Understanding Key Details in Informational Texts
Understanding Key Details in Informational Texts Objective: By the end of this 45-minute lesson, the student will be able to identify and discuss key details in an informational text to demonstrate understanding.
Learning Objectives
- Identify key details in a simple informational text.
- Explain how these details help understand the main idea.
- Practice asking and answering questions about the text.
Materials Needed
- A short informational book or article suitable for 1st grade (about animals, weather, or a simple science topic)
- Pencils
- Notebook or paper
- Highlighter or colored pencils
Key Vocabulary
- Informational Text
- A type of writing that gives facts and information about a topic.
- Key Details
- Important facts or pieces of information that help us understand the main idea.
- Main Idea
- The most important thing the text is about.
Detailed Activities
Read and Highlight Key Details
- Choose a short informational text appropriate for the student’s reading level.
- Read the text aloud together, or have the student read with support.
- Discuss what the text is about to identify the main idea.
- Use a highlighter or colored pencil to mark important facts or key details in the text.
- Talk about how these details help us understand the main idea.
Answer Questions Using Key Details
- Ask the student simple questions about the text to find key details (e.g., Who? What? Where? When? Why?).
- Encourage the student to find answers directly from the text.
- Write down the answers together to reinforce understanding.
- Discuss how these answers help explain the main idea of the text.
Parent & Instructor Notes
- This lesson focuses on helping your child understand important facts in informational texts, which is key for reading comprehension.
- Read the text together patiently, and encourage your child to point to words or pictures that help answer questions.
- Use positive reinforcement to build confidence when they find key details or answer questions.
Assessment Questions
- What is this text mostly about?
- Can you name two important facts you learned from the text?
- Where did you find the answer to that question in the text?
- How do these facts help you understand the story better?
Extension Ideas
- Create a simple graphic organizer with ‘Main Idea’ in the center and ‘Key Details’ around it to visually organize information from other texts.
- Have the student draw a picture that shows one of the key details from the text and explain it aloud.
- Explore similar informational texts on the same topic to compare details.
Frequently Asked Questions
Encourage your child to look at pictures and read aloud together. Ask guiding questions like ‘What is this part about?’ and praise any effort to find information.
Choose short, simple informational texts with clear facts and pictures. Avoid stories or fiction for this particular lesson.
Teacher’s Guide
Common Misconceptions:
- Children may confuse fiction stories with informational texts; remind them that informational texts give facts.
- Students sometimes focus only on pictures and miss written details; encourage balanced attention to both.
Scaffolding Ideas:
For Struggling Students:
- Use shorter texts with clear, simple facts.
- Read the text aloud and pause frequently to discuss details.
- Use visuals and hands-on activities to reinforce understanding.
For Advanced Students:
- Introduce comparing two short informational texts about the same topic.
- Ask deeper questions about why details are important.
- Encourage the student to summarize the text in their own words.
Pacing Recommendations:
- Begin with reading and discussing key details for about 25 minutes.
- Use the remaining 20 minutes for question-answer activities and discussion.
- Adjust time based on the child’s engagement and understanding, allowing breaks if needed.
Standards
- 1.RI.9 — undefined
Printable Worksheet
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