LESSON TWO: Using text features
LESSON DESCRIPTION
This lesson will focus on identifying, reading, and interpreting nonfiction text features and making connections between the information presented in those and the main ideas presented in the text of the passage. For the formative assessment, the student will choose a text feature from a provided passage and explain how information presented in that clarifies or connects to the main idea in the text itself.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS
R3A Apply information in format, graphics, sequence, maps, diagrams, charts and index to clarify and connect concepts to the main ideas
§ Sources of literature
o None
§ Supplies
o Science or social studies textbook (one for each student)
o Passage with text features about a famous American woman (for formative assessment)
o Lesson Two formative assessment scoring guide
§ Handouts provided
o Example of magazine pages with text features
o Brochure with text features and same information without text features
o Text features graphic organizer
o Lesson Two formative assessment
§ Words to know
o text features
o graphic organizer
o main idea
For the formative assessment, the student will choose a text feature from a provided passage and explain how information presented in that clarifies or connects to the main idea in the text. Scoring guide provided.
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1. Provide students with two different versions of the same passage, one with several various text features, especially graphics, maps, diagrams, charts and index, and one rewritten with those removed, and give students time to read and study both. Lead students in discussing which of the two passages is more pleasing, which they are most likely to read, and which provides the best and/or most information. At some point, students should realize that the text of both passages is exactly the same.
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Strategy
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A good source for the original passage might be a newspaper article, especially the business or sports section; a magazine article; or a pamphlet/brochure that makes use of several graphic aids such as graphics, maps, diagrams, charts, and index. (In sixth grade students will focus specifically on text features of newspapers and magazines.) It would support the unit’s theme if the passage was about a famous American woman – maybe a current sports figure, politician, actress, etc. – but that isn’t necessary, as there will be plenty of opportunity for passages fitting the theme. Discuss the various kinds of text features observed, particularly graphics, maps, diagrams, charts and indices. Some of these text features, such as diagrams and maps, may be a review from fourth grade or from another content area. *For the purpose of this unit, graphics means illustrations. It may be appropriate to repeat this activity with two versions (constructed like the original pair of passages) of a different passage for students to encounter each of the various kinds of text features and understand how each can clarify or connect to the main ideas of the text. |
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Questions for Students
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Which of these two passages is more pleasing to look at? Why? Which of these two passages are you most likely to read? Why? Which of these two passages provides the best and/or most information? Why? What is the purpose of each of the text features found in the passage? What kind of information can be found in each of the text features? |
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Technology Connections |
It may be desirable to display each of the passages on an overhead, Smart Board, NotePad, etc., for class discussion (as well as provide each student with a copy to read). |
2. Display/provide at least one example of each kind of text feature to be studied (graphics, maps, diagrams, charts, and index) and lead students in studying and discussing it, including its features (title, labels, caption, key, purpose). Discuss the kind of information each text feature might share and for what purpose each might be used. After discussing the graphic organizers as they are presented in isolation, lead students in discussing what kind of text each might accompany, what purpose the text feature might serve and where the passage (text and graphic organizer functioning as a text feature) might be found. Lead students through discussion to discover the role text features can play in helping a reader make sense of a passage.
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Strategy
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The text features (most often referred to as graphic organizers when standing alone rather than accompanying a text in a passage) used in this part of the lesson might come from newspapers, magazines, students’ textbooks, pamphlets or brochures, etc. Try to utilize graphic organizers on a variety of topics, from a variety of sources and with variety in appearance (black and white versus color, for example). Some might have originally accompanied text as a part of a larger passage, but begin with the graphic organizers/text features in isolation, or removed from the rest of the passage. |
3. Tell students to peruse a particular chapter, section or group of pages from their science or social studies textbook, paying careful attention to the text features there. Have students work in pairs or groups of three to complete the Text Features Graphic Organizer identifying three different text features from the assigned portion of the textbook and explaining how each clarifies or connects to the main ideas of the text. When all groups are finished, lead a whole-class discussion of the groups’ responses, recording those on another cumulative graphic organizer for all to see. Be certain to correct any fallacies.
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Strategy
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Be certain prior to the lesson to choose a chapter, section or group of pages from the textbook that has a variety of the text features to be studied. Make it clear to students that in order to understand and explain how a text feature clarifies or connects to the main ideas of the text, they will have to read the entire passage. The grade level expectation calls for students to “apply information” in the text features “to clarify and connect concepts to the main ideas.” When discussing this concept with fifth-graders, it is probably best to talk about how the information in the text feature “supports” the main ideas of the passage. (This language is reflected in the Lesson 2 Formative Assessment Prompt and Scoring Guide.)
The Text Features Graphic Organizer calls for students to label the two columns of the graphic organizer appropriately. This may or may not need further explanation, instruction, or review, depending upon how often this skills has been previously practiced. Fifth-grade students will be expected to label graphic organizers on the MAP assessment.
For additional guided practice, each pair or trio of students could choose a different part of the textbook from which to study text features and record their responses in a second copy of the Text Features Graphic Organizer. (Two pairs or trios could study the same section and then work as a small group to compare their responses.) |
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Technology Connections |
As student groups share their responses, record those on a fresh copy of the Text Features Graphic Organizer for all to see on an overhead, Smart Board, NotePad, etc. |
4. For the formative assessment, provide students with a passage with several text features. Students are to choose one text feature and explain how it clarifies or connects to the main idea in the accompanying text, recording their responses on the Lesson Two Formative Assessment Prompt and Scoring Guide.
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Assessment |
Students will read and study a provided passage that includes several text features, then choose one of those and explain how it clarifies or connects to the main idea in the text. |
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Strategy
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To reinforce the unit’s theme of influential American women, it would be best to use a passage for the formative assessment about a famous American woman. |