Understanding Text Features to Locate Information
Understanding Text Features to Locate Information Objective: Students will learn to use text features such as headings, subheadings, glossaries, and indexes to locate information efficiently in informational texts.
Learning Objectives
- Identify common text features in an informational text.
- Use headings and subheadings to find information in a text.
- Use the glossary to understand the meanings of new words.
- Locate information quickly using text features.
Materials Needed
- A short informational text or article suitable for 3rd grade
- Printed copies of the text for the student
- Highlighters or colored pencils
- Notebook or paper for notes
- Pencils
Key Vocabulary
- Text Features
- Parts of a text like headings, pictures, captions, and indexes that help you find and understand information.
- Heading
- A title at the beginning of a section that tells what that section is about.
- Glossary
- A list of important words and their meanings found at the end of a book.
Detailed Activities
Exploring Text Features
- Begin by showing the student an informational text and point out different text features such as the title, headings, pictures, captions, glossary, and index.
- Discuss what each text feature is and how it can help find information.
- Have the student highlight or underline the text features in their own copy of the text.
Guided Practice Finding Information
- Ask the student specific questions that require using text features to find answers, for example, ‘What is the main topic of the second section?’ or ‘Find the meaning of the word ___ in the glossary.’
- Guide the student to locate the correct section or glossary entry using headings or the glossary.
- Encourage the student to read the relevant part aloud to confirm the answer.
Independent Practice
- Provide the student with a few questions related to the text that require using text features to answer.
- Let the student use headings, glossary, or other features independently to find information.
- Review the answers together and discuss how the text features helped.
Parent & Instructor Notes
- This lesson focuses on helping your child become comfortable using parts of a book or article to find information quickly.
- Encourage your child to notice these features in books you read together outside of this lesson for extra practice.
- Be patient and guide your child gently, especially if this is their first time using text features.
Assessment Questions
- What is the purpose of a heading in a text?
- How can the glossary help you understand a new word?
- Where would you look to find the meaning of a specific word in a book?
- Using the text, find the answer to this question by looking at the heading or glossary.
Extension Ideas
- Create a mini-book together with clear headings, pictures, and a glossary to practice adding text features.
- Visit the library or browse books at home and identify text features in various nonfiction books.
- Use an online informational article and practice finding information using headings and hyperlinks.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can read the glossary entries aloud and discuss the meanings together in simpler words. Practice with a few words at a time to build confidence.
Turn it into a scavenger hunt by asking your child to find different text features and reward their efforts with praise or small incentives.
Teacher’s Guide
Common Misconceptions:
- Students may think headings are just decorations rather than tools to organize information.
- Children might confuse the glossary with the index or think all unfamiliar words are in the glossary.
- Some students may try to read entire sections instead of using text features to find specific information.
Scaffolding Ideas:
For Struggling Students:
- Use shorter texts with fewer text features to reduce overwhelm.
- Provide one-on-one guided reading and highlight text features together.
- Use visuals or physical cards to represent text features before using the actual book.
For Advanced Students:
- Challenge them to explain how different text features connect and help understand the text better.
- Have them create their own questions that require using text features.
- Introduce more complex text features like captions, charts, or sidebars.
Pacing Recommendations:
- Spend more time on introducing and exploring text features if your child is new to informational texts.
- Allow extra practice with guided questions before moving to independent work.
- Adjust the length of the reading material to keep the session within 45 minutes without fatigue.
Standards
- 3.RI.6 — Distinguish their own point of view from that of the author of a text.
Printable Worksheet
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