Text Features & Text Structures
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are easy to make. First, get two slices of fresh bread. Next, get a jar of peanut butter and a jar of fruit jelly, such as strawberry or grade. Then, use a knife to spread peanut butter on one slice of bread and jelly on the other. Finally, put the two slices of bread together and enjoy!
What is the text structure?
Sequence
Today, most canoes are made of plastic. But long ago, Native Americans living in the northeastern part of the country made canoes from tree bark. They used the bark of the birch tree. This bark is thick and durable. Plus, it can be cut into long strips and stitched together over a wooden frame.
What is the central idea of the passage?
Native Americans used to make canoes out of birch bark.
Exercise is good for your health. Not exercising can lead to poor health. People don't have to play a sport or run for exercise. They can do very simple things like go for a walk every day or play catch with a friend. The important thing is to move your body regularly- whether you exercise in the morning, afternoon or night.
How do you know the author feels exercise is important?
The author says that if people don't exercise it can lead to poor health.
Every year there is a hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean. Each of these giant storms gets a name. they are named in alphabetical order. For instance, in 2018, the storms were named Alberto, Beryl, Chris, Debby and so on, taking turns between a boy's name and a girl's name. If a hurricane causes enough damage, its name will never be used again.
What does the author claim about the most dangerous hurricanes?
That if it causes enough damage, its name will never be used again.
Jimmy knew that if he weren't home before the streetlights came on at dusk, he would be in big trouble. So he ran as fast as his legs could carry him.
You can tell that dusk happens when_____.
day turns into night
Which is NOT an example of a text feature?
a. photos and captions
b. glossary
c. genre
d. diagram
e. headings
C. genre
California has a rich history. It has been a part of Spain, Mexico, and the U.S.A. It became a state in 1850. The first people to call California home were Native Americans. Over time, they were joined by pioneers who traveled west by wagon. The history of the state also owes much to immigrants from countries like Mexico and China. They helped build California and made it their home.
What is the central idea mostly about?
The history of California
Zebras are known for their black and white stripes. People used to think the stripes were a type of camouflage that is made it difficult for other animals to hunt zebras. Others thought the stripes kept a zebra's temperature low. Many scientists now think the stripes keep blood-sucking flies away.
What is the author's perspective?
The author feels that people are not completely sure why zebras have stripes.
Unlike most other plants, cactus plants can store water for long periods of time. for this reason, they are able to thrive in hot deserts. Most plants have leaves that use the plant's water. But cactus plants have either no leaves or tiny leaves that fall off as the plant gets older. Cactus plants have thick skin that holds the water in.
What is the author's claim?
Cactus are not like other plants because it can store water.
Patti Jo says she will never go on a boat again. The last time she went, her face turned green, and she felt queasy during the whole trip.
What does queasy mean? What context clues tell you what queasy means?
Sick
"Her face turned green"
There are more than 350 species of parrot. Perhaps the most familiar is the Amazon parrot. This parrot lives in the tropical forests of South America, Mexico, and the West Indies. It can be up to 16 inches tall, with green, yellow, red, and blue feathers. Amazon parrots are also great mimics- which means they can repeat words that people say. They also squawk very loudly.
What is the text structure?
Description
In the daytime, temperatures in the desert can get very high. During the hottest parts of the day, many desert animals stay out of the sun. They want to keep as cool as possible. Snakes remain in their holes. Coyotes and other animals look for shade and move as little as possible. As the sun goes down, the animals become more active. They look for food and water so they can survive another day.
What is the central idea?
Desert temperatures affect how animals live.
Smartphones are more than just phones- they are mini computers. People have always used phones to talk to each other, but that was all phones used to be able to do. With today's smartphones, a person can talk, text, send e-emails, take pictures, listen to music, surf the internet, play games and more. Modern technology has made it possible for smartphones to do things desktop computers can.
What is the author's thoughts about modern technology?
The author's perspective is that modern technology has allowed phones to do all the things computers can do.
Common to North America, coyotes are closely related to wolves. While most coyotes live and hunt in the wild, some live in suburban areas close to humans. Coyotes hide out during the day and hunt at night. they eat rabbits and other small animals but will also eat deer, bugs and fruit. Some coyotes live in large groups, or packs, while other live only with their mate and pups.
What does the author claim about how coyotes hunt?
The author claims that coyotes hunt the best at night.
Mr. Bernard loves going to the park and spending time with his old army comrades.
What does comrades mean in this sentence? How do you know?
Friends
The amazing mountaintop city of Machu Picchu was built in the 1400s by the Incas. It was built of stone high in the Andes Mountains in what is now Peru. It was never found by the Spanish when they conquered the Incas. The rest of the Inca Empire was destroyed by the Spanish in the early 1600s. By that time, Machu Picchu had been deserted. The city wasn't rediscovered until 1911.
What is the text structure?
Chronology
Wool is fiber used to make clothes and other items. Unlike cotton, which comes from a plant, wool comes from animals. The most common type of wool comes from sheep. Similar to hair or fur, wool is soft and thick. Wool is warmer than cotton. It is often used to make clothing that keeps us warm, such as sweaters and socks. During the cold winter months, wool really comes in handy!
What is the central idea of the text?
Wool is good for making warm clothes.
The Apollo Theater was very important in preserving the legacy of the Harlem Renaissance. At the end of the Harlem Renaissance, the Apollo Theater opened its doors to Black performers. This was a historical moment because the Apollo was the first theater to allow black people to perform. Some of the best performed at the Apollo. Icons like Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson, both young and unknown at the time, performed on the Apollo's stage.
How does the author feel about the Apollo Theater and why?
The Apollo Theater was important part of keeping the Harlem Renaissance because it was inclusive to people of color.
Mount Fuji is the most famous mountain in Japan. It is a volcano, but it hasn't erupted in more than 300 years. The highest mountain in the country, Mount Fuji is 12,388 feet tall and 78 miles around. Thousands of people hike the mountain every year. A popular symbol of Japan, it has appeared in hundreds of photographs and paintings. On a clear day, Mount Fuji can be seen from Japan's capital, Tokyo- more than 50 miles away!
What is the author's claim?
The author claims that Mount Fuji is an important part of Japan.
Tammy McGee hasn't starred in a good movie in years, but her last role is a hit that appears to have revived her career.
What does revive mean? What context clues helped you define this word?
Revive means to become strong again.
The first part of the sentence tells you the opposite meaning of the word.
What do you call the text feature that appears in between sections of the text and labels that portion of the information?
Headings
In addition to their value as jewels, diamonds are also the hardest known natural substance on Earth. They are so hard diamonds are used to drill through rocks and metal. Diamonds are actually crystals of carbon that have been heated and squeezed under the ground for many years. The carbons that make up a diamond are strongly bonded together, giving the diamond its hardness.
What is the central idea of the text?
Diamonds are known for being the hardest natural substance on Earth.
If you spotted a shark fin in the water, would you be afraid? When you think of a shark's powerful body and sharp teeth, being frightened makes sense. Of the more than 400 species of sharks, only 30 have been known to attack humans. Sharks have a bad reputation because of stories in the news and movies. The reality is that sharks have more to fear from people than we do from them. Shark fin soup and shark steaks are popular in many countries. unfortunately, many sharks are also caught accidentally by fishermen using nets to catch other fish.
What is the author's perspective and what evidence supports this?
Sharks have a bad reputation and humans are more likely to hunt sharks.
Have you ever seen a swamp? With their mix of water and plants, swamps often look very different from other types of natural areas- and they can smell different, too. They are full of frogs, insects and fish. There are freshwater and saltwater swamps. Swamps can absorb a lot of excess water and prevent flooding when heavy rain falls. They are also a natural filter, so they purify the water that enters them.
What is the author's claim and what evidence supports it?
They author claims that swamps are very useful because they can absorb excess water and naturally filter water.
Jeff's dad wants to run for mayor, but he doesn't want to quit his job as a dogcatcher.
In which sentence does the word run have the same meaning that it does in the sentence above?
a. I want to run in the relay race, but I'm not sure I'm fast enough.
b. We need to run to the store to pick up some diapers.
c. I will run against her in the next election.
d. Demarcus may run the family store this week, but it's really Mom who's in charge.
d. Demarcus may run the family store this week, but it's really Mom who's in charge.