Text Features
This is a short line at the top of a page that tells you what the page is about. What is it?
Title/ Header
A text that tells about a problem and then gives one or more ways to fix it uses which structure?
Problem-and-solution
The sentence reads: "The kitten was famished, so it devoured its meal." What does "famished" most likely mean?
very hungry
The word "bat" can mean a flying animal or a sports tool. Use "bat" in a sentence that shows the sports tool meaning.
He swung the bat and hit the ball."
The sentence: "She glanced at the map to find the shortest route." What does "glanced" mean?
looked quickly
Shows a sequence of events over time.
Timeline
Name two signal words that often show a problem/solution structure.
Examples: "problem", "solution", "because", "so", "as a result";
The sentence: "He was elated — he jumped and smiled all afternoon." Use context clues to define "elated."
happy
The word "bark" can mean a sound a dog makes or the outside of a tree. Which meaning is used in this sentence: "The tree's bark was rough to touch"?
outside of a tree
The sentence: "The scientist recorded the temperature each hour." Use context to explain what "recorded" means here.
wrote down or tracked
These appear in text to show the relationship between numbers or amounts or something
Graph
Read this short description and identify the text structure: "The river flooded the town. Leaders built a dam and planted trees to reduce flooding next year." Which text structure is this?
Problem-and-Solution
The sentence: "The botanical garden had many exotic trees, such as banyan and ginkgo." Use the rest of the sentence to explain what "exotic" likely means.
usual/ unique
The word "spring" has several meanings (season, jump, a water source). Write one short sentence using "spring" to mean the season and another sentence using it to mean to jump.
season: "We love spring when flowers bloom." jump: "The cat will spring onto the chair."
The sentence: "The teacher praised Maya for her perseverance during the difficult project." What does "perseverance" mean based on the sentence?
continuing to try even if it is hard
This feature shows the order of events or steps in a process using numbers or arrows.
Sequence/ Steps for something
Give two ways an author might organize an informational passage that uses problem/solution (one about the problem, one about the solution).
Author may first describe the problem (what happened/effects) and then describe solutions (steps, plans, or fixes);
How do we use context clues to help us understand unknown word meanings?
making inferences and using the words around the unknown word.
Read this sentence: "When the actors rehearse, the play gets better." The word "rehearse" is unfamiliar. What clue in the sentence helps you figure out its meaning, and what does it likely mean?
"the play gets better" → rehearse = practice
The sentence: "Coral reefs support diverse marine life, so preserving them is important." Which word helps you know what "diverse" means, and what does "diverse" mean?
many different kinds
Explain how a caption and a photograph together help a reader better understand the text.
Caption describes the image; photograph gives visual detail or evidence.
Describe how headings and subheadings can help a reader identify the parts of a problem/solution text.
Headings label the problem section and solution section, subheadings break steps of the solution.
The sentence: "After the hurricane, the town was devastated. Many houses were ruined and roads were blocked." What clue in the sentence helps you know the meaning of "devastated" and what does it mean?
"Many houses were ruined and roads were blocked" → devastated = badly damaged
Choose a multiple-meaning word (other than "bat" or "spring"). List two different meanings and write one sentence for each meaning that makes the meaning clear from context.
"light" — meaning 1: not heavy ("This bag is light."), meaning 2: not dark ("The room is filled with light.")
The dilapidated old barn was falling apart, with broken boards hanging from the walls and a roof full of holes. Maria's new house, on the other hand, was strong and well-built. What does dilapidated mean?
ruined