ELAGSE4RI5: Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.
Understanding Text Structures:
Text structure refers to how the information within a written text is organized. This strategy helps students understand that a text might present a main idea and details; a cause and then its effects; and/or different views of a topic. When you can recognize common text structures it can help you comprehend the material. Sometimes authors use more than one text structure in a piece. For example, some texts are organized as a chronological sequence of events, while others compare two or more things. Being able to recognize the underlying structure of content-rich texts can help focus attention on key concepts and relationships, anticipate what is to come, and monitor comprehension as you read. Students can learn to identify a text’s structure by paying attention to signal words. Signal words link ideas together, show relationships, and indicate transitions from one idea to the next. Each text structure is associated with different signal words.
Description:
This type of text structure features a detailed description of something to give the reader a mental picture or help them visualize what the passage is about. The author describes an object, a setting, a character, or an event using rich details. The description uses the sense to give a full picture to the reader.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNamLgVaqVw
Example 1: In my neighborhood, there is a house everyone thinks is haunted. Dark overgrown bushes surround the yard. The porch creaks whenever you step on it. At night, only a few lights shine. Sometimes, they seem to flicker on and off mysteriously. Imagine a place where it rains every day. Tall trees loom above you. Branches form a green ceiling high in the sky. Plants, vines, and brightly-colored flowers fill every inch of space.
EXAMPLE 2: A book may tell all about whales or describe what the geography is like in a particular region. Descriptive Pattern [pdf]
Describing Qualities
Cause and Effect:
This structure presents the causal relationship between an specific event, idea, or concept and the events, ideas, or concept that follow. The text shows that one event causes another thing to happen. Look for words like "because," "then," "since," and "as a result."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUQy06ULbeY
Example 1: It rained for the first few days of the camping trip. As a result, most of the campers were restless and wanted to go home.
EXAMPLE 2: Weather patterns could be described that explain why a big snowstorm occurred.
Cause-Effect Pattern[pdf]
Process/Cause and Effect
Comparison/Contrast:
This type of text examines the similarities and differences between two or more people, events, concepts, ideas, etc. The text shows how ideas or things are alike or different. Look for words like "best," "more," "better," "less," "worse," "easier," "than."
Example 1: The best time to visit the Rocky Mountains is early fall. The weather is cooler in the fall than in the summer. You will see fewer people and more animals, in the summer it gets very crowded and there are fewer animals to be seen. The fall colors are more beautiful then the usual greenery of summer.
EXAMPLE 2: A book about ancient Greece may explain how the Spartan women were different from the Athenian women.
Comparison/Contrast
Chronological Order/Sequence:
This text structure gives readers a chronological of events or a list of steps in a procedure. The writer places events in the order in which they happen. Look for signal words like "first," "then," "finally," " a few minutes later," "next," "after lunch," "last year."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC5EkKoEu24
Example 1: First, Rhett was late getting to school. Then, he lost his homework. A few minutes later, the teacher asked him to clean out his desk. Now Rhett thinks it will be a bad day.
EXAMPLE 2: A book about the American revolution might list the events leading to the war. In another book, steps involved in harvesting blue crabs might be told
Sequence Pattern[pdf]
Chronological Sequence
Problem-Solution:
This type of structure sets up a problem or problems, explains the solution, and then discusses the effects of the solution. The text is split into two parts: One part presents a problem, and the other part gives the solution to the problem. Look for words like "problem," "solution," "solve," and "plan."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzlXLmlElOY
Example 1: The city of Taylor has fifteen public swimming pools. In the past, plenty of lifeguards have been available for staffing the pools throughout the summer. Most of the lifeguards were teenagers out of school for the summer. This year, however, not enough lifeguards have signed up to work. The city has started asking healthy retired people to be lifeguards. They will be trained by the city for free if they will agree to work 10 hours per week at a city pool. They will be paid $8 an hour for their work.
The problem: Taylor doesn't have enough lifeguards to staff its city swimming pools.
The solution: Encourage retired people to become certified lifeguards and work at the pools.
EXAMPLE 2: Click here to view an example of Problem-Solution
text structure
Problem-Solution Organizer
Question and Answer:
NOTE: This text structure, although used in test questions and in science and social studies texts is not one featured in out standards. However, I want the students to understand this is also an organizational structure that an author uses to organize his/her writing.
The writer presents a question and then tries to answer it.
Example: Many schools are thinking about this question: Should students be made to wear uniforms? I believe they should not. First, clothing is a very important way that kids express themselves. . .
Text structure refers to how the information within a written text is organized. This strategy helps students understand that a text might present a main idea and details; a cause and then its effects; and/or different views of a topic. When you can recognize common text structures it can help you comprehend the material. Sometimes authors use more than one text structure in a piece. For example, some texts are organized as a chronological sequence of events, while others compare two or more things. Being able to recognize the underlying structure of content-rich texts can help focus attention on key concepts and relationships, anticipate what is to come, and monitor comprehension as you read. Students can learn to identify a text’s structure by paying attention to signal words. Signal words link ideas together, show relationships, and indicate transitions from one idea to the next. Each text structure is associated with different signal words.
Description:
This type of text structure features a detailed description of something to give the reader a mental picture or help them visualize what the passage is about. The author describes an object, a setting, a character, or an event using rich details. The description uses the sense to give a full picture to the reader.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNamLgVaqVw
Example 1: In my neighborhood, there is a house everyone thinks is haunted. Dark overgrown bushes surround the yard. The porch creaks whenever you step on it. At night, only a few lights shine. Sometimes, they seem to flicker on and off mysteriously. Imagine a place where it rains every day. Tall trees loom above you. Branches form a green ceiling high in the sky. Plants, vines, and brightly-colored flowers fill every inch of space.
EXAMPLE 2: A book may tell all about whales or describe what the geography is like in a particular region. Descriptive Pattern [pdf]
Describing Qualities
Cause and Effect:
This structure presents the causal relationship between an specific event, idea, or concept and the events, ideas, or concept that follow. The text shows that one event causes another thing to happen. Look for words like "because," "then," "since," and "as a result."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUQy06ULbeY
Example 1: It rained for the first few days of the camping trip. As a result, most of the campers were restless and wanted to go home.
EXAMPLE 2: Weather patterns could be described that explain why a big snowstorm occurred.
Cause-Effect Pattern[pdf]
Process/Cause and Effect
Comparison/Contrast:
This type of text examines the similarities and differences between two or more people, events, concepts, ideas, etc. The text shows how ideas or things are alike or different. Look for words like "best," "more," "better," "less," "worse," "easier," "than."
Example 1: The best time to visit the Rocky Mountains is early fall. The weather is cooler in the fall than in the summer. You will see fewer people and more animals, in the summer it gets very crowded and there are fewer animals to be seen. The fall colors are more beautiful then the usual greenery of summer.
EXAMPLE 2: A book about ancient Greece may explain how the Spartan women were different from the Athenian women.
Comparison/Contrast
Chronological Order/Sequence:
This text structure gives readers a chronological of events or a list of steps in a procedure. The writer places events in the order in which they happen. Look for signal words like "first," "then," "finally," " a few minutes later," "next," "after lunch," "last year."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC5EkKoEu24
Example 1: First, Rhett was late getting to school. Then, he lost his homework. A few minutes later, the teacher asked him to clean out his desk. Now Rhett thinks it will be a bad day.
EXAMPLE 2: A book about the American revolution might list the events leading to the war. In another book, steps involved in harvesting blue crabs might be told
Sequence Pattern[pdf]
Chronological Sequence
Problem-Solution:
This type of structure sets up a problem or problems, explains the solution, and then discusses the effects of the solution. The text is split into two parts: One part presents a problem, and the other part gives the solution to the problem. Look for words like "problem," "solution," "solve," and "plan."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzlXLmlElOY
Example 1: The city of Taylor has fifteen public swimming pools. In the past, plenty of lifeguards have been available for staffing the pools throughout the summer. Most of the lifeguards were teenagers out of school for the summer. This year, however, not enough lifeguards have signed up to work. The city has started asking healthy retired people to be lifeguards. They will be trained by the city for free if they will agree to work 10 hours per week at a city pool. They will be paid $8 an hour for their work.
The problem: Taylor doesn't have enough lifeguards to staff its city swimming pools.
The solution: Encourage retired people to become certified lifeguards and work at the pools.
EXAMPLE 2: Click here to view an example of Problem-Solution
text structure
Problem-Solution Organizer
Question and Answer:
NOTE: This text structure, although used in test questions and in science and social studies texts is not one featured in out standards. However, I want the students to understand this is also an organizational structure that an author uses to organize his/her writing.
The writer presents a question and then tries to answer it.
Example: Many schools are thinking about this question: Should students be made to wear uniforms? I believe they should not. First, clothing is a very important way that kids express themselves. . .
http://www.slideshare.net/elkissn/teaching-text-structure
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=6&ved=0CEgQFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fkisdwebs.katyisd.org%2Fcampuses%2FMMJH%2Fteacherweb%2Fmanchacaa%2FDocuments%2FAcademic%2FText%2520Structures%25202011.ppt&ei=ox3TUriBPY-ikQeE2IHoCw&usg=AFQjCNEANmy372iZXIaDfhIPNxv2N9LF5w
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=6&ved=0CEgQFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fkisdwebs.katyisd.org%2Fcampuses%2FMMJH%2Fteacherweb%2Fmanchacaa%2FDocuments%2FAcademic%2FText%2520Structures%25202011.ppt&ei=ox3TUriBPY-ikQeE2IHoCw&usg=AFQjCNEANmy372iZXIaDfhIPNxv2N9LF5w