Ahoy, students! Let me welcome you to the world of literature!

Here, we'll
embark on a journey to explore the realms of fiction and nonfiction. Join us as we
uncover the magic of imagination and the depths of knowledge held within these
captivating genres.

At the end of the lesson, students are expected to:

A. independently discover the differences between fiction and non-

fiction books, as well as the different kinds of each and the benefits
that come with them;
B. gain an appreciation for reading comprehension and to see how
important it is for understanding and personal development;
C. perform their comprehension of what they read while actively
engaging in practical learning opportunities.

WHAT DO YOU PREFER?

In this activity, groups consisting of 5-10 members will collaborate to respond to the
question provided. Each group will record their answer on a half-crosswise paper.
 Each group member must contribute at least one sentence to formulate the
answer collectively within an 8-minute brainstorming session. Once the answers are
written on paper, each group will take turns presenting in front of the class, with
members alternating in reading aloud.

PRE-TEST: WHAT YOU KNOW

Let’s test your knowledge!
Directions: Read the questions carefully and encircle the correct answer.

1. What is the main focus of fictional books?

A. Presenting facts
B. Stimulating imagination
C. Telling historical facts
D. Providing cooking recipes
2. Which genre of fiction typically involves magical elements and creature related
to mythology?
A. Mystery
B. Science-fiction
C. Fantasy
D. Fan-fiction
3. How does reading mystery benefit readers?
A. By helping them solve math problems.
B. By providing them the answers to the test .
C. By helping them solving life-crimes.
D. By keeping the brain active and engage.
4. What genre of nonfiction literature focuses on recounting the lives of
influential people?
A. Biographies
B. Science
C. History
D. Art
5. What is the primary purpose of reading nonfiction science books?
A. To understand imaginary world.
B. To understand the elements of periodic table.
C. To learn about real-life events and facts.
D. To learn about the fictional events.
6. Why is it important for children to read historical nonfiction books?
 A. To learn about life-changing events throughout history
B. To develop imagination and creativity
C. To solve real-life mysteries
D. To explore magical elements
7. How do nonfiction books contribute to the development of critical thinking
skills?
A. By providing imaginary scenarios
B. By teaching techniques
C. By presenting factual information for analysis
D. By offering realistic romance
8. Which genre of fiction literature often revolves around romantic relationships?
A. Slice of Life
B. History
C. Fan-fiction
D. Romance
9. What is the main difference between fiction and nonfiction books?
A. Fiction books are based on imagination, while non-fiction books are based
on real-life events and facts.
B. Fiction books are typically shorter in length compared to nonfiction books.
C. Fiction books focus on teaching scientific concepts, while nonfiction books
focus on storytelling.
D. Fiction books are written by famous authors, while nonfiction books are
written by unknown writers.
Which genre of nonfiction literature focuses on providing information about
healthy living and physical exercise?
A. Science
B. Health and Fitness
C. Art
D. History

You did great!

What to know
Lesson 4: Fiction vs. Non-fiction: What’s the Difference?
Reading plays a vital role in children's learning journey. It's crucial for them to
encounter a diverse range of books as they develop. Through reading and being read
to, children are exposed to a broader vocabulary compared to everyday conversations.
This exposure not only helps expand their vocabulary but also reinforces it.
Additionally, books stimulate children's imagination, much to the creativity they
experience while playing with toys.
If you believe it's time for your children to learn this distinction, continue
reading as we delve into strategies to help them grasp the concept.

What Are Fiction Books?

Fiction literature is created mainly from and for the imagination. These types of
books include genres such as romance novels, mystery, science-fiction, historical
fiction, fantasy, and more. Imagination is a huge part of childhood, one that doesn’t
die when a child grows to be an adult. It’s important for children to foster their
imagination and strengthen it by reading books that are fiction.
So, what are the different types of fiction books and why is it beneficial for your
children to read them?

Types of Fiction Books and Examples

1. Romantic Novel – focuses primarily on romantic relationships between
characters. These novels typically explore themes of love, passion, and
emotional connection between individuals. Romantic novels often feature
compelling storylines centered around the development of romantic
relationships, the challenges and obstacles faced by the protagonists, and the
eventual resolution or fulfillment of their love story.
Examples:
• North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
2. Mystery – This genre of fiction happens to be the most popular and for good
reason. These suspenseful books will keep your kids engaged and wanting to read
more! They also get your kids’ minds thinking in order to try and solve the
mystery and this really helps to keep their brains active. Although these
storylines may be made up, they sure do feel real when you’re reading them!
Examples:
• Vintage The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
• Whose Body?, by Dorothy L. Sayers
 3. Science Fiction – Science fiction, or sci-fi, is a type of made-up story that mixes
real or pretend science and technology. It's not true, but it's fun to imagine. The
"science" part means the story involves things like space travel or robots based
on real science ideas, not magic. And "fiction" just means it's not real—it's all
from someone's imagination.

Examples:
• The Maze Runner by James Dashner
• Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card
4. Historical Fiction - the genre of literature, film, etc., comprising narratives that take
place in the past and are characterized chiefly by an imaginative reconstruction of
historical events and personages.

Examples:
• Noli Me Tangere by Dr. Jose Rizal
• El Filibusterismo by Dr. Jose Rizal
5. Fantasy - Fantasy fiction is typically a genre that kids gravitate to. These stories
revolve around magical elements and creatures that are usually related to
mythology and folklore. These books use so much imagination to come alive since
the majority of their contents are not from the real world. Kids love how
different and magical they can be, and they act as an escape from the real world,
where everything is unique and anything is possible.

Examples:
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
The Lion, the witch, and the wardrobe by C.S Lewis

What are Non-fictional books?

Do your children love reading educational books and enjoy learning more about
something or someone after they finish reading? If so, they probably love nonfiction
books. There are so many to choose from and most importantly, so much knowledge to
gain from them.
What are nonfiction books? Nonfiction literature is created from true facts.
These are books that are filled with facts and real events that have taken place. These
types of books include genres such as science, history, biographies, cooking, health and
fitness, art, music, and more. These books inform your children about different areas
concerning important topics and can help them develop critical thinking skills.
That said, what are the different types of nonfiction books and why is it beneficial for
your children to read them?
Types of Non-fictional books
1. Science - Reading nonfiction science books is so good for your child to be able
to understand the world around them. Science books cover an array of topics like
how the weather and climate work, how plants grow, how all of the different
animals are special and unique, how electricity works, and what planets orbit
around the sun. Of course, these are only a few of the many topics that science
books cover and explain to kids. Reading science books helps kids understand
these topics in more depth and fills their little brains with lots of interesting,
important information.

Examples:
Vagina Obscura: An Anatomical Voyage by Rachel E. Gross
• The Last Days of the Dinosaurs: An Asteroid, Extinction, and the Beginning
of Our World by Riley Black
2. History - If you’re wondering what books are especially important for kids to
read, it’s history books. They are packed with loads of information about life-
changing events and discoveries that have happened throughout history. One
reason it’s important to know what has happened in the past over the last few
hundreds of years is so that the same mistakes aren’t repeated. We have the
knowledge of past events for a reason and it’s important to prioritize
understanding and learning about that history.

Examples:
• History of the Filipino People by Teodoro A. Agoncillo
• Manila, my Manila by Nick Joaquin
3. Biographies - Much like history, it’s good to know important people that have
lived and died throughout history. Biographies give a glimpse into who someone
was and what their lives were like. They share how they grew up, what
accomplishments they made, and how they impacted the world. Reading
biographies is a great way to inspire your children to want to live a life that
makes a difference and helps the world be a better place. Thse types of books
represent the important notion that each person is valuable and even one person
can make a difference.

Examples:
• Gabriella Silang (Great Live Series) by Neni Sta. Romana-Cruz
• SinoBayani? Jose Rizal by Divina Reyes

4. Cookbooks - Does your child love to watch you cook? Do they offer a helping
hand in the kitchen? Cooking books are great for your kids to get into and inspire
them to want to cook with you. Do they love baking? Get them a recipe book and
watch their excitement blossom as they figure out what to start making! These
 books encourage them to try something new and grow in independence while
doing it.

Examples:
• Joseph Clarke Cookbook
• Famous Recipes Cookbook
5. Health and Fitness - These books are great for learning about the importance of
health and how our bodies work. There’s certainly no shortage of books for kids that can
teach them how to take care of their bodies and why physical exercise is so good for
them. However, it’s important for kids to read for themselves about why being healthy
and eating healthy foods is good for their body and not just hearing it from mom and
dad.

Examples:
• The 4-Hour Body by Tim Ferris 2010
• The New Rules of Lifting by Lou Schuler 2005
6. Art - Have you ever read through an art book before? Art books are not only fun
to read through because of the beautiful artwork inside, but also because they
have a tendency to inspire the reader to be creative and try different types of
art for themselves. Inspire your child’s artistic side by sharing the different types
of art that exist and how they can make their own! Children love to be creative
and art is a great subject to have them spend time reading and learning about.

Examples:
• The Master’s Guide to Drawing Anime by Christopher Hart
• The Easy Drawing Books for Teens by Angela Rizza
7. Music - One subject that isn’t read about enough, especially as kids are growing up, is
music. It’s shown that learning music helps children grow in all areas of development
and increases their IQ. Learning music starts with reading about it and reading about it
inspires children to want to explore all the different possibilities that it has to offer. Is
your child interested in picking up an instrument? Give them a simple book that
talks about the different kinds of instruments and how they’re played. See which
one sticks out to them and help them see where the best place to start is.

Examples:
• Jazz by Toni Morrison
• How Music Works by David Byrne

Benefits To Reading Fiction

Not only are fiction books so fun for kids to read, but they are also beneficial to
their learning and development. Fiction books require a child to use their imagination.
As said before, it’s important for children to exercise their ability to use their
imagination so that it comes naturally to them when they grow up to be
adults. Alongside helping your child grow their imagination, reading fiction also helps
your children to learn to be more empathic. How does that happen? When a child reads
a story that shares the characters in an emotional light, they’re able to connect to them
and understand them better than if they read a story of events that took place in
nonfiction books.
Interestingly enough, reading fiction also helps your child develop a stronger
ability to comprehend other people’s intentions. This is a huge benefit to reading these
“made up” stories. Being able to discern what someone else’s motivations might be can
be really important as your child is growing, maturing, and socializing with others.
These books also help your child to remain open-minded when reading and taking in
information. This is super important for decision-making and processing information.
These are all but just a few benefits to having your children read fiction books, and
there are plenty more.

Benefits to Reading Non-fiction

We know that reading nonfiction is good for kids to learn about important topics like
history, science, and more. Nonfiction books are tools that give your children knowledge and
intellect, but what else can reading nonfiction do for your child? When a child reads
nonfiction books, they’re aiding in their own development of critical thinking skills.
Critical thinking skills help a child analyze the information they’re taking in, interpret
that information, make conclusions about it, communicate about it, and solve problems
with it. These skills are essential for strong development and autonomy as your child
grows and matures.

Along with these amazing benefits, nonfiction reading helps offer solutions to
real-world problems. From reading science books, for example, your child can see that
global warming is affecting our planet and will be encouraged to take active steps to
help take care of our planet. Nonfiction books also teach children more about
the world they live in. This is helpful because as a parent, it can become hard to explain
everything that happens around the world and throughout history. It’s important for
kids to know about current events and these books can help do that.

What’s more?
The Difference between Fiction and Non-Fiction
One thing we hope we’ve covered by now is that reading books, fiction or
nonfiction, is good for your child and their brain. Every child has an imagination and
books help it come alive. They also serve to teach children about any and all topics
they could possibly think of. Books are a resource that will always be around and will
always be needed.
 As mentioned before, fiction books are created by and for the imagination. They
inspire kids to think outside the box and are meant to entertain kids’ imaginations.
Fiction books incorporate made-up elements like time travel, mythical creatures, and
fairytales.
Nonfiction books are created from facts. They teach kids about real-life events,
people, places, and things. They help a child understand the world around them and
provide knowledge about the earth, the human body, how the United States came to
be, how to bake chocolate chip cookies, who Martin Luther King Jr. was, and so much
more.
Explaining what fiction and nonfiction books are and the differences between
them will help them understand what they’re reading going forward. When they pick
up a fictional book, they can understand that what they’re reading didn’t necessarily
happen in real life but that it’s fun to imagine it happening. This will give your child
more power to distinguish what’s real from what’s not.

What can you say?

Choral Reading and Discussion Relay

Directions: There will be five groups in the class. The sections that each group will read
aloud together are listed below. Every text has a label indicating which group will read
it, and they are all relevant to the topic under discussion. They will have five minutes
to work together to analyze the texts that have been assigned to them. The text must
then be read aloud by the class, pausing and stopping as needed. Afterwards , each
group will have a maximum of three minutes to discuss the material in briefly. Each
group's members are required to contribute at least one sentence to the discussion.

Group 1: Fictional literature, also referred to as "fiction," is a broad term that includes
imaginative stories written by authors with the intention of entertaining, stimulating
thought, or evoking strong feelings in readers. Fiction takes readers to imaginary worlds
where they can engage in adventures, meet interesting characters, and delve into
complicated themes. The events, characters, and settings in fiction can be made up by
the author's imagination, enabling imaginative storytelling and an exploration of deeper
ideas. Fiction allows readers to escape reality and sink themselves in worlds of the
fantastical, where anything is possible. Examples of fiction include novels, poetry, and
plays, where the emphasis is on narrative rather than factual information.
Group 2: In contrast to fiction's imaginative landscapes, non-fictional literature anchors
itself in the tangible realm of factual reality. Non-fiction books work as informational
relays by giving readers verified facts, analyses, and interpretations of real-life events.
Books such as biographies, autobiographies, essays, news pieces, and textbooks can
provide readers with information about historical occurrences, developments in
science, societal issues, and individual experiences. Non-fiction promotes critical
thinking and fact-checking, encouraging readers to suspend disbelief and develop a
knowledge of the world that is supported by logic and evidence, in contrast to fiction.
Group 3: Fiction and non-fiction, in spite of their opposing nature, both aim to improve
readers' lives and extend their perspectives. Fictional literature provides a means of
escape into fantastical worlds where readers can relate to characters, struggle with
ethical challenges, and consider existential issues. Non-fiction, on the other hand, gives
readers a broader perspective on society, culture, history, and the natural world by
acting as a window into the world. Reading fiction and non-fiction helps readers develop
their critical thinking abilities, empathy, and comprehensive awareness of the aspects
of the human condition.
Group 4: Readers need to understand the distinctions in book purpose, story creation,
and information presentation in order to tell the difference between fiction and non-
fiction. Fictional stories take readers on imaginative and emotionally charged journeys
through the use of made-up characters, places, and events. Non-fiction, on the other
hand, presents factual information in an organized and enlightening way while
upholding the ideals of fairness, reliability, and evidence. Through identifying the style
and moral distinctions between fiction and non-fiction, readers can cultivate a more
observant approach to literary interpretation and analysis.
Group 5: Fiction presents readers with stories that exist outside of reality and provide
windows into other dimensions, imaginary worlds, and the limits of human imagination.
Fictional narratives function as windows that reflect the complications of logical issues,
standards of society, and human nature. Readers engage with characters through
empathy and emotional connection, sharing in their accomplishments, difficulties, and
improvement. Non-fiction, on the other hand, sheds light on the details of reality and
give readers an understanding of the complex relationships between the natural world,
the human experience, and the events that shape our existence.
Post-Test: What have you learned?
It’s fun to have a short quiz after a discussion! Let’s test your learnings! Good
luck, students!
Directions: Read each question carefully and encircle the letter of the correct answer.

1. What are the primary types of fiction books mentioned in the topic?
A. Romance Novels, Mystery, Science Fiction
B. History, Biography, Autobiography
C. Romance, Fan-fiction, History
D. Cookbook, Art, Music

2. What is the primary focus of non-fiction literature, as discussed in the topic?

A. Stimulating imagination and creativity
B. Providing solutions to problems
C. Presenting factual information about real-life events
D. Enhancing engagement

3. Imagine you are writing a report about famous historical figures. Which genre of
literature would be most helpful for gathering accurate information?
A. Romance Novels
B. Mystery Novels
C. Science Books
D. Biographies

4. You are organizing a debate on the topic of climate change. Which type of
nonfiction book would provide the most relevant information to support your
arguments?
A. Science
B. History
C. Biographies
D. Art

5. A student is reading two books, one about the life of a famous inventor and
another about a fictional superhero. Which book is likely to provide information
based on real-life events?
A. The book about the superhero
B. The book about the inventor
C. Both books equally
D. Neither A and B
6. A student is comparing two nonfiction books, one about climate change and the
other about space exploration. Which aspect of the books is the student likely
examining?
A. Character Development
B. Plot structure
C. Scientific Theories
D. Symbolism

7. Imagine you are selecting books for a school library. Which criterion would be
most important to consider when evaluating fiction and nonfiction books?
A. The popularity of the books among the students
B. The color and beauty of the book
C. The thickness of the book
D. The value and relevance of the content

8. “Nonfiction books are more valuable than fiction books." Evaluate the validity of
this statement.
A. True
B. False
C. Neither A and B
D. It depends on the preferences of the readers.

9. Which of the following statements best reflects an evaluation of the importance

of fiction literature for children?
A. Fiction literature is irrelevant compared to nonfiction literature.
B. Fiction literature provides valuable opportunities for imaginative exploration
and emotional engagement.
C. Fiction literature should be banned in schools.
D. Fiction literature has less educational value.

10. You are asked to design a new book cover for a nonfiction book about marine
life. What elements would you include to make your cover visually appealing and
informative?
A. Images of fictional creatures
B. Bright colors and abstract shape
C. Realistic illustrations of marine animals and plants
D. Patterns unrelated to the theme of the books
Answer Keys:
Pre-Test:
1. B. Stimulating imagination
2. C. Fantasy
3. C. By helping them solving life-crimes.
4. A. Biographies
5. C. To learn about real-life events and facts.
6. A. To learn about life-changing events throughout history
7. C. By presenting factual information for analysis
8. D. Romance
9. A. Fiction books are based on imagination, while non-fiction books are based on
real-life events and facts.
10. B. Health and Fitness

Post-Test:
1. A. Romance Novels, Mystery, Science Fiction
2. C. Presenting factual information about real-life events
3. D. Biographies
4. A. Science
5. B. The book about the inventor
6. C. Scientific Theories
7. D. The value and relevance of the content
8. D. It depends on the preferences of the readers.
9. B. Fiction literature provides valuable opportunities for imaginative exploration
and emotional engagement.
10. C. Realistic illustrations of marine animals and plants
References:

Caribu. (2022, February 15). Fiction Vs. Nonfiction Books: What’s The Difference? Caribu
| Playtime Is Calling. https://caribu.com/2022/02/15/fiction-vs-nonfiction-
books/
Mazurek, D. (2022, September 20). What Is Science Fiction? The Elements That Define
Sci-Fi. Dictionary.com; Dictionary.com. https://www.dictionary.com/e/what-is-
science-fiction-sci-fi/
Michael, A. (2023, April 5). Historical Fiction Literature in the Philippines: A Look at
Masterpieces. Medium; Medium.
https://medium.com/@michaelanthony.33/historical-fiction-literature-in-the-
philippines-a-look-at-masterpieces-294fc3548374
Reedsy. (2020, November 3). The 60 Best Romance Novels to Sweep You Off Your Feet.
Discovery; Reedsy. https://reedsy. com/discovery/blog/best-romance-novels