Text Structure
What is a chronological text structure?
When the text/ passage goes in order of events or dates.
What is a main idea?
The overall takeaway of a text.
What is an inference?
When you come to a conclusion based on textual evidence and/or prior knowledge.
What does the RA in RACERS stand for?
Restate and answer! (This is your paragraph's claim!)
How many siblings does Ms. Jackson have?
Three
What is the text structure of the following passage?:
When the Apollo 13 mission took off, its goal was to land on the moon. However, before it reached the moon, an onboard oxygen tank exploded, damaging the spacecraft and reducing its power. The astronauts faced a life-threatening situation. NASA quickly developed an emergency plan. The three astronauts climbed into the lunar landing module onboard the spacecraft. Though initially intended to keep two men alive while landing on the moon, the lunar module would now help all three return home. The astronauts rerouted their ship to slingshot around the moon, using the moon's gravity to propel them back to Earth. They survived to land safely back in the ocean.
Problem/ solution
Determine the main idea of the following passage:
April Fools' Day is celebrated around the world, although it varies somewhat from country to country. In the United States, for example, it's a day to play practical jokes. In France, where the holiday is known as Poisson d'Avril, or April Fish, people secretly tape paper fish on their friends' backs. A common April Fools' prank in Portugal is to throw flour on someone; in Scotland, the most popular trick involves sending someone on a useless errand. Denmark celebrates April Fools' Day on April 1, but some people there celebrate again in May. Maj-kat, on May 1, is yet another day for jokes and pranks in the spring.
Though there are variations in how different countries observe April Fools Day, the celebrations all involve playing pranks.
Make an inference based on the following:
Jonathan threw his hands up. He'd done it again! The leaves of his aloe vera plant were droopy and wrinkled. Last month, his spider plant had shriveled up. The month before that, his fern had turned brown. Next time, he would get a fake plant.
Jonathan often forgets to water his plants.
What punctuation do you always need for your citation? (list 2)
- quotation marks
- end punctuation inside the quotation mark
What was Ms. Baker's favorite cartoon growing up?
Spongebob
What is the text structure of the following passage?:
People with asthma may experience difficulty breathing due to inflammation, or swelling, of the inner surfaces of their airways (the passageways by which air reaches the lungs). This inflammation makes the passageways sensitive to further irritation. Exposure to substances in the air such as pollen or smoke may then trigger an asthma attack. During an attack, the muscles around the airways contract, narrowing the space through which oxygen can pass. This can prevent oxygen from entering or exiting the lungs properly. Possible symptoms during an attack include shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing.
Cause/ effect
Determine the main idea of the following passage:
When Americans think of earthquakes, they tend to think of California, a state known for its frequent seismic activity. In recent years, however, people in Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas have been feeling the ground shake more often. An increase in oil and gas drilling in these states has led to "human-induced" earthquakes—those resulting from human activity. When wastewater is disposed of during gas and oil drilling, the water is forced deep underground. The resulting buildup of pressure can cause fault lines (cracks in the earth's crust) to shift. According to Mark Petersen, head of the U.S. Geological Survey's earthquake hazard mapping project, "In the past five years, the USGS has documented high shaking and damage in areas of these six states, mostly from induced earthquakes."
An increase in oil and gas drilling has causes a corresponding increase in six states.
Make an inference based on the following:
Kyla chuckled when she saw the sign outside the gas station. "I'm not sure that I'm in the mood for 'cod drinks' on such a warm day," she said. "Maybe I'll just get a 'hot og' with ketchup and mustard, or an ice cream with 'ot' fudge."
The sign in missing some letters.
When you write your explanation, what should you always do? (list two things)
- Explain evidence
- Analyze the evidence/ tell how your evidence proves your claim to be true
How tall is Ms. Baker?
What is the text structure of the following passage?:
Poetry is a special form of communication that uses language in a way that's distinct from everyday speech or writing. Prose, which makes up the majority of the writing we see, from newspapers to textbooks to blogs, tends to be straightforward in communicating its point. Poetry, as opposed to prose, uses more beautiful, expressive, abstract, or flashy wording, and it often focuses on conveying feelings and emotional truths. In addition, while prose is usually organized by paragraphs and appears as blocks of text, poetry often uses line breaks to follow a pattern of rhyme or rhythm. Some poems even use the lengths of their lines to create specific shapes on the page. Although difficult to define simply, poetry is usually not hard to recognize. It's just poetic!
Compare/ contrast
Determine the main idea of the following passage:
In 2016, Vallecito Elementary School in San Rafael, California, became the first U.S. school to replace all of its ordinary desks with raised desks that students stand at. Speaking to a reporter from TIME for Kids magazine, one student at the school gave the standing desks high praise. "You feel happier, you're less tired, and you're more active," she said. According to several studies, children working at standing desks burn more calories and are more focused on tasks. However, some teachers and parents are opposed to the change. They are concerned that standing for long periods of time could cause fatigue, strain on the legs and feet, or posture problems. In addition, standing desks are more expensive than seated desks. Only time will tell whether standing desks will prove to be the next big trend or a failed experiment.
Some people say that standing desks promote good study habit, but others are wary about the new desks.
Read the following passage:
"Why isn't anyone eating the cookies I made?" Amy wondered.
"They're not drinking the lemonade I made, either," Lisa said. "Maybe I put in too much sugar?" She poured herself a glass and took a sip. "Gross! This tastes like sour seawater!"
Amy smacked her forehead. "We really need to label our sugar and salt containers."
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An inference we can make based on this passage is that the girls accidentally used salt instead of sugar. What evidence from the passage supports that inference?
Amy smacked her forehead. "We really need to label our sugar and salt containers."
What does the S in RACERS stand for?
Summary sentence
What's Ms. Jackson's ethnicity (you have to get both right)?
- Black American
- Ghanian
What is the text structure of the following passage?:
In 1969, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross identified certain stages of mourning that people go through when they experience a loss. In the first stage, the person denies what has happened. Next comes anger, and then bargaining: "If I promise to do this, then everything will be better." This is often followed by depression—sadness about the loss. The final stage of grief is acceptance. Acceptance isn't the same as happiness, but rather is an acknowledgement of the need to get on with living despite the loss. Kübler-Ross said that these feelings are all a natural part of mourning, but that each person grieves in his or her unique way.
Chronological
Determine the main idea of the following passage:
Many books, papers, and television shows have created an image of the African wild dog as the ultimate predator. According to these sources, the dogs' coordinated teamwork and their unusual endurance help them catch about eighty percent of their prey. A 2012 study tested that notion. Researchers fit a pack of wild dogs with special collars that recorded the dogs' positions and speeds. The data that the collars recorded allowed the researchers to learn what the dogs did when they weren't being observed. The results provided a surprising contrast with the dogs' fierce reputation. The dogs never used teamwork in their hunts; they chased their prey over short distances as opposed to long runs; and instead of eighty percent, they brought down only about sixteen percent of their prey.
African wild dogs have a reputation as fierce hunters who work in teams, but new data suggests otherwise.
Read the following passage:
When Ted opened the door, he was overwhelmed by an awful smell.
"Phew!" Ted pinched his nose. "What happened to you?"
Ben shook his head. "I was just trying to pet your black and white cat, but it got mad and sprayed me!"
"My cat?" Ted asked. "I don't have a cat!"
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An inference we can make based on this passage is that Ben accidentally pet a skunk, not the cat. What evidence from the passage supports that inference?
Ben shook his head. "I was just trying to pet your black and white cat, but it got mad and sprayed me!"
What is this RACERS missing?:
I agree that Satchel was one of the most famous pitchers because he is one of a kind. In the text it says "People came out by the thousands to see him pitch." This proves my evidence to be true because so many people came only to see him pitch. In the text it also says, "If a team needed some cash, Wilkinson would send him out there to pitch a few innings for them. Satchel made a lot of money doing that." This proves my evidence to be true because he was so good that he gets sent out to easily make cash.
Summary sentence
Who is Ms. Jackson and Ms. Baker's favorite student?
WE DON'T HAVE FAVORITES!