Exploring Genres

This year we will be exploring a wide variety of genres across the grade levels.  each grade has certain target genres which we will study in some detail, but our biggest goal is to get students branching out to read from a variety of literature. Student motivation is directly tied to finding literature that appeals to them andthe more genres they read, the wider their tastes will be.  Exploring different genres also increases their ability to analyze, interpret, and develop a deeper understanding of the world through learning how to decipher and interpret different types of literature.  Encourage you child to branch out and read from different genres!  Listed below are the biggest areas of focus for genre study this year at Lewis and Clark Elementary school along with a brief description.

Science Fiction Genre

Story based on impact of actual, imagined, or potential science, usually set in the future or on other planets.

 

Fantasy Genre

Fiction with strange or other worldly settings or characters; fiction which invites suspension of reality.

 

High Fantasy Genre

Fiction with strange or other worldly characters, which invites suspension of reality and is set in a completely different world.

 

Historical Fiction Genre

Story with fictional characters and events in a historical setting.

 

Biography/Autobiography Genre

Narrative of a person's life, a true story about a real person.

 

Mystery Genre

Fiction dealing with the solution of a crime or the unraveling of secrets.

 

Informational Literature Genre

Informational text dealing with an actual, real-life subject.

 

Poetry

Verse and rhythmic writing with imagery that creates emotional responses.

 

Traditional Literature (Folklore) Genre

Stories that were initially oral and were written down at a later date. There are many forms- myths, fables, legends, folktales, fairy tales, trickster tales, tall tales, and porquoi tales. Many of the categories do overlap.

• Fable- A story that teaches lesson: a short story with a moral, especially one in which the characters are animals.
• Fairy Tale- A story involving fantastic forces and beings (such as fairies, wizards, and goblins).  Also can be a story in which improbable events lead to a happy ending
• Legend- An old story: a story that has been passed down for generations, especially one that is presented as history but is unlikely to be true.
• Myth- Ancient story: a traditional story about heroes or supernatural beings, often attempting to explain the origins of natural phenomena or aspects of human behavior.
• Tall Tale- A story that tells the wild adventures of hugely exaggerated folk heroes. The tall tale is often an oral form of entertainment; the audience appreciates the imaginative telling rather than the literal meaning of the tales. 

Adventure Genre

A story about a protagonist who journeys to epic or distant places to accomplish something. Can have many other genre elements included within.

 

Realistic Fiction

Although untrue, the story could actually happen.  Some events, people, and places may even be real.