Exploring Ways Authors Use Text Structures to Convey Meaning
Exploring Ways Authors Use Text Structures to Convey Meaning
Objectives
In this lesson, students will explore ways authors use text structures to convey meaning. Students will:
- analyze nonfiction text structures and explain how ideas are developed.
- demonstrate understanding of nonfiction text structures through oral presentation.
- explain the relationship of text structure to author’s purpose.
Essential Questions
- How do readers know what to believe in what they read, hear, and view?
- How do strategic readers create meaning from informational and literary text?
Vocabulary
- Author’s Purpose: The author’s intent to inform or teach someone about something, to entertain people, or to persuade or convince the audience to do or not do something.
- Informational Text: It is nonfiction, written primarily to convey factual information. Informational texts comprise the majority of printed material adults read (e.g., textbooks, newspapers, reports, directions, brochures, technical manuals, etc.).
- Text Structure: The author’s method of organizing a text.
- Cause/Effect: Causes stem from actions and events, and effects are what happen as a result of the action or event.
- Compare/Contrast: Placing together characters, situations, or ideas to show common or differing features in literary selections.
- Problem/Solution: An organizational structure in nonfiction texts, where the author typically presents a problem and possible solutions to it.
- Sequence: The order in which events take place.
Duration
45–90 minutes/1–2 class periods
Prerequisite Skills
Prerequisite Skills haven't been entered into the lesson plan.
Materials
You need at least one example of each nonfiction text structure at the reading level of your students. The following examples have been chosen because they have the distinct traits of each text structure. Teachers may substitute other books or materials to provide a range of reading and level of text complexity.
Question/Answer:
- “Q&A: Daniel Radcliffe” http://www.timeforkids.com/news/qa-daniel-radcliffe/10721
- “Interview with Reza: Photographer” http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Stories/PeoplePlaces/Interview-with-reza
- “Role Models for Careers” http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/pagegen/galleryachieve.html
- I Wonder Why Caterpillars Eat So Much: And Other Questions About Life Cycles by Belinda Weber. Kingfisher, 2008.
- Scholastic Question and Answer Series (various science titles)
- Bill Nye the Science Guy’s Consider the Following: A Way Cool Set of Science Questions, Answers, and Ideas to Ponder by Bill Nye. Hyperion Books for Children, 2000.
- Why? The Best Ever Question and Answer Book About Nature, Science and the World Around You by Catherine Ripley. Maple Tree Press, 2004.
- I Wonder Why Zippers Have Teeth: And Other Questions About Inventions by Barbara Taylor. Kingfisher, 2003.
Problem/Solution:
- A River Ran Wild: An Environmental History by Lynne Cherry. Sandpiper, 2002.
- Sparrow Jack by Mordicai Gerstein. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003.
Sequence:
- “How to Grow Salt Crystals” available at http://www.ehow.com/how_3864_grow-salt-crystals.html
- Science in Seconds for Kids: Over 100 Experiments You Can Do in Ten Minutes or Less by Jean Potter. Jossey-Bass, 1995.
- Janice VanCleave’s Earth Science for Every Kid: 101 Easy Experiments That Really Work by Janice VanCleave. Wiley, 1991.
- Harriet Tubman: A Woman of Courage by the editors of Time for Kids with Renée Skelton. HarperCollins, 2005.
- recipes
Cause/ Effect:
- “Pollution at the Ends of the Earth”
- “Watching Out for Vultures”
- “Watering the Air”
- Danger! Volcanoes by Seymour Simon. Chronicle Books, 2004.
Comparison:
- “New Waves for Safe Flying”
- “Ready, Unplug, Drive”
- The Yellow House: Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin Side by Side by Susan Goldman Rubin. Harry N. Abrams, 2001.
- George vs. George: The American Revolution as Seen from Both Sides by Rosalyn Schanzer. National Geographic Children’s Books, 2007.
Other Materials:
- copies of Nonfiction Text Structures Information Page (L-6-4-1_Nonfiction Text Structures Information Page.doc)
- markers
- sticky notes <
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Final 03/01/2013