Teaming up for non-fiction detective work in 3rd, 8th grades

Pairs of third and eighth graders sat facing each other at tables in the third grade classroom of Nikita Desai, ready to embark on an hour of narrative non-fiction detective work.

Poring over a non-fiction text, Voices of Equality and Peace: The Quaker Journey, which described the origins of Quakerism, eighth-grade mentors helped their younger peers decipher an accompanying graphic organizer, which asked students to identify various elements of the writing process. 

It was the first-ever “Celebration of Understanding,” a collaborative experience between third graders and Adriana Bocchino’s eighth-grade English class. The goal? To dive deep into narrative nonfiction together, and to discover how storytelling built on facts can connect us across age, subject, and lived experience. The collaboration was also a powerful example of the importance of spiral curriculum – an educational approach in which students revisit and build upon previously learned topics and skills, and with each encounter, increase complexity and strengthen reinforcement.

For weeks, third graders had been immersed in a nonfiction writing unit, wrestling with the differences between expository and narrative forms. Some chose to craft structured, research-based pieces about animals and habitats. Others leaned into storytelling – writing “a day in the life” or a journey narrative, weaving factual details into compelling scenes. They learned how to use subheadings, pose questions, vet sources, and reflect on what they had discovered. “What’s powerful is that the students had choice,” said Mrs. Desai. “They decided what kind of nonfiction writer they wanted to be. And through that process, they discovered their voices.”

Meanwhile, in eighth grade, students had just finished The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, exploring ethics, medical history, and narrative structure. Now, they were preparing to read Unbroken. “You have to come and see these texts,” recalled Mrs. Desai in her conversation with Mrs. Bocchino, who also shared that her students were studying non-fiction as well. “I thought it would be interesting for 8th graders to see ages and stages and for our students to see the leadership they are inheriting once they get ready for Upper School,” replied Mrs. Bocchino – and so the collaborative project was born.

Following a presentation from third graders who demonstrated their learning in exposition and non-fiction narrative, students divided into pairs, and each partner read excerpts aloud about the history of Quakerism. As they paused to ask questions and annotate their graphic organizer, third-grade buddies pointed out details they recognized – point of view, dialogue, and even character development – language that was familiar to both younger and older students. “There’s no setting,” Pippa noted, “because it’s not a story-story.” Matthew chimed in, “It’s more like information. But it still has a theme.”

George leaned over to his partner Alex, helping him figure out if the story was told in first, second, or third person. “There are three types,” he explained patiently. “Do you think it’s third person?” “Yes,” Alex nodded. “Correct!” smiled George.

The learning was flowing both ways. As the third graders shared the tools they’d practiced, the eighth graders brought insight from their own reading. One pair reflected on how the Quakers, despite being pressured to conform, stood firm in their beliefs. “They didn’t fight with violence,” one student said thoughtfully. “They used their words.”

The collaboration closed with a few minutes of worship sharing between the students. Silence settled over the room, as each student held the experience in stillness. “It wasn’t that long ago that you were in these seats,” pointed out Mrs. Bocchino near the end. Heads nodded. This, after all, was more than a reading session – it was a moment of inherited leadership, of witnessing growth, and of seeing what lies ahead.

As snacks were passed around, brought by the eighth graders in honor of their guests, there was a quiet sense of pride. Not just in the writing or the reading, but in the connection. “Nonfiction doesn’t have to exist in one sole way,” Mrs. Desai reflected later, sharing that biography and text analysis lies ahead for third grade. “How you ask questions and work with someone who is not your own age – that’s the kind of learning that builds confidence.”

Photography by Alvin Caal/Friends Academy