Once I got into genre study, I realized how much I didn’t know about genre. Sure, I knew what genre was, I could list genres, I could email you resources (ready made anchor charts…oops), but I hadn’t thought about how genre differs from form, or noticed that genres belong to certain genre families.
Here’s a little cheat sheet I made to demonstrate genre relationships. You can download it for free here.
After implanting genre study in my own classroom and designing a year-long genre study curriculum, here’s what I’ve learned about genre:
Genre Differs from Form
Genre pertains to the content of the text–historical fiction, for example will tell a fictional narrative set in a historical period. Form is the format. Prose and poetry are the two main forms of literature. Any genre could be written in poetry or prose. Genres: realistic fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, biography, expository nonfiction, procedural texts, persuasive texts Forms: poetry, prose, drama, short story, graphic novel
Genres Come In Families
Some genres are spin-offs of others. Both realistic fiction and historical fiction are in the “Realism” family–they both tell realistic stories. Realism and Fantasy form the two fiction families:
Realism:
- Realistic Fiction tells a realistic (but fictional) story.
- Historical Fiction tells a realistic story set in a historical context.
Fantasy:
- Modern Fantasy tells a fantastical story that usually includes magic or mythical creatures.
- Science Fiction is an offshoot of modern fantasy. In science fiction, fantastical events (ex: time travel) are explained by science, rather than magic.
- Traditional Literature includes folktales, fairy tales, myths, and legends.
Nonfiction families include narrative nonfiction (biography, autobiography, memoir) and expository nonfiction (procedural texts, persuasive texts).
Hybrid Texts
Sometimes authors get really creative and combine genres. The Magic School Bus is a good example of this–the books are fictional, and contain plot, but their obvious purpose is to convey facts. There are elements of fantasy and nonfiction in this series.
If you’d like a handy guide to genre, genre families, and forms, you can download one here.
More about genre study in reading workshop:
- What is Year Long Genre Study?
- Genre Unit vs. Genre Study
- How Genre Study Saved My Reading Workshop from “Grab Bag” Teaching
