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Students learn about fiction and how stories use imagination to create things that aren't real.
Imagine a cat wearing a tuxedo and telling you a joke. Is that a lie, or is it something else entirely?
Have you ever heard a story about a dragon or a flying car? These stories are called fiction. Fiction is a story that is made up using your imagination. It didn't actually happen in real life. Think of fiction like a playground for your mind where anything is possible! When an author writes fiction, they aren't trying to trick you. They are using their brain to create something brand new and exciting for you to read.
Quick Check
If a story is 'made up' in someone's head, what do we call it?
Answer
We call it fiction.
How can we tell if a story is fiction? We look for clues! In the real world, animals don't talk and people can't cast magic spells. If you see a dog telling a story or a girl flying without a plane, you are looking at fiction. These 'impossible' things are called fictional elements. They make stories extra fun because they let us explore worlds that don't exist in our everyday lives.
Let's look at two short sentences: 1. The boy ate a red apple for lunch. 2. The boy ate a star and started to glow like a lamp.
Sentence could be real. Sentence is fiction because boys cannot eat stars or glow like lamps!
Quick Check
Name one thing that happens in books but cannot happen in real life.
Answer
Answers may include: animals talking, people flying, or using magic wands.
Is fiction a lie? No! There is a big difference. A lie is when someone says something that isn't true to get out of trouble or to trick someone. Fiction is a story told for entertainment. When you read a book about a talking mouse, you know it's not real, and the author knows it's not real. You are both 'playing along' to have a good time. Fiction is a gift of a story, while a lie is meant to hide the truth.
Imagine two scenarios: 1. Sam broke a lamp and told his mom a 'space alien' did it so he wouldn't get grounded. This is a lie. 2. Sam wrote a story about a space alien who visits Earth to learn how to play baseball. This is fiction.
In the first one, Sam is hiding the truth. In the second one, Sam is sharing a fun idea!
Can a story have real things and still be fiction? Yes!
Step 1: Start with a real place (like your school). Step 2: Add a real person (like yourself). Step 3: Add one imaginary thing (like your desk turning into a spaceship).
Even though the school and you are real, the spaceship desk makes the whole story fiction!
What is the best definition of fiction?
Which of these is a clue that a story is fiction?
Fiction is the same thing as a lie because both are not true.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow morning, try to remember the three 'clues' that tell you a story is fiction.
Practice Activity
Pick your favorite stuffed animal and imagine one 'fictional' thing it could do if it came to life. Tell a friend or family member your mini-fiction story!