Understanding Key Details in Informational Texts
Understanding Key Details in Informational Texts Objective: The student will be able to ask and answer questions about key details in a text to demonstrate understanding of the material.
Learning Objectives
- Identify key details in an informational text.
- Ask questions about the text to find important information.
- Answer questions about the text using evidence from reading.
Materials Needed
- A short informational text appropriate for 1st grade (e.g., a simple article about animals or weather)
- Paper and pencil
- Colored pencils or crayons
Key Vocabulary
- Informational Text
- A type of writing that gives facts and information about a topic.
- Key Details
- Important pieces of information that help you understand what you read.
- Question
- A sentence that asks for information.
Detailed Activities
Reading and Discussing the Text
- Read the chosen informational text aloud with your child or have them read it aloud if they can.
- Pause after reading to talk about the topic and what the text is about.
- Ask your child to point out or tell you some important facts they remember.
Asking and Answering Questions
- Together, come up with questions about the text such as ‘Who is this about?’ or ‘What happened?’
- Write down the questions on paper.
- Help your child answer each question using details from the text.
- Encourage your child to explain why they think their answer is correct.
Drawing Key Details
- Ask your child to draw a picture showing one or two key details from the text.
- Have them explain their drawing and how it relates to the information they read.
- Display the drawing as a reminder of the important facts.
Parent & Instructor Notes
- This lesson focuses on helping your child understand how to find and talk about important information in what they read.
- Encourage your child to always think about ‘who,’ ‘what,’ ‘when,’ ‘where,’ and ‘why’ when reading informational texts.
- If your child struggles, read the text together multiple times and ask simpler questions first.
Assessment Questions
- Who or what is the text about?
- Can you tell me two important facts you learned from the text?
- Why do you think these facts are important?
Extension Ideas
- Find another short informational text on a similar topic and repeat the question and answer activity.
- Create a simple quiz with multiple-choice questions about the text.
- Have your child teach a family member what they learned using the key details.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s perfectly fine to read the text aloud to your child. The goal is for them to understand and interact with the information, not to read independently at this stage.
Model questions by thinking aloud as you read, such as ‘I wonder why this animal has a long neck?’ or ‘What does this word mean?’ Then encourage your child to try asking similar questions.
Since this lesson is 45 minutes total, spending about 15-20 minutes on reading and discussion, 15 minutes on questions and answers, and 10 minutes on drawing and explaining should work well.
Teacher’s Guide
Common Misconceptions:
- Students may focus on recalling every detail rather than the most important ones.
- Children might struggle to formulate questions about the text without examples.
- Some students may confuse details from pictures with the written text.
Scaffolding Ideas:
For Struggling Students:
- Use shorter texts with larger print and simpler vocabulary.
- Provide question prompts and help your child find answers directly in the text.
- Use pictures or diagrams to support understanding.
For Advanced Students:
- Encourage your child to ask deeper questions such as ‘Why do you think that happened?’
- Have your child summarize the text in their own words.
- Introduce simple note-taking to record key details.
Pacing Recommendations:
- Spend extra time reading and discussing if your child is new to informational texts.
- Keep questions brief and focused to maintain engagement.
- Allow flexibility in drawing activity to encourage creativity without pressure.
Standards
- 1.RI.7 — Ask and answer questions to help demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
Printable Worksheet
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