Identifying Important Details in a Nonfiction Text

Recently, in a 5th and 6th grade reading comprehension small group, we were working on using a nonfiction text to identify important details about a topic. The students and I read the book Finding Tasty Foods in Unlikely Places by Terry Miller Shannon. We read about three different types of food that are made, found, or harvested by animals. These foods are in high demand in some places around the world and are very expensive, but they are not well known here in Illinois.

First, we read about each unique type of food. After we read about each type of food, we used a thinking map called a bubble map to help us organize important details about each type of food. As we reread in our book and made our bubble maps, we discussed which details about each type of food would be important. 

After we made our bubble map about each type of food, we did a sorting activity with a partner that helped us to review the important details and make comparisons between the different foods. If students were unsure of which type of food a detail was describing, the students used their text to reread and find their answer. Finally, we wrote and shared about which type of unique food we would be willing to try and why. 

We all learned a lot about some unique foods!