1. Fiction
Genres:
Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Drama, Poetry, Traditional Fiction
Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

2. Example: Realistic Fiction Some of the elements of realistic fiction:
The Study of Genre
Rules
Example: Realistic Fiction
Some of the elements of realistic fiction:
Characters behave like real people and animals
Settings in the story are real or could be real
Events in the story could happen in real life
Conflicts in the story are similar to problems that happen in real life
Nancy R. Craig
Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

3. Example: Historical Fiction
The Study of Genre
Rules
Example: Historical Fiction
Some of the elements of historical fiction:
Story is set in a particular time and place in the past
Characters talk, dress, and act like people of that time period
Story involves characters and events that could have happened in history
Nancy R. Craig
Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

4. Some of the elements of fantasy:
The Study of Genre
Rules
Example: Fantasy
Some of the elements of fantasy:
People, animals, or objects do things they cannot do in real life.
Story takes place in a make-believe setting that does not exist in the real world
Story has creatures in it that are not found in real life
Nancy R. Craig
Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

5. Example: Science Fiction Some of the elements of science fiction:
The Study of Genre
Rules
Example: Science Fiction
Some of the elements of science fiction:
Characters solve problems in a futuristic setting anywhere in the universe
Humans, extraterrestrials, or members of other species
Involve the effects of advanced science and technology on life
Nancy R. Craig
Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

6. Some of the elements of a play/drama:
The Study of Genre
Rules
Example: Play/Drama
Some of the elements of a play/drama:
Meant to be performed or acted out
Types of plays are tragedies and comedies
Has a list that names and describes the characters
Includes descriptions of scenes or settings
Includes dialogue or lines
Includes stage directions
Nancy R. Craig
Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

7. Some of the elements of poetry: Poems often contain words that rhyme
The Study of Genre
Rules
Example: Poetry
Some of the elements of poetry:
Poems often contain words that rhyme
Poems often contain incomplete sentences, each on its own line
Poems often contain lines with rhythm or meter
Poems often contain repeated words
Poems often are rich in imagery
Nancy R. Craig
Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

8. Types of Stories: Fairy Tale, Folk Tale, Fable, Fantasy, Legend, Myth
Traditional Fiction
Types of Stories:
Fairy Tale, Folk Tale, Fable, Fantasy, Legend, Myth
Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

9. Some of the elements of the genre of fairy tales:
The Study of Genre
Rules
Example: Fairy Tales
Some of the elements of the genre of fairy tales:
Begins with the phrase like “Once upon a time…” or “Once there was…”
Setting is a faraway or imaginary land
Characters are often royal, such as kings, queens, princes, princess…
The granting of wishes and the use of magical powers
A happy ending where good wins over evil
Nancy R. Craig
Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

10. Some of the elements of folk tales:
The Study of Genre
Rules
Example: Folk Tales
Some of the elements of folk tales:
Different countries have similar folk tales
Folk tales often begin with “Once upon a time” or “Long ago in a far away place…”
Characters can be animals or objects that can speak
The story often teaches a lesson or moral
Good or smart wins over evil or stupid
Actions or words are often repeated (in a pattern)
The story has an exciting “high point” at the end
Nancy R. Craig
Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

11. Some of the elements of a fable: Stories are very short
The Study of Genre
Rules
Example: Fable
Some of the elements of a fable:
Stories are very short
Stories usually have two or three characters
The characters may be animals or things that act like people
Teach a “lesson” or moral
Nancy R. Craig
Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

12. Some of the elements of legends: A story about a hero or heroine
The Study of Genre
Rules
Example: Legend
Some of the elements of legends:
A story about a hero or heroine
May be based on facts, but the hero or heroine’s actions are “bigger” than life
The story has factual elements, but through countless retellings, the characters and their actions have become exaggerated
Nancy R. Craig
Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

13. Some of the elements of a myth:
The Study of Genre
Rules
Example: Myth
Some of the elements of a myth:
A story that offers an explanation of how something in nature looks or happens
A story that explains why people act as they do
The characters may be human, or gods or goddesses
Nancy R. Craig
Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

14. Genres: Biography, Autobiography, Informational
Nonfiction
Genres:
Biography, Autobiography, Informational
Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

15. Some of the elements of a biography:
The Study of Genre
Rules
Example: Biography
Some of the elements of a biography:
An account of a real person’s life written by someone else
Tells important information about a person’s life
Either may be the about the person’s whole life or part of their life
Events are usually told in the order they occurred (chronologically)
Nancy R. Craig
Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

16. Example: Autobiography Some of the elements of an autobiography:
The Study of Genre
Rules
Example: Autobiography
Some of the elements of an autobiography:
An account by a person about his or her own life
Tells important information about their own life
Tells how the person talks, feels, and thinks about things
Either may be the about the person’s whole life or part of their life
Events are usually told in the order they occurred (chronologically)
Nancy R. Craig
Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

17. Example: Informational
The Study of Genre
Rules
Example: Informational
Some of the elements of informational nonfiction:
Text that provides factual information on a variety of topics.
Textbooks, books about science, books about history, weather, sports, animals, travel, etc.
Nancy R. Craig
Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill