TEXT FEATURES

TEXT FEATURES: AN INTRODUCTION

• WHAT ARE TEXT FEATURES? – Text Features are to non-fiction what story elements

are to fiction. They help the reader make sense of what they are reading and to locate/learn information.

• TEXT FEATURES AND COMPREHENSION– Text features go hand-in-hand with comprehension.

You need a MAP to know where a country is located and why it’s important. If the anatomy of an animal is vitally important to understanding a text, you need a DETAILED PHOTOGRAPH with LABELS.

– Text features also help readers determine what is important to the text and to them. Without a TABLE of CONTENTS or an INDEX, readers can spend wasted time flipping through the book to find the information they need. SPECIAL PRINT helps draw the attention of the reader to important or key words and phrases.

• Analyze your “Text Features Chart” and the 20 text features below.

CREATE A 15-PAGE TEXT FEATURES BOOKLET!

Table of Contents

Highlighted Text

Sidebar

Charts, Schedules, Tables

Timeline

Heading/ Subheading

Title/ Title Page

Guide Words

Icons

Maps

Italics

Bold-Faced PrintDiagram with Labels

Illustration/Photograph with Caption

Glossary / Index

Keyword

EACH PAGE OF YOUR BOOKLET MUST INCLUDE: 1. A SELECTED TEXT FEATURE (from the list above)2. A STUDENT-FRIENDLY DEFINITION3. A COLORFUL ILLUSTRATION RELATED TO THE THEME4. A CUT OUT EXAMPLE FROM NEWSPAPER/MAGAZINE5. A CLEAR EXPLANATION: WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? WHAT

DOES IT HELP YOU TO QUICKLY DO?

ALL PAGES MUST DIRECTLY CONNECT TO THE BOOKLET THEME!

BOOKLET THEME:“WHATEVER IT TAKES… BECOME LEGENDARY”

Appendix

Graph

Footnote

Bullets

161

TEXT STRUCTURE

PROBLEM/SOLUTIONCAUSE & EFFECT

COMPARE & CONTRASTSEQUENCE

DESCRIPTION

WHAT IS TEXT STRUCTURE?Text structure refers to the organizational patterns that are used by authors to present their ideas and achieve a particular purpose in a piece of text. As authors write a text to communicate an idea, they will use a structure that goes along with that idea.

WHY IS UNDERSTANDING TEXT STRUCTURE IMPORTANT?

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TEXT STRUCTURES?

• It helps you make better sense of the information presented in the text (which helps you understand it!)

• If you can identify and understand the text structure, you will remember more of what you read, better organize what you remember, and effectively discriminate between relevant and irrelevant details.

• You will become a better writer!

162

SEQUENCE

WHAT’S THE PURPOSE?

The purpose is to show how to do something or make something, or to relate a series of events that happen over time.

HOW IS IT ORGANIZED?

• This structure is organized from one point in time to another. Dates and times are also used.

WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD WE ASK AS WE READ?

How are the steps organized? What is the time span from the first event to the last? How does the author signal the change from one event to the next? What do all of the events explain?

SIGNAL WORDS first, second, third, later, before, after, finally, now, then, next, earlier, during, afterwards, until, meanwhile, eventually, next week, tomorrow, today, immediately, initially, as soon as, following, preceding

First… Then… Later on…

Next…Finally…

5-STRIP FOLDABLE

162

DESCRIPTION

WHAT’S THE PURPOSE? The purpose is to tell what something is, to present an item’s attributes or properties, to show what an item or place is like.

HOW IS IT ORGANIZED? • This structure helps us visualize and understand a topic.• It uses descriptive adjectives help us visualize the topic.• It explains the characteristics of the subject or topic and uses details.

WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD WE ASK AS WE READ?

What is being described? How does the author organize the description? Which detail is the most important? How do all of the details fit together?

SIGNAL WORDS Descriptive adjectives and words like: on, over, beyond, within, are, behind, back, front, top, underneath, on the left/right, appears to be, as in, looks like

5-STRIP FOLDABLE

162

COMPARE & CONTRAST

WHAT’S THE PURPOSE? The purpose is to present how two topics are the same and/or different.

HOW IS IT ORGANIZED? • The text may use a clustered approach, with details about one topic followed by details about the other • The text may also show an alternating approach, with the author going back and forth between the two topics • Compare and contrast paragraphs are often embedded in other text structures as an author needs to explain a similarity or difference

WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD WE ASK AS WE READ?

What is being compared? What are the similarities? What are the differences? Which similarities and differences are the most significant? Are the details alternating or clustered?

SIGNAL WORDS while, yet, but ,unlike rather, instead, on the other hand, although, even though, still, otherwise, as opposed to, like, similarly, likewise, same, both, as well as, in common

5-STRIP FOLDABLE

162

CAUSE & EFFECT

WHAT’S THE PURPOSE? The purpose is to show why something exists or is in place, to tell what happens as the result of an action or actions, to show how one or more causes led to one or more effects

HOW IS IT ORGANIZED? • This text structure also has a strong time component, since causes come before effects • Many texts do not include just one cause leading to one effect—instead, there may be several causes and several effects.

WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD WE ASK AS WE READ?

What is the cause? What are the effects? Were there several causes and several effects? How did the cause lead to the effects? How did people react?

SIGNAL WORDS because, since, if then, due to, as a result, for this reason, on account of, consequently, in order to, effects of, is caused by, when...then, leads to

Action

Reaction

5-STRIP FOLDABLE

162

PROBLEM / SOLUTION

WHAT’S THE PURPOSE?

The purpose is to present a problem, and show how it can be (or has been) solved.

HOW IS IT ORGANIZED?

• This text structure is sometimes confused with cause and effect, but the key difference is the problem/solution structure always has a solution, while cause and effect does not.

WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD WE ASK AS WE READ?

What is the problem? What are the solutions? Who worked to solve the problem? Has the problem been solved yet, or will it be solved in the future? What caused the problem?

SIGNAL WORDS propose, conclude, a solution, is resolved, result, the reason for, the problem or question, the effect, one idea

5-STRIP FOLDABLE

162

GOOSE BUMPS: A Text Structure

Analysis

Sequence: “Goose bumps make me shiver. First I get cold. Then I shake all over.” Description: “Goose bumps make me shiver. I get little bumps on my skin. They look like sesame seeds.” Compare and Contrast: “Some people get goose bumps from fear. Others get goose bumps when they are touched emotionally.” Cause and Effect: “Goose bumps make me shiver. When the temperature drops below 45 degrees, my skin crinkles into goose bumps.” Problem/Solution: “Goose bumps make me shiver. But they disappear as soon as I cover up with a jacket or sweater.”

NOW YOU TRY IT! Divide this pages into five sections. Instead of “goose bumps,” use “My Summer Vacation” as your topic. The FINAL SENTENCE of each structure should include the THEME.

Des

crip

tion

Sequ

ence

Com

pare

/Con

tras

tCa

use/

Effec

tPr

oble

m/S

oluti

on

165

OK. Now that you have a basic understanding of the different text structures, let’s look at some example selections and determine the structures! Don’t forget to identify the signal words.

Just draw six lines.

166

“The Fire”

Daniel Sullivan was the first to notice the flames coming from the O’Leary barn at around 8:30 pm on October 8. A broken alarm box made it impossible for the people in the area to call for the fire department. By 9:30 pm, the entire block was blazing. In another 3 hours, there were fires all over Chicago. The heavy wind coming from the lake only made the fire bigger. It would be another day before the fire would be completely out. By that time, 17,500 buildings had been burned.

#1

“Jupiter” Jupiter is one of the nine planets in our solar system. It is called the giant among the planets because it has a diameter ten times as big as the earth. It also has twelve moons! Many scientists believe that the matter of which Jupiter is composed is in the form of a gas; it is not solid like the rock that makes up the earth and the moon. The truth in this hypothesis must await further exploration. Scientists do know that Jupiter’s rotation period is about ten hours, and its revolution period is about twelve years. This means that Jupiter spins very rapidly on its axis as it makes its orbit around the sun. The atmosphere surrounding this planet is probably made up mainly of ammonia and methane, and its temperature is far, far below zero. Since it has no water, no oxygen, and extremely low temperatures, it is unlikely that it could support life. This giant among planets does not seem like a friendly place for humans.

#2

“Oceans and Ponds – How are They Different?” To a small child, the ocean and the pond seem very much the same. However, there are important differences to point out. To begin with, a pond is a very small body of water. The ocean covers more than half of the earth’s surface. Ponds are very shallow, but the ocean is several thousand miles deep in most places. Some green pond plants are rooted in mud on the floor of a pond. Because of the ocean’s depth, the sunlight can’t reach the ocean’s floor, hence no green plants grow there. Ponds contain fresh water, which means there is no salt content. The ocean, though, is the largest body of salt water on earth. While they are both bodies of water, there are clearly major differences between the ocean and a pond.

#3

“Sunbear: An Endangered Species” The sun bear, native to Southeast Asia, is an endangered species for two reasons. First, people in this part of the world hunt the sun bear for body parts such as the gall bladder, the claws and the meat. The body parts are valuable because some people believe that eating them will help heal broken bones and bruises. They believe this because the sun bear appears to fall out of trees without injuring itself. Additionally, special restaurants serve bear paws and bear meat to diners who think that eating this kind of meal will bring good health. In addition to being hunted, the sun bear’s habitat is being destroyed. The jungles where the sun bears live are being cleared to make way for homes and farms. Legendary beliefs can be harmful to nature.

#4

“Modern Olympics”

One problem with the modern Olympics is that it has become very big and expensive to operate. The city or country that hosts the games often loses a lot of money. A stadium, pools, and playing fields must be built for the athletic events and housing is needed for the athletes who come from around the world. And all of these facilities are used for only 2 weeks! In 1984, Los Angeles solved these problems by charging a fee for companies who wanted to be official sponsors of the games. Companies like McDonald's paid a lot of money to be part of the Olympics. Many buildings that were already built in the Los Angeles area were also used. The Coliseum where the 1932 games were held was used again and many colleges and universities in the area became playing and living sites.

#5

“Harry Houdini”

Harry Houdini was born in Hungary in 1874 and moved to Wisconsin when he was four years old. As a young boy, he became captivated by magic when he saw a magician perform. Harry directed his energy to becoming a magician, but some of his first shows were a flop. After five years he almost gave it up. But the “needle trick” changed all that. In this trick he swallowed needles and thread and coughed them back up with all the needles threaded through their eyes. Harry was on his way up! Harry went on to perform amazing stunts and tricks including in 1910 escaping out of the mouth of a cannon just before it blew up. No wonder Harry Houdini became a household name. Harry Houdini died on Halloween in 1926.

#6

“Icebergs”

Icebergs—giant blocks of ice that float in the sea—come in many shapes, sizes, and colors. Some are deep blue or green. Some look like floating sculptures. Old icebergs that have been worn down by the weather sometimes look like pillars of ice. Usually, only about one-fifth of an iceberg appears above the surface of the water. The other four-fifths of the “berg” is hidden underwater, out of sight. Sometimes, an iceberg has what is called a “foot,” an extension completely underwater. These are especially dangerous for ships. It was an iceberg “foot” that sank the Titanic in 1912, killing 1,503 people.

#7

“Different Schools for Aztec Kids”

Aztec children went to one of two different kinds of schools. One kind was for the sons and daughters of nobility, or wealthy people high up in society. There, children learned to read, write, and do math. They learned to play musical instruments. Some children studied to be priests. They learned the secret language of the priesthood, how to predict eclipses and comets, and how to keep track of the days on the sacred calendar. Other children learned how to work with silver and how to carve wood and stone. The priests were strict with the children at these schools, giving harsh punishments if a child broke a rule. Children of common people went to a different kind of school. The priests were less strict with these children, and they allowed the children to go home sometimes. In both kinds of schools, children learned about religion and war. They learned songs, poems, and dances to honor their gods. They memorized stories of the gods and how they ruled the earth.

#8

“Old Batteries: A Nuisance or a Hazard?” When batteries are thrown into the trash, they are harmful to the environment. If batteries are not properly disposed of, they can crack or become damaged. As a result, the toxic substances inside the batteries leak, and the surrounding water and soil are contaminated. Likewise, when batteries are incinerated, or burned, the air is contaminated by toxic fumes. Since incineration produces ashes, the ashes contain toxic substances. Over time, the ashes are buried and the toxic substances make their way into the soil and water. Finally, old car batteries are also harmful because they can crack open when they are dropped. If a neighborhood trash collector drops an old battery in the street or driveway, the toxic contents may spill and pose a health hazard for pets and small children. So it is very important to properly dispose of old batteries to protect our environment.

#9

“Dropping Out”

The problem of school drop-out can be reduced by using several strategies. First, educational authorities have to work closely with parents to monitor attendance. They need to follow up and determine the reasons for a student’s absence. In some countries, parents are fined if the children are not attending school. Schools also need social workers who can respond to family problems. A second approach is to implement changes in the curriculum so that school is moreinteresting for students at risk of dropping out. This could mean new methods of teaching or new subjects and facilities in the school. Thirdly, some financial help could be made available in a country like the UAE to encourage students with financial problems to stay in school.

#10

“Diary of the Monarch Butterfly” February 19, 2007 — It's too early for spring migration, but monarch butterflies are on the move! They are spreading down the rivers in search of water. These early signs mean the winter season is coming to a close. Monarch butterflies have been in Mexico since November. Can they survive all winter with little or no food? Let's find out.

March 1, 2007 — It's March. The days are getting longer and temperatures are rising in Mexico. Within the month these butterflies will leave their winter home and begin the trip to North America. Get ready to track the spring migration.

March 10, 2007 — Here come the monarchs! Spring migration begins every March in a flurry. The monarchs are in a race against time. They can't stay in Mexico any longer. They can't move north too quickly either. The timing of their spring migration must be precise. How do they know when to leave, and why do they leave now?

#11

“Humpback Whales”

The humpback whale is huge. She is longer than a school bus and weighs 35 tons, but she preys on some of the smallest inhabitants of the sea world—tiny shrimp-like creatures that aren’t much bigger than a piece of popcorn called krill. To feed, she opens her mouth wide, taking in hundreds of gallons of water in a single gulp. A humpback whale has no teeth. Instead, attached to its upper jaw are rows of long, thin fingernail-like material called baleen. Each piece of baleen is about three feet long and has bristles at its end that act like a strainer. When the whale takes in a mouthful of water, it forces the water out through the baleen with its tongue, trapping thousands of tiny krill inside its mouth. Humpback whales eat A LOT of krill – up to 4,400 pounds per meal!

#12

“Beastly Bee-havior” Scientists have a joke about killer bees: How can you tell the difference between a regular honeybee hive and a "killer" bee hive? Kick the hive and see how far you run! "Regular bees might buzz you for 100 feet or so," explains insect expert Margaret McMichael. "But 'killer' bees might chase you for two miles!" In many ways, killer bees and honey bees are similar. A killer-bee sting is no more deadly than a regular bee sting. Like killer bees, all honeybees have venom (poison) in their stingers. In many ways, killer bees also behave like regular honeybees. For example, all bees attack when they think their hive is in danger. But some differences in behavior make killer bees more deadly than honey bees. Compared to ordinary honeybees, killer bees have: quick triggers — Unlike a honey bee, it takes very little to get killer bees riled up. "They can sense you walking from about two car-lengths away," says Margaret. big colonies — Killer beehives can hold more than 50,000 bees, that is many more than in a honey bee hive. When a killer bee hive is disturbed, there are many more bees to react. staying power — when killer bees get angry, they will chase you for much longer than honey bees will if they are angry. smoke them out: "Smoke makes them think their house is on fire," says Margaret. "To get energy to fly away, they swallow a bellyful of honey. It's hard to sting with a full belly!"

#13

“Populating the Cities” In recent decades, cities have grown so large that now about 50% of the Earth's population lives in urban areas. There are several reasons for this occurrence. First, the increasing industrialization of the nineteenth century resulted in the creation of many factory jobs, which tended to be located in cities. These jobs, with their promise of a better material life, attracted many people from rural areas. Second, there were many schools established to educate the children of the new factory laborers. The promise of a better education persuaded many families to leave farming communities and move to the cities. Finally, as the cities grew, people established places of leisure, entertainment, and culture, such as sports stadiums, theaters, and museums. For many people, these facilities made city life appear more interesting than life on the farm, and therefore drew them away from rural communities.

#14

“Crocodiles”

In most parts of the world, there are not as many crocodiles as there used to be. This is a problem because crocodiles are becoming endangered and also crocodiles are necessary to the balance of nature. Many crocodiles have died because people have dried up the swamps and marshes where the crocodiles live. Poachers (people who hunt illegally) have also contributed to the dilemma as crocodiles have been desired for their strong, smooth, leathery skins. In order to preserve these mighty creatures, people must take care of the crocodiles’ environment and help put a stop to the needless shooting of these animals.

#15

“Headaches” Headaches can have several causes. Many people think that the major cause of headache is nervous tension, but there is strong evidence that suggests diet and environment as possible factors. Some people get headaches because they are dependent on caffeine. Other people may be allergic to salt, or they may have low blood sugar. Still other people are allergic to household chemicals including polishes, waxes, bug killers, and paint. If they can manage to avoid these substances, their headaches tend to go away. When a person has recurring headaches, it is worthwhile to look for the underlying cause, especially if the result of that search is freedom from pain.

#16

OK. Now that you have a better understanding of the different text structures, let’s CREATE A 6-STRIP FOLDABLE (exit ticket) to analyze six example selections. Your job is to provide a picture, title and determine the structure. Don’t forget to identify the signal words!

Dinosaurs existed about 250 million years ago to 65 million years ago. This era is broken up into three periods known as the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. The Triassic Period lasted for 35 million years from 250-205 million years ago. Planet Earth was a very different place back then. All the continents were united to form one huge land mass known as Pangaea. The Jurassic Period was the second phase. The continents began shifting apart. The time scale for this famous period is from 205 to 138 million years ago. The Cretaceous Period was the last period of the dinosaurs. It spanned a time from 138 million to about 65 million years ago. In this period the continents fully separated. However, Australia and Antarctica were still united

TITLE:_____________________

TEXT STRUCTURE:________________

The Cretaceous Period was filled with dangerous predators, but two of the most feared hunters were the Tyrannosaurs Rex and the Velociraptor. The Tyrannosaurs Rex was one of the largest carnivores to ever walk the earth. He was 20 feet tall and weighed seven tons. His jaws could crush down with 3,000 lbs. of force, enough to smash the bones of his prey. The Velociraptor was very small compared to the T-rex. Raptors only stood three feet tall and were seven feet long, weighing merely 35 pounds. But the Velociraptor was fast. Scientists think that raptors could run 24 miles per hour and turn on a dime. Both dinosaurs used their jaws to kill prey, but the raptor had a secret weapon: a retractable toe claw that he pulled out like a knife to slash at his prey. Both dinosaurs had eyes on the front of their heads, which helped them track prey. If these two dinosaurs had fought, it would be difficult to say which would win; however since raptors died over ten million years before the first tyrannosaurs was born, scientists don’t believe such a fight ever occurred.

TITLE:_____________________

TEXT STRUCTURE:________________

Materials: plaster of Paris, mixing bowl, large spoon or other mixing utensil, sand paper bowl or cup, objects to fossilize, paint Look for or collect an object to fossilize. This can be anything from a plastic toy dinosaur to a leaf. Pour about an inch of sand into a paper bowl or cup. Press the object into the sand. Do not bury it. Mix the plaster of Paris according to the manufacturer’s directions. Parents should do this step for their children. Pour the plaster onto the sand. Let it set overnight. Once the plaster has set remove it from the paper bowl or plate. You may need to peel or tear the paper away. Remove or brush off the sand and object to reveal the fossilized imprint. Optional: Paint if desired.

TITLE:_____________________

TEXT STRUCTURE:________________

There are many theories about why the dinosaurs vanished from the planet. One theory that many people believe is that a gigantic meteorite smashed into the Earth. Scientists believe that the meteorite was very big and that the impact may have produced a large dust cloud that covered the Earth for many years. The dust cloud may have caused plants to not receive sunlight and the large plant eaters, or herbivores, may have died off, followed by the large meat eaters, or carnivores. This theory may or may not be true, but it is one explanation as to why these giant reptiles no longer inhabit the Earth.

TITLE:_____________________

TEXT STRUCTURE:________________

The fossil record can give us large amounts of knowledge, but there are many other ways that the fossil record is incomplete or misleading. For example, the brontosaurus is a type of dinosaur that never really existed. Many people still believe in the brontosaurus today, but the “brontosaurus” is actually the body of an apatosaurus with the head of a camarasaurus. The brontosaurus was made up from these two mismatched fossils. That’s why it is important to think critically about information that people tell you, even if it’s information you find on a book or in a worksheet. Keep these problems in mind when studying fossil records to come to conclusions about dinosaurs and their lifestyles.

TITLE:_____________________

TEXT STRUCTURE:________________

One day Dino the Dinosaur decided to go for a walk to the watering hole. It was a sunny day and the sky was blue and clear. Dino was thinking about his girlfriend Dina when he saw a pack of wild lizards and animals running through the plains in a frenzy. Dino tried to ask the critters why they were running, but they just kept running. Dino scratched his dinosaur head and continued walking toward the watering hole. Soon after, Dino heard a loud thumping noise like the slow beat of a drum. The earth shook and fruit fell from the trees, but Dino was so deep in thought over his girl Dina that he didn’t even notice. The thumping grew louder and louder as Timmy the Tyrannosaurs Rex approached Dino. Dino kept thinking about his girl Dina until the moment Timmy ate him.

TITLE:_____________________

TEXT STRUCTURE:________________

OK. Now that you have a solid understanding of the different text structures, let’s reverse it. I will give you a text structure and your job is to write a paragraph (≥7 sentences) that uses that structure. Use and highlight your transition words!

TEXT STRUCTURE:

“DESCRIPTION”167

TEXT STRUCTURE: “SEQUENCE”

167

TEXT STRUCTURE:

“COMPARE & CONTRAST” 168

TEXT STRUCTURE: “CAUSE & EFFECT”

168

TEXT STRUCTURE:

“PROBLEM & SOLUTION” 169

PEER ANALYSIS (How can your teammates’ structures be improved?)

169

TEAM NEWSPAPER

PROJECT!Now that you’ve learned the different non-fiction text features and text structures, let’s put your knowledge to the ultimate test. Each team is responsible for creating a James Martin Newspaper. Refer to your team requirement checklist to create your team’s “front page.” Have fun!