Text Features
Text Structures
Main Idea
Author's Point of View
100
Using text features helps the reader __________ the text better.
comprehend/understand
100

Determine the text structure: When I got home from school after a long boring day, I took out the peanut butter, jelly, and bread. After taking the lid off of the jars, I spread the peanut butter on one side of the bread and the jelly on the other, and then I put the two pieces of bread together. After that, I enjoyed it while watching “Cops” on the TV. I swear, that was the best peanut butter and jelly sandwich I ever ate.

A. Cause/Effect                 C. Problem/Solution

B. Sequence                     D. Description


B. Sequence

100
What is a main idea?
What the text is mostly talking about.
100

What is author's point of view? What are the different words like we can use that mean the same thing?

How the author feels about a topic; author's perspective, author's viewpoint, and author's opinion

200
What is the purpose of subheadings?
To let the reader know that a new topic is starting.
200

Determine the text structure: Many pioneers who settled the Great Plains lived in sod houses built from thick-rooted prairie grasses. This was because the prairie lacked standard building materials, such as wood or stone.

A. Cause/Effect               C. Description

B. Sequence                   D. Compare/Contrast

A. Cause/Effect

200
IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA: The Pennsylvania Railroad Company was set up in 1846. Originally, it was supposed to run between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh. At first, it only had freight trains which carried goods and supplies. Then in 1848, it began running a passenger train. By 1856, the Pennsylvania Railroad went to Chicago, Illinois. After the Civil War, it went to Washington, D.C., St. Louis, Missouri, New York City, and other large cities.
The main idea is how the Pennsylvania Railroad Company was set up.
200

The 16th president of the United States was Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was born in Kentucky in 1804. Lincoln was one of our country's greatest presidents because he dealt with many difficult tasks such as leading during the time of the Civil War. He also ended slavery with the Emancipation Proclamation. 

What is the author's point of view of Abraham Lincoln.

The author's point of view of Abraham Lincoln is that he was one of our nation's greatest presidents.

300

What is a sidebar and why is it important?

Text/information/graphics that are separate from the main article but gives information related to it. It can be found on the side or bottom of the article in it's own box. It's important because we are able to see more information!

300

Determine the text structure: Hurricanes and tornados are both amazing yet deadly natural phenomena. Both generate deadly conditions, but in different ways. Tornados are likely to damage people and property with their high winds, which go up to 300 miles per hour, but hurricanes are generally more feared for their flooding. Also, hurricanes can produce tornados, which makes them quite dangerous indeed.

A. Cause/ Effect                    C. Problem/Solution

B. Compare/Contrast             D. Description

B. Compare/Contrast
300
IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA: It is estimated that over twenty million pounds of candy corn are sold in the US each year. Brach’s, the top manufacturer, sells enough candy corn to circle the earth 4.25 times if each piece were laid end to end. That’s a lot of candy corn, but that’s nothing compared to Tootsie Roll production. Over 64 million Tootsie Rolls are produced every day! But even Tootsie Rolls have got nothing on the candy industry’s staple product, chocolate. Confectioners manufacture over twenty billion pounds of chocolate in the United States each year. Now that’s a mouthful!
The main idea is that there is a lot of candy produced in the United States each year.
300

Schools that have uniforms are often more successful. Students are less worried about what they are going to wear to school or what other students are wearing, and more concerned with their school work. Since many jobs require employees to wear certain clothing, having school uniforms is also good practice for the real world outside of school. Also, school uniforms are often cheaper than other clothes, which makes school more affordable for everybody.

What is the author's point of view of school uniforms?

The author's point of view on school uniforms is that they are a positive thing for students. 

400
What do the bold or underlined words/phrases mean?
They let the reader know important vocabulary words or phrases in order to understand the text.
400

Determine the text structure:The foundation of every pizza is the crust, and good crust comes from good dough. You might be surprised to learn that pizza dough is made from nothing more than flour, water, yeast, olive oil, salt, and sometimes sugar. Start by adding your yeast packet to a cup of warm water. Let the yeast activate, and then add two cups of flour, two tablespoons of olive oil, two teaspoons of sugar, and a teaspoon of salt. Mix all of that together and wait half an hour for the dough to rise. Now you’re ready to roll it out!

A. Compare/ Contrast              C. Problem/Solution

B. Description                         D. Sequence

D. Sequence

400
IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA: Remember, if something is worth doing, it is worth doing correctly. That said, the key to making perfect cookies is merely a matter of preparation and precision. To begin with, read your cookie recipe thoroughly before baking and make sure that you have all of the necessary ingredients. Next, use good tools and utensils. By using good tools you can minimize mistakes and improve the quality of your product. Lastly, you should use top quality ingredients. If you use poor quality materials, you’ll create an inferior product. So, to make perfect cookies you should use the highest quality materials available.
The main idea is how to make perfect cookies.
400

The main benefit of having a phone is that your child can get in touch with you whenever they need to. This allows you to feel they are safe and gives them assurance knowing they can call home if they have a problem. Perhaps your child is in immediate danger even, they can use their phone to call not only you but emergency services as well. This is of great benefit and could potentially save your child's life. Even if your child has no phone credit they can still get in touch with the police, fire or medical services since all emergency calls are free.

What is the author's point of view of a child having a cell phone?

The author's point of view of cell phones for children is positive because there are many benefits.

500

Which text feature could you use to find the meaning or definition of an unknown word?

Glossary

500

Determine the text structure: If you're planning on dressing up for a wedding, dance, or other formal event, you'll need to wear some dress shoes. While your feet may look great in dress shoes, they will probably feel horrible. Wearing dress shoes for more than a few minutes can be extremely painful. This pain may prevent you from having a good time. One thing that you can do to protect yourself is to bring a box of band-aids with you. As the dress shoes tear up the skin on your feet, put those band-aids on the wounds to ease the pain and prevent further damage. The band-aids will create a protective layer that will reduce the amount of pain that your dress shoes may inflict. Don't let foot pain ruin your fun; come to the party prepared.

A. Problem/Solution               C. Cause/Effect

B. Sequence                         D. Compare/Contrast

A. Problem/Solution

500
IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA: Mark Twain is one of America's most famous writers. His real name was Samuel Clemens. He was born in Missouri in 1835. When he was eighteen, Mark Twain left Missouri and worked as a printer in different cities. He wrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
The main idea is Mark Twain is one of America's most famous writers.
500

Winter is a dreadful time of year. Everything is dead and lifeless. The trees are bare and the grass is brown. It also gets so cold outside! Sometimes the temperature drops below freezing and it becomes very uncomfortable to be outside for even a few minutes. Roads become dangerous because of icy conditions and pets suffer if they are kept outside too long. Winter is just the worst season of all!

What is the author's point of view of winter?

The author's point of view of winter is negative. He believes it's the worst season ever.