Text Structure

What it is and why does it matter?

StandardsR.I.1 R.I.2 R.I.5***** R.I.8 R.I.9

Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences.

Determine two or more ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text.

Compare and contrast the overall structure (description, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution, chronological) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in two or more texts.

Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point(s)

Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.

Strategies

• Determining Importance• Summarizing Non-Fiction

Sample Schedule• Day 1-Review Text Features. Then, introduce the

reason for each text structure and then do a super quick overview! Description Text Structure

• Day 2-Chronological Text Structure and Compare/Contrast Text Structure

• Day 3-Cause/Effect and Problem/Solution• Day 4-Comparing Text Structures• Day 5-Comparing Text Structures

Day 1

We discussed how and why writer’s play with language in fiction text. This week we will discuss how writers play with language in non-fiction text. Because non-fiction text is all about relaying information, the writer uses text structures to organize their text. Let’s review the main structures found in non-fiction (expository) text.

Physical Text Structures aka…Text Features

It’s important to do a quick review of these since they are so important when reading non-fiction text. We can’t read over these because they help us determine what is important in the text!SOME of the text features you are most likely to encounter are: captions, graphics, headings, subheadings, titles, graphs etc…Not all text features are created equal. Mostly the features can be grouped into one of four functions. Using text features can help a reader to decide quickly what is important and what is not. If you skip over text features, summary writing becomes more difficult.

Categories of Text FeaturesText Features that highlight Main Ideas

Text Features that highlight Important Details

Text Features that explain

Text Features that add information

Titles Bold, colored and Italicized print

Pronunciation* Graphs, illustrations, photographs

Headings Pulled quotes Captions* Sub-headings

Captions* introductions Pronunciation*

*sometimes the categories overlap. OF course, these are not all the text features, just the ones that show up the most.

Internal Text StructuresThis is how the writer uses words to organize text. The most common text structures are:• Description• Chronological• Compare/Contrast• Cause/Effect• Problem/SolutionText features are easy to see, text structure…not so much. First, let’s see why it’s important to even learn the structures.

Let’s start with the question

“Why does text structure matter?”

To understand this, you will need a pencil or pen and a piece of paper.

Study the next image you see for 30 seconds. You will be asked to recreate this image.

Now draw the image as you remember it.

Let’s try another one.

Get your pencil and paper ready.

You will have 30 seconds to study the next image.:30

Now draw the image as you remember it.

Why was the second image easier to recreate than the first?

STRUCTURE

Most fiction text is structured with a predictable pattern, making it easier to remember.

Beginning Event

Risi

ng

Actio

n

Climax

Fallin

g Actio

n

The first image had no pattern, which makes it difficult to understand and remember.

Random

Just like the first image, random facts are difficult for your mind to predict and remember. Informational text is composed of random facts. So much to learn!

The second image had a specific pattern your mind could predict and remember.

Organized

Just like the second image, fiction text is easier for your mind to predict and remember because it is organized.

Great story!

To help readers understand and remember facts in Informational Text, authors organize the random facts using……

Text Structures

The text structure an author chooses depends upon the information he/she wants the reader to know or understand.

Facts

Facts

Facts

Facts

Facts Facts

For example, let’s look at the topic of Valentine’s Day.

Let’s say you are the author. What do you want your readers to know or understand about Valentine’s Day?

How to make a special kind of Valentine?

To explain how to do or make something step by step, an author would probably choose to usethe sequence text structure.

To explain similarities and differences between two things, an author would probably choosethe compare/contrasttext structure.

To explain the difference between the original purpose of Valentine’s Day and the purpose of Valentine’s Day today?

To explain why St. Valentine was arrested?

the cause/effect text structure

To explain why or how something happened, an author would probably choose

To describe the ruins of the church that was built to honor St. Valentine?

the description text structure

To describe the way something looks, feels, smells, sounds or tastes, an author would probably choose

Maybe you want to explain the problem that Roman emperor Claudius II was having recruiting men to be soldiers in his army and what he decided to do about it.

the problem/solution text structure

To describe a problem and possible solutions, an author would likely choose

What is text structure?

A pattern or order authors use to organize the random facts and information they want their readers to know and remember.

FactsFactsFacts

Why is text structure important?Order and organization makes it easier for our minds to understand and remember informational text.Could you draw this again? Could you draw this again?

When you read informational text, notice the text structure. This will help you understand and remember the information better.

When you write informational text, think about which text structure would best organize your information so your reader can understand and remember it better.

SO…how do we identify these structures???

There are signal words that can help us identify these structures. Sometimes being able to identify the structures helps us be able to remember the information betterNOW…most often informational text is organized with more than one text. That is because the writer has different purposes for different parts of the text. Let’s look at these structures one at a time.

The description text structure gives lots of details. Often times it can be hard to find the main idea in description texts because they will have to be inferred.

Also, lots of adjectives!

Also known as MAIN IDEA.

Description / Main Idea

The author is describing the characteristics, the uniqueness of something, or tells what the

passage is MOSTLY about.

Do you see any signal words? Discuss with a partner what makes this a description paragraph.

Teacher’s Modeling

Your Turn!!

Ok…the topic is…YOURSELF. Write a short descriptive paragraph about yourself.

Day 2

Today we will explore chronological and compare/contrast text structures.

Sequence

The order in which events or steps occur.

• Time order events show the series of events leading up to, occurring during, or happening after an event.

• Procedures and cycles illustrate the steps of a process.

Do you see any signal words? Discuss with a partner what makes this a description paragraph.

Teacher’s Modeling

Your Turn!!

Ok…the topic is…Your school day! Write a sequential paragraph about your day from the time you get up until you get home from school. Use the signal words!

Compare / Contrast

Compare means identifying traits that are the same; contrast means the opposite or

different.

Do you see any signal words? Discuss with a partner what makes this a description paragraph.

Teacher’s Modeling

Your Turn!!

Ok…the topic is…You and your best friend. Write a compare/contrast paragraph comparing and contrasting yourself and your best friend.

Day 3

Today we will explore cause/effect and problem/solution. Sometimes these two get confused, so we will take a close look at each one.

Cause & Effect

Cause and effect is the relationship between two things when one thing makes

something else happen.

What happened? (This will tell you the effect.)

Why did it happen? (This will tell you the cause.)

Do you see any signal words? Discuss with a partner what makes this a description paragraph.

Teacher’s Modeling

Your Turn!!

The topic is….HOMEWORK! Write a short paragraph highlighting the causes and effects of not turning in your homework. Remember to use the signal words as you write.

Problem / Solution

Tells about a problem (and sometimes says why there is a problem)

thengives one or more possible solutions.

Do you see any signal words? Discuss with a partner what makes this a description paragraph.

Teacher’s Modeling

Your Turn!!

The topic is….dealing with a bully. We all knows bullies are a problem to deal with. What solution or solutions can you offer? Remember to use the signal words as you write.

Day 4-Identifying and Comparing

Now that we have created anchor charts to use as a reference and we have taken a look at each structure as well as modeled, we are going to first identify the structures and then compare the structures.

Now it’s your turn!

• On the next few slides, you will read some paragraphs about the Great Chicago Fire

• Your task is to decide on the text structure for each one

• Understanding the text structure will help you to understand each paragraph

What’s the text structure?

• Chronological order

• Compare and contrast

• Cause and effect

• Problem and solution

• Main idea

Daniel Sullivan was the first to notice the flames coming from the O’Leary barn at around 8:30 pm on October 8. A problem with the 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.

What’s the text structure?

• Chronological order

• Notice how the paragraph shows how events happen in time order

Daniel Sullivan was the first to notice the flames coming from the O’Leary barn at around 8:30 pm on October 8. A problem with the 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.

Try another!

• Chronological order

• Compare and contrast

• Cause and effect

• Problem and solution

• Main idea

Why was the Great Chicago Fire so disastrous? After all, Chicago had fire departments and fire alarms. One reason for the terrible fire is that the alarm malfunctioned. The local fire company noticed the fire by accident as it was returning from another fire. As another problem, a watchman who saw the flames directed other fire companies to a location that was nearly a mile away from the fire. Because of these two problems, a fire that could have been controlled rapidly spread across the city.

Try another!

• Cause and effect

Why was the Great Chicago Fire so disastrous? After all, Chicago had fire departments and fire alarms. One reason for the terrible fire is that the alarm malfunctioned. The local fire company noticed the fire by accident as it was returning from another fire. As another problem, a watchman who saw the flames directed other fire companies to a location that was nearly a mile away from the fire. Because of these two problems, a fire that could have been controlled rapidly spread across the city.

Try another!

• Cause and effect

• Notice how the causes (in blue) lead to the effect (in yellow)

Why was the Great Chicago Fire so disastrous? After all, Chicago had fire departments and fire alarms. One reason for the terrible fire is that the alarm malfunctioned. The local fire company noticed the fire by accident as it was returning from another fire. As another problem, a watchman who saw the flames directed other fire companies to a location that was nearly a mile away from the fire. Because of these two problems, a fire that could have been controlled rapidly spread across the city.

What text structure is here?

• Chronological order

• Compare and contrast

• Cause and effect• Problem and

solution• Main idea

After the fire, thousands of people were left homeless. Many escaped the fire with nothing except the clothes on their backs. Providing all of these people with food, clean water, and shelter was a huge task. Luckily, the city quickly formed a Relief and Aid Society. This group started giving out the food donations that were pouring in from other cities. The society built places for people to live, gathered the tools that people needed to rebuild their houses, and even vaccinated 64,000 people against smallpox.

What text structure is here?

• Problem and solution

After the fire, thousands of people were left homeless. Many escaped the fire with nothing except the clothes on their backs. Providing all of these people with food, clean water, and shelter was a huge task. Luckily, the city quickly formed a Relief and Aid Society. This group started giving out the food donations that were pouring in from other cities. The society built places for people to live, gathered the tools that people needed to rebuild their houses, and even vaccinated 64,000 people against smallpox.

What text structure is here?

• Problem and solution

• Here is the problem

After the fire, thousands of people were left homeless. Many escaped the fire with nothing except the clothes on their backs. Providing all of these people with food, clean water, and shelter was a huge task. Luckily, the city quickly formed a Relief and Aid Society. This group started giving out the food donations that were pouring in from other cities. The society built places for people to live, gathered the tools that people needed to rebuild their houses, and even vaccinated 64,000 people against smallpox.

What text structure is here?

• Problem and solution

• Here is the solution

After the fire, thousands of people were left homeless. Many escaped the fire with nothing except the clothes on their backs. Providing all of these people with food, clean water, and shelter was a huge task. Luckily, the city quickly formed a Relief and Aid Society. This group started giving out the food donations that were pouring in from other cities. The society built places for people to live, gathered the tools that people needed to rebuild their houses, and even vaccinated 64,000 people against smallpox.

Can you find the text structure?

• Chronological order

• Compare and contrast

• Cause and effect

• Problem and solution

• Main idea

Chicago changed in many ways after the fire. Before the fire, most of the buildings were less than five stories high. The buildings that were constructed after the fire, however, were some of the first skyscrapers in the country. Before the fire, most of the houses were made of wood. After the fire, people chose to build their houses out of stone or brick. There were changes in where people lived, as well. The poor people in the city lived close to the center of the city before the fire. After the fire, they moved into neighborhoods that were farther away from the downtown area.

Can you find the text structure?

• Compare and contrast

Chicago changed in many ways after the fire. Before the fire, most of the buildings were less than five stories high. The buildings that were constructed after the fire, however, were some of the first skyscrapers in the country. Before the fire, most of the houses were made of wood. After the fire, people chose to build their houses out of stone or brick. There were changes in where people lived, as well. The poor people in the city lived close to the center of the city before the fire. After the fire, they moved into neighborhoods that were farther away from the downtown area.

Can you find the text structure?

• Compare and contrast

Notice how this paragraph is comparing Chicago BEFORE the fire to Chicago AFTER the fire

Chicago changed in many ways after the fire. Before the fire, most of the buildings were less than five stories high. The buildings that were constructed after the fire, however, were some of the first skyscrapers in the country. Before the fire, most of the houses were made of wood. After the fire, people chose to build their houses out of stone or brick. There were changes in where people lived, as well. The poor people in the city lived close to the center of the city before the fire. After the fire, they moved into neighborhoods that were farther away from the downtown area.

Can you find the text structure?

• Compare and contrast

Notice how this paragraph is comparing Chicago BEFORE the fire to Chicago AFTER the fire

Chicago changed in many ways after the fire. Before the fire, most of the buildings were less than five stories high. The buildings that were constructed after the fire, however, were some of the first skyscrapers in the country. Before the fire, most of the houses were made of wood. After the fire, people chose to build their houses out of stone or brick. There were changes in where people lived, as well. The poor people in the city lived close to the center of the city before the fire. After the fire, they moved into neighborhoods that were farther away from the downtown area.

One more paragraph!

By Monday night, the town of Chicago was burning. People described it as terrible, but amazing. The flames were brighter than anything people had ever seen. The harsh winds swept the fire across the city with terrible speed. For many who watched, it was a sight to remember for the rest of their lives.

• Chronological order

• Compare and contrast

• Cause and effect• Problem and

solution• Main idea

One more paragraph!

By Monday night, the town of Chicago was burning. People described it as terrible, but amazing. The flames were brighter than anything people had ever seen. The harsh winds swept the fire across the city with terrible speed. For many who watched, it was a sight to remember for the rest of their lives.

• Main idea

One more paragraph!

By Monday night, the town of Chicago was burning. People described it as terrible, but amazing. The flames were brighter than anything people had ever seen. The harsh winds swept the fire across the city with terrible speed. For many who watched, it was a sight to remember for the rest of their lives.

• Main idea

• Notice the main idea

One more paragraph!

By Monday night, the town of Chicago was burning. People described it as terrible, but amazing. The flames were brighter than anything people had ever seen. The harsh winds swept the fire across the city with terrible speed. For many who watched, it was a sight to remember for the rest of their lives.

• Main idea

• Notice the main idea

• The rest of the sentences explain the main idea

Let’s Compare!

Let’s see how we learn different information on the same topic just by how it is organized! We are going to read about peanuts. I want you to read each paragraph and as a pair decide how you think it is organized. Then, discuss how the information changes due to its text structure.

How about these two??(A) Wildfires can cause the destruction of trees and forests. Nonetheless, there are several benefits to wildfires. Some trees can only reproduce after a fire. Certain pine tress cones are sealed with something called pitch. A pinecone’s seeds can only be released after a fire has melted away the pitch. Aspen and birch tree seeds will also only sprout roots following a fire. Also, ash remaining after a fire adds nutrients to the soil. Deer and other animals feed on new grasses and shrubs that grow after forest fires. These are a few of the benefits of a wildfire.

(B) Most wildfires are caused by humans. People who live in or near the woods in fire-prone areas should follow certain guidelines to help prevent the spread of wildfires. First, homeowners should use non-flammable roof and deck materials on their homes. They should trim their trees regularly. There should be at least a five foot opening between neighboring trees. Further, there should be no tree limbs within ten feet of the ground. This will reduce the chance that flames will travel to the top of the trees. Finally, homeowners should keep the lawn well-watered and cut short.

Day 5-But in the real world of text…

Often times when we read informational text, signal words aren’t always there. Sometimes we just have to look at the overall passage and see what the author seems to be implying. Let’s read a short article about food.

Fast Food is not a healthy way to eat.

Eat fresh colorful food from nature. Ask “Am I eating the rainbow?”

SummarizingWhen we summarize nonfiction we have to include some basics. This is why being able to understand text structures help! Nonfiction Summary Tips:Include-• Title of article/text• Main Idea/ Topic Sentence• Look for text structure and make sure to include elements of

that structure (problem AND solution(s), Causes and Effects etc…*This is where we find the important ideas.

• Delete repeated information (just state the important stuff once)

• Include information that is only about the author’s purpose for the topic of that paper.

Problem

Solution

*What is the topic? How can we create a topic sentence from that topic?*What is the author trying to get across to us? (what’s the point?)

*What is the

When we write about text, we have to name the text!

Let’s create a summary.

The article “What’s on your plate?” is about making good food choices. The author states that eating fast food is not a healthy choice. A better choice would be to eat colorful food from nature that includes grains, proteins, fruits and vegetables. One way to remember to do this is to look at your plate each time you eat and ask, “Am I eating the rainbow?”

Time to SHOW OFF YOUR BRAIN!

Each group will have an article. As a group decide what the overall text structure is. Then, create the organizer that matches that text structure to pull out important information. Finally, summarize the article based on the information they pulled out.

Lexile

These are the structures of the articles

A NOTE FOR TEACHERSIF you want to continue text structure into next week and use the books and articles you have about scientists, you could have kids create a Text Structure Magazine. This early in the year, I would have them work in groups (Ideally of 5). The magazine project is as follows:Assign each group a scientist as the topic of the magazine ( I believe we have articles and books on Jane Goodall, Louis Pasteur etc…)Each magazine has to have 5 articles. Each of those articles has to be written with a different text structure in mind-description, problem & solution, chronological, cause & effect, and compare & contrast. Each of the following features must also be in the magazine.At least 2 pictures (printed or drawn)Captions for each pictureA diagram, map, timeline, OR chart (choose one or more of these)Types of print (bold, italics, highlighted)

*each member of the group takes one of the text structures and creates an article for the magazineExample-Jane Goodall is the topic. There could be an article about how she got started in science chronological (good place for a timeline), an article about her work with gorillas (description), an article about why she chose gorillas (problem/solution) etc…You don’t have to use scientists, but I believe most people have these books from their original unit books.

A NOTE FOR TEACHERS

Since kids will be reading text to find information. Have them read and jot down notes, then use their chosen organizer to put information they gathered. That will help them when it is time to write. For example, if I was assigned cause/effect. I would read about Jane Goodall and then if I found out what caused her to choose gorillas, I would fill out my organizer with that information, so I would be able to write my article.