Understanding Key Details in Informational Texts
Understanding Key Details in Informational Texts Objective: Students will learn to ask and answer questions about key details in a text to demonstrate understanding of the information presented.
Learning Objectives
- Identify key details in an informational text.
- Ask questions about the text to find important information.
- Answer questions using information from the text.
Materials Needed
- A short informational book or article suitable for 2nd grade (about animals, plants, or simple science topics)
- Paper and pencil
- Question cards with simple who, what, where, when, and why questions related to the text
Key Vocabulary
- Informational Text
- A type of writing that gives facts about real things, like animals or places.
- Key Details
- Important pieces of information in a story or article that help us understand the main idea.
- Question
- Something we ask to learn more or find out information.
Detailed Activities
Reading and Discussing the Text
- Read the chosen informational text aloud with the student.
- Pause to discuss pictures and important facts as you read together.
- Ask the student simple questions about what they heard to check understanding.
Question and Answer Practice
- Show the student question cards related to the text.
- Help the student answer each question by referring back to the text.
- Encourage the student to ask their own questions about the text.
Drawing and Writing
- Have the student draw a picture about something they learned from the text.
- Assist the student in writing one or two sentences about the key details they remember.
Parent & Instructor Notes
- Encourage your child to think about the ‘who,’ ‘what,’ ‘where,’ ‘when,’ and ‘why’ while reading.
- You don’t need to read the entire text in one sitting; you can break the lesson into smaller parts.
- Praise your child for asking questions and sharing what they learned to build confidence.
Assessment Questions
- Who or what is the text mostly about?
- Where does the story or information take place?
- What is one important fact you remember from the text?
- Why do you think this information is important?
Extension Ideas
- Find another informational book or article on a similar topic and repeat the questioning activity.
- Create a simple quiz together based on the text for practice.
- Watch a short educational video related to the topic and discuss key details.
Frequently Asked Questions
Try rereading the text together and pointing to the parts that answer the questions. Use pictures and simple explanations to help connect the information.
Choose topics your child likes, such as animals or space. Use books with colorful pictures and short sections to maintain their attention.
Teacher’s Guide
Common Misconceptions:
- Students may confuse key details with the main idea; emphasize that key details support the main idea.
- Children sometimes answer questions based on memory rather than information in the text; encourage referring directly back to the text.
Scaffolding Ideas:
For Struggling Students:
- Use shorter texts with more pictures to support understanding.
- Ask fewer questions and focus on very basic facts (who, what).
- Provide sentence starters to help with answering questions.
For Advanced Students:
- Encourage asking additional questions beyond who, what, where, when, why.
- Have the student summarize key details in their own words.
- Introduce simple cause and effect questions related to the text.
Pacing Recommendations:
- Allow extra time for discussion if your child is new to informational texts.
- Break the lesson into two sessions if needed: one for reading and one for questions and drawing.
- Adjust the number of questions depending on your child’s attention span.
Standards
- 2.RI.1 — Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
Printable Worksheet
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