture taken with a camera that shows something exactly as it looks in real life.
Drawing	A picture made by hand, which might show things as the artist imagines them rather than exactly as they are.
Fact	A piece of information that is true and can be proven.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Students may think that if a book has an animal in it, it must be a story.

What to Teach Instead

Compare a book like 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' with a non-fiction book about butterflies. Active comparison of the two helps students see that one is for entertainment and the other is for information.

Common Misconception

Children might believe everything in a book is 'real' if they don't understand the genre.

What to Teach Instead

Explicitly teach the 'Fact vs. Fiction' distinction through sorting games. Using real-world objects alongside books helps reinforce that information texts describe the world they can see and touch.

Active Learning Ideas

Inquiry Circle: Fact Finders

Give small groups a non-fiction book about an animal. They must find one 'amazing fact' using the pictures or labels and then 'teach' that fact to the rest of the class using a prop or a drawing.

25 min·Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Photo vs. Drawing

Display a mix of storybook illustrations and non-fiction photographs. Students walk around and sort them into 'Story' or 'Real Life' piles, explaining to a partner why a photograph is often used in a fact book.

20 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: The Expert Question

Before looking at a book about a topic (e.g., Space), students think of one thing they want to know. They share with a partner and then 'check' the book together to see if they can find the answer.

15 min·Pairs

Real-World Connections

• Librarians in local community libraries help children find non-fiction books about animals, historical sites in Ireland, or how everyday objects like toys are made. These books provide accurate information.
• Museum educators use non-fiction books with photographs and diagrams to teach children about historical artifacts or natural science exhibits, helping them understand the real world around them.
• Gardeners might use non-fiction books with pictures of plants and soil to learn the best way to grow vegetables or flowers in their garden, using facts to guide their actions.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Provide students with two books, one fiction and one non-fiction. Ask them to point to the book that has real photographs and explain one thing they could learn from it. Observe their ability to identify the non-fiction text and articulate its purpose.

Exit Ticket

Give each child a picture from a non-fiction book (e.g., a picture of a robin, a historical building in Ireland). Ask them to draw one thing they learned from looking at the picture and write one word to describe the picture (e.g., 'real', 'photo').

Discussion Prompt

Show students a non-fiction book open to a page with a photograph and labels. Ask: 'What is this a picture of? How do you know it's a real thing? What does the label tell us? How does this picture help us learn something new?' Listen for their ability to extract information from visual cues.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I teach Junior Infants to use an index or contents page?

At this age, keep it very simple. Call it a 'Map for the Book'. Use a big book and show how you can 'jump' to a page to find a specific picture. Active 'races' to find a certain page based on a picture clue can make this fun and functional.

How can active learning help students understand information texts?

Active learning turns 'reading for information' into a scavenger hunt. When students are tasked with finding a specific fact or labeling a diagram in a group, they are using the text as a tool. This hands-on application of reading skills shows them the practical value of non-fiction, making them more engaged and purposeful 'researchers'.

What kind of non-fiction is best for this age group?

Books with high-quality photographs, clear labels, and simple, repetitive text are best. Topics that interest them, like dinosaurs, big machines, or animals, provide the natural motivation needed to navigate more complex text features.

How can I connect information texts to the SESE curriculum?

Use information texts as the starting point for Science or Geography lessons. If you are learning about 'The Farm' in SESE, use non-fiction books to find out what different animals eat, then use that information in a hands-on sorting activity.