I am going to be completely candid here… teaching nonfiction reading comprehension has never been my strong suit as an educator.
In my five-year career as a teacher, I have often wondered: how do you engage students with nonfiction texts?
In a search to answer this very question, I have tried several nonfiction guided reading activities to better support my students.
Regretfully, these attempts resulted in my students showing mastery in apathy and disengagement rather than high school reading comprehension.
This year I used several of the resources in Danielle’s nonfiction bundle and FINALLY feel as if I am on the right track!
My students showcased an interest in the nonfiction guided reading activities, and the best part is… I didn’t have to prep or plan any of it.
Boost your high school reading comprehension skills with this ultimate bundle of nonfiction guided reading activities. Packed with engaging texts and comprehension exercises, this bundle is perfect for high school students of all reading levels.
If you’re still not totally sold, read along to discover if this resource is the right fit for you and your students!
✨ “Abandoned places” – vocab, creative writing from nonfiction
✨ “Double trouble: the fascination with twins” – multiple-choice (MC) questions
✨“Off-track: train heists & outlaws” – creative writing from nonfiction
✨ “Dying around the world” – MC questions, critical thinking prompts
✨ “Demystifying fear” – vocab
✨ “Careers in video games” – inference practice
✨ “Codes & codebreakers” – creative writing from nonfiction
✨ “The rise of skateboarding” – includes QR codes for further research & discussion
✨ “Lizard make-up tutorial” – procedural writing
✨ “Dr. Daniel Hale Williams” – biography
How did I implement these nonfiction guided reading activities in my classroom?
The “appetizers”
🥗 Students played Chapter 1 of Burnbridge Breakout digital escape room
🥗 Students practiced analyzing nonfiction texts using creative writing with images of REAL (creepy) abandoned places
The “entrees”
🍔 Students have the choice of reading one of two nonfiction articles: one about careers in video games and the other about careers in STEM
🍔 Students practice high school reading comprehension with the nonfiction guided reading activities already prepped and embedded with their choice of reading
🍔 I conducted a Jigsaw reading method with this as I have large class sizes of approximately 40 students
🍔 Then, we do a whole class discussion using equity sticks or various other collaborative efforts to hear as many voices as possible
The “desserts”
🍪 Students played the remaining chapters of the Burnbridge Breakout series along with many of the included reading activities within the resource
Other helpful hints:
✨ ‘Tis the season! If you’re teaching this unit near winter break, consider including a third nonfiction text in the mix: The Hendersons Cancel Christmas. It’s a class favorite!
✨ If your students enjoy STEM, video games, and/or mysteries, have them play Terminus, a digital escape room game. Seriously, my students LOVED playing this, and it includes supplementary learning materials to pair the game with. Here’s the first chapter if you want to see how much your students will love it before buying the series!
✨ If you’re looking for a shorter nonfiction reading, consider one of these 8 excerpts from nonfiction books.
What teachers like you are saying about this high school reading comprehension bundle:
Closing Comments
How can I help my high school students with reading comprehension? How do I teach nonfiction reading?
If you’ve ever asked yourself any of these questions, you have nothing to be embarrassed about! We all have our strong suits, and mine is NOT nonfiction reading. Whenever I struggle to create a unit that engages my students and makes the magical lightbulb go off, I reach out for support from other educator experts.
Luckily, I happen to work alongside an educator who is excellent at creating some nonfiction guided reading activities. If you resonate with any of my struggles or you simply want a rockin’ high school reading comprehension resource, you’ve found it!
In need of some more nonfiction reading support?
✨ Inclusive nonfiction reads for your classroom library
✨ More ways to use nonfiction to engage even your most reluctant readers
✨ Memorable nonfiction writing activities
