On Hand: A number of picture books about animals written and illustrated by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page. You may have any combination of the following:

What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? (2003)

Facts are organized by body part.

I See a Kookaburra! Discovering Animal Habitats Around the World (2005).

Animals are organized by habitat.

Move (2006).

Animals are organized (in a chain) by the way they move.

Living Color (2007).

Animals are organized by color.

Dogs and Cats (2005).

This is a flip book: one half about cats, one half about dogs.

How Many Ways Can You Catch a Fly? (2008).

Facts are organized by prey.

Mini-Lesson: Invite students to imagine that they are going to write a book about animal facts. Ask, "How might you organize your book?" List their responses. During pauses, suggest a new structure or two. This will often lead to new ideas and connections.

     The number of responses your students provide will depend, of course, on their experience with literature and their practice in categorizing, but the following are just some of the answers they might provide. Animals can be organized by:

ABC      

Habitat      

Size         

Color

What they eat

Species

Domesticated/wild

Nocturnal/diurnal

Hibernate or not

Number of legs

Fur, feathers, fins

Number of young

     After students have generated a list of ways to organize animal facts, show them some of the ways Steve Jenkins has organized his work. Circle ideas in your list that Jenkins used and add new ones if necessary. Suggest that before students begin a new piece they ask themselves, "How do I want to organize my work?"

Extension: Suggest students search the nonfiction section of the school library to discover any other ways of organizing books about animal facts.