Common Expository Text Structures Description Problem and Solution

Common Expository Text Structures Description Problem and Solution Cause and Effect Sequence Expository Text Structures Comparison

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Description The author explains a topic, idea, person, place, or thing by listing characteristics, features, and examples. Focus is on one thing and its components. Example Many things must be taken care of to get ready to go back to school. For example, one thing to do is prepare your classroom. Another is to organize your materials. The most important thing to do to be ready to go back to school is plan engaging lessons for students.

Description • • Signal Words For example Characteristics are Such as Looks like Consists of For instance Most important *Look for topic word (or synonym) to be repeated throughout the text. Topi c Concept map

Description Question Stems • What specific person, place, thing, event, or concept is being described? • How is the topic described? (How does it work? What does it do? What does it look like? Etc. ) • What are the most important attributes or characteristics? • How can the topic be classified? (For example, a robin can be classified as a type of bird. )

Description Paragraph Frame A ____ is a type of _____. It is made up of ______ and looks like ______. Some ____ have _____ such as _____. For example, _______ has several characteristics. One characteristic is _______. Another is ___, which is important because ______.

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Sequence The author lists items or events in numerical or chronological order. Describes the order of events or how to do or make something.

Sequence Signal Words • • • • First, second, third Next Then, after Before, prior to Not long after While, meanwhile Simultaneously At the same time Following Finally At last In the end On (date) At (time) Directions Timeline 1 2 3 4 Steps/Directions 1. 2. 3. Cycle 4. 5.

Sequence Question Stems • What sequence of events is being described? • What are the major events or incidents that occur? • What are the steps, directions, or procedures to follow? (What must be done first, second, etc. ? ) • What is the beginning event? • What other events or steps are included? • What is the final outcome, event, or step?

Sequence Paragraph Frame Here is how a _____ is made. First, _____. Next, ______. Then, _______. Finally, ______. On (date) _____ happened. Prior to that _____ was ____. Then _____. After that _______. In the end, __________.

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Compare/Contrast The author explains how two or more things are alike and/or how they are different. Image from Boys' Life, Nov. 2003, www. boyslife. org/wayback/#issue=Xvw. DAAAAMBAJ

Compare/Contrast • • • • Signal Words Differs from Similar to In contrast Alike Same as As well as On the other hand Both Either, or Not only, but also Yet, although, but, However On the other hand * Also look for “- est” words: best, fewest, tallest, etc. Venn Diagram ALIKE DIFFERENT T Chart

Compare/Contrast Question Stems • What items are being compared? • What is it about them that is being compared? • What characteristics of items form the basis of the comparison? • What characteristics do they have in common; how are these items alike? • In what way are these items different?

Compare/Contrast Paragraph Frame _______ and ______ are alike in several ways. Both ____ and _____ have similar ______. Both also ____ as well as _____. On the other hand, one way they differ is _____. Another difference is _____. Although they share _____, only ____ is the _____-est.

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Cause and Effect The author lists one or more causes or events and the resulting consequences or effects. Effect = What happened? Cause = What made it happen? Purpose is to explain why or how something happened, exists, or works. *Often there will be an “if/then” pattern

Cause and Effect Signal Words • Reasons why • Reasons for • If…then • As a result of • Therefore • Because of • So • Since • In order to • Leads or leads to • Effects of • Caused by • Result • Outcome • Impact • Influenced by • Brought about by Cause #1 Effect Cause #2 Cause#3 Effect #1 Cause Effect #2 Effect #3

Cause and Effect Question Stems • What happened? • Why did it happen? What was the reason for…? • What was the effect(s) of the event? What happened as a result of…? • What were the results or outcomes caused by the event? • In what ways did prior event(s) cause or influence the main event? • Will this result always happen from these causes?

Cause and Effect Paragraph Frame The reason why ____ happened was because of _____. If ____ hadn’t happened, then _____. Due to _____ occurring, ______. This explains why _______. The cause of ______is not easy to define. Some people think the cause is ______. Others believe the main cause is ______. Understanding the cause of _______ is important because ___________. The effects of ____ are significant because _______. One effect of ______ is _____. Another result is ____________. Because of these outcomes, it is important that ________________.

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Problem and Solution The author states a problem and lists one or more possible solutions to the problem. May also include the pros and cons for the solutions. Photo credit: Amy Dickinson, askamy@tribune. com: Ask Amy, Chicago Tribune, TT 500, 435 N. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60611

Problem and Solution Signal Words • Problem is… • Dilemma is… • Puzzle is… • Solved • Question • Answer • Because • Since • This led to • The main difficulty • One possible • solution is… • One challenge… • Therefore, • This led to, so that • If…then, thus Problem Solution #1 Solution #2

Problem and Solution Question Stems • • What is the problem(s)? Who had the problem? What is causing the problem? Why is this a problem? What is wrong and how can it be taken care of? What solutions are recommended or attempted? What can be improved, changed, fixed, or remedied? • What are the pros and cons of the solutions offered?

Problem and Solution Paragraph Frame ______ had/is a problem because ________. One possible solution is ______. This answer is good because ______. Therefore, ________. As a result, ______. The problem of _____ really boils down to the issue of _______. In the past, the common solution was to_________. However, this was only effective in terms of _________. There are now other solutions that might work. One option would be to ___________.

Your Turn! Read the paragraph and identify the text structure. Wild chimpanzees are rapidly disappearing. Some people are trying to solve this problem. Otherwise, chimpanzees may one day exist only in zoos. People are trying to save the rain forests and woodlands where the chimps live from being cut down. It will take many people working together to solve this problem.

Check for Understanding Did you identify the text structure as problem and solution?

Your Turn! Look for signal words and clues. Wild chimpanzees are rapidly disappearing. Some people are trying to solve this problem. Otherwise, chimpanzees may one day exist only in zoos. People are trying to save the rain forests and woodlands where the chimps live from being cut down. It will take many people working together to solve this problem.

Check for Understanding: Did you identify the following signal words and clues? Wild chimpanzees are rapidly disappearing. Some people are trying to solve this problem. Otherwise, chimpanzees may one day exist only in zoos. People are trying to save the rain forests and woodlands where the chimps live from being cut down. It will take many people working together to solve this problem.

Your Turn! What might a graphic organizer look like to represent this information?

Check for Understanding: Did your graphic organizer look like this? Problem: Chimps are rapidly disappearing. Solution #1: Save the rain forests and the woodlands. Solution #2: Many people working together.

Informational Text Structure Study 1. Introduce and work on a single text structure for at least 3 or 4 sessions. 2. Prepare short passages for the text structure you are working on. 3. Highlight and emphasize the signal words and phrases. 4. After students are familiar with signal words and phrases, ask them to find these clues in the text. Ask them to point out the text structure being used. 5. Have children write their own paragraphs using the signal words and phrases for each text structure. (Akhondi, Malayeri, & Samad, 2011)

SQ 3 R • Survey what you are about to read… • Think about the title • Glance at the headings and skim first sentences • Look at illustrations • Read the first paragraph • Read the last paragraph

SQ 3 R • Question. • Turn the title into a question, the purpose for reading (essential question for lesson). • Write down questions. • Turn headings into questions. • Turn subheadings, illustrations, graphics into questions. • Record unfamiliar vocabulary.

SQ 3 R • Read actively- Searching for answers to questions, reacting to passages, etc. • Recite- Look away from the answers and the book to recall what was read, recite answers to questions, reread for questions not answered. • Review- Answer the purpose question, organize information, summarize with a graphic organizer, discussion, writing.

What are text features? Some common nonfiction text features are: • Table of contents • Glossary • Index • Headings and subheadings • Text boxes and sidebars • Photographs and illustrations • Captions and labels • Graphics (maps, diagrams, charts, etc. )

Informational Text Features heading photographs captions drawings

Why are text features important? • Text features make the text more accessible to the reader and often provide additional information to help students comprehend the content.

Informational Text Feature Books • Have students explore a range of informational text to find examples of various text features to include in their own text feature books. • They will provide a definition and an example.

How can you support student understanding of text features? • Before reading, text features can also be used to help students evaluate the text and make predictions about what they will read. • During reading, point out different text features and think aloud what information you can gain from each. Saying, for example, “When I look at this diagram that shows the different layers of the earth, I read the labels and can see how thick each layer is. Then, when I read in the text about the earth’s core, I can look at the diagram and have a better understanding of where it is in relation to the other layers. ”

Your Turn! • What are some text features? • Why is it important to teach students about text features? • What is one way to teach students about text features?

Check for Understanding • What are some text features? – Table of contents, Glossary, Index, Headings/subheadings, Captions and labels • Why is it important to teach students about text features? – Text features make the text more accessible to the reader and often provide additional information to help students comprehend the content. • What is one way to teach students about text structures/features? – Text Structure Study/Writing, SQ 3 R, Text Feature Study/Books