Text Structure
Main Idea
Theme
Poems/Plays/Prose
Firsthand/Secondhand Account
100

For a new law to pass, the house of representatives must vote. Next, the senate must vote. Finally, the president must sign the bill.


Which text structure is this?

Chronology/Sequence

100

What is the main idea?

The main idea is the most important thing the author wanted you to take away from the passage.

100

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.

100

Which includes dialogue, stage directions, and cast of characters?

Plays/Drama
100

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

200

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.


Which text structure is shown here?

Compare/Contrast

200

Kangaroos eat grasses, leaves and roots. The joey lives in the mother's pouch for 9 months. 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.

200

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.

What is the theme?
a.) You should cheat to win.
b.) Always work hard.
c.) It pays to be honest.
d.) Teamwork is best.


 

It pays to be honest

200

Which type includes stanzas, lines, rhyme, rhyme scheme, and meter?

Poems

200

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.

300

The quality of the air in big cities is concerning. Pollution and fossil fuels emissions cause poor air quality. 


What text structure is this?

Cause/Effect

300

Niagara Falls is one of the most beautiful sights in North America. It is on the Niagara River about halfway between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Niagara Falls is on the American and Canadian border. The American Falls is 167 feet high. On the Canadian side, the Horseshoe Falls is 161 feet high. What is the main idea of the paragraph?

Niagara Falls is one of the most beautiful sights in North America.

300

What are three other words that go with theme?

Moral, lesson, or central message

300

This type of writing includes books, journals, and magazines.

Prose

300

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.

400

Invertebrates are creatures without a backbone. Some examples include insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and mollusks.

Description

400

The Statue of Liberty is visited by thousands of people every year. The Statue of Liberty is a 151 foot statue of a woman holding a book and a torch. It is located on an island in New York Harbor. It was a gift of friendship from the people of France. It has become a universal symbol of freedom. What is the main idea of the paragraph?

The Statue of Liberty is visited by thousands of people every year.


400

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.

400

True or False: A setting can be in a poem, play (drama), or prose.

TRUE
400

Firsthand accounts are called ______________ sources.

primary
500

Mr. Lane was shivering because it was cold outside. He went inside and got a jacket and fixed him some warm hot cocoa.

Problem/Solution

500

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.

500

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.

500

Which tells you a story through a narrator?

*Hint*- There are two answers.

Plays (Drama) and Prose

500

Which type of account would an autobiography be classified as?

Firsthand account