Text Structure
For a new law to pass, the house of representatives must vote. Next, the senate must vote. Finally, the president must sign the bill.
Chronology/Sequence
What is main idea?
The main idea is the most important thing the author wants you to take away from the passage.
La’Shay wanted to be a famous musician and singer when she grew up. As she began taking piano lessons, she realized how difficult it would be to learn how to play piano. She met with her piano teacher once a week for a year and had only learned to play a couple of songs. “I don’t want to take piano lessons anymore,” she told her mom one day. “Don’t you want to be a superstar?” Her mom asked. “Yes, but piano is so hard,” La’Shay whined. “Baby girl, if it was easy, everyone would be playing piano. I know it’s hard. But if you give up piano, you give up your dream.” Her mom’s words gave her the push she needed to keep practicing. As the years went by, La’Shay got better and better. When she was 21 years old, she was discovered and went on to become a famous musician and singer, just as she had always dreamed.
a. You must never, ever give up.
b. You should be happy with what you have.
c. Bullies can be overcome.
d. You should believe people who are trustworthy.
a. You must never, ever give up.
Which includes dialogue, stage directions, and cast of characters?
Plays/Drama
I am writing a biography about the events of the Titanic. I am going to include the events and information that I read about on a informational website. What account am I writing this in?
Secondhand Account
High school and college are are both places to learn and study. High school students mostly live with their parents. College students live on their own.
Compare/Contrast
Kangaroos eat grasses, leaves and roots. They only like grass that is green and close to the ground.
What is the main idea of the paragraph?
Kangaroos eat grasses, leaves and roots.
During a baseball game, Tanner tried to tag a player leaving first base. When the umpire called the player out, Tanner immediately informed the umpire that he in fact did not tag the runner. Two weeks later, the very same umpire was at another one of Tanner’s baseball games. Tanner was playing short stop and tagged a runner as they approached third base. When the umpire called the player safe, Tanner didn’t say a word, but the umpire noticed the surprised look on Tanner’s face. “Did you tag the runner?” she asked Tanner. When Tanner told her that he did tag the runner, the umpire changed her decision and called the player out. The coaches and parents were furious, but the umpire stood by her decision.
It pays to be honest
Which type includes stanzas, lines, rhyme, rhyme scheme, and meter?
Poems
Harriet Tubman was an African American born into slavery in Maryland in about 1820. As a child, she was not allowed to go to school. Instead, she was forced to work.
Which account is this and how do you know?
Secondhand account because you are writing about her life and upbringing.
"Please dismiss your first-bell bus riders." This announcement drove us into the hall, ready to go home.
Cause/Effect
State fairs are so fun! There are roller coasters and bumper cars, swings and pony rides. Even the food selection is exciting! I always look forward to the funnel cakes and ice cream.
What is the main idea of the paragraph?
State fairs are fun.
What are two other words that go with theme?
Moral, lesson, or central message
This type of writing includes books, journals, and magazines.
Prose
Time was running out, and the Sacramento Kings were down by 2. Sammy got the ball and shot a 3 pointer as the buzzer sounded. I cheered louder than I’ve ever cheered before!
Firsthand account. The person that was writing this was there to experience what was going on.
Invertebrates are creatures without a backbone. Some examples include insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and mollusks.
Description
The Statue of Liberty is visited by thousands of people every year. Lots of visitors are from the United States, of course, but many also come from other countries.
What is the main idea of the paragraph?
The Statue of Liberty is visited by thousands of people every year.
Jenny Lowery was so excited. She had a pack of starburst in her lunch and she had been looking forward to eating them all morning. Lunch finally came and Jenny sat down to eat her starbursts when her friend Michelle sat next to her. “Let me get the pink ones,” asked Michelle. Jenny liked the pink ones best, but she thought Michelle was funny and Jenny wanted Michelle to like her, so Jenny gave Michelle all of her pink starbursts. Before Jenny was done giving Michelle the pink ones, Carrie sat on the other side of Jenny. “Let me get the red and the orange ones, Jenny. Remember when I gave you that snickers?” Jenny didn’t remember that, though she did remember when Carrie ate a whole snickers in front of her, but Jenny thought Carrie was cool, so she gave her the red and the orange starbursts. Now that she only had the yellow ones, Jenny wasn ’t so excited about eating starbursts anymore.
Not everyone is your friend.
True or False: A setting can be in a poem, play (drama), or prose.
TRUE
Firsthand accounts are called ______________ sources.
primary
Kari had a flat tire on her way to work. She had to call her dad who was able to fix it.
Problem/Solution
The Erie Canal changed the way people moved goods and supplies in the mid 1800's.The 363 mile canal connected Albany, New York to Lake Erie in Buffalo for the first time. When the canal opened in 1825, building supplies and goods could be transported quickly and cheaply across New York State. Canal boats pulled by mules carried people and supplies the 363 miles. What is the main idea of the paragraph?
The Erie Canal changed the way people moved goods and supplies in the mid 1800's.
Jenny hated reading class. She didn’t understand point of view or figurative language, and not knowing how to do the work frustrated her. She asked the teacher for help, but he spoke so fast and used such big words that she still couldn’t understand. The teacher asked if she understood, and she nodded her head, but she didn’t. Jenny’ s friend Katie knew that Jenny was having trouble, and, rather than just giving Jenny all of the answers, Katie explained to Jenny how to solve the problems. Katie spoke clearly and at Jenny’s level, and Jenny was happy that she finally learned how to do the work. Later in the week, Katie was having trouble in math class. She didn’t understand coordinates and was really frustrated. Seeing that Katie was having problems, Jenny, who understood math very well, taught Katie coordinates. Both girls made honor roll that quarter.
We can all do better when we work together.
Which has stage directions?
Plays (Drama)
Which type of account would an autobiography be classified as?
Firsthand account