Exploring the World of Informational Texts

Open Ended

First and Last Name

Exploring Informational Text Structures

5 Text Structures

1. Description

2. Time Sequence

3. Comparison/Contras

4. Cause and Effect

5. Problem/Solution

Definition: Description

Explains a topic, idea, person, place, or thing by giving details about its features, characteristics, or examples.

Multiple Choice

What is the definition of a "description" text structure?

• To explain a topic, idea, person, place, or thing by giving details about its features, characteristics, or examples

• To persuade the reader to agree with the author's viewpoint

Key Words: Description

Look for words like on, over, beyond, within, and descriptive adjectives.

Signal Questions: Description

o What is being talked about?
o What does it look like, work like, or do?
o What are the key details to remember?

Definition: Time Sequence

Ideas or events are shared in the order they occur.

Key Words: Time Sequence

Words indicating order such as first, second, before, after, finally, then, next, earlier, later, last, following, soon.

Multiple Select

What are three key words used in "time sequence" text structures?

• before

• over

• to solve

• next

• last

Signal Questions: Time Sequence

o What events or steps are mentioned?

o Do they need to be in this order?

o Is this the order they always happen?

Definition: Comparison/Contrast

Discusses how ideas, events, or things are alike and how they are different.

Multiple Choice

What is the definition of a "comparison/contrast" text structure?

• Discusses how ideas or things are alike and how they are different.

• Ideas or events are shared in the order they occur.

Key Words: Comparison/Contrast

Words such as while, yet, but, either, like, unlike, same, opposed to, likewise, although, similarly.

Signal Questions: Comparison/Contrast

o What is being compared or contrasted?

o In what ways are they similar or different?

Definition: Cause and Effect

Explains
why something happened (the cause)
and
what happened as a result (the effect).

Key Words: Cause and Effect

Phrases like because, since, thus, so that, if...then, therefore, due to, led to, as a result, for this reason.

Multiple Select

What are three key words used in "cause and effect" text structures?

​ ​ ​ ​

• because
• since
• therefore
• first

• underneath

Signal Questions: Cause and Effect

o What event or situation happened?

o Why did it happen?

o What was the result?

Definition: Problem/Solution

Identifies a problem and suggests one or more solutions.

Key Words: Problem/Solution

Words such as propose, solution, problem, shows, evidence, reason for, to solve, answer.

Signal Questions: Problem/Solution

o What is the problem being discussed?

o Why is it a problem?

o How might it be solved?