Patricia A. Gourley-Biggs

ENG 608

July 2, 2003

Book Report #2

Portalupi, J. & Fletcher, R. (2001). Nonfiction Craft Lessons: Teaching Information Writing K-8. Stenhouse Publishers: Portland, ME.

The authors developed this book for teachers in an attempt to move away from student non-fiction writing often hardly readable and mostly inspired by researching the closest encyclopedia for the content. Portalupi & Fletcher (2001) believe this book will fill the need for teachers who want to teach non-fiction writing that does not rely on students’ histories, memories, or anecdotal stories but meaningful "out there in the real world" concrete non-fiction writing. The authors believe that the writing does not have to be boring, tedious, or incomprehensible but rather by arranging particular words in a particular order to create a particular effect (Portalupi & Fletcher, 2001).

Portalupi & Fletcher (2001) discuss sub-skills to teach students to enable them to become adept at non-fiction writing a type of writing that is essential as their learning about world affairs continues. The authors discuss the need for children to develop their own "voice" when writing, not imitate governmental reports as cloned experts. Children should be encouraged to create in the classroom non-fiction writing with an authentic voice that expresses their passions, knowledge, and individual humor (Portalupi & Fletcher, 2001).

The huge world of non-fiction writing includes all-about books, scientific writing, biography, reports, how-to, expository, and persuasive writing, feature articles, and many more subjects. The authors divided the book into these sections K-2, 3-4, and middle school (grades 5-8). Portalupi & Fletcher (2001) divided the book into these sections to identify the differences between "emerging, competent, and fluent writers." Middle school students are chronologically older than elementary students with the ability to read more sophisticated material, further they are in an every changing and serious curricular environment that demands creativity of sophisticated and complex non-fiction (Portalupi & Fletcher, 2001). The authors have included in each section of students "exploratory craft lessons" focusing on skills such as writing, thinking, and talking to better understand their writing topics. K-2 section contains a number of craft lessons focusing on the all-about or concept book; 3-4 section includes craft lessons focusing on writing a biography; and the 5-8 section addresses expository writing by including a series of craft lessons on this style of writing (Portalupi & Fletcher, 2001).

The book is written in a very readable format with each craft lesson containing the same format. The craft lesson format includes the name of the craft lesson or writing skill, discussion of the lesson, how to teach the lesson, and resource material lists(Portalupi & Fletcher, 2001). These guidelines are very helpful with 80 lesson presented on single pages in a readable format. The book contains many applicable writing strategies that teachers can use. This book is a must for any teacher that wants to bring students’ writing to a clear, authoritative, and organized non-fiction writing style. Very good teaching tool.