Activities

1. Identify the main idea(s) in a text.
   
   
2. Identify key details in a text.
   
   
3. Identify the author’s purpose in a text.
   
   
4. Identify text structures of a literary non-fiction or informational text.
   
   
5. Use text features to identify main points in a literary non-fiction or informational text.
   
   
6. Identify transitional words that signal explanation of events, ideas, or steps in a literary non-fiction or informational text.
   
   
7. Draw on appropriate background knowledge to construct meaning from a literary non-fiction or informational text.

8. Determine the structure of a literary non-fiction or informational text.
   
   
9. Summarize the information found in a text feature.
   
   
10. Describe similarities and differences between individuals, events, ideas, steps, or concepts in a literary non-fiction or informational text.
    
    
11. Identify reasons and evidence from the text that match the main points of the text.
    
    
12. Categorize reasons and evidence as relevant or irrelevant.
    
    
13. Summarize main points from the text and state how they contribute to the central message of the literary non-fiction or informational text.

14. Explain how a literary non-fiction or informational text shows the relationship between individuals, events, ideas, steps, or concepts throughout the text.
    
    
15. Combine information from the text with information from text features to find main ideas.
    
    
16. Explain how the author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which points.
    
    
17. Assess the literary non-fiction or informational text’s central message using what is explicitly stated and through inferences and generalizations within the text.
    
    
18. Recognize where prior background knowledge may or may not be accurate and adjust understanding of the text accordingly.
    
    
19. Make, test, and revise predictions of the literary non-fiction or informational text’s meaning during reading.

Answer Key/Rubric

1. Student identifies the main idea(s) of a literary non-fiction or informational text.  The student’s answer might be generalized and somewhat vague, but the main idea is stated.
   
   
2. Student can identify key details in a literary non-fiction or informational text.  The student may not find all key details or may incorrectly identify some details, but he/she can identify what key details are. Key details support main ideas.
   
   
3. Student identifies the author’s purpose for writing the text. Author’s purposes for writing a literary non-fiction or informational text might include: to inform, explain, persuade, or entertain.
   
   
4. Student can identify text structures that are used to assist in explaining the relationships and interactions evident in a literary non-fiction or informational text.  These text structures might include time, sequence, cause/effect, or steps and are used to help the reader understand the literary non-fiction or informational text.
   
   
5. Student identifies text features that are in a literary non-fiction or informational text.  These text structures might include chapters, subject headings, charts, graphs, bold print words, captions, labels, and maps.
   
   
6. Student identifies transitional words and phrases that signal explanations.  Transitional words and phrases would include those such as: because, then, before, as a consequence, or in contrast.  These words can be keys to understanding how elements within the text fit together.  Finding these words can give readers keys to understanding the relationships and interactions taking place in the literary non-fiction or informational text.
   
   
7. Student considers what he/she knows about the topic prior to reading the literary non-fiction or informational text and uses that information to construct meaning from the text.  Students with no prior background knowledge of a topic may, if appropriate, enlist in opportunities to build background knowledge prior to reading the text.
   
   
8. Student determines the structure that the author used when constructing the literary non-fiction or informational text.  Possible structures might be chronological order, classification, definition, simple process, description, comparison, or another method.
   
   
9. Student summarizes the information in text features.  Doing this involves being able to take the text feature and explain, summarize, or otherwise share the information that is contained in the text feature.
   
   
10. Student describes similarities and differences between individuals, events, ideas, steps or concepts in an informational text. Their similarities and differences are described.  Multiple examples from the text are provided for each individual, event, idea, step, or concept as they are compared and contrasted.
    
    
11. Student identifies reasons and evidence that match the main points of the informational text. The quantity of reasons and evidence for each main point is considered.  If reasons and evidence used are insufficient, the student questions the validity of the main points.
    
    
12. Student identifies the relevance and irrelevance of the main points, reasons, and evidence presented in the informational text. Main points become more relevant when multiple and significant reasons and evidence support them. If irrelevant or insufficient reasons and evidence are used, the student questions the validity of the main points.
    
    
13. Student identifies the text’s central message and is able to summarize the main points from the text that lead to the central message.  This may be similar to a list of “evidence” supporting why the central message is what the student states it to be.  This evidence should be logical, valid, and significant.  Student may need to revise what is stated as the central message based on the evidence that is found.
    
    
14. Student explains how the text shows the relationship between individuals, events, ideas, steps, or concepts throughout the informational text. These relationships contribute to the meaning of the text. Understanding how text features, text structures, and transitional words work together to help create the meaning of the text is crucial in understanding an informational text.
    
    
15. By combining information from the text features and the text, the student is able to understand the main points more deeply.  By using information from both sources, the student compares, contrasts, and combines what has been learned to provide a more thorough understanding of the topic.
    
    
16. Student analyzes an informational text to investigate how the author uses reasons and evidence to support a particular main point.  The student identifies where the reasons and evidence are found.  The relevance of the reasons and evidence is considered.  The student further considers reasons and evidence that have been omitted.
    
    
17. Student is able to identify the text’s central message and support that central message with both explicitly stated evidence and reasons from the text and further by drawing inferences and/or making generalizations from the text.  Student assures that explicitly stated evidence is accurate;  generalizations and inferences are logical, valid, and significant; and sufficient evidence to support the suggested central message of the text is provided.
    
    
18. Using evidence found in the text, students recognizes where his/her prior background knowledge is accurate or inaccurate and adjusts the understanding of the text appropriately.  At times, further research beyond the text may be needed to more fully understand if or how the prior knowledge and the text are valid. Background knowledge may assist or cloud generalizations and inferences.
    
    
19. Throughout the reading process, the student is consistently making, testing, and revising predictions of the text’s meaning.  As the student explains the text explicitly, draws inferences, and/or generalizes the text, he/she tests the new information against what was previously thought and revises the suggested meanings.