Organization
The way an author organizes a text is called...
Text Structure
This is usually underneath a photograph in a text
Caption
The frog sat on the side of the pond. He was very still. His green color made him hard to see. A bug flew near him. His tongue zipped out, and he gobbled it up. Then the frog was still again. He waited for the next bug. The main idea in this passage is: Frogs are green. Frogs eat bugs. Frogs do not move. Frogs live in ponds.
Frogs eat bugs
A type of nonfiction that you might find on a website informing the public about a topic
an article
The POV that an autobiography is written in
First person POV
When an author writes a text in chronological order
Sequencing
This is a visual representation of data that can sometimes be found in a nonfiction text
Charts or graphs
The St. Lawrence Seaway was a joint project of the United States and Canada. Together, the two countries built a series of canals, locks, and channels. They connect the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean by way of the St. Lawrence River. The seaway opened up the central part of North America to shipping to and from Europe. It had been in use since 1959. The main idea in this passage is: the Atlantic Ocean, the St. Lawrence Seaway, Europe, the St. Lawrence River
The St. Lawrence Seaway
a type of text you might find in a textbook
Informational text
An author needs these to back up the main idea
Supporting Details
When an author organizes the text by talking about the similarities and differences of two or more topics
Compare and Contrast
This type of title helps break up the article into sections
Subheadings
The musicians in an orchestra are often arranged in groups. The woodwinds sit together. The strings sit together. So do the brass and the percussion players. This way it is easier for the musicians to play together. Usually, the percussion is in the back. In front of them may be the brass section. The woodwinds and the strings are often seated nearest to the front. This produces a good, even sound for the audience to enjoy. The main idea in this passage is: How many instruments are in an orchestra? Why is percussion always in the back? How is an orchestra arranged? How do the people in an orchestra all play together?
How is an orchestra arranged
a type of nonfiction that might be a letter trying to convince its reader to do something
Persuasive
The POV that uses "you"
2nd person POV
When the author explains why and what happened after an event
Cause and Effect
A nonfiction text might have this to show an order of events
Timeline
The best selling albums have sold millions of copies. The best seller of all was Michael Jackson's Thriller. The second best seller was Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. Albums by the Beatles, the Eagles, and Mariah Carey are also in the top ten. So are some movie soundtracks, including Grease. Each of these albums has sold over 20 million copies. The main idea in this passage is: best albums, most famous rock stars, pop albums, or best-selling albums
Best-selling albums
This type of nonfiction might be about someone's life
Literary nonfiction or biography
A fact
When the author explains an issue and how to fix it
Problem and Solution
A nonfiction text might use these types of font to emphasize a point
Italics or Bold
Passing fears are common in early childhood. Many 2- to 4-year-olds are afraid of animals, especially dogs. By 6 years, children are more likely to be afraid of the dark. Other common fears are of thunderstorms, doctors, and imaginary creatures. The topic of this paragraph is A) scary dogs B) passing fears C) two-to-four year olds' fear of animals D) common fears
B) Passing Fears
This type of nonfiction lists a series of steps to complete a task
a How-to
This is used to help a reader locate information in the book and see how everything is organized.
Table of Contents