Reading Informational Texts: Text Features

1. Reading Informational Texts: Text Features

2. Understanding Text Features • An informational text is writing that provides factual information. Informational materials—such as chapters in textbooks and articles in magazines, encyclopedias, and newspapers—usually contain text features that help the reader recognize their purpose, pattern of organization, and key ideas.

3. The title or main heading identifies the topic.A subheading indicates the start of a new topic or section and identifies that section’s focus. What are the topic and subheading on pages 954 and 955? Share with an elbow partner.

4. Questions may be used to focus your understanding of the text and bulleted lists show items of equal importance. • Write down one question from page 894 on your notes. • Jot down one bulleted piece of information, as well

5. Graphic Aids • Information is communicated not only with words but also with graphic aids. They are visual representations of verbal statements that make complex information easier to understand. Graphic aids, such as illustrations, photographs, charts, diagrams, maps, and timelines, often make ideas in the text clearer.

6. Graphs • Graphs are used to illustrate statistical information. Can you name each kind?

7. Strategies for Reading Graphs • Read the title • Find out what is being represented or measured • In a circle graph, compare the sizes of the parts • In a line graph, study the slant of the line. • In a bar graph, compare the lengths of the bars.

8. Diagrams • A diagram is a drawing that shows how something works or how its parts relate to one another.

9. Strategies for Reading Diagrams • Read the title. • Read each label and look at the part it identifies. • Follow any arrows or numbers that show the order of steps or direction of movement.

10. Charts and Tables • A chart presents information, shows a process, or makes comparisons, usually in rows or columns. • A table is a specific type of chart that presents a collection of facts in rows and columns and shows how the facts relate to one another.

11. Can you tell which is which?

12. Strategies for Reading Charts/Tables • Read the title to learn what information the chart or table covers. • Study column headings and row labels to determine the categories of information presented. • Look down columns and across rows to find specific information.

13. Maps • A map visually represents a geographic region, such as a state or country. It provides information about areas through lines, colors, shapes, and symbols.

14. Strategies for Reading Maps • Read the title to find out what kind of map it is. • Read the labels to get an overall sense of what the map shows. • Look at the key or legend to find out what the symbols and colors stand for.

15. Timelines • A timeline shows events in the order in which they occurred. Events are listed along a horizontal or vertical line and are usually labeled with the year in which they happened.

16. Now you try…turn to page 519 in your textbook and preview the graphic aids in “Skateboard Science” before reading.