How Third Graders Are Building Smarter Reading Skills At Bayport-Blue Point School District

BAYPORT–BLUE POINT, NY — Third graders in Michelle Varghese's class at Sylvan Avenue Elementary are diving into the world of nonfiction as part of a new reading unit, school officials said.

Students spent time exploring a range of nonfiction books and learning how these texts differ from fiction. As they read, students identified key features — including captions, diagrams, headers, tables of contents, insets, and sidebars — and discussed how each one helps readers understand information more clearly.

To reinforce those skills, students took part in a hands-on matching activity using vocabulary cards and photos. Their goal: pair each nonfiction text feature with its correct visual example.

The district said the lesson helped students strengthen both comprehension and confidence as they move deeper into nonfiction reading.