nonfiction essays for middle school students

55 Nonfiction Writing Prompts For Middle School

Creative fiction writing is a fun way for students to practice their writing and storytelling skills, but writing nonfiction essays and journal entries is just as important.

Below, you’ll find a list of writing prompts that will encourage students to explore history, form opinions, and spend time on self-reflection.

These prompts cover a wide variety of topics, so even your most reluctant writers should have no problem choosing a prompt that speaks to them.

How to use the prompts

This writing guide can be used as homework or in tandem with your ELA curriculum.

The point is to get students to work on their nonfiction writing skills in a way that is fun and engaging.

Here are a few ways you can use the list below:

• Use these prompts for students who finish work early and need something to do.
• Pick prompts that line up with what students are learning in other classes (like history or art).
• Have each student pick a prompt for someone else in the class to use.

Nonfiction Writing Prompts

• Choose a prominent woman in art and write an essay about her accomplishments.
• Tell the story of your city or town’s founding.
• Who is your biggest role model in history? Why?
• Do you think eSports are a viable career path? Explain.
• Tell the story about how you met your best friend.
• Write a list of ten things people might not know about you.
• Talk about a time when you were bullied. How did it feel? How was the situation resolved?
• Do you think homework helps or hurts students?
• Should girls be allowed to play on boys’ sports teams? Should boys be allowed to play on girls’ teams? Explain.
• What is one thing you would change about your community? Why?
• Explain your hobby to someone who has never heard of it before.
• Do you think kids spend too much time in front of screens?
• Choose a prominent woman in science and write an essay about her accomplishments.
• Write a news article about something that has recently happened in your town.
• If you could meet one celebrity, past or present, who would it be? Why? What would you talk about?
• Write about the scariest moment of your life.
• Does your family have any holiday traditions that are different from what others do? What are they?
• Write about a time when you asked someone to forgive you, or when you forgave someone else.
• Is it important to read the book before watching the movie? Explain.
• Do you think we should continue with space exploration, or spend more time exploring the oceans? Explain.
• What are some steps that can be taken to reduce or eliminate cyberbullying?
• Choose a prominent woman in sports and write an essay about her accomplishments.
• Write a review of the last book you read.
• Why is mental health just as important as physical health?
• Explain the qualities that make someone a good friend.
• Why is it important to assess more than one point of view when forming an opinion?
• Is it important for students to participate in extracurricular activities? Explain.
• Describe in detail the last live event you attended (sports, concert, etc).
• Write about a time when you conquered a fear.
• Choose a prominent man in art and write an essay about his accomplishments.
• Write about the best vacation you’ve ever taken.
• Do you believe that technology can become addictive? Explain.
• Why is it important for students to get adequate sleep?
• Do you prefer attending school in a classroom or virtually? Why?
• Write about your least favorite chore. What makes it your least favorite? Are there ways to make it less daunting?
• Think about somewhere you’d really like to go for a field trip. Write a persuasive letter to your teacher convincing them to consider it.
• What do you think is the perfect Halloween costume? Explain.
• Choose a prominent man in science and write an essay about his accomplishments.
• Write about the role music plays in your daily life and your culture.
• Explain the qualities that make someone a good leader.
• Write about a time when you taught someone how to do something.
• Do you think students should have to ask to go to the bathroom, or should they be allowed to go whenever they need to?
• Tell the story of how your parents met.
• Which is better: casual dress or school uniforms? Explain.
• Choose a topic that people tend to disagree on, and write a short essay from both points of view.
• Choose a prominent man in sports and write an essay about his accomplishments.
• Write about a special bond you have with a pet or an animal.
• Choose a piece of art and write about its history and artist.
• Write about the first birthday you remember.
• Should tweens and teens spend less time on social media? Explain.
• What is the biggest challenge your generation currently faces?
• Should the voting age be changed to 16? Explain.
• If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be? Why?
• Do you think violent video games cause people to be violent in real life?
• Write about your favorite summer memory. How old were you? Why is it still so important?

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Don’t hesitate to reach out if you are looking for something specific and can’t find it on our site. We love hearing all of your ideas!

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History, science, current events, and social sciences are explored in these highly engaging narrative and expository nonfiction texts for middle grade readers. 

The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander. illus. by Kadir Nelson. HMH/Versify. ISBN 9781328780966.

A poignant and powerful ode to the resilience and strength of black life and history in America. Originally performed for ESPN's The Undefeated in 2016, the poem adopts a picture book format, accompanied by stunning oil paintings in Nelson's trademark photorealistic style.

Bots and Bods: How Robots and Humans Work, From the Inside Out by John Andrews. Andrews McMeel. ISBN 9781524862756.

This illustrated nonfiction title provides an orderly journey through various systems within humans and robots. The text discusses how the human body works in relation to movement, senses, and intelligence, then explains to what degree robotics can imitate those abilities. 

Race to the Bottom of the Earth: Surviving Antarctica by Rebecca E.F Barone. Holt. ISBN 9781250257802.

In 1911, teams led by Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen and English naval officer Robert Falcon Scott raced one another to be first to the South Pole. More than a century later, American endurance athlete Colin O’Brady and another Englishman, army officer Louis Rudd, scrambled for the honor of finishing the first solo traverse of the Antarctic continent. In alternating chapters, engineer and STEM advocate Barone traces each of the campaigns.

Moon Mission: The Epic 400-Year Journey to Apollo 11 by Sigmund Brouwer. Kids Can. ISBN 9781525300363.

An engaging second-person point of view narrative puts readers into the place of the astronauts in this detailed exploration of the triumphs and near-disasters of the Apollo 11 mission and the science and scientists who made it possible. 

Machines That Think! by Don Brown. illus. by author. Abrams/Amulet. ISBN 9781419740985.

A look at machines through the ages, from the abacus to 16th-century thinker Blaise Pascal’s Pascaline to Ada Lovelace’s analytical machine to the early computers used by NASA, and, finally, to smartphones.

It’s a Numbers Game!: Soccer: The Math Behind the Perfect Goal, the Game-Winning Save, and So Much More! by James Buckley Jr. National Geographic. ISBN 9781426339233.

Buckley’s book teaches readers about soccer with the help of basic geometry and statistics. The text is a combination of soccer strategies, facts, and instruction, which is told through the balanced perspective of male and female players at both the professional and beginner level.

Warrior Dog: The True Story of a Navy SEAL and His Fearless Canine Partner by Will Chesney with Joe Layden. Feiwel & Friends. Jun. 2020. ISBN 9781250244901.

Written in smooth first-person narration, this book tells the often sad story of Chesney and his best friend Cairo, a 70-pound Belgian Malinois. Chesney, who had been a SEAL for most of his six years in the Navy, became the handler of Cairo, a military working dog. They trained together, along with Chesney’s team, and became a cohesive duo. 

Draw a Comic! by JP Coovert. illus. by author. First Second. ISBN 9781250152114; ISBN 9781250152121.

A step-by-step guide to drawing comics—including how to create informative, nonfiction comics modeled on the publisher’s popular “Science Comics” series. Supplementary materials, including a glossary of comics terminology and a further reading list, round out this clarion call to expertly draw it yourself.

Give Us the Vote!: Over Two Hundred Years of Fighting for the Ballot by Susan Goldman Rubin. Holiday House. ISBN 9780823439577.

In this intriguing look at the struggles faced by voters in the United States through history and into modern times , Rubin studies the history behind winning the right to vote, both for women and people of color, and confronts issues still faced today.

The Outdoor Scientist: The Wonder of Observing the Natural World by Temple Grandin. Philomel. ISBN 9780593115558.

Grandin is a renowned American scientist and one of the most well-known public figures with autism. She connects with her audience in a personal and fascinating style while detailing her early scientific observations about the natural world. The book combines memoir, biography, informational text, and engaging projects.

Lafayette!: A Revolutionary War Tale by Nathan Hale. illus. by author. Abrams/Amulet. ISBN 9781419731488.

About-to-be-executed spy Nathan Hale entertains his captors and readers by telling stories about U.S. history in this popular graphic novel series. In this installment, Hale returns to the setting of the American Revolution to focus on the early life of French aristocrat and Revolutionary War hero Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette. 

Birds: Explore Their Extraordinary World by Miranda Krestovnikoff. illus. by Angela Harding. Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781547605293.

Birds evolved from dinosaurs. As they spread across the world into almost every habitat, they showcased flight, plumage, and distinctive songs and calls. Harding’s vivid linocut illustrations complement short chapters that detail specific habitats. The text also explains how avian characteristics such as feathers and beaks ensure the bird’s success in these environments.

Torpedoed: The True Story of the World War II Sinking of “The Children’s Ship.” by Deborah Heiligman. Holt. ISBN 9781627795548.

Heiligman tells a story of bravery, courage, and despair through the eyes of the passengers on the  SS City of Benares , a ship commissioned to sail to Canada with 100 children on board during World War II. The ship was torpedoed by a German submarine.

Murder on the Baltimore Express: The Plot To Keep Abraham Lincoln from Becoming President by Suzanne Jurmain. Little Bee/Yellow Jacket. ISBN 9781499810448.

Through a series of spy missions to infiltrate the clandestine group meetings of Abraham Lincoln haters, his protectors outsmarted the antagonists and delivered Lincoln away from Baltimore where the assassination was to occur, to Washington, DC, for the swearing-in ceremony. 

Have I Ever Told You Black Lives Matter by Shani Mahiri King. illus. by Bobby C. Martin Jr. Tilbury House. ISBN 9780884488897.

This inspiring title chronicles African American accomplishments from the Revolutionary War to the present. On alternating pages, the question, “Have I ever told you that...?” is posed, then answered by focusing on important Black trailblazers in disciplines such as science, arts, and politics. 

Amazing Treasures: 100+ Objects and Places That Will Boggle Your Mind by David Long. illus. by MUTI. What On Earth Bks.  ISBN 9781912920501.

The text defines a treasure as “anything that’s important or valuable to someone.” That definition encompasses an array of items, places, and natural wonders. Pages teem with exciting discoveries, such as the Svalbard Seed Vault in Norway, the Moai of Easter Island, and the Benin Bronzes.

Thrill Seekers: 15 Remarkable Women in Extreme Sports by Ann McCallum Staats. Chicago Review. ISBN 9781641604802.

This collective biography profiles 15 extreme sports female athletes, who have reached the highest levels of competition in their chosen sport. The featured sports include wingsuit diving, iceberg diving, parkour, downhill mountain biking, and ultra running.

Spaceman: The True Story of a Young Boy’s Journey To Becoming an Astronaut by Mike Massimino. Delacorte. ISBN 9780593120866.

Massimino’s young readers’ adaptation of his best-selling adult autobiography is more than just an appealing and accessible chronicle of becoming an astronaut. The chronological narrative describes the author’s nontraditional path to joining NASA, and his personal, academic, and professional challenges. 

The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot To Kill George Washington by Brad Meltzer & Josh Mensch. Roaring Brook. ISBN 9781250244833.

In this young reader’s edition of their best-selling book, Meltzer and Mensch trace a shadowy plot to kill Washington that may have originated with New York’s royal governor, William Tryon. This title is amply researched, well documented, and as engagingly written as a spy thriller.

Our World Out of Balance: Understanding Climate Change and What We Can Do by Andrea Minoglio. illus. by Laura Fanelli. Blue Dot Kids. ISBN 9781735000534.

This book is packed with information about the climate crisis, from the rise in sea levels to intensive farming to threats to biodiversity. Each section explains the problem, then includes a before-and-after section that describes what happened prior to the accelerating climate crisis and what is happening now.

The Friendship Book by Wendy L Moss. Magination Pr. ISBN 9781433832291.

Moss provides a guide to friendship for young readers. Topics include making friends, social media, and how friendships can change over time. The text features engaging quizzes and relatable scenarios or scenes that readers might have experienced directly or indirectly.

Bill Nye’s Great Big World of Science by Bill Nye & Gregory Mone. Abrams. ISBN 9781419746765.

Nye’s middle grade science text covers a wide range of topics, including the human body, zoology, botany, evolution, laws of motion and thermodynamics, plate tectonics, and the solar system.  Combine the effervescent and enduring appeal of Bill Nye with solid science and the result is a winner.

Born To Fly: The First Women’s Air Race Across America by Steve Sheinkin. illus. by Bijou Karman. Roaring Brook. ISBN 9781626721302.

Using a collected biographical approach, Sheinkin presents the history of early American aviation and the changing role of women in society, culminating in the Women’s Air Derby of 1929. Societal norms prevented women from competing in air races until the 1929 derby. 

Chance: Escape from the Holocaust by Uri Shulevitz. Farrar. ISBN 9780374313715.

Caldecott Medalist Shulevitz offers a profoundly honest memoir that chronicles his childhood during the time of the Holocaust. His relationship with art, as a means of genuine expression and as a constant companion, is apparent not only in the memories he shares but also in his drawings.

Enemy Child: The Story of Norman Mineta, a Boy Imprisoned in a Japanese American Internment Camp During World War II by Andrea Warren. Holiday House. ISBN 9780823441518.

In 1941, when Norman Mineta was nine years old, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, and his life changed forever. Using more than 100 photographs and many quotes from Mineta, the book chronicles his family's experiences living in an internment camp in Wyoming.

There’s No Ham in Hamburgers: Facts and Folklore About Our Favorite Foods by Kim Zachman. illus. by Peter Donnelly. Running Pr. ISBN 9780762498079.

Where do some of our favorite foods come from and how did they get their names? Zachman tackles this mystery and the history of favorite foods. with fascinating facts, cultural influences, a little kitchen science, and some lighthearted fun along the way. 

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Engaging Nonfiction Books for Middle School Readers

Nonfiction books can be a tough sell for many readers, but especially middle schoolers. If your students are anything like mine, they’re probably obsessed with dystopian stories, realistic fiction, graphic novels, and fantasy. They don’t naturally gravitate towards the nonfiction section of our classroom library, so I usually have to work a little harder to get them hooked on some nonfiction. The good news is that there are plenty of incredible nonfiction books for middle school students!

Whether it’s through Book Trailer Tuesday , First Chapter Friday , our “Bookflix” display, book recommendation brochures , or the titles I line up on my whiteboard, I’m always “advertising” nonfiction. It takes a little bit of marketing, but with the right high-interest texts, it’s easy to hook even the most reluctant of readers. To get you started, here are 10 of my favorite nonfiction books your middle school students will love!

1. When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed

If there’s only one book you can read, recommend, or order on this list, let it be this one! After all, everyone loves a good graphic novel, so it’s the perfect way to introduce students to nonfiction. The true story of Somalian refugee Omar Mohamed, this emotional memoir will give your students the gift of perspective. I’ve *never* had a student not love it. (It’s also perfect to pair with A Long Walk to Water, our first novel unit).

2. All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of The Thai Boys’ Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat

Your sports fans or readers who love survival stories will be hooked on this harrowing story of the Thai soccer team that was trapped in a cave for over two weeks. With plenty of photos and informative sidebars, All Thirteen is accessible and engaging! It’s one of those middle grade books that feels *just right* for middle school…chef’s kiss!

3 . Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

For the graphic novel fans in your classroom, this is the perfect “easy” introduction to nonfiction via a memoir. Best for readers who can handle a bit of mature content, this is the story of Jarrett “Ja” Krosoczka growing up with his grandparents while his mom battled addiction.

4. It’s Trevor Noah: Born A Crime by Trevor Noah

For readers who are ready to tackle a memoir in prose form, I’d highly recommend Trevor Noah’s entertaining, informative, and powerful memoir of growing up during Apartheid in South Africa. The child of a black mother and a white father, he’s quite literally “born a crime,” but he manages to tell his story with a satisfying, sincere mix of painful scenes, hilarious moments, and earnest reflection. This is one of my personal favorite nonfiction books for middle school readers, but students absolutely love it, too!

5. Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, & You by Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi

This list would be incomplete without this must-read that I love to recommend to any and all students. You readers will appreciate Reynold’s signature no-nonsense, engaging style in this “remix” of a we-never-learned-this-in-class history book. At its core, this book answers some seriously complicated questions without shying away from the truth: How did humans create racism, and what can we do to fight against it? It’s a must-read for any human being, but especially the lovely ones sitting in your classroom!

6. Becoming Muhammad Ali by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander

This biographical novel in verse is a dream come true for teachers because of its uncanny ability to hook the kids who “don’t like to read.” Seriously, it’s that good. Like When Stars Are Scattered, it’s a book that only gets rave reviews from the readers in my classroom. In addition to easing students into nonfiction, it’s also a great way to show students that novels in verse can be just as good as traditional fiction, too. 

7. The Borden Murders: Lizzie Borden and the Trial of the Century by Sarah Miller

Perfect for true crime and mystery fans, The Borden Murders is the fascinating story of one of the most infamous murders in American history. Well-researched with lots of primary sources, it’s the book equivalent to an unsolved mystery show that leaves you wondering “whodunnit.” This is best for readers who can handle a bit of the graphic and gory, but it’s clean (well, as clean as murder in cold blood) and well done. It falls in that sweet spot of YA that can work for both middle and high school.

8. Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose

Your students have heard of Rosa Parks, but do they know that she wasn’t the first person of color to refuse to give up her seat to a white person? Do they know that the first person to do this was actually a brave 15-year-old girl? In this accessible biography with photos and interviews, students will meet Claudette Colvin, an inspiring young woman whose story is often left out of history books. At just 133 pages, it’s manageable for a reader who wants to sample some nonfiction and learn something new!

9 . Unbroken: An Olympian’s Journey from Airman to Castaway to Captive by Laura Hillenbrand

Want something to recommend to the survival/war story-obsessed Alan Gratz fan club (or is that just my classroom)? The inspiring survival story of Olympian runner and WWII airman Louie Zamperini is sure to captivate these readers. This biography is a bit longer than some of the other texts on this list, but its thrilling narratives, photos, and perfectly-paced chapters will keep readers engaged. Your readers will be happy to know that there’s a movie, too: the perfect incentive for finishing a good book! 

10. T he Radium Girls: The Scary But True Story of the Poison That Made People Glow in the Dark by Kate Moore

At 432 pages, this, too, is lengthier, but it’s a gripping, horrifying, and important read for students who don’t mind the page count. You’ll probably need to do a little book-talking to introduce the shocking story of how young women were fatally poisoned by radium while companies denied the truth for years. But once you have students hooked, they won’t be able to stop reading this fast-paced, unbelievable account of the glowing “radium girls.”

I hope these recommendations help your students learn to love a healthy dose of nonfiction in their reading diet! These are just a few of my favorite nonfiction books for middle school, but there are plenty of other high-interest biographies, memoirs, and other nonfiction texts available for your readers. If I’ve missed one of your students’ favorites, let me know in the comments. I love discovering new books and adding more to my tried-and-true reading recommendation toolbox.

WANT MORE BOOK RECS?

If you like these recommendations, then you’ll love these book recommendation brochures. Each brochure includes an interactive reader personality quiz that automatically gives students personalized book recs based on their interests. In fact, all of the above book recs (and dozens more) are featured in the different genre brochures.

These middle school book brochures are the perfect way to take your book advertising to the next level! You can check out the full collection of 12 different genre brochures HERE. It’s a magical, self-sustaining system that will help your students answer the question, “What do I read next?” With over 250 book recs within the brochures, your students will never run out of books to read!

Want more ideas to help your students fall in love with reading? For more ideas, tips, and book recs, check out the following blog posts:

• 5 Ways to Help Your Students Fall in Love with Reading
• Book Trailer Tuesday: How to hook students on books in 3 minutes!
• Book Recommendation Brochures: FAQ
• 15 Ways to Use Book Recommendation Brochures
• 10 Reasons to Try First Chapter Friday
• First Chapter Friday: Frequently Asked Questions
• 15 Tips & Tricks for First Chapter Friday
• First Chapter Friday: Middle School Book List
• First Chapter Friday: Middle School Book List PART 2

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• Jan 6, 2020

Non-fiction in Middle School ELA: Using Research, Essay Writing, and Book Creation for Skill Focus

Updated: Dec 29, 2021

As with most reading workshop units, my non-fiction unit is based all around REAL books chosen by students. With non-fiction, this can be tricky to navigate. Over the years, I've used Lucy Calkins units to guide my non-fiction instruction. As is with most of her work, it is not very straightforward and sometimes a bit too open-ended for my students. So, I've morphed her ideas and came up with my own major approach to teaching non-fiction reading and writing.

What Skills Should be Taught

The first thing every teacher should do is determine what skills they want to teach . Obviously, we all have standards to follow, but a lot of standards overlap.

For non-fiction, these are the major skills that should be taught in middle school:

Main idea and supporting details- Specifically crafting main idea statements and using these statements to make summaries.

Text structure - Identifying and writing using text structure.

Text features - Beyond identifying...determining their purpose and also creation of text features. This will help.

Author's purpose and opinion - What motivated the author to write this? What is his/her point-of-view of the topic?

Synthesizing - Using various sources about one topic and analyzing commonalities and differences.

Research - Finding and using appropriate research to prove a claim.

These should NOT be taught in isolation. Students should be reading authentic texts to learn these skills.

Step #1 : Research

Depending on your grade level, research may look differently compared to others. I teach 6th, so I have my classes first choose a topic they'd like to research . I give them about 10 choices using a Google Form. From there, I group students based on common choices. This is for a group activity later on and allows students to meet and talk about their research.

After their topics are chosen, they request books from the public library on their topics . I give them very specific guidelines for book choice (less than 100 pages, juvenile or young adult non-fiction, expository not biography). I give them plenty of time to pick up their book(s) before beginning our unit. ( See my post about this ).

Then, they start their research in their books. Each day, I focus on a different skill from above and they need to use those non-fiction skills to guide their research. In my mini-lesson, I show how I use the skill with a mentor text. The pictures here show a sample student's digital notebook. These are a few pages.

Once they've done about a week or so of research in their texts, I provide them with articles on their topics. You may opt to have them find the articles themselves; I chose not to with my 6th graders because they get into that more in upper middle. For the articles, they focus on main idea statements and summarizing with lots of prompts.

They wrap up their research with provided videos on their topic, using main idea statements without prompts.

The very last component of their research is to see what topics all the sources have in common. What do all of them say about the topic? What are some major sub-topics they all touch upon?

This whole process takes about 2 and half weeks.

Step #2 : Essay Writing

All of their research leads to this a research essay . Students are not just writing an essay about their topic...it is not an all about [topic]. This essay centers on an opinion on their topics . The students start with claim about their topic. I say to them, "you've just read and researched [topic]. What do you have to say about it?". This becomes their claim. It is not a fact, it is an opinion that can be proved with evidence from their research.

From there, students work on pulling research from their research notebooks that could support their thinking. So, they already have a lot of research... what do they have already that could support their claim?

Developing topic sentences for body paragraphs is next on the to-do list. The topic sentence is the core of the body paragraph. It sets the stage for what the paragraph is about. Students are provided with sentence frames to build their sentences. For this particular essay, each topic sentence focuses on a different source. Students are encouraged to include their claim and focus of the source within their topic sentence. Once they finish, I check the sentences before they can move on to the next step.

After approval, students transfer topic sentences over to a new slide and start gathering the final evidence they want to add to their essays . They find three pieces of text evidence to support their topic sentences, especially the claim. These details can be from research they gathered already, however, they do need to be quoting , so my students often have to go back into their sources for quotes. Throughout the research process, they are supposed to be tagging page numbers, so they should easily be able to grab a quote when going back to the research notebooks.

Once all evidence is gathered, students must explain their text evidence. This is super important in middle school and may be a shift from elementary. They must explain how the evidence they chose supports their claim. They do this by using digital sticky notes over each piece of evidence.

Students then spend time looking over my sample essay . Yes, I write an essay, too ( see my blog post about that ). It's a lot of work, but once it's done, it's done. I give them a key of highlights to focus on. They read through my essay with a partner and highlight specific aspects of the paragraphs. This helps them see how their essay is supposed to be written. From there, they start drafting their own body paragraphs with a given checklist.

I have them write their body paragraphs first , then I talk about their introductions and conclusions. In the past, I used to teach elaborate intros and conclusions. I've learned, though, that the less wordy these are the better. So I teach them a basic three-sentence format for them. When it comes to state testing, especially, those who grade the essays just want to get to the nitty-gritty. The first picture here are the colors I tell them to focus on in their body paragraphs. The other picture is how I tell them to set up their intros and conclusions.

This whole process takes about a week. I conference with students the entire time. We spend a bit of time on revision, mostly focusing on how to not be repetitive with their writing of claims.

I have another blog post that explains this in more detail!

Step #3 : Digital eBook

All of this research and essay writing culminate in a group project . Students work in groups based on common topics. The ultimate goal is to create an informational book on Google Slides that looks like an expository text one would find in book stores! Students must create text features, headings, chapters, table of contents, and more.

They first spend time determining what topics they want to focus on in their books. They discuss common research they found. Once students come up with a decent list of topics, they put the topics under text structure categories with the goal of using that text structure when explaining the topic. I also have the students change the topics into chapter titles.

After they get all of the above organized, chapters are determined and students start gathering evidence that could fit into certain categories (mini-stories, quotes, statistics, etc.) with the intention of using the information in that chapter and to avoid just listing facts.

Then it's time to create ! They go into Google Slides and we discuss some of the tech tools they can use to create their books. Students set up chapters, create diagrams and charts, add pictures, color, etc. and overall set it up like an expository informational text. These come out great and I always share them with the school and parents.

Bottom Line

This is a huge undertaking, but it so much more authentic to build a unit around non-fiction and research with one specific topic so students can hone skills. Going digital with this makes organization so much easier. The whole process takes about a month and a half in my 82 minute classes (factoring in our daily reading and grammar/vocabulary.)

Interested in this unit ? Click below!

A super mini-version of this is available in my store as well for Martin Luther King Jr. Day !

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Are your interactive documents (like "Narrow Down Topic" & "Text Structure") compatible with PowerPoint, so that if I purchased your unit, I could use it with that program instead of Google Slides? My school has blocked students from using Google Slides.

Yes, they can be used with PowerPoint!

What mentor text did you use to explicitly teach skills?

Bell Ringers

Using book clubs to teach nonfiction in middle school.

When you think of the traditional middle school nonfiction unit, it’s probably with all your students reading and analyzing the same nonfiction text at the same time. There is definitely nothing wrong with doing this (in fact, I teach many lessons this way), but it’s not the only way to teach nonfiction! I love using book clubs to teaching nonfiction in middle school!

Over years of teaching, I have found that my favorite way to teach nonfiction – and the way that my students enjoy the most – is to apply nonfiction knowledge through book clubs. At first, this can seem a little chaotic and confusing, but with a little practice, your students will be more engaged in your reading units and show more advanced content knowledge.

What are book clubs?

Book clubs are a more informal cousin to traditional literature circles. In literature circles, students are typically reading the same books at the same pace, and they have assigned roles within the group.

In a book club, students can be reading different books and move through the books at different paces. The goal is for students to guide each other through applying the skills they have learned.

So, how do you set up book clubs and use them effectively to teach nonfiction? Here is my step-by-step guide to using book clubs for your next middle school nonfiction unit.

Step One: Let students select a nonfiction book.

You can make book selection as easy or as intricate as you would like. For the ultra-simple version, give students time in class to select a nonfiction text. This may be at the library or using class novels. 

If you want to put together an exciting day in class, try out a book tasting! During a book tasting, students get to try out different novels in order to determine which books interest them. I always called my book tastings “Starbooks” ! (You get it?) During Starbooks, I make sure my desks are in groups and put several books at each table (in this case, nonfiction books for the upcoming unit).

Students then begin to look at each book. They might preview the cover, read the summary, and even a couple pages from the book. Then, using the Starbooks menu , they write down a couple notes about the book and give it an interest rating, such as five stars for very interested in reading.

I know it can seem overwhelming to have every student reading a different book, but don’t be afraid to give your students that freedom! We will talk more about how it will work.

Step Two: Teach a mini-lesson over a nonfiction skill.

Now that students have selected their books, you can begin your nonfiction unit. This is where using book clubs to teach nonfiction comes into play. Make note of the skills you need to cover and review throughout the unit, such as author’s purpose, text features, and text structures. I always like to create a tentative map of how I will work through these concepts.

Each day, you will introduce or review one of these nonfiction skills with students through a nonfiction mini-lesson. Don’t overthink it! These are the same lessons you would teach if you were working through the same text as a class. In fact, you may have a mentor text that the whole class uses and analyzes together.

During this mini-lesson, you want to introduce any vocabulary needed, make notes, teach the material, and practice the material together. This will likely take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the amount of material you need to cover. 

You want to leave your students time to practice and apply independently or with their groups, so break a lesson up over several days if needed.

Step 3: Have students apply the nonfiction skill in their book club.

This is where the book clubs come into play. Assign students to nonfiction book clubs. You can choose students who work well together or make groups based on student strengths. Remember, these are not literature circles, so students don’t need to read the same book at the same pace, or have a specific role in the group.

Instead, when students get together with their book club, they will keep each other focused on the task and lean on each other for support with completing the task. Think of it like independent work but with peer support.

To apply the skill, present students with a reading response prompt. These prompts will challenge students thinking and get them to dig deeper into their text.

For example, after a mini-lesson on key concepts, you might have your students answer the following reading response questions:

• How does your author illustrate and elaborate the key individuals, events, and/or ideas?
• How do the key ideas relate to or connect to the central ideas of the text?

Using the book club method to teach nonfiction, your students will have several opportunities within a week to apply skills with guidance during the mini-lessons and apply the skills independently in their book club. 

I think you will also find that your students are more engaged in what they are reading, so they are able to better analyze and engage with the text. If a student finishes a book before the unit is over, simply have them choose a new one. (Also, give them a high-five!)

Want a ready-to-go middle school nonfiction unit that utilizes book clubs? This Nonfiction Interactive Notebook Unit for Middle School has everything you need to explore nonfiction with your middle school students. It includes 24 lesson plans and resources, mini-lesson outlines, reading response prompts, over 30 reading response examples, reference pages, and digital notebooks.

This unit covers all of the key standards for nonfiction, so your students can master author’s purpose, central idea, text structures, test features, and more! You can check out the entire unit here!

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25 Great Nonfiction Essays You Can Read Online for Free

Alison Doherty

Alison Doherty is a writing teacher and part time assistant professor living in Brooklyn, New York. She has an MFA from The New School in writing for children and teenagers. She loves writing about books on the Internet, listening to audiobooks on the subway, and reading anything with a twisty plot or a happily ever after.

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I love reading books of nonfiction essays and memoirs , but sometimes have a hard time committing to a whole book. This is especially true if I don’t know the author. But reading nonfiction essays online is a quick way to learn which authors you like. Also, reading nonfiction essays can help you learn more about different topics and experiences.

Besides essays on Book Riot,  I love looking for essays on The New Yorker , The Atlantic , The Rumpus , and Electric Literature . But there are great nonfiction essays available for free all over the Internet. From contemporary to classic writers and personal essays to researched ones—here are 25 of my favorite nonfiction essays you can read today.

“Beware of Feminist Lite” by  Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

The author of We Should All Be Feminists  writes a short essay explaining the danger of believing men and woman are equal only under certain conditions.

“It’s Silly to Be Frightened of Being Dead” by Diana Athill

A 96-year-old woman discusses her shifting attitude towards death from her childhood in the 1920s when death was a taboo subject, to World War 2 until the present day.

“Letter from a Region in my Mind” by James Baldwin

There are many moving and important essays by James Baldwin . This one uses the lens of religion to explore the Black American experience and sexuality. Baldwin describes his move from being a teenage preacher to not believing in god. Then he recounts his meeting with the prominent Nation of Islam member Elijah Muhammad.

“Relations” by Eula Biss

Biss uses the story of a white woman giving birth to a Black baby that was mistakenly implanted during a fertility treatment to explore racial identities and segregation in society as a whole and in her own interracial family.

“Friday Night Lights” by Buzz Bissinger

A comprehensive deep dive into the world of high school football in a small West Texas town.

“The Case for Reparations” by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Coates examines the lingering and continuing affects of slavery on  American society and makes a compelling case for the descendants of slaves being offered reparations from the government.

“Why I Write” by Joan Didion

This is one of the most iconic nonfiction essays about writing. Didion describes the reasons she became a writer, her process, and her journey to doing what she loves professionally.

“Go Gentle Into That Good Night” by Roger Ebert

With knowledge of his own death, the famous film critic ponders questions of mortality while also giving readers a pep talk for how to embrace life fully.

“My Mother’s Tongue” by Zavi Kang Engles

In this personal essay, Engles celebrates the close relationship she had with her mother and laments losing her Korean fluency.

“My Life as an Heiress” by Nora Ephron

As she’s writing an important script, Ephron imagines her life as a newly wealthy woman when she finds out an uncle left her an inheritance. But she doesn’t know exactly what that inheritance is.

“My FatheR Spent 30 Years in Prison. Now He’s Out.” by Ashley C. Ford

Ford describes the experience of getting to know her father after he’s been in prison for almost all of her life. Bridging the distance in their knowledge of technology becomes a significant—and at times humorous—step in rebuilding their relationship.

“Bad Feminist” by Roxane Gay

There’s a reason Gay named her bestselling essay collection after this story. It’s a witty, sharp, and relatable look at what it means to call yourself a feminist.

“The Empathy Exams” by Leslie Jamison

Jamison discusses her job as a medical actor helping to train medical students to improve their empathy and uses this frame to tell the story of one winter in college when she had an abortion and heart surgery.

“What I Learned from a Fitting Room Disaster About Clothes and Life” by Scaachi Koul

One woman describes her history with difficult fitting room experiences culminating in one catastrophe that will change the way she hopes to identify herself through clothes.

“Breasts: the Odd Couple” by Una LaMarche

LaMarche examines her changing feelings about her own differently sized breasts.

“How I Broke, and Botched, the Brandon Teena Story” by Donna Minkowitz

A journalist looks back at her own biased reporting on a news story about the sexual assault and murder of a trans man in 1993. Minkowitz examines how ideas of gender and sexuality have changed since she reported the story, along with how her own lesbian identity influenced her opinions about the crime.

“Politics and the English Language” by George Orwell

In this famous essay, Orwell bemoans how politics have corrupted the English language by making it more vague, confusing, and boring.

“Letting Go” by David Sedaris

The famously funny personal essay author , writes about a distinctly unfunny topic of tobacco addiction and his own journey as a smoker. It is (predictably) hilarious.

“Joy” by Zadie Smith

Smith explores the difference between pleasure and joy by closely examining moments of both, including eating a delicious egg sandwich, taking drugs at a concert, and falling in love.

“Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan

Tan tells the story of how her mother’s way of speaking English as an immigrant from China changed the way people viewed her intelligence.

“Consider the Lobster” by David Foster Wallace

The prolific nonfiction essay and fiction writer  travels to the Maine Lobster Festival to write a piece for Gourmet Magazine. With his signature footnotes, Wallace turns this experience into a deep exploration on what constitutes consciousness.

“I Am Not Pocahontas” by Elissa Washuta

Washuta looks at her own contemporary Native American identity through the lens of stereotypical depictions from 1990s films.

“Once More to the Lake” by E.B. White

E.B. White didn’t just write books like Charlotte’s Web and The Elements of Style . He also was a brilliant essayist. This nature essay explores the theme of fatherhood against the backdrop of a lake within the forests of Maine.

“Pell-Mell” by Tom Wolfe

The inventor of “new journalism” writes about the creation of an American idea by telling the story of Thomas Jefferson snubbing a European Ambassador.

“The Death of the Moth” by Virginia Woolf

In this nonfiction essay, Wolf describes a moth dying on her window pane. She uses the story as a way to ruminate on the lager theme of the meaning of life and death.

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March 9, 2014

Finding Nonfiction Articles for Middle Grades

Today I am sharing with you one of my great frustrations about 5th grade…the lack of resources. We are a curriculum-free school for reading and writing, so in August I walked into a resource-empty classroom. It has taken me months to find my ‘go-to’ websites, apps, and databases that are rigorous enough (i.e. long enough, with a 800-1000 Lexile Level) and interesting for my students. Without further ado, here are my 3 favorite websites for finding nonfiction articles that are (1) appropriate (2) rigorous and (3) interesting.

• Every article is available in 4-5 different Lexile Levels that you choose using the blue menu to the right on each article!!!!  Regardless of the level, the students are reading the same article just at their just-right reading level! Talk about differentiating!
• Articles marked with an anchor have Common Core aligned quizzes . Each quiz is aligned to a certain ‘anchor standard’. As students take the quizzes, your Teacher Binder automatically updates with the level of quiz students took and their score on the Common Core standard assessed.
• On a computer, students have the option to highlight portions of the text! On their second read of an article, I ask students to highlight the main ideas in one color and the supporting details in a second color. As a teacher, I can see what they highlight on my dashboard. Since main idea is something we always need more practice with, this is a great informal assessment!
• An audio feature that reads each article aloud to students. This is such a luxury and a perfect feature for students who receive a reader. Plus, it allows students access to an article they might not be comfortable reading independently during literacy centers (when there is no reader available)!
• Teachers also have the option to input their own “ Extended Response/Short Answer” questions . These constructed response questions appear on students’ screens (iPad, moblie device, or computer), and students are given a space to respond. Student responses then appear on your Teacher Dashboard.
• Additionally,  ThinkCERCA  has an embedded dictionary within each article. This dictionary allows students to click on a highlighted word, hear it read aloud, and see a definition for the word. Nonfiction articles are more likely to contain content-specific vocabulary that many students struggle with, and this feature helps students gain independence and confidence while reading!
• ReadWorks trusts the teacher and allows the searcher to hone their survey to a specific reading skills . Point of view, cause and effect, inference, plot, main idea, vocabulary in context – these are just a few of the dozens of skills they have articles to target!
• Each article is between 3/4’s of a page and 2ish pages in length making the articles readable, analyzable-able, and discuss-able (sure, it’s a word ;)) within my 55 minute reading block!
• ReadWorks does not stop by providing single reading passages, they have also created Common Core aligned skills units that include novels to reference, teaching sequences, lesson plans, and assessments….all for FREE {no strings attached}. My favorite units are the paired text units for 5th and 6th grade. Pairing texts helps me meet with “comparing” verbage of the Common Core and teaches students they have to analyze and integrate the information their reading! Love. It.

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Reader Interactions

March 9, 2014 at 3:11 pm

Hi! Great post. Some really good resources here! Thank you! Do you think there are sites like that for the lower grades (first??) I will need to do some research on that. Thanks so much for the information 🙂 Em Curious Firsties

March 9, 2014 at 11:35 pm

Hey Em! Off hand I cannot not think of any, but if I come across some I'll definitely pass them along to you. ThinkCERCA and NewsELA would definitel not work for you, but ReadWorks should. They are awesome resources for ALL grades and skills. 🙂

March 9, 2014 at 3:27 pm

Oh my goodness Catherine!!! We are still so into Newsela in our class, thanks to you, and now you share two other incredible sites! I can't thank you enough–I'm signing up for both right now!!

March 9, 2014 at 11:34 pm

That's awesome, Kristen! My kids love NewsELA, too. Plus, we've be testing out some new features, and they are AWESOME. I personally like the articles on NewsELA better (they are more current events based and a little more appeal to my kids), but ThinkCERA has some awesome bells and whistles (audio, dictionary, extended response). 🙂

March 9, 2014 at 4:12 pm

I LOVE NewsELA.com and ReadWorks.org, but I have never heard of ThinkCera. Thank you for a new resource! I am on the curriculum team for my district, and we are starting to rework curriculum maps for next year, so this was perfect timing!

March 9, 2014 at 11:32 pm

Yay! I am so glad to hear that Karen. I am ALWAYS look for new ELA websites. 🙂 I hope the planning goes well!

March 9, 2014 at 4:46 pm

ThinkCERCA was a new one to me and is now bookmarked. Thanks for sharing!!

March 9, 2014 at 7:38 pm

This is awesome – thanks so much! ReadWorks was the only one that I had heard of. I can't wait to look at the other websites more closely. 🙂 ~Heather Loose Shoelaces

March 9, 2014 at 8:45 pm

I am always looking for really good non-fiction articles. Thank you for finding and compiling these for us. Kristy @

March 9, 2014 at 9:04 pm

I love using NewsELA in my classroom! I also use ReadWorks quite a bit, but I've never heard of Thinkcerca before. I'll have to check it out! It can be difficult to find non-fiction articles that meet all of the requirements.

Sara 🙂 The Colorful Apple

March 9, 2014 at 10:01 pm

I always learn something new every time I visit your blog! Thanks for sharing the sites… I have been using NewsELA, but the other two are new to me. Thanks for your Bright Ideas, and for being such a helpful stop on the Hop! 🙂

Kim Finding JOY in 6th Grade

March 9, 2014 at 11:31 pm

You've made my day, Kim! It makes my heart happy that you found a new resource. I hope they making planning just a little bit easier! 🙂

March 9, 2014 at 11:00 pm

These are GREAT resources! I've been using ReadWorks, but I've never used the other two. I'm so excited to share them with my teachers!

Buzzing with Ms. B

March 9, 2014 at 11:09 pm

This is a great resource. Thanks!

March 10, 2014 at 12:38 am

I have use ReadWorks weekly but have never used the others. I am so excited to find some great resources! Thanks so much for sharing!!! Wendy One Happy Teacher

March 10, 2014 at 3:17 am

Heard about your blog from Kristen at Ladybug's Teacher Files. AMAZING resource 🙂 I love readworks. Definitely following you now!

Your new follower, Leanna

A Little of LiLi lilismilee.blogspot.com

April 5, 2014 at 10:06 pm

Hi Leanna! That's awesome. Thank you so much for stopping by. 🙂 -Catherine

April 6, 2014 at 9:00 pm

This post is awesome! I was just struggling with exactly this issue on Friday. Thanks so much for posting 🙂

April 7, 2014 at 12:07 am

Love your blog. I want to pass along some great info for teachers. Please shop at http://www.ShopForStudents.com especially for ink and toner. We discount it up to 75%, we pay for the shipping, so its FREE! No coupon needed and the best part, we donate 15% of EVERY sale to the teacher or school, etc. of your choice, even you. Just tell us at checkout. We LOVE teachers!!! Laura Shifrin, Founder 954-394-0679

April 8, 2014 at 1:45 am

Thanks for sharing! As a teacher librarian I am always looking for reliable sites to use with my students and share with my teachers. Another site I really enjoy is http://wonderopolis.org/ User vote on all types of things that people are wondering about and then they answer the questions through articles, videos and images. All sorts of topics with tons of high interest for students. The Educator Sandbox also has resources for teachers as well! Check it out!

June 13, 2014 at 7:46 pm

I love dogonews.com for current events nonfiction news! My students beg me to read them! They can use the ipad to read the article and I sometimes have them do context clues work with them, also. They can read the article and then there are blue words they can determine the meaning and then click on the word to check. I also have a bulletin board of these articles and I update them so my students can grab them for our nonfiction silent reading time!!

June 13, 2014 at 7:48 pm

June 21, 2014 at 4:52 am

Thanks for the information. I use k12reader.com sometimes, too. You might find some things you like there as well.

November 25, 2014 at 1:41 am

Read, Write, Think is an awesome resource.

December 31, 2014 at 4:53 pm

Thank you for the amazing FREE resources. Here's another really great one I've used over the years: https://student.societyforscience.org/sciencenews-students

Happy New Year!!

November 9, 2015 at 5:01 am

Here's a great addition to your list! http://www.readtennessee.org/read.aspx

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Download 100 Best Middle Grade Books. Send it!

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Books for Kids and Grown Ups

The Best Middle Grade Nonfiction Books

The best middle grade non-fiction is just as absorbing as middle grade fiction. My favorite brand of middle grade non-fiction is memoirs, especially graphic memoirs. I also enjoy the “self-help” genre, such as books geared to help kids write better, improve their entrepreneurial methods, or find better friendships. But there are so many kinds of nonfiction books for middle schoolers and upper elementary kids. If you’re looking to add more middle grade non-fiction to your reading list, then this list will help. I’ve included food books, graphic memoirs, historical stories, fascinating deep dives on unique topics, books to help kids write better, and much more.

Join our Patreon community to get the printable version of this li st ! You’ll also get access to other kid lit resources, like our seasonal guides and educator interviews, to inspire you.

The Best Middle Grade Non-Fiction Books

Here are 40 best middle-grade nonfiction books:

Novelty/Coffee Table/Fact Books

If you have kids who enjoy fact books or coffee table style books, here are some options for them.

How It Happened! Pizza

Published: November 7, 2023

As a fan of a good pizza, this non-fiction book grabbed me from the cover. I was delighted to learn facts about pizza I didn’t even know I was curious about—like where its major components originated and the differences between pizza sold by franchises worldwide. Did you know tomatoes were first grown in South America and not Italy? This charming release has easy-to-read text, real pictures, illustrations, and fact pages that grab young readers’ attention. I’d recommend it for ages 9+

The Handbook of Forgotten Skills: Timeless Fun for a New Generation

Published: August 1, 2023

Did the adults in your life teach you how to change a bicycle tire? Or to use a compass? How about gift wrapping? Or writing a thank you note? There’s so much that kids today don’t know how to do—so many useful life skills (and some that are just fun, like coin tricks 🤭). I love the pictures and easy-to-follow directions in this book! My husband already learned how to do one coin trick and is going to have so much fun showing off with the littles we know. Great for ages 9+

Transported: 50 Vehicles That Changed the World

Published:  October 3, 2023

A fascinating book about the vehicles that have shaped our world, written by narrowboat captain and children’s author Matt Ralphs, with stunning color illustrations on every page by Rui Ricardo. From ancient chariots and Viking longships to racing cars, rockets, and solar-powered airplanes, our world has been changed by the pioneering development of many incredible vehicles. This book is absolutely breathtaking and the perfect coffee table book for engineering-curious readers (or anyone) to flip through when they feel the need. Perfect for ages 9+

Published: October 1, 2023

2023 seemed like the year Barbie was everywhere, and this coffee table book celebrates the doll’s fascinating 65-year history. Tweens and teens might not know that when Barbie made her debut in the 1950s, she represented a woman with interests outside the home–something completely revolutionary in those days. The book explores how generations of girls have explored their own dreams through playing in Barbie’s world. Ages 9+

Listified!: Britannica’s 300 lists that will blow your mind 

Published: September 7, 2021

Is the Encyclopedia Britannica too stuffy for you? This book,also from Britannica, has all the useful facts but packaged in fun and quirky lists that explain cool concepts from a unique perspective (for example – planet sizes, if they were vegetables), accompanied by hilarious illustrations that will keep all kids engaged and excited to share with others. Ages 9+

Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods

Published September 12, 2023

Author Grace Lin has put together a comprehensive, delicious, and delightful feast for the eyes, mind, and soul. From the questions you’ve always asked when reading an American Chinese restaurant menu (Who exactly is General Tso? Why did Buddha jump over the wall?) to the questions you might not have thought to ask (what are chopstick taboos?), this beautiful, bestselling book will provide foodie readers with all the answers. Just note: one side effect of reading this book is that it will make you VERY hungry! Ages 9+

Kid Athletes: True Tales of Childhood from Sports Legends

Published November 17, 2015

Funny, inspiring and all-true, this collection of mini-biographies will delight sports fans and any readers who love hearing about the childhood antics of famous celebrities. From Super bowler Peyton Manning’s middle school tango to the challenges Billie Jean King had to face to play tennis as a girl in the 1960s, or Lionel Messi’s short statue and growth hormone deficiency, which he overcame to become one of the best-known soccer stars in the world. Each biography is accompanied by clever, full-color illustrations and are approximately 2-4 pages long. Ages 9+

An Atlas of Lost Kingdoms: Discover Mythical Lands, Lost Cities and Vanished Islands

Published: October 4, 2022

This atlas blends history and myth to explore the lost kingdoms, phantom islands, and legendary continents once sought by explorers. Maps, manuscripts, and carvings give readers “clues” to where these lost kingdoms might be. Atlas of Lost Kingdoms was shortlisted for the 2023 Children’s Travel Book of the Year and is an excellent choice for kids who love mythology, geography, and travel. Ages 8+

Middle Grade Memoirs

These memoirs are perfect for middle schoolers who like to read about the real-life experiences of authors when they were kids.

Published: September 10, 2019

Free Lunch chronicles author Rex Ogle’s experiences during his sixth-grade year:  feeling constantly hungry, being uncomfortable in ill-fitting second-hand clothing, and dealing with dissolving friendships. The memoir’s title comes from Rex’s dependence on the free lunch program at school and the shame he feels when he has to explain to the cashier that he’s on the program. While some of the language and content might be more suitable for mature 6th-grade readers, this memoir provides a wealth of teachable moments and discussion. Free Lunch is heart-wrenching, beautifully written, and a significant contribution to children’s literature. Ages 10+

It’s Trevor Noah: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood

Published: April 7, 2020

Teens might know Trevor Noah as the former host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central, but they likely don’t know much about his childhood. In this bestselling young readers’ adaptation of his adult memoir, Noah unflinchingly shares his personal story and the injustices he faced while growing up mixed race – half black and half white – in South Africa both during and after apartheid. Ages 10+

When Stars Are Scattered

Published: April 14, 2020

Omar and Hassan (who is non-verbal) live in a refugee camp in Kenya after fleeing war in Somalia. Despite unimaginable living conditions and constant disappointments, they find a loving community of people. However, when Omar is offered the opportunity to attend school, he’s torn. If he goes to school, who will protect Hassan? The interdependent text and illustrations in the graphic novel form allow the reader to experience Omar’s reality- a reality unfathomable to most people, regardless of age. An afterword and authors’ notes (with photographs!) offer further closure to Omar’s story and connect readers to the real people behind the characters. Ages 9+

Almost American Girl: An Illustrated Memoir

Published January 28, 2020

Fifth-graders who loved Raina Telgemeier’s Smile will be immersed in Robin Ha’s memoir. She came to Kansas on what she thought was a vacation with her single mother. However, once she landed in the United States, a teenage Robin was astounded to learn that they were no longer returning to Seoul, Korea, but living in the Southern US with a Korean-American man whom her mother had just met and planned to marry. Empathetic tween readers will shudder with sympathy as they follow Robin’s years through an American education, not speaking the language or being able to read her beloved comics. Artistic readers will relish the solace she ends up finding in drawing. Ages 10+

A First Time for Everything

Published: Feb 28, 2023

Award-winning graphic novelist Dan Santat pulls off a hat trick of a book – a personal story of his own awkward middle school years seen through the prism of one trip to Europe. This book hits all the right notes – the travelogue aspect, a chance to see Santat’s incredible illustrations of Europe in the 1980s, and his realistic, humorous depiction of his own experiences with friendship, first love, and…Fanta, the European soda. Middle school readers will come for the drawings and stay for the thoughtful, poignant, and thoroughly engaging musings of the brilliant Dan Santat. Ages 10+

Picture this: a Winnebago full of your EIGHT siblings, as you travel into Mexico, where you have barely been, even though you are a Mexican-American family, to find your abuelita and bring her back with you to the United States. This reads like the best premise of a novel, but is the true story of Pedro Martin, describing his own journey! Told in a poignant yet hilarious fashion, Martin’s graphic memoir (which won a Newbery Honor) shares family misadventures and anecdotal insights into Mexican-American culture that everyone will appreciate. Ages 9+

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Young Readers Edition

Published January 5, 2016

A nonfiction classic that weaves strands of agricultural innovation, strength in adversity and of a community coming together, this book, also the subject of multiple movies and documentaries, doesn’t get old. This book tells the fascinating story of a boy and a community. William Kamkwamba, who was born into a small village in Malawi, faces the terrible consequences of a drought that hits his village. Losing all their crops and struggling to farm their land with the rising cost of maize and faced with a government that cannot or would not be able to help much, Kamkwamba ends up creating a windmill out of old, scavenged parts that help their community pump water back into the village’s land. Told with strength, joy, humor and energy, this nonfiction book is a great read-aloud or book to be shared between middle schoolers and adults alike. Ages 9+

Self-Help Middle Grade Nonfiction

If your kids like to learn about specific things like how to write a book, how to manage money or tips for better mental health, these are some good options for them.

Dear Ally, How Do You Write a Book?

Published: September 1, 2020

This teen writer’s guide offers an insider’s look into becoming a published author. It features interviews with numerous YA writers and delves deeply into key aspects of crafting a compelling story, such as plot development, worldbuilding, creating conflict, and crafting memorable characters. Additionally, the book gives young readers a realistic look at the book publishing industry. The author emphasizes the importance of exploring different approaches to storytelling and finding joy in writing. While there are plenty of writing guides, Dear Ally stands out as a comprehensive and inspirational resource. Ages 10+

Thank You for Coming to My Ted Talk

Published March 10, 2020

This slim volume is packed full of wisdom for teenagers (and adults!) in this day of compelling presentations. As people absorb their information more and more through bite-sized presentations, video, audio, or both, Ted Anderson, curator of TED, highlights the common thread behind the most successful TED talks. For teens who are creating their own content, in short videos or podcasts, this will help them stand out. For teachers and parents who are trying to help their kids or students deliver their most persuasive public speeches and presentations, this is also invaluable, as well as highly readable! With helpful tips and relatable anecdotes, this book will appeal to parents, educators, and teen speakers alike. Ages 11+

Cash is Queen: A Girl’s Guide to Securing, Spending and Stashing Cash 

Published: January 3, 2023

This guide to managing money, specifically for teenage girls, teaches readers how to establish healthy financial habits. The book is full of eye-catching illustrations and explains topics like budgeting, saving, and investing in an accessible, relatable way. “Crown jewels” summarizes the essential points at the end of each chapter, and the entire book is written in an uplifting, empowered voice–a refreshing change from other financial guides! Cash is Queen is a vital resource for a society that neglects financial education, especially for women, and would make an excellent gift for any young reader. Ages 11+

Where to Start: A Survival Guide to Anxiety, Depression, and Other Mental Health Challenges

Published: April 11, 2023

Growing up is always hard. But what if your 8th grader is really struggling with their mental health? This guide is a comforting resource and a perfect first step to understanding anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges. In addition to straightforward information, the guide includes tips on talking to loved ones about your challenges and how to connect with a mental health professional. Funny cartoons and illustrations throughout the book help reassure teens that they can get through difficult times. Ages 10+

The Playbook: 52 Rules to Aim, Shoot, and Score in This Game Called Life

Published: February 14, 2017

A poet writing about basketball, serving up quotable quotes. This book is perfectly designed for young athletes or anyone who needs a little pick-me-up when life feels tough. Written by award-winning poet-author Kwame Alexander, this book features tiny vignettes about his own life as well as 52 different chapters – metaphorical rules that apply to sports but also, to everything in life. Interspersed with quotes by celebrity and athlete notables like Michelle Obama, Steph Curry, and the like, this makes for a great gift for aspiring athletes as well as after-dinner parent-tween read-alouds. Ages 10+

Historical Nonfiction for Middle Schoolers

You know what makes fascinating middle-grade nonfiction? History! Here are some tween nonfiction books that highlight a historical event.

  Published: November 14, 2023

The bombing of Pearl Harbor is an unforgettable part of American history, but you’ve never seen it depicted as Marc Favreau does in this nonfiction title. We revisit that day and its aftermath through the eyes of several people, including a Japanese spy, a relegated American soldier, residents of the island of Hawaii, and members of the military families in the area. It includes real historical photographs and was pieced together from an array of eyewitness accounts. I love how accessible and easy to read this book is. Good for ages 9+

All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team 

Published: October 13, 2020

In June 2018, twelve youth soccer players and their coach entered a cave for a few hours of exploration and fun. Suddenly, the cave began to flood, blocking their exit. News of the team’s plight prompted a complex rescue mission that lasted seventeen days and involved rescue workers from across the globe. Using firsthand interviews, photographs, diagrams, cultural information, and details of the region’s landscape, Soontornvat crafts a clear, compelling narrative that highlights both the efforts of the above-ground operation and the mental strength of the boys and their coach. Ages 10+

The Boys in the Boat (Young Readers Adaptation)

Published August 2, 2016

A powerful true story that features the triumph of the underdog, West Coast versus New England rowing culture, and a defeat of the Nazis during their own Olympics – what more could you want in an epic coming-of-age book? This book tells the true story of 9 working-class rowers from the University of Washington who overcome adversity, challenges, and discrimination to be able to compete in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. This book weaves a fascinating account of the rise of our young Western rowers, with the backdrop of Hitler’s Nazi party slowly looming in the background. With full-color pictures to accompany its breathless and fast-paced prose, this book is a triumph, both in its content and in its delivery. Young readers will definitely want to watch both the documentary and the movie version after reading! Ages 10+

Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team

Published: Jan 17, 2017

Steve Sheinkin, a three-time National Book Award finalist, writes a compelling history of one of the most impressive athletes in American history, as well as one of its most disturbing instances: the creation of Indian boarding schools in the late 1800s to early 1900s. This book highlights one athlete’s story, from his humble beginnings to his athletic triumphs over adversity on the football field to the larger contributions of Native Americans to the field of football. This is an intriguing and important must-read for many sports fans. Ages 10+

March: Book One 

Published: August 13, 2013

A powerful graphic memoir about the beginnings of the civil rights movement, told through the eyes of Congressman John Lewis, one of its key figures. The first in a trilogy, the first book tells the story of Lewis’s childhood in Alabama, the life-changing moment he met Martin Luther King Jr, and his growing involvement in the sit-ins and other non-violent protests against segregation and discrimination. Readers will want to continue observing his journey in the following books in the series, that will take us up to the powerful March on Washington. Ages 9+

Middle Grade Nonfiction Books About Science

Hand these science-y middle grade nonfiction books to kids who love nature and all things STEM.

What Is a Solar Eclipse?

Published: February 6, 2024

What really happens during a solar eclipse? How does an eclipse affect the energy in our atmosphere? This book, published just in time for the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, answers these questions and more in an incredibly accessible format. The book explains exactly what solar eclipses are, how long they last, and how to safely observe them. Plenty of engaging pictures and interesting diagrams will capture–and keep–young readers’ interest. Ages 8+

Science Comics: Elephants: Living Large

Published: March 12, 2024

This new Science Comics book is told from the perspective of a young African elephant and shares lots of cool facts about elephants (of different kinds). It’s cute and delightful and will be well-loved by middle schoolers who love elephants or dream of going on safari someday. Ages 8+

Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day

Published: March 14, 2023

In his graphic novel Hidden Systems , author Dan Nott explores water, electricity, and the internet–three fundamental systems that are often overlooked–to discover what’s hidden beneath the surface. Drawings and straightforward explanations explain how these hidden systems work and highlight their histories, inequities, and future potential. When readers are learning about a complex topic, visuals help increase comprehension, so the graphic novel format works exceptionally well here. Ages 11+

Extra Life (Young Readers Adaptation): The Astonishing Story of How We Doubled Our Lifespan 

Extra Life explores how humans have doubled their lifespan, now living longer than we ever have in more than three hundred thousand years. Readers will be fascinated to discover that most of the advances–seatbelts, vaccines, pasteurization, public health data, and more–have happened in recent history. This book dives deeply into the sciences behind these advancements but is still short enough at 128 pages not to overwhelm young readers. Ages 10+

Narrative Nonfiction Books for Middle School

While you’ll find some narrative nonfiction sprinkled throughout this list, we’re highlighting a few more favorites in this section!

Total Garbage: A Messy Dive into Trash, Waste, and Our World

Published: March 7, 2023

Where does our garbage come from? Where does it go? This slim volume is a deep dive into our trash, how it affects our planet, and how we can be more mindful. Great for kids ages 9+

The Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II

Published: March 5, 2024

Now, this is riveting narrative non-fiction about the girls recruited by the UK to decipher Germany’s messages. I knew so little about this and Bletchley House, and it was such an engaging way to learn more about their work and how ciphers work. Older middle schoolers will want to create their own ciphers and will enjoy the black-and-white photos on nearly every page. Ages 10+

Impossible Escape: A True Story of Survival and Heroism in Nazi Europe

Published: August 29, 2023

Impossible Escape is the story of Rudi Vrba, who spent nearly two years at Auschwitz during World War II as a teenager. When Vrba learned of the methodical mass killing of Jewish prisoners, he and a friend managed to escape and become the most famous whistleblowers of all time–informing the world of Nazi atrocities and saving an estimated 100,000 lives. Award-winning author Steve Sheinken combines impeccable research with first-hand perspectives to create a gripping nonfiction narrative that’s impossible to put down. Good for ages 12+

Born to Fly: The First Women’s Air Race Across America 

Published September 24, 2019

We’ve all heard about Amelia Earhart and often think of her end, surrounded by tragedy and mystery. This book tells the giddy, euphoric story of the Golden Age of Aviation and the daring pilots who participated in the first Women’s Air Derby. Readers will delight in learning more about Earhart but also about Marvel Crosson, Florence Lowe, Bobbi Trout, and many others, whose fearless exploits and resourcefulness make this book as breathtaking as those first flights where humans could first take to the skies. Ages 10+

Graphic Middle Grade Nonfiction

If your kids will only read graphics, you have to try these graphic nonfiction books!

History Comics: The Wild Mustang: Horses of the American West

Published: February 23, 2021

Equine fans (of which there are MANY in the tween years) will rejoice! This is a rollicking history of the most famous breed of wild horses in the US. This history comic book has a strong narrative voice, incredibly detailed and rich drawings on par with the most sophisticated graphic novels, and is packed with facts. Whether it is exploring the origins of wild mustangs with the Spanish arrival in the New World, the relationship between Native Americans and horses, or how present-day mustang aficionados can help preserve the species, this book has it all. Ages 9+

Passport 

Published: November 30, 2021

Sophia is living with her family in Central America when she reads a letter and learns that her parents are working for the CIA. As Sophia tries to make sense of this news, and the web of lies surrounding her, she begins to question everything. The impact that this discovery has on Sophia’s identity and understanding of the world makes for a page-turning exploration of lies and double lives. Ages 12+

Cold War Correspondent (Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales #11)

Published: October 26, 2021

The latest installment of this ever-popular graphic nonfiction history series, Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales, this time featuring the story of Korean War journalist Marguerite Higgins. Higgins was one of the few female journalists of the time, especially on the war front, Higgins’ daring bravery and her need to tell the story of the front lines of the invasion and share the truth with newspaper readers back home make for a compelling and important history told in Nathan Hale’s typically humorous yet engaging way. One of the foremost war correspondents, this history reminds readers of the importance of words, especially in wartime. Ages 9+

Yummy: A History of Desserts

Guided by three food sprites named Peri, Fee, and Fada, this graphic novel explores the fascinating history of desserts, answering questions like “Who put the first chocolate chip in cookie dough?” This book manages to be both lighthearted and informative, exploring the history and cultural influences on desserts and the science behind their creations. Along the way, the sprites share yummy-looking recipes for readers to try at home. Elliott’s illustrations are fun, unique, and vibrant, and the book’s content and complexity are perfect for 6th graders. We initially checked this one out from the library but liked it so much I purchased a copy for our home and have bought some as birthday gifts! Ages 10+

Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey

Published: November 17, 2015

Grade 6 and up. This funny, heartrending graphic memoir tells the story of Ozge, a girl growing up in 1980s Turkey. Readers will laugh along with Ozge as she describes her childhood growing up in Turkey and be intrigued by the differences between her childhood in newly industrializing Turkey and our modern-day American experience. As the book progresses, more complicated forces come into play and we notice, like the author as she gets older, the contradictory tug between loyalty,  faith, Muslim traditions and Westernized values. Hand this book to older middle schoolers who love art and who are ready for the harder questions of politics, economy and history.

Nonfiction Picture Books for Older Kids

These last two recommendations are picture books that will thrill readers of all ages, especially those who are interested in science or animals.

What’s Inside a Caterpillar Cocoon?

Published: September 5, 2023

Butterflies and moths might seem as different as day and night or as similar as twins, depending on how well you know them. This slim, gorgeous, nonfiction picture book is what science textbooks can only dream of being. It beautifully explores the differences between these two insects, their similarities, and the awe-inspiring metamorphosis they experience. Each page is a wonder that will leave young readers breathlessly hungry for more. Ages 7+

The Universe in You: A Microscopic Journey

Published: December 13, 2022

Another beautiful, wondrous book by author/illustrator Jason Chin. This is the book that will make you have all your old science textbooks out the window! Starting with a tiny hummingbird, the pages flip through and zoom in, from a bird, to a bee, to a hair on a little girl’s hand, to the microscopic atoms in her body. Filled with full-page illustrations as well as information-rich text, this book, like so many of Chin’s other nonfiction picture books, seeks to humanize large scientific concepts and make them both relatable and render them in exquisite illustrated detail. This is a must-purchase for any kid who is curious about science, biology and the invisible yet important particles inside us all.

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April 25, 2018

8 nonfiction texts that will captivate middle school and high school students.

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I'm always looking for new books to include in my classroom library. These are fantastic recommendations!

Thank you for the recommendations! I've had The Other Wes Moore on my WTR list forever...I need to get that book! :-) I have an Audible subscription, and, luckily, my students this year really like to listen to audiobooks. I have low-level freshmen, so hearing it as they read really pulls them in and helps them get a better understanding of the text. Plus, the narration is so much more engaging than my daily "performance." Hehee! Right now, I'm going to go check out How They Croaked; it sounds perfect! Thank you, again!

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108 Engaging And Creative Nonfiction Writing Prompts

So you want to write a nonfiction book . Good for you! What are you going to write about ?

I know. That question stumps most everyone.

What indeed? Coming up with creative nonfiction ideas isn’t for the faint of heart.

Nonfiction is a big, broad genre of book writing, and narrowing it down to an area in which you have some expertise, background , or interest can be daunting.

And even if you kinda, sorta know what you want to write about , you’re not exactly sure how to begin or how to get your creative juices flowing.

That’s why we’ve created a varied list of nonfiction writing prompts for you — so you can narrow down your choices or pinpoint precisely the type of nonfiction you want to write.

108 Creative Nonfiction Writing Prompts

Ready to get started? Read through this list of creative nonfiction ideas, and make a note of any that resonate with you.

Or just start writing about one of the nonfiction prompts and see where it takes you.

If you’ve been wondering, “What are some nonfiction topics I might write about?” then these prompts can help you narrow down ideas for your next book project.

1. You’ve developed a new creative side-hustle, and you have enough business to bring in at least a few hundred (or even thousand) a month.

2. You know how to prepare for a specific kind of disaster, and you want to make others aware not only of the imminent danger of that disaster but how best to prepare for it.

3. The Missing Ingredient: What is one thing most people forget or overlook when making or doing something?

4. This is something most people don’t know about ______.

5. You could be more (or less) ______.

6. You need more _____ in your life.

7. Discontent is not (always) a lack of gratitude. Here’s why.

8. The right music can change everything for you. Here’s how.

9. Swap this for that and see how it changes your life!

10. Be your own devil’s advocate? Why would you want to do that?

11. What on earth does logic have to do with creative writing (or creative anything)?

12. Are your morning/nighttime habits keeping you poor? Or did they for a while?

13. How do you go on after your best friend dies (or leaves you)?

14. What one thing could you add to your workspace to make you happier and more productive?

15. What one thing in your life would you love to change? And what can you do to change it — and help others do the same?

16. Your doc says, “No more alcohol for you!” So, you look for ways to relax without it.

17. You used to take everything personally — thinking everyone was comparing you to someone else.

18. Why do bad things pile up the way they do? And what can you do about it?

19. Why would anyone want to live in < city /state/country>

20. Yeah, your desk is cluttered — and you’re okay with that.

21. Your oldest kid is driving you nuts, and you have to admit your role in that.

22. Your pets have all but destroyed an entire room in your home.

23. So, you want to do something dangerous (skydiving, parasailing, bungee jumping, learning parkour, etc.).

24. You’ve always wanted to travel to ______. How can you afford it, and what do you need to know?

25. Investing is a scary business. How do you even begin?

26. You’re moving, but you can’t find a buyer for your house. Why not rent it out instead — and how do you do that?

27. You have no Christmas budget, but you want to make this Christmas one your kids will remember fondly.

28. You learned something from writing your last book that has changed the way you write them.

29. Everything started to fall into place once you finally narrowed your focus to the kind of writing you really want to do.

30. When you changed this little thing in your diet, you started dropping weight faster than ever before.

31. Something you didn’t know about your body has been working behind the scenes, turning your own efforts against you.

32. Caffeine has always been one of your besties, but now your doc says you have to cut back — or even cut it completely from your diet!

33. Your path from the 9-to-5 job to full-time self-employment hasn’t been like the ones described by the experts whose books you’ve read, but you know you’re not alone.

34. Serendipity is nice and all, but something else is responsible for your success, and you want others to know what that is — and how they can make it work for them.

35. When was the last time you actually kept a New Year’s resolution? How did you keep it, and what difference did it make?

36. How big is your daily to-do list? And what kind of daily planning works for you?

37. What changes have you made to your monthly spending that have made a huge difference for you?

38. Desperation (i.e. lack of money and/or time) made you do it. You learned how to do something yourself, you did it well, and people are saying good things.

39. One of your kids has said, “I don’t read. I have ADHD.” You have ADHD, too, though, and you read plenty. You become determined to find out if something else is going on.

40. Adding this spice to every day’s menu has made a big difference in your health — as well as your enjoyment of cooking.

41. Only when you discovered and addressed a deficiency in a certain nutrient did you begin to feel more energetic, alive, and creative than you remember ever feeling before.

42. Your doctor suggests a new therapy for your condition but warns you that it could damage one of your other organs.

43. No one told you how hard it would be to withdraw from SSRIs (or how long it could take), but through trial and error, you found a way.

44. Everyone around you is telling you to quit taking your SSRI, but you know that — somehow — it has actually helped you.

45. Your kids have special needs, and you’re fed up with people making assumptions about their intelligence or their parenting when they act up in public.

46. You find an approach to homeschooling (or partial homeschooling) that restores your kids’ curiosity and love of learning and creating.

47. Your oldest wants to drop out of school, because so-and-so did it, and “Look how successful he is!”

48. Your marriage was deteriorating until you made this one, small change.

49. For years, all you had to do was look at a donut, and you’d gain weight. Then you changed one thing

50. You made a goal: “In the next 100 days, I will ______.”A hundred days later, you’ve exceeded your goal .

51. The first day of that “staycation” you wanted has arrived.

52. You went on a mission to where?

53. You’ve increased your own self-confidence and helped others to boost theirs, too.

54. Ditching both Netflix and your gym membership has changed your life for the better….

55. Changing your beliefs about something has caused some tension at home but has also made it possible for you to earn and accomplish more than you used to think was possible.

56. Childhood memories and the emotions attached to them have held you back for years, but not anymore.

57. Your high school education led you to college, which led you to a job you hated but felt stuck with for years.

58. What app or online tool has changed the way you do business?

59. Families can take a heavy toll on a house. What repair work have you had done to restore your home and what have you learned to do yourself?

60. Your second grader hates school and thinks reading is boring.

61. One of your kids is a writer and wants to take a page out of her main character’s book and dye her hair purple.

62. One of your kids has come out to you as gay, bisexual, or asexual.

63. One of your teenage kids has chosen a different religion and no longer wants to go to church with his family.

64. A brush with death has changed your priorities, and you’ve made some drastic changes.

65. You’ve hit your forties and found a list you made 10 years ago of the things you wanted to accomplish during your 30’s.

66. You’ve had an epiphany in the shower, and after exploring it with a journal entry, you’re thinking, “This could be a book!”

67. You’re looking at a goal and thinking, “What kind of person do I have to be to accomplish this goal in the time I’ve set for it?”

68. What does it mean to be neurotypical as opposed to neurodiverse?

69. How has marriage changed your perception of married life?

70. You learn that one of your kids is autistic, and you and your spouse have very different reactions to the news.

71. You and your spouse have opposing beliefs with regard to gender differences and sexual orientation, and it’s becoming a problem.

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72. You’ve just learned to fix something in your own house and have saved yourself thousands of dollars.

73. You can’t shake something from your past, but you’re not sure if you even remember it correctly anymore.

74. Your spouse doesn’t seem to really care about what you have to say, and it really bothers you.

75. Your significant other has started writing erotica and is making a nice, steady income with it, but you’re conflicted.

76. You’ve been writing books for years, and then your SO writes a book and sells more copies of his/her first novel than you’ve ever sold.

77. You’ve found the perfect quick remedy for canker sores, and it uses cheap and easy-to-find ingredients.

78. You’ve never really been a hat person until you saw a hat you liked on someone else.

79. You and your SO can’t agree on wall colors for your new home.

80. It all started when someone told you that you needed a professional photo taken.

81. Everyone should take a road trip, because…

82. Of all the superpowers, this would your #1.

83. You found the perfect secluded vacation spot/s with great food, and they’re not crazy expensive.

84. You’ve always had a knack for losing weight — right up until your mid-forties.

85. You have a gift for dismantling and countering other people’s arguments.

86. One of your kids has gotten her first job, and you want to help her budget her earnings without being too controlling.

87. One of your kids has just announced an engagement to a person you don’t particularly like or trust.

88. Your friend has challenged you to spend a week unplugged — no internet, no cable, and no phone.

89. Your in-laws have come over to help with house projects, and since your spouse didn’t tell you they were coming, the place is a disaster.

90. You really do want to lose that weight — really — but your daily wine habit is hard to kick.

91. Oh, the joys of pet ownership! Your new fur-baby has moved right in and claimed the house as his own — with multiple visual tokens of acceptance.

92. Your spouse wants to be intimate, but you’d rather avoid it.

93. Your friend wants to start a business with you. You spend hours talking about this and addressing the main obstacles, and finally, you go for it.

94. You’re so good at writing academic papers that your college classmates start offering to pay you to write their essays and reports for them.

95. Your in-laws vilify you as a traitor because of the way you voted, and their petty attacks even extend to your children.

96. Every time you go to a potluck, people come up to you and beg you for your recipe. You’ve decided to create your own potluck recipe book — with a unique twist.

97. You’ve attended a fascinating seminar about being “limitless,” and while you’re still a bit skeptical, you really want to believe in the speaker’s message. You go all in, and things start changing for you.

98. You’re fed up with your health-obsessed teenage son constantly telling you you’re out of the foods he likes, and when you ask him to try something else, he angrily reminds you that it’s not his fault he can’t tolerate those foods.

99. Your kid wants to eat nothing but croutons and potato chips, and you can’t get him to try anything else (ironically he’s the same child who later grows into the health-obsessed teenager in the previous prompt).

100. You’re out driving and your car has a flat. You call your spouse who basically throws up his hands, sighs dramatically, and tells you to call AAA. You get a tow, and your spouse (who is at home) suggests you learn how to change a tire.

101. After twenty-three years of adhering to your religious beliefs, you have more questions than ever, and no one can answer them in a satisfying way.

102. Your best friend, who never went to college, is earning much more than you are and is loving life more. You meet him for lunch and ask how he’s gotten to where is, and what do you have to do to get there.

103. The staff at your kid’s school have called to tell you they’re having trouble with your daughter again because she just doesn’t seem to respect the authority of her teachers or other school staff.

104. You and your spouse go to an IEP meeting for your son, who has been miserable at school and who is tired of being micromanaged by the staff.

105. You’re at a pre-wedding retreat at your church, and when the leaders announce a break, your fiance heads out the large glass front door and lets it close in your face.

106. Once again, you’ve played the peacemaker at home, and relative tranquility is restored, but your relationships with your spouse and with your kids has suffered, and you’re not sure which has done the most damage: the open arguments or the forced calm.

107. Throwing fancy brunches and dinner parties is one of your favorite things, and people come to you for ideas on how to make theirs better. You’ve decided to write a book on hosting unforgettable brunches and dinner parties.

108. You’ve never forgotten how you loved the food when you lived in, and you’ve collected a variety of recipes, along with the history behind them.

Did you find some nonfiction topics to write about?

We hope our list of writing prompts has primed your creative pump and that one (or more) of them is on the shortlist for your next book.

If you don’t feel confident that your topic is one that readers are looking for, check out our post on tools and resources to help you make the best choice.

Even if you use these prompts only as creative nonfiction writing exercises, you won’t be wasting your time.

You’ll not only have a better idea about possible book topics for the future but also you’ll improve your writing and hone your skills at fleshing out an idea.

All of your efforts contribute to your success as a writer and your sense of confidence as you begin outlining your next nonfiction book.

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The Best Nonfiction Texts For Teaching ELA

Nonfiction texts are incredibly valuable for your secondary ELA classroom, and there are so many things you can do with them, from pairing them with poetry to using them as springboards into discussion about societal issues. 

One of my favorite classes to teach is AP Lang because it is packed to the brim with nonfiction, but you know what's funny? I didn't even read nonfiction until I was in my late 20s. I'm a lover of literature (as you probably are if you're an English teacher). So, if you are like me, and you have come to the world of nonfiction a little later, I've got good news: we've narrowed down some amazing nonfiction texts to start using in your classroom this week. No need to sort through the bowels of the internet to piece something together. 

This is a collaborative blog post where I include my favorite nonfiction text to teach, and my fellow teacher friends chime in on theirs!

A Nonfiction Text That You Can Pair With Poetry

Jeanmarie from McLaughlin Teaches English loves to be able to pair non-fiction with fiction and poetry.  So, when she stumbled upon the essay, “I Too, Sing America” by Julia Alvarez , she was excited for the possibilities because she was immediately reminded of the poems by Walt Whitman and Langston Hughes.

In this essay, Alvarez recounts the role that books and education played in her early years, growing up in the Dominican Republic. She chronicles how she felt lost once she came to America because she had lost almost everything in the move.  It was the 1960’s and she faced prejudice and a melting pot mentality.  She struggled to find her place.  That is until she found the pair of poems “I Hear American Singing” by Walt Whitman and “I, Too” by Langston Hughes .

Langston Hughes’ words resonated for her.  It made her realize there was a place for her and she talks about the importance of “one human family.”  She ends with is own poem:  “I, Too, Sing America.”

How To Teach This Nonfiction Text 

Have students first read the essay for its big ideas.  Have them annotate for anything that pertains to identity.  Then share the three poems (Alvarez’s poem appears at the end of her essay) to make comparisons.  Students could work in groups on one poem and then share or each group could work on all three poems.  Consider a three way venn diagram or having the students begin with dialectic journals .  Your choice.  Enjoy this non-fiction-poetry pairing.  Your students certainly will.

A Nonfiction Text With Unlimited Possibilities: Teen Vogue

It’s difficult to pick just one non-fiction piece so why not look to a source of many and offer options to students? 

Lesa from SmithTeaches9to12 loves Teen Vogue to offer different points of view on a variety of topics! You might be thinking this publication is just about fashion or style, and that certainly exists, but it’s so much more than that too!

The Politics section focuses on government, environment, immigration, justice, and history! Here are just a few options: this one about young voters   or this one with advice to current students from graduating seniors or even this one about climate change action in the face of wildfires in California . 

The Culture section is jam-packed with music, movies, tv, books, and tech. This article with 8 profiles of creators in Hollywood making a difference combines pop culture with difference-making.

The Identity section includes health and wellness as well as relationships and advice, but the best part of this section is Voices. In Voices current and trending events and ideas are addressed in a teen-friendly and teen-accessible way. This one about residential schools or this one about Muslim women in sport could be great.

Lesa uses a variety of articles about self-love and self-care as part of an SEL approach in her English courses. Luckily Teen Vogue has lots to work with on those topics too! 

To avoid having to sift through the site, check out this ready-made lesson with suggested articles, key questions for reflection and discussion, plus extension activities too. This lesson can work at any time of year but Lesa finds it particularly helpful as we approach Valentine’s Day. The lesson shifts the focus away from romantic love and this has been really helpful for all students in class!

Nonfiction Text For Developing Empathy

And now it's my pick! I have a deep love for this article by Tom Junod about Mr. Rogers that first appeared in 1998 in Esquire. 

Maybe you've seen the film staring Tom Hanks, but didn't know that you can still find that article? Well, yep! You can, and it is outstanding. You can also go to Esquire and see the actual article (but you have to pay). 

I actually used this article on a job interview a few years ago. For the interview I was required to teach a class of AP Lit students whom I'd never met before. It was scary, to be perfectly honest. But the students loved the article and they did fabulous with that lesson (and I got the job!). 

This article is so rich in use of language as well as it's structure, but perhaps the best thing about it is that it can actually serve to help teach empathy. 

How To Teach It:

You can use the whole article, or you can condense it, and just focus on a few parts. I've got to say that using the whole article is quite powerful, and I'd strongly suggest doing the whole thing if you can.  It's a long article, but students can still read and interact with it in a single class period. 

I love having students focus on what sentences stand out to them in the article, and even having them jot down sentences that "pack a punch." Then we talk about  why those sentences got their attention. Was it the imagery? The symbolism? The repetition? 

After reading the article and discussing some particularly powerful sentences and the crafting of those sentences, I'll have students do what Mr. Rogers himself would do: ask the group to think about an adult who deeply impacted their life. Sit and think about them for 2 minutes (it describes Mr. Rogers doing this in the article). 

After students have done this, I'll ask them to write about who they were thinking about. If we have time, I might have them go back and craft a few of their sentences in a way similar to Junod (i.e. using repetition or strong imagery). 

If you want to see exactly what I used for my interview, check the lesson out here. 

For most students, this is a powerful lesson that put them in a state of sincere gratitude for the adults in their lives. 

Using nonfiction texts allows your students to jump into deep and meaningful topics without reading a full-length novel: they're accessible, relevant, and absolutely necessary for the ELA classroom. 

Related Articles:

What Are Mentor Sentences?

4 John Green Essays That Are Perfect for High School ELA - SmithTeaches9to12

11 Brilliant Strategies for Dialectic Journals to Better Close Reading - McLaughlin Teaches English

5 Ways To Celebrate Black Voices In Your ELA Classroom This Year (abetterwaytoteach.com)

21 Nonfiction Books for Secondary ELA Classrooms | SECONDARY SARA

Engaging Nonfiction for High School Readers - Write on With Miss G

BONUS: Grab a free lesson here! 

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How to Summarize Nonfiction Texts: A Lesson Plan

Looking for a memorable way to teach students to summarize nonfiction texts? Try this alternative strategy in your middle or high school classroom as a means of differentiation or scaffolding for struggling readers.

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to teach students to summarize fictional texts? They seem to catch on so quickly! Maybe it’s because the plot guides the summary, and all of the parts of the story work together sensibly. Exposition. Rising Action. Climax. Falling Action. Resolution . Streamlined, right?

If only nonfiction was equally as straightforward! Unfortunately, I’m not going to tell you there’s a secret formula that will magically transform nonfiction summarizing skills, but I do have some concrete, useful ideas and strategies to help reduce both student and teacher frustration.

One of the reasons I love teaching summarizing is because I know how important it is for skillful comprehension…not only in English class but in all subject areas. If your students can give you the main ideas and most important supporting details of a text in an accurate and objective manner, they are well on their way to being masters of cognition.

So, how can we do that? Here are a few tips to simplify your instruction and help students summarize nonfiction , non-narrative texts:

Start by picking high-interest texts.

Believe me,   I know how tempting it is to select a text about the deliciousness of coffee because of your love affair with it (…or maybe that’s mine), but resist the urge! Research says that if kids don’t care about the text, they will most likely not invest themselves in it. One of my go-to sources is Common Lit because it offers a variety of reading levels and provides other useful teacher resources. My students also really enjoy Scholastic Scope  and  Upfront magazines.

Lead with direct instruction. 

While people possess differing opinions on the value of direct instruction, I have seen its benefit when introducing new information. Keep it short, but give an overview of the down and dirty tips you expect your peeps to remember. Of course, include students in conversation during the mini lesson. Make them take notes. They’ll thank you later!

Model, model, and then model again.

Students need to see you working your mojo. Select a short text. Read it or watch it together (students love visual texts). Then, do a think-aloud while you model some brainstorming and writing up on the board. Students generally want to get involved in this process. Let them! If you are uncomfortable with writing on your feet, prepare something in advance and act like you are doing it on the spot. Don’t worry; they’ll never know the difference. What’s important is that they see the internal thought process played out aloud.

Scaffold. I do, we do, you do.

My goal is always to scaffold from direct instruction to guided practice to independent work. After you model, practice as many times as you deem necessary with the class. Modeling with a memorable strategy (I use Be a reporter! ) helps students understand what they need to do.

Write a summary together, put them in small groups, let them complete a think-pair-share summary for a different text, and then finally, throw those baby birds out of the nest and see if they fly or splat on the ground. If they come up looking at a “Snort” and think it’s their mother, it’s time to put them back in the nest for more guided practice.

Chunk your instruction. 

As with any effectively taught lesson, students need breaks. I try to chunk my instruction into three different parts in a forty-five minute period. If I have an activity that takes longer than 20 minutes, I use brain breaks periodically throughout the lesson. Even having students get up and grab a piece of paper from across the room helps get their blood flowing, increases their energy levels, and improves their focus.

What does this look like with summarizing? Maybe read a text, then have them discuss it with a partner or small group. Manipulatives and sorts provide brain-based approaches to learning how to write nonfiction summaries objectively as well. Following, they could share ideas with the whole class or via musical discussions. 

Obviously, you’re assessing how students summarize nonfiction throughout the entire process by asking questions, checking their written ideas, and listening to their conversations. Still, I like to do a formal assessment at the end of the unit, in which I include two things: 1) questions about the process of summarizing nonfiction (like, List three different elements to include in a nonfiction summary.) , and 2) a written portion where students read a nonfiction text and write a summary on their own – sans help! At this point, I would expect them to demonstrate proficiency.

And, voila! As they say, keep it simple.

When teaching students to summarize nonfiction, remember that answers will vary. What you’re really looking for is whether or not students can read a nonfiction text and then provide you with the main ideas and most important supporting details in a clear, objective, intelligent manner. Give students praise for everything they do well, and they’ll have more fun along the way.

RELATED RESOURCE:

These summarizing nonfiction text  teaching materials will provide you with everything you need to tackle the tips above. I use them at the ninth grade level with all levels: co-taught through enriched, but they would be appropriate for middle school or older high school students who struggle with reading comprehension.

15 Comments

Oh, I haven’t heard of Curriculet! I will check that out for sure! I LOVE reading and teaching nonfiction, so thank you for this post!

Yes, do! It has great teacher resources and levels texts for students’ reading abilities.

Hah! I could read your writing all day long – “Model like Cindy Crawford,” “throw those baby birds out of the nest” etc. LOVE IT!

Thanks so much for sharing these amazing tips.

Very kind of you…thanks so much for reading!

Thank you for sharing your steps for teaching summarizing in non-fiction texts. I follow a very similar method in my own classroom and have seen tremendous results from it as well. You hit the nail on the head when you said that this is a skill that is critical because it transfers to all other subject areas. I definitely think that this is blog post that all ELA teachers need to see!

Thanks for the validation!

Great tips! I especially support use of high interest non-fiction texts. I’ll have to look at your links. One topic that has never failed to interest my students is Criminals (think Al Capone, Bonnie and Clyde). The old articles and sources I’ve used are often challenging because of the old writing, but they dive in because the subject catches their attention!

Thanks for the idea for criminal topics…I haven’t tried that, but I’m sure my students would also find it fascinating.

Such a well written explanation of GOOD teaching. Your student are lucky to have you. I too am a reading recovery teacher and summarizing is paramount. Thank you for sharing.

Thanks for your kind words!

I agree with Kim! Looks like a lot of good teaching is happening in your classroom.

You’re hilarious – model like Cindy Crawford. I might say that to my students. Thanks for all the ideas – and I agree – providing examples reduces frustration all around.

You’ve got some great tips compiled here! Thank you for sharing.

This is so thorough! Thanks for the great ideas. As simple as it seems to us, summarizing nonfiction can be challenging for many students. I loved the comment about coffee texts…”Believe me, I know how tempting it is to select a text about the deliciousness of coffee because of your love affair with it (…or maybe that’s mine), but resist the urge!” I can identify with your love for coffee, and I wholeheartedly agree that interest is oftentimes the #1 factor in texting nonfiction texts!

I love the structure for your lessons! I can imagine the fun if you actually put up a picture of Cindy Crawford while you were “modeling”! 🙂

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Teaching Nonfiction: 10 Engaging Ways to Teach Nonfiction in Secondary ELA

When it comes to reading nonfiction, my students tend to get bleary-eyed and hard-of-hearing. It’s like they instantly think of their history textbooks and informational articles and they decide before they even know the topic that they aren’t going to like it. And that is one of the big hurdles when it comes to teaching nonfiction texts at the middle school and high school level.

For many students, nonfiction is like the vegetable of literature, but it doesn’t have to be this way. This is why I work hard to make sure I have a variety of activities to engage my students. Read about some of my favorites below.

1. Teaching Nonfiction: Fact vs Opinion

This super easy activity simply involves you presenting the topic of study and having students create a class list of information. Students share what they know (or think) they know about the subject. You can then assign a pre-reading activity separating fact from fiction, or have students revisit the list after reading.

2. Teaching Nonfiction: Learn to Annotate

3. Teaching Nonfiction: Connect to Real Life

It truly is important for readers to connect to text in order to retain information and stay engaged.

Have students keep a journal during the reading to jot down connections that they see either to themselves, or to society as a whole. While not every subject will necessarily personally resonate with students, they can learn to look at the “bigger picture” and see the connections to the world around them.

4. Teaching Nonfiction: Mix Nonfiction and Fiction

Sometimes choosing nonfiction study feels like we are making a sacrifice in the literature category. It seems hard to fit everything in, so why not combine? Teaching nonfiction works very well when you pair it with the literature you are already reading in class. When you have fictional literature to study, take time to showcase the nonfiction connections with your students. For example, a contemporary novels class reading The Hunger Games might choose to make connections to works like Diary of Anne Frank or Elie Wiesel’s Night. You can also work with your librarian to showcase fiction/nonfiction pairings to encourage students to read a variety of different types of texts.

5. Teaching Nonfiction: Artistic Vocabulary

Another turn-off for nonfiction is that it also comes with vocabulary. Instead of a vocabulary list paired with a quiz, consider tapping into creative and artistic activities instead. Students can create a visual word wall on the bulletin board, digitally create slides or images (a great alternative for those working virtually), or have students create Wordles after reading the text to show their understanding.

6. Teaching Nonfiction: Sticky Note Questions

Sticky notes are so versatile. Give your students a small stack before reading and have them write questions, connections, or thoughts and stick them right on the page. Students can then turn to their sticky notes rather than leafing through their notebooks for their questions and figuring out where in the reading their thought came from. You might have students read individually with their sticky notes and then come together as a class or group to answer. This also can pair nicely with annotation activities.

7. Teaching Nonfiction: Tweet About It

Another way to have students practice critical thinking and summarizing skills is to have students “tweet” about the nonfiction work. You can provide prompts about specific events or people, or simply have students jot down their tweet as you check for understanding. This is a great way to break up long texts into manageable “chunks” by tweeting about independent events, people, or chapters. The tweets can later serve as a class review in manageable bits.

8. Teaching Nonfiction: …or TikTok

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but there’s no doubt that viral video trends are a major influence in students’ lives. Use that to your advantage and let students create short videos to showcase information. Find school-appropriate challenges or songs that are trending and let students use their creativity. Even if you’re virtual, students can use their video features to film. Have them think about how they would recreate an event in a modern way, and make it bite-size to fit the one-minute time limit. Have them pretend to be a person you’re studying – what challenges would they attempt?

9. Teaching Nonfiction: Play to Interests

It can seem overwhelming trying to fit in all of the topics of study during the year, but it is worth the time to squeeze in the opportunity for your students to choose their own topics. Why not make it nonfiction study to help encourage engagement? Alternatively, you can have the class make a list together of their interests and then you select at your discretion.

10. Teaching Nonfiction: Make it Interactive

Rather than a go-to research paper, or simply studying from autobiographies, make a more interactive assignment. There are many different types of escape rooms for a variety of subjects. There are even escape room templates so you can design your own with the puzzles already created – you just need to fill in the information. If you’re not looking for a full scale escape room, start with smaller puzzles, riddles, or decoding and apply it to a scavenger hunt style of assignment. Your students will still read the same nonfiction, but might be more invested in solving brain teasers like these.

For more reading about teaching nonfiction, check out this blog post about 5 ways to analyze nonfiction!

If you are looking for more nonfiction teaching materials, you might be interested in these resources: Annotating Made Easy Paraphrasing, Summarizing, and Quoting

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How I Sparked Engagement When Teaching Nonfiction Text Structures

Don’t let teaching nonfiction text structures be a bore. These sweet and simple ideas are guaranteed to spark engagement like never before!

For years I’ve looked for ways to make my nonfiction/informational text unit more engaging and purposeful. I’ve tried going the super-dense but high-impact route by building my unit around the Global Goals for Sustainable Development , and I’ve tried going the light and breezy free choice route, letting student interests lead the way. While I am still refining the unit as a whole, I did stumble upon a sweet way to teach nonfiction text structures that I am crazy about! If you’re getting ready to teach your middle school students about informational text structures, I’ve put together my favorite ideas so you can spark engagement with your students, too!

Step #1: Briefly Review the Purpose of Nonfiction Text Structures

Start with a minilesson where you introduce students to the purpose of informational text structures and the why. 

I teach Author’s Purpose before teaching Text Structures because I believe the structure is a by-product of the purpose. I tell my students that “ Nonfiction writers organize their ideas in a logical way that best communicates their purpose for writing. ” Our goal, as readers, is to determine the big ideas in a text and understand how the author develops them.

We discuss five of the most common nonfiction text structures and note signal words for each one:

• Description/List: The text resembles an outline. It opens with the main idea and then elaborates on it.
• Cause/Effect : The author tells what happened and reasons why it may have happened.
• Compare/Contrast : The author tells the similarities and differences between multiple things.
• Chronologica l: The text follows the order in which events occurred or the steps in a process.
• Problem/Solution : The author brings to light an issue that needs awareness and proposes some possible solutions.

After students have been introduced to the basics of text structures, I place them in groups of five for a multi-sensory jigsaw activity – my favorite way to teach a concept!

Step #2: Make it Sweet with a Jigsaw Read

Now here’s where it gets fun. I love teaching thematically, and with a dry topic, I knew it was time to up the ante and play to my strengths.

Typically, we teach nonfiction between Halloween and Christmas. You know what kids are really interested in at this time? Candy. And lots of it. 

Is there a better way to teach nonfiction text structures than to pair it with something sweet? I think not! I decided to bring in some information about those sweet little morsels dripping from students’ pockets. In fact, I could invite them to enjoy some of those sweet little morsels in class – if I could tie it to their learning! 

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, right?!

We split up into groups of five, and each student in a group was assigned a different article:

• The History of Candy
• How Gummy Candy is Made
• Candy: Sweet and Sour
• How Much Sugar is Too Much?
• Expensive Taste

Students with the same article gathered to read the text, determine the text structure, and fill out a corresponding graphic organizer.

And, because multisensory learning has such a positive impact on neural activity in the brain, I provided each group with a couple of sugary items mentioned in the text. This included chocolates, licorice, gummy worms, Nerds, Warheads, Starbursts, and sugar cubes. Not much, but enough for them to suck on & experience while reading.

After all the groups had finished, they reassembled into their original groups and shared their graphic organizers and findings. 

Step #3: Create Nonfiction Text Structure Anchor Charts

For the last step, I had each group of five put their completed graphic organizers together to form an anchor chart. I gave them a large piece of colored butcher paper (square works fine, but I prefer longer strips) and had them glue and label their graphic organizers. By the end of the day, I chose my favorite few and displayed them in the classroom and hallway!

If you’d like to grab the articles, graphic organizers, and the targeted question sets for text structures mentioned above, check them out here .

Nonfiction Text Structures Mini-Lesson

Teach nonfiction text structures in a clear and organized way with this one-stop Text Structures bundle! This robust teaching resource includes a mini-lesson, high-interest informational text passages, text structure graphic organizers, and standards-aligned question sets to…

Tips For Next Time

If you’re not a fan of Jigsaw reading, you can stretch this lesson out over five days. Each day, feature one article/text structure and work together to identify and analyze the text structure. 

Alternatively, you could feature all five articles at stations around your room and have students move through them at their own pace. I’d place reminders at each station about the different text structures and signal words if going this route.

I hope you are excited about giving multisensory learning a try when teaching nonfiction text structures. Whether you’re teaching near Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, or Easter, there are plenty of opportunities to find sweet treats for students to enjoy while learning about informational text structures. Or, save the money and ask your students to bring in a few sugary treats from home!

This was such a fun way to increase student excitement and participation in my classroom, and I hope it does the same for you. Don’t be afraid to leave a comment below or find me on IG and tag me in your post! I’d love to hear from you about how it goes.

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12 Nonfiction Literature Must Reads in the High School English Classroom

Jun 20, 2023

English teachers love a good work of fiction; we find many ways to include such works in our classrooms. Where we might need a bit more guidance or support is with the inclusion of more nonfiction literature in our lessons.

With nonfiction, students can use many of the same skills they do with fiction, but nonfiction lit offers some additional options and benefits. 

Through its focus on historical or current events, nonfiction literature provides background knowledge that will be useful as students continue in school and beyond. It also provides opportunities for critical thinking and connection-making between texts.

Finally, nonfiction literature teaches students about the ‘real world’ that can widen their understanding and point of view! 

Need help with Test Prep? Check out this  FREE Pack of 3 Test Prep Activities  to help students achieve success on standardized tests!

Table of Contents

Nonfiction Literature Definition

Nonfiction includes any text based on facts and real events about real people while fiction tells made-up stories even though it might adapt or adopt elements from real life. 

Types of nonfiction text stretch far and wide! From biographies, memoirs, or personal essays to textbooks for science, history, and geography, to any true account of current or historical events in newspapers or diaries, through to letters, reviews, and advertisements. 

Want help with teaching poetry in April?  Check out “Making the most of National Poetry Month!”

12 Nonfiction Literature Examples 

1. speeches  .

Focusing on the spoken word and referencing written forms, speeches fit into the realm of nonfiction literature. A good speech shares a person’s point; a great speech does that but with flair using rhetorical devices and figurative language to engage the audience! Teaching different speeches is important because speeches teach a lesson in getting an audience to care about a subject. Speeches additionally provide a closer look at rhetorical and figurative language in action.

• Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t a Woman” – Delivered in 1851 at the Women’s Rights Convention in Ohio, this speech focused on equality for race and gender. As an abolitionist and women’s rights activist, Truth’s speech is a must-read with your students! Begin your study of the speech with this series of quiz questions focused on comprehension using Common Core standards-aligned questions .
• “Declaration of Sentiments”- This 1848 speech from the first women’s rights convention is so named for its similarities to the US Declaration of Independence. This speech is a great one because it focuses on examining the author’s purpose of rhetorical devices like repetition, imagery, parallelism, historical allusion, and religious allusion. Grab this ready-made resource to examine all of these aspects!

2. TED Talks ™

Extend from historic speeches to more current incarnations with TED Talks™. They offer dynamic and diverse topics and speakers. At Ted.com you can search based on topic, duration, and popularity or check out what is trending based on months of significance or current events. What an easy way to include more Nonfiction Literature!

3. Essays/Research Papers

Secondary sources such as essays and research papers take a deeper dive into a subject and usually do so with a more narrowed focus. One option is to search Google Scholar for scholarly publications relevant to a topic you’re studying in class. Google Scholar includes a wide variety of disciplines and you can usually find a PDF version of the source ready to download.

4. Narratives  

Nonfiction literature narratives include memoirs, personal essays, and literary journalism. The stories told remain grounded in facts but include more literary elements to tell a gripping story. 

Here are some nonfiction literature narrative ideas with contemporary and/or historical elements: 

• “Hardware” by Kristin Menke – This personal essay is about a father who owned a hardware store and some of the people and situations he encountered; it is told from the perspective of the subject’s daughter. This original nonfiction narrative is an ideal jumping-off point for examining content and style. Check out this digital and printable resource with a detailed lesson plan, a variety of reading activities, and a full answer key .  
• Other narratives like Mark Twain’s semi-autobiographical travel narrative “Roughing It” work as a way to examine different genres. Such narratives are also good for lessons focused on skill development such as inference skills, summarizing, or citing evidence like in this no-prep lesson . 
• Jack London’s “The Road” is an autobiographical narrative about the author’s experiences as a wanderer at the end of the 19th century. Like Twain’s text, this one also works for a skill development lesson, this time with a focus on the author’s purpose using an excerpt from this narrative . 

5. Autobiographies and Biographies  

Accounts of others’ lives written by a third party in the case of biographies or by the subject (him/herself) in the case of autobiographies offer unparalleled insight into notable topics and time periods. Peeking into others people’s lives is not only exciting but highly informative since these texts offer a closer look into a person or moment.

If you want to integrate some science and history in your ELA class, consider an excerpt about Isaac Newton. Gaining insight into the mathematician and physicist renowned for discovering gravity is sure to pique students’ curiosity and provides a cross-curricular connection, too. Use this lesson with a biographical feature of Newton that digs deeper into the structure of such texts .  

6. Satire as Nonfiction Literature

The ultimate goal of satire is commentary that is either light-hearted or scathing in order to evoke a change of some sort. Exploring the rhetorical language used in such texts gives students a chance to see how authors play with language to great effect.

Here are 2 prime examples of similar satire: 

• A Modest Proposal is Jonathan Swift’s (in)famous satirical political pamphlet with a far-fetched solution to famine that is always a hit with students. Check out this rhetorical analysis and reading activities bundle that teachers say is comprehensive and easy to use ! 
• “Sending Grandma to the Ovens” by Colin Cohen is similar in structure, purpose, and topic to Swift’s piece but just as easily stands on its own. This lesson pack includes standards-based activities, graphic orga nizers, essay prompts, and everything else you need to teach rhetorical analysis, so your students can write with confidence!  

7. Paired Passages  

There is an art to using paired passages because you don’t want anything too obvious or too obscure. The goal is to have students ruminate on shared ideas so you want to ensure students can make those connections. Grouping like-texts together is vital because it provides a richer and more engaging learning experience!

For example, the following texts share a theme of fighting to defend the country but are dissimilar in time periods:

• FDR’s “Day of Infamy” speech delivered the day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941 is a major speech in the history of our country as part of the declaration of WWII. Get students to read and analyze the speech with this FREE lesson . 
• Then pair FDR’s speech with Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty” speech from a decidedly different time but with a similar message. Compare the use of rhetorical appeals to the audience in each speech. Prep students for this analysis with a series of activities focused on Henry’s speech in this lesson pack . 

8. Historical Passages  

First-person accounts of historical events provide a window into the past. Unlike biographies or autobiographies, historical passages are often less edited and therefore can provide a better sense of the time. For example, this lesson pack focuses on citing evidence from a passage about the Oregon Trail from Ezra Meeker’s accounts of his travels from Iowa to the Pacific Coast. 

9. Important Documents  

As the name implies, these nonfiction literature documents are important to the establishment of government, political thinking, and more that reverberate through history up to our current day. 

In the United States of America, teaching “The Declaration of Independence” is obviously vital. Students have likely encountered it in other courses so use this familiarity to dig deeper into rhetorical analysis. And make your life easier with this lesson pack that includes everything to teach step-by-step from the reading of the text all the way to the final essay .

10.  Sermons/Religious Texts  

These types of nonfiction literature texts, like so many of those listed, provide insight into another facet of history. Consider sermons as another genre through which you can analyze rhetoric, structure, and connections to the overarching topic of religion.   

One foundational American Literature text is this classic religious text. “Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards is an early American sermon awash in rhetoric. Make teaching this nonfiction text stress free with this series of lessons all about Edwards’ historic sermon . 

11. News Articles  

With a wide variety of digital publications from around the world, news articles are another must-read for high school English. It’s important to know about our world through past and current events because they inform so much of our day-to-day lives. Therefore, make sure to include local, national, and international news sources. News articles are another chance to teach about the realities of different forms of media, a perfect addition to a nonfiction literature unit. 

12. Podcasts   a Different Type of Nonfiction Literature

Harkening back to the long-gone days of radio, podcasts have made a big comeback in the last decade. And the best part of this comeback is the variety that is available to use in high school English. Whether your students are into science, crime, love stories, current events, politics, or music, you name it and there’s a podcast to fit their interests. With a focus on oral communication, nonfiction literature podcasts provide a different form through which students can complete analysis activities and hone their skills for summary, author’s purpose, and just about everything else! 

Need help with teaching poetry?  Check out “7 Must Teach Middle School Poetry Activities!”

Why Teach Nonfiction Literature?

Two favorite podcasts include This is Love and Criminal by the same creative team and they are perfect for including more nonfiction literature in your classroom. Episodes in each series are a little off-beat from their key focus on love and crimes. For example, Episode 20 from This is Love tells the story of a man and his guide dog on 9/11. For Criminal , there are stories about witness protection, someone who habitually steals a community statue, police dogs and horses, and more. They are intriguing, relatively short (usually 30 minutes and often less), and just quirky enough to hook students!

Including nonfiction literature in any number of forms is important for student growth. And reading and analyzing different types of nonfiction at all levels of high school creates a framework for growth in background knowledge, comprehension, and skill development. 

But incorporating nonfiction texts into high school English classes can seem daunting. Just look at the list of options in this post! However, look at what you currently have as part of your lesson plans and consider where you could add a complementary nonfiction text. If you’re teaching a classic novel, incorporate an excerpt from an author’s biography or think about the big ideas of the novel and find some news articles, a Ted talk, or a speech (historical or contemporary) that can work. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel or suddenly create a whole new unit. Instead, focus on small steps to get more nonfiction literature into your students’ hands.

Need more ideas for English Lesson Plans for Teachers that include Nonfiction Literature ? Check out my store  Kristin Menke-Integrated ELA Test Prep !

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8th-graders given hitler-themed assignment to rate nazi monster as a ‘solution seeker,’ ‘ethical decision-maker’.

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An Adolf Hitler-themed question-and-answer assignment given to students at a private school in Atlanta has sparked outrage among parents over its suspected antisemitic nature.

Eighth-grade students at the Mount Vernon School in Atlanta were given a series of questions asking them to rate some of the characteristics of Adolf Hitler — the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945, whose antisemitic ideology fueled the Holocaust — as a leader, according to Fox 5 Atlanta . 

One question posed to students asked, “According to the Mount Vernon Mindset rubric, how would you rate Adolf Hitler as a ‘solution seeker’?” 

A second question asked how students would “rate Adolf Hitler as an ethical decision-maker?”

For both questions, the students were given the option of selecting “Lacks Evidence,” “Approaching Expectations,” “Meets Expectations” or “Exceeds Expectations” to describe the ruthless dictator. 

The bizarre questions ignited outrage among parents — many of whom were concerned the queries were antisemitic by nature, according to the outlet. 

Students at the private school also had issues with the questions, with one telling the outlet the assignment was “troubling” and could be seen as glorifying the warmongering totalitarian leader. 

“Obviously, that looks horrible in the current context,” another student told the outlet. “Knowing Mount Vernon, we do things a little odd around here.”

The student added that the school is known to “try to think outside the box” but shared that “oftentimes that doesn’t work.”

Several former students told Fox 5 that those questions weren’t given to them during eighth grade.

While many parents and students were shaken over the assignment, one student believes the school attempted to pose a historically provocative question that required students to use their critical thinking skills. 

“I can definitely see why they’d be upset, but overall, I think it’s important to look at both sides of the coin in every situation, and I think it’s important to be able to compare and contrast everything that’s happened in our world history, whether it’s been good or bad,” said the student.

Upon learning the phrasing of the questions in the assignment, Mount Vernon officials said they had removed it from the school’s curriculum. 

The principal of Mount Vernon, Kristy Lundstrom, wrote in a statement that the assignment was “an exploration of World War II designed to boost student knowledge of factual events and understand the manipulation of fear leveraged by Adolf Hitler in connection to the Treaty of Versailles.” 

“Immediately following this incident, I met with the School’s Chief of Inclusion, Diversity, Equality, and Action, Head of Middle School, and a concerned Rabbi and friend of the School who shared the perspective of some of our families and supported us in a thorough review of the assignment and community impact.”

“Adolf Hitler and the events of the time period are difficult and traumatic to discuss.”

The private school, about 16 miles outside downtown Atlanta, is a “co-educational day school for more than 1200 students in Preschool through Grade 12,” according to the institution’s  website . 

“We are a school of inquiry, innovation, and impact. Grounded in Christian values, we prepare all students to be college ready, globally competitive, and engaged citizen leaders,” its mission statement reads.

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What I’ve Learned From My Students’ College Essays

The genre is often maligned for being formulaic and melodramatic, but it’s more important than you think.

By Nell Freudenberger

Most high school seniors approach the college essay with dread. Either their upbringing hasn’t supplied them with several hundred words of adversity, or worse, they’re afraid that packaging the genuine trauma they’ve experienced is the only way to secure their future. The college counselor at the Brooklyn high school where I’m a writing tutor advises against trauma porn. “Keep it brief , ” she says, “and show how you rose above it.”

I started volunteering in New York City schools in my 20s, before I had kids of my own. At the time, I liked hanging out with teenagers, whom I sometimes had more interesting conversations with than I did my peers. Often I worked with students who spoke English as a second language or who used slang in their writing, and at first I was hung up on grammar. Should I correct any deviation from “standard English” to appeal to some Wizard of Oz behind the curtains of a college admissions office? Or should I encourage students to write the way they speak, in pursuit of an authentic voice, that most elusive of literary qualities?

In fact, I was missing the point. One of many lessons the students have taught me is to let the story dictate the voice of the essay. A few years ago, I worked with a boy who claimed to have nothing to write about. His life had been ordinary, he said; nothing had happened to him. I asked if he wanted to try writing about a family member, his favorite school subject, a summer job? He glanced at his phone, his posture and expression suggesting that he’d rather be anywhere but in front of a computer with me. “Hobbies?” I suggested, without much hope. He gave me a shy glance. “I like to box,” he said.

I’ve had this experience with reluctant writers again and again — when a topic clicks with a student, an essay can unfurl spontaneously. Of course the primary goal of a college essay is to help its author get an education that leads to a career. Changes in testing policies and financial aid have made applying to college more confusing than ever, but essays have remained basically the same. I would argue that they’re much more than an onerous task or rote exercise, and that unlike standardized tests they are infinitely variable and sometimes beautiful. College essays also provide an opportunity to learn precision, clarity and the process of working toward the truth through multiple revisions.

When a topic clicks with a student, an essay can unfurl spontaneously.

Even if writing doesn’t end up being fundamental to their future professions, students learn to choose language carefully and to be suspicious of the first words that come to mind. Especially now, as college students shoulder so much of the country’s ethical responsibility for war with their protest movement, essay writing teaches prospective students an increasingly urgent lesson: that choosing their own words over ready-made phrases is the only reliable way to ensure they’re thinking for themselves.

Teenagers are ideal writers for several reasons. They’re usually free of preconceptions about writing, and they tend not to use self-consciously ‘‘literary’’ language. They’re allergic to hypocrisy and are generally unfiltered: They overshare, ask personal questions and call you out for microaggressions as well as less egregious (but still mortifying) verbal errors, such as referring to weed as ‘‘pot.’’ Most important, they have yet to put down their best stories in a finished form.

I can imagine an essay taking a risk and distinguishing itself formally — a poem or a one-act play — but most kids use a more straightforward model: a hook followed by a narrative built around “small moments” that lead to a concluding lesson or aspiration for the future. I never get tired of working with students on these essays because each one is different, and the short, rigid form sometimes makes an emotional story even more powerful. Before I read Javier Zamora’s wrenching “Solito,” I worked with a student who had been transported by a coyote into the U.S. and was reunited with his mother in the parking lot of a big-box store. I don’t remember whether this essay focused on specific skills or coping mechanisms that he gained from his ordeal. I remember only the bliss of the parent-and-child reunion in that uninspiring setting. If I were making a case to an admissions officer, I would suggest that simply being able to convey that experience demonstrates the kind of resilience that any college should admire.

The essays that have stayed with me over the years don’t follow a pattern. There are some narratives on very predictable topics — living up to the expectations of immigrant parents, or suffering from depression in 2020 — that are moving because of the attention with which the student describes the experience. One girl determined to become an engineer while watching her father build furniture from scraps after work; a boy, grieving for his mother during lockdown, began taking pictures of the sky.

If, as Lorrie Moore said, “a short story is a love affair; a novel is a marriage,” what is a college essay? Every once in a while I sit down next to a student and start reading, and I have to suppress my excitement, because there on the Google Doc in front of me is a real writer’s voice. One of the first students I ever worked with wrote about falling in love with another girl in dance class, the absolute magic of watching her move and the terror in the conflict between her feelings and the instruction of her religious middle school. She made me think that college essays are less like love than limerence: one-sided, obsessive, idiosyncratic but profound, the first draft of the most personal story their writers will ever tell.

Nell Freudenberger’s novel “The Limits” was published by Knopf last month. She volunteers through the PEN America Writers in the Schools program.