Understanding Text Features and Information in Informational Texts
Understanding Text Features and Information in Informational Texts Objective: Students will learn to explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, focusing on identifying text features and supporting details in grade-appropriate informational texts.
Learning Objectives
- Identify reasons an author gives to support points in a text.
- Find evidence within the text that supports these reasons.
- Explain how reasons and evidence help the reader understand the main ideas.
Materials Needed
- A short informational text suitable for 4th grade (about 1-2 pages)
- Printed worksheet with questions about the text
- Pencils or crayons
- Chart paper or whiteboard
- Markers
Key Vocabulary
- Evidence
- Information from the text that helps prove or support an idea or point.
- Reason
- A statement that explains why the author thinks something.
- Informational Text
- A type of writing that gives facts and information about a subject.
Detailed Activities
Reading and Identifying Reasons and Evidence
- Begin by reading the selected informational text aloud to the student.
- Discuss briefly what the text is about and ask the student to listen for reasons the author gives.
- Read the text a second time together, pausing to point out sentences that give reasons and evidence.
- Use the chart paper or whiteboard to write down these reasons and the evidence that supports them.
- Complete the worksheet where the student matches reasons to evidence from the text.
Discuss and Explain
- Ask the student to explain in their own words why the author included each reason.
- Discuss how the evidence helps make the reasons stronger or clearer.
- Encourage the student to talk about what they learned from the text using the reasons and evidence identified.
Parent & Instructor Notes
- This lesson focuses on understanding how authors support their points with reasons and evidence, which is essential for critical reading skills.
- Encourage your child to think about why information is important, not just what it says.
- If your child struggles, read the text multiple times and talk through the reasons and evidence slowly.
Assessment Questions
- What is one reason the author gives in the text?
- Can you find a piece of evidence that supports that reason?
- Why do you think the author included that reason?
- How does the evidence help you understand the author’s point better?
Extension Ideas
- Have your child find another informational text at home or online and identify reasons and evidence.
- Create a simple poster together showing reasons and evidence about a topic your child is interested in.
- Practice with different subjects like science or history to see how authors support their points in various texts.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can explain evidence as clues or facts in the text that help prove the author’s ideas. Use simple examples like, ‘If the author says the weather is cold and then talks about people wearing coats, the coats are evidence of the cold weather.’
Take frequent breaks, read aloud to them, and discuss the text together. Use pictures or drawings to make the content more engaging and easier to understand.
Teacher’s Guide
Common Misconceptions:
- Students may confuse evidence with just any information rather than specific facts that support reasons.
- Some children might identify reasons but struggle to connect them to the supporting evidence.
- Students might think the author’s opinion is the same as a reason supported by evidence.
Scaffolding Ideas:
For Struggling Students:
- Use shorter texts with clearer reasons and evidence.
- Read the text aloud multiple times and use visual aids like charts or drawings.
- Ask yes/no or multiple-choice questions to help identify reasons and evidence.
For Advanced Students:
- Have them find multiple reasons and several pieces of evidence for each.
- Ask the student to compare two texts on the same topic and analyze differences in reasons and evidence.
- Encourage them to write a short paragraph explaining how reasons and evidence support the author’s main point.
Pacing Recommendations:
- Allow extra time for reading and discussion if the child is new to informational texts.
- Break the lesson into two shorter sessions if attention wanes, focusing first on identifying reasons, then on evidence.
- Use frequent check-ins to ensure understanding before moving on to the next step.
Standards
- 4.RI.8 — Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.
Printable Worksheet
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