Organizational Patterns/ Structures by Lora Adkins Referenced from Reader’s Handbook

1. Organizational Patterns/ Structuresby Lora AdkinsReferenced from Reader’s Handbook

2. ORGANIZATIONAL PATTERNS/STRUCTURES DescriptionSequential/Chronological Order *such as, for example, *next, then, finally, or first, For instance second, third…most important, in front, beside, near Cause and effectMain Ideas and supporting details *because, as a result of…) Problem/solution Compare/Contrast *therefore, so, this led to, if…then *like, unlike, but, in contrast, on the other hand, however, both, also, too, as well as

3. How can I tell it is a descriptive passage? The author will use a lot of colorful words to describe a particular subject. For example: dark, dreary, gloomy night

4. From Knights of the Kitchen table by Jon ScieszkaAnd it was a book. But it wasn’t like any book I had ever seen before. It was such a dark, dark blue that it looked almost black, like the sky at night. It had gold stars and moons along the back edge, and twisting silver designs on the front and back that looked like writing from a long time ago. How is this paragraph organized? Description

5. How can I tell the passage is organized by sequence of events/ time order? The author will talk about things or events in the order in which they naturally occur. The author will use dates in order or transitional words such as: first, second, next, then, finally, etc.

6. From Cyber Space by David Jefferis In 1876, inventor Alexander Graham bell developed the telephone, which let people speak over the wires. This new invention was a great success. In 1880, there were just 33,000 telephone in the world. Ten years later, there were nearly half a million. How is this paragraph organized? Sequence of events/Time order

7. How can I tell that the passage is organized by cause /effect? The cause is the reason something happens, and the effect is what happens. Sometimes the author will have one cause with many effects, one cause for each effect, or one cause with many effects. The author may use words like because, so, etc.

8. From the Super Science Book of Rocks and Soils by Robert Snedden Rocks can be broken by ice. Water expands when it freezes. If water gets into a crack in a rock and turns into ice, it pushes the crack open. When the ice melts, water can get farther into the rock so that when the water freezes again it opens the crack a bit more. Eventually the rock will break open altogether. How is this paragraph organized? Cause/Effect

9. How can I tell that the passage is organized by compare/contrast? In this case, the author will compare two things by looking at their similarities or contrast two things by observing their differences. The author might use words such as same, like, but, also, etc.

10. From Ranger Rick For example, a moth’s antennae, especially the male’s, are usually wide and feathery. A butterfly’s antennae are thin with little knobs on the ends. Moth bodies are usually plump and furry. But most butterfly bodies are sleek and slender. How is this paragraph organized? Compare/contrast

11. How can I tell that the passage is organized by main idea/details? The author will discuss a particular subject so look at the title, headings, subheadings, the first sentence, and the last sentence of the passage. Then look for the details that the author is sharing with the reader about the subject.

12. From Booker T. Washington By Patricia and Fredrick McKissack The school was 500 miles away. Booker walked in the rain. He slept on the ground. He hopped trains, and begged for rides on the back of wagons. It was a long, hard trip. But he would not turn back. How is this paragraph organized? Main Idea /Details

13. How can I tell that the passage is organized by problem/ solution? Look for a problem (something that is going wrong, difficulty, crisis) that the author has created for the characters. Then look for a solution ( a way to out of the problem, a resolution, a result, a clarification) to the characters’ problem.

14. From the Gold Cadillac by Mildred D. Taylor We waited. More that three hours we waited. Finally my father came out of the police station. We had lots of questions to ask him. He said the police had given him a ticket for speeding and locked him up. But then the judge had come. My father had paid the ticket and they had let him go. How is this paragraph organized? Problem/solution

15. Remember that you are looking for the overall pattern in the text. • Is the pattern • description • sequence of events/ time order • cause/effect • compare/contrast • main idea/details • problem solution Which pattern will you chose? Now it is your turn!