**Lesson Plan: Reading Comprehension (Fiction and Non-Fiction)**
**Grade Level:** 7th Grade
**Duration:** 1 Week (5 sessions, 50 minutes each)
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### **Objectives:**
- Develop students' reading comprehension skills for both fiction and non-fiction texts.
- Identify key details and main ideas in different types of texts.
- Enhance critical thinking by comparing and contrasting fiction and non-fiction.
- Improve vocabulary and understanding of context within texts.
### **Materials:**
- Fiction book (e.g., "Holes" by Louis Sachar) or an age-appropriate short story.
- Non-fiction article related to the themes in the fiction book (e.g., an article about juvenile detention centers).
- Notebooks, highlighters, pens, and sticky notes.
- Worksheets for comprehension questions.
- Graphic organizers (Venn diagram, T-chart).
- Access to a projector or smartboard for group activities and presentations.
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### **Day 1: Introduction to Fiction and Non-Fiction**
**Objective:** Define and distinguish between fiction and non-fiction texts.
1. **Warm-Up (10 mins):**
- Quick-write: "What is the difference between fiction and non-fiction?"
- Share responses with the class.
2. **Mini-Lesson (15 mins):**
- Explain definitions and characteristics of fiction and non-fiction.
- Provide examples of each.
3. **Activity (20 mins):**
- Distribute excerpts from a fiction text and a non-fiction article.
- Students annotate key differences using highlighters and sticky notes.
4. **Discussion (5 mins):**
- Share findings and clarify any misconceptions.
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### **Day 2: Reading Strategies for Fiction**
**Objective:** Identify key elements in a fiction text.
1. **Warm-Up (5 mins):**
- Vocabulary building: Introduce key terms (e.g., plot, setting, character, theme).
2. **Mini-Lesson (10 mins):**
- Discuss reading strategies for comprehending fiction (e.g., summarizing, predicting, making inferences).
3. **Reading Activity (25 mins):**
- Read a chapter from the fiction book or story.
- Use sticky notes to mark important plot points or character development.
4. **Group Discussion (10 mins):**
- Small groups summarize the chapter and discuss key takeaways.
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### **Day 3: Reading Strategies for Non-Fiction**
**Objective:** Identify key elements in a non-fiction text.
1. **Warm-Up (5 mins):**
- Vocabulary building: Introduce key terms (e.g., main idea, facts, opinions).
2. **Mini-Lesson (10 mins):**
- Discuss reading strategies for comprehending non-fiction (e.g., identifying main idea, skimming, scanning).
3. **Reading Activity (25 mins):**
- Read the selected non-fiction article.
- Annotate main ideas and supporting details.
4. **Group Discussion (10 mins):**
- Small groups summarize the article and discuss key takeaways.
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### **Day 4: Comparing Fiction and Non-Fiction**
**Objective:** Compare and contrast fiction and non-fiction texts.
1. **Warm-Up (5 mins):**
- Quick-write: "What similarities and differences have you noticed between fiction and non-fiction texts?"
2. **Mini-Lesson (15 mins):**
- Introduce graphic organizers (Venn diagram, T-chart).
- Provide examples of comparing themes, purposes, and structures.
3. **Activity (20 mins):**
- In pairs, students fill out a Venn diagram or T-chart comparing the fiction and non-fiction texts.
4. **Discussion (10 mins):**
- Pairs share their diagrams and explain their reasoning.
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### **Day 5: Applying Comprehension Skills**
**Objective:** Apply reading comprehension skills to analyze texts independently.
1. **Warm-Up (5 mins):**
- Review key concepts from the week (fiction vs. non-fiction, reading strategies).
2. **Independent Reading (20 mins):**
- Students select a passage from either a fiction or non-fiction text.
- Individually, they identify and annotate key details, main ideas, and any questions they have.
3. **Group Sharing (15 mins):**
- Students share their annotations and insights in small groups.
4. **Assessment (10 mins):**
- Comprehension quiz based on the texts read during the week.
- Reflections on how their comprehension skills have improved.
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### **Homework and Extensions:**
- **Homework:**
- Assign chapters from the fiction book or additional non-fiction articles for further practice.
- Comprehension questions to answer at home.
- **Extensions:**
- Create a book club where students can discuss and analyze texts.
- Engage with digital platforms for interactive reading comprehension exercises (e.g., ReadTheory, Newsela).
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### **Assessment:**
- **Formative:**
- Observations during group activities.
- Annotations and discussions.
- Quick-writes and graphic organizers.
- **Summative:**
- Comprehension quiz.
- End-of-week reflection paper on understanding fiction vs. non-fiction comprehension strategies.
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**Modifications for Diverse Learners:**
- Offer texts at varying reading levels.
- Provide additional support and scaffolding for students who need it.
- Use visual aids and graphic organizers to assist comprehension.
- Engage learners with different modalities (auditory, visual, kinesthetic).
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**Reflection:**
- After the lesson, evaluate what worked well and what could be improved.
- Gather student feedback on which strategies they found most helpful.
- Adapt future lessons based on these insights to better meet the needs of all learners.
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This lesson plan should help your 7th-grade students effectively improve their reading comprehension skills with both fiction and non-fiction texts. Happy teaching!