Information

As you think about informative text, be sure to dip into the section on process, feature articles, Humans of New York, infographs, and Dear Baseball.

The world is filled with engaging nonfiction text that can serve as mentors for our students. Below are links to sites with compelling non-fiction:

Check out this article about the working life. It's filled with information and pathos.

Here's an excerpt from Breaking the Line by Samuel Freedman. Just read the opening paragraphs and watch how he pulls the reader in.

What you'll find below:

In the ESPN article, you'll find an essay called "The Book of Coach," which explains Coach Bill Walsh's process for writing a book about coaching. Interspersed throughout the essay is a conversation of a young coach's experience reading the book. You can also find this essay at ESPN.

Here's an article from The Guardian that could teach students ways to use mentor text.

Here's a fascinating article about a survivalist. It would be great for teaching voice, organization, and focus.

Informative text: research-based

Below is an article from The New York Times (2/18/21) is an article about sibling rivalry. This article could be used as a mentor for how to write about a research-based topic for the general public, including strategies for citing sources and for organizing the writing. An interesting task might be to look at an academic researched-based article that includes the MLA format, for instance, and to have students compare/contrast voice, structure, citations, and other elements. This would support students being able to meet the CCSS W.10 standard: Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reﬂection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

The Psychology Behind Sibling Rivalry - The New York Times.pdf