Nonfiction:

Fiction invites us to take a single stance--suspended belief.

In other words, the moment we engage with a work of fiction, the very first thing we tell ourselves is the following:

I fully believe everything the author/creator has to say.

We tell ourselves this because believing everything the author/creator says is true helps us enter their imagined world.

Non-fiction, on the other hand, should not be approached in the same way.

Why?

It is important to remember works of nonfiction can assert things about the world that are perfectly true, somewhat biased, or a flat-out lie!

For this reason, it is necessary to take a slightly skeptical stance towards nonfiction.

How can I take a slightly skeptical stance?

3 Big Questions

• What Surprised Me?
• What did the author think I already knew?
• What challenged, changed, or confirmed what I knew?

Today, I want you to adopt a stance that suggests you expect to learn SOMETHING surprising from nonfiction.

Why? Approaching nonfiction with the idea that you'll learn something surprising helps us think about thoughtful questions:

Who wrote this text? Is this based on recent information? Does this seem logical? Is this accurate? Where did the author get their information?

Big Question: What Surprised me?

• I was shocked about...
• I was surprised when...
• I never thought...
• I could not believe...
• ____, really? (ex:Aliens,really?)

Lesson 2:

Sometimes nonfiction...

• confirms what we know
• modifies our thinking
• changes our minds completely.

For this reason, another reading strategy, besides taking a skeptical stance, is to simply ask yourself:

What challenged, changed, or confirmed what I already knew?

Let's try that!

What challenged, changed, or confirmed what I already knew?

Taken from TIME magazine:
“It’s a classic motivational story. A friend doesn’t immediately succeed at a creative or athletic endeavor, be it soccer, bassoon, rhythmic gymnastics or witchcraft. You console and encourage with a simple but powerful anecdote:

Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. But he worked hard and, eventually, turned out to be pretty good at it.

The story inspires, yes, but it also baffles. How could this superhuman being – this bona fide legend – have been cut from a basketball team?

There’s an easy explanation. He wasn’t. He didn’t make the varsity team, but he did make the J.V. team.

What challenged, changed, or confirmed what I already knew?

Challenged, Confirmed, or Changed

• At first I thought_________ but then I thought ________ .
• My understanding of this topic was challenged when _______.
• I was right about _________ because __________ .