Description
What is a description text structure?
A description text structure is when the author gives details about a topic to help the reader understand it better. It tells what something looks like, feels like, or how it works.
What does "chronological order" mean in a text?
Chronological order means the events in a story or article are told in the order they happened, from first to last.
What is a problem and solution text structure?
A problem and solution text structure is a way of organizing information in a passage where the author describes a problem and then explains one or more ways to solve it.
What is the cause and what is the effect in the sentence below?
"Because it rained all night, the baseball game was canceled."
The cause is that it rained all night. The effect is that the baseball game was canceled.
What does it mean when an author uses a compare and contrast text structure?
It means the author is showing how two or more things are alike (compare) and different (contrast).
What signal words might an author use in a description text?
Signal words include for example, such as, including, and in addition. These words show that the author is adding more details.
How can you tell a text is written in chronological order?
You can tell a text is in chronological order if it uses time words like "first," "next," "then," "after," and "finally" to show the order of events.
Read the sentence: "The school cafeteria was too crowded during lunch, so they added an extra lunch period."
What is the problem and what is the solution?
Problem: The school cafeteria was too crowded during lunch.
Solution: They added an extra lunch period.
Read this sentence: "The power went out, so the students used flashlights to finish their homework."
What caused the students to use flashlights?
The power going out caused the students to use flashlights.
What are two clue words that can help you identify a compare and contrast text structure?
Two clue words are "similar" and "on the other hand."
Why would an author choose to use the description text structure?
An author might use description to help readers create a clear picture in their minds or to give more information about a person, place, thing, or idea.
Why might an author use chronological order to organize a text?
An author might use chronological order to help the reader understand how events happened over time or to clearly show a sequence of steps or actions.
Why might an author use a problem and solution text structure?
An author might use this structure to explain an issue and show how it can be or was fixed, helping the reader understand both the cause of the problem and possible solutions.
In a story, a character forgets to set an alarm and ends up missing the bus.
What is the cause, and what is the effect?
The cause is that the character forgot to set an alarm. The effect is that they missed the bus.
Why might an author choose to compare and contrast two topics?
An author might do this to help readers understand the similarities and differences between two ideas, people, places, or things.
How can you tell if a text is using the description structure?
You can tell by looking for lots of details about one topic and signal words that show the author is describing something in depth.
What is one example of a type of writing that often uses chronological order?
A biography often uses chronological order because it tells about a person’s life from beginning to end.
What are two signal words that can help you identify a problem and solution structure?
Two signal words are "because" and "so". Others include "problem", "solution", "in order to", and "as a result".
Why is it important to recognize cause and effect in a nonfiction article?
Give one reason in your own words.
It helps the reader understand how and why things happen, which makes the information clearer.
How is comparing different from contrasting?
Comparing shows how things are alike, while contrasting shows how they are different.
Read this sentence and tell if it uses description:
“The rainforest is home to many colorful birds, such as parrots, toucans, and hummingbirds.”
Yes, it uses description. The sentence gives examples of colorful birds to describe what animals live in the rainforest.
Read this sentence: “After breakfast, Maria packed her bag and walked to school.” What clue shows the sentence is in chronological order?
The word “after” shows that Maria packed her bag and walked to school after she ate breakfast, showing the order of events.
Read the paragraph:
"Plastic pollution in the ocean is harming marine life. Animals often mistake plastic for food or get trapped in it. To help solve this problem, people are reducing plastic use and cleaning up beaches."
What are two solutions mentioned in the paragraph?
Two solutions are:
Reducing plastic use.
Cleaning up beaches.
After reading a passage about pollution and its impact on ocean animals, explain one cause and one effect described in the text.
The cause is that people throw plastic into the ocean. The effect is that ocean animals get sick or die from eating the plastic.
Read this sentence: “Unlike cats, dogs usually enjoy playing fetch.” What is being compared and contrasted in this sentence?
Cats and dogs are being contrasted, especially how they behave when it comes to playing fetch.