Literary Genres

English Language Arts, Grade 5

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General Store A genre is a type of writing. There are 12 main genres. It’s important to try reading from each of the different genres to find the ones you like the most. Knowing which genres you enjoy will help you when you choose books to borrow, buy, or download. Mystery: a story usually involving a disappearance or crime. The characters work to find and figure out the meaning of clues to solve the mystery. Historical Fiction: a story with a plot set in a specific time period in the past. Science Fiction: a story that is based on futuristic inventions or technology that hasn’t yet happened. Myth: a story that’s been passed down for a long time. It often explains the early history of a people or some natural phenomenon. Fable: a short story with a moral. It often features characters that are talking animals, mythical creatures, or inanimate things such as the wind. Fantasy: a story with a setting or events (or both) that are impossible or improbable. Alice in Wonderland is a classic fantasy. Horror: a scary fantasy that features monsters, ghosts, or vampires. Biography: the story of someone’s life told by another person. Autobiography: the story of someone’s life written by the person. Adventure: a story that is a series of exciting, often dangerous, experiences. Drama: the story of an emotional, often unexpected, series of events. Humor: a funny story intended to make the reader laugh. Literary Genres Visit www.newpathlearning.com for Online Learning Resources. © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. 92-4051
Literary Genres Visit www.newpathlearning.com for Online Learning Resources. © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. 92-4051 mystery historical fiction science fiction myth fable fantasy biography autobiography drama humor adventure horror NAVY _____________________ 5. A short story that teaches the idea that you should be happy with you and what you have instead of wanting more _____________________ 8. A story of a cabin boy’s struggle to survive on a whaling ship during the 1700s; the boy is not an actual person, but the story includes a lot of facts _____________________ 3. A story in which two teenagers are on the run from FBI agents who mistakenly believe that they killed their parents Read each description. Then, choose which type of genre matches the description. Each genre is used once. _____________________ 1. A nonfiction story about Sojourner Truth’s life and legacy written by somebody else _____________________ 2. A funny story in which a girl learns to live with an unruly ferret _____________________ 6. A story about 200 people from Earth that colonize a new planet _____________________ 4. A story in which Roger follows clues and helps the police find his missing father _____________________ 7. A story in which two children must battle trolls in order to continue living in their nation in the clouds _____________________ 9. A story in which a boy learns to cope with the death of his cousin _____________________ 10. A story in which three children are trapped during a snowstorm in a house haunted by an angry ghost _____________________ 11. A short story passed down for years by a tribe in Africa that explains how the moon came to be _____________________ 12. A nonfiction story about a helicopter pilot who served during the Vietnam War written by the pilot himself