1. Informational Text – 2 nd 9 weeks ELA7R1. The student demonstrates comprehension and shows evidence of a warranted and responsible explanation of a variety of literary and informational texts For informational texts, the student reads and comprehends in order to develop understanding and expertise and produces evidence of reading that: a. Analyzes common textual features to obtain information (e.g., paragraphs, topic sentences, concluding sentences, introduction, conclusion, footnotes, index, and bibliography). b. Identifies and uses knowledge of common graphic features to draw conclusions and make judgments (e.g., graphic organizers, diagrams, captions, illustrations). c. Applies knowledge of common organizational structures and patterns (e.g., logical order, cause and effect relationships, comparison and contrast, transitions).

2. Genre Focus Informational text is nonfiction writing that presents facts and information. It can tell you the latest news, how to make or do something, facts you need for schoolwork, or true stories about real people and places. Newspaper and magazine articles, signs, schedules, how-to books, instruction manuals, and books on science and technology are some examples of informational text.

3. Genre Focus Text structure refers to the pattern writers use to organize their work. Understanding the text structure of a selection will help you locate and recall an author’s ideas as well as understand the author’s purpose. Some of the most common text structures involve sequence, the order in which thoughts are arranged.

4. Genre Focus Chronological order is a common form of sequencing. It shows the order in which events take place. History books, for example, usually present events in chronological order.

5. Genre Focus Spatial order tells you the order in which to look at objects. Spatial order is important in descriptive writing because it helps readers see an image the way an author does.

6. Genre Focus Order of importance refers to going from most to least important or the other way around. Signal words such as principal, central, and important point to the article’s most significant ideas and information.

7. Genre Focus Cause-and-effect text structures show the relationship between outcomes (effects) and their causes. Cause-and-effect structures are used often in articles and books about science and history. Compare-and-contrast text structures look at how two or more things are similar and how they are different.

8. Genre Focus Problem-and-solution text structures provide a way for writers to present a problem and offer a solution to it. Science books and articles often use this structure. Text features can also help you find information quickly and efficiently. Recognizing and thinking about the following text features will help you understand informational text.

9. Genre Focus Graphics are images that help you understand information. They include photos, charts, graphs, and illustrations. Titles, subheads, and boldfaced terms appear in larger or dark type to introduce text or grab a reader’s attention. Footnotes appear below the text and explain or reference something in it.

10. On the index cards provided, write one of the informational text terms, and on the opposite side write the definition. Make 1 card for each of the following terms 1. Chronological Order 2. Spatial Order 3. Order of Importance 4. Cause-and-Effect 5. Compare-and- Contrast 6. Problem-and-Solution 7.Footnotes 8.Text Features 9. Graphics 10. Titles, Subheads, Boldface Terms We will use these cards to study terms in class. If you do not finish in class, finish as your homework.