Understanding Text Features to Comprehend Informational Texts
Understanding Text Features to Comprehend Informational Texts Objective: Students will be able to identify and use various text features such as headings, captions, and diagrams to better understand informational texts.
Learning Objectives
- Identify at least three different text features in an informational text.
- Explain how each text feature helps understand the information.
- Use text features to answer simple questions about the text.
Materials Needed
- A short informational text appropriate for 2nd grade with clear text features (e.g., a simple article about animals or weather)
- Paper and pencils
- Printed worksheets with text feature examples
- Colored markers or crayons
Key Vocabulary
- Text Features
- Parts of a text that help you understand the information better, like headings, pictures, and captions.
- Heading
- A title at the top of a section that tells what the section is about.
- Caption
- Words under a picture that explain what the picture shows.
Detailed Activities
Introduction to Text Features
- Begin by showing the student a short informational text and ask if they notice any special parts like titles or pictures.
- Explain what text features are and why they help readers understand information.
- Point out examples of headings, captions, and diagrams in the sample text.
Identifying Text Features
- Read the informational text aloud together.
- Ask the student to find and name different text features on the pages.
- Discuss what each text feature tells us and how it helps understand the topic.
Using Text Features to Find Information
- Provide simple questions about the informational text.
- Guide the student to use the headings, captions, or diagrams to find answers.
- Encourage the student to explain how the text features helped find the answers.
Parent & Instructor Notes
- This lesson focuses on helping your child use text features to improve understanding of informational texts.
- Encourage your child to look at titles, pictures, and captions in any book or article you read together.
- You do not need any special teaching experience for this lesson; simply read together and discuss the parts of the text.
Assessment Questions
- Can you name three different text features in the story?
- What does the heading tell us about the section?
- How did the picture caption help you understand the information?
- Can you use a text feature to answer a question about the text?
Extension Ideas
- Have your child create a simple informational page about their favorite animal using text features like headings and captions.
- Explore other books or articles and ask your child to point out and explain the text features they find.
- Use magazines or newspapers to identify text features and discuss their purposes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Start by focusing on one text feature at a time, like headings, and use lots of examples. Praise their efforts and gently guide them to notice more features as they become comfortable.
Use books or topics your child loves, and turn finding text features into a game or treasure hunt.
Teacher’s Guide
Common Misconceptions:
- Students may think pictures are just for decoration and not part of the information.
- Some children might confuse headings with the main title of the book or article.
Scaffolding Ideas:
For Struggling Students:
- Use texts with very clear and large text features.
- Work one-on-one to guide recognition and explanation of features.
- Use physical cards with text feature names and pictures to match.
For Advanced Students:
- Challenge them to find multiple text features in longer texts.
- Ask them to explain why an author uses certain text features.
- Encourage them to create their own informational text with various text features.
Pacing Recommendations:
- Spend 10–15 minutes on introduction and examples.
- Use 15–20 minutes for guided reading and identifying text features.
- Reserve 10 minutes for using text features to answer questions and review.
Standards
- 2.RI.10 — undefined
Printable Worksheet
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