Understanding Key Details in Informational Texts
Understanding Key Details in Informational Texts Objective: Students will be able to ask and answer questions such as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
Learning Objectives
- Identify and recall key details from an informational text.
- Ask and answer questions about the details of the text using who, what, where, when, why, and how.
- Demonstrate understanding by discussing answers clearly.
Materials Needed
- Age-appropriate informational text or short nonfiction book
- Worksheet with question prompts (who, what, where, when, why, how)
- Pencils
- Whiteboard or paper for parent notes
Key Vocabulary
- Informational Text
- A type of writing that provides facts and information about real things or events.
- Key Details
- Important pieces of information that help you understand the main idea of the text.
- Question
- A sentence worded to get information or an answer.
Detailed Activities
Reading and Questioning
- Choose a short informational text suitable for a 2nd grader.
- Read the text aloud together or have the student read it independently.
- Discuss the story briefly to ensure understanding.
- Use the worksheet to ask questions about who, what, where, when, why, and how based on the text.
- Encourage the student to answer each question using information from the text.
- Write down answers together to reinforce learning.
Review and Reinforce
- Go over the answers with your student and discuss why each detail is important.
- Ask the student to explain one key detail in their own words.
- If time permits, create new questions together about the text.
- Praise the student’s efforts and encourage curiosity about informational texts.
Parent & Instructor Notes
- The goal is to build your child’s ability to understand and recall important details from nonfiction reading.
- You do not need to be an expert in the topic; focus on helping your child find answers in the text.
- Encourage your child to think about the questions and answer in complete sentences.
Assessment Questions
- Who is the main subject or character in the text?
- What is the main event or topic?
- Where does the story or information take place?
- When did the event happen or when is the subject relevant?
- Why is this information important?
- How did something happen or how does the subject work?
Extension Ideas
- Have your child write their own informational paragraph using key details discovered in the lesson.
- Create a simple poster or drawing illustrating the answers to the who, what, where, when, why, and how questions.
- Explore another informational text on a similar topic and compare the key details.
Frequently Asked Questions
Read the text together slowly and point to sentences that contain the answers. Use guiding questions to help your child focus on key words.
Choose a short, clear informational text appropriate for a 2nd grader to make the activity manageable and engaging.
Teacher’s Guide
Common Misconceptions:
- Students may confuse fiction elements with nonfiction details.
- Students sometimes struggle to identify the ‘why’ and ‘how’ questions as these require deeper thinking.
Scaffolding Ideas:
For Struggling Students:
- Provide additional one-on-one reading support.
- Use pictures or visual aids related to the text to support comprehension.
- Focus on fewer question types initially, like who and what.
For Advanced Students:
- Challenge students to create their own questions about the text.
- Encourage students to explain why certain details are important to the overall text.
- Introduce short passages with more complex information.
Pacing Recommendations:
- Spend about 20-25 minutes on reading and guided questioning.
- Use the remaining 15-20 minutes for review, discussion, and reinforcing the concepts.
- Adjust timing based on your child’s engagement and comprehension.
Standards
- 2.RI.8 — Ask and answer questions such as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
Printable Worksheet
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