+ Text Structures 8 th Grade ELA RI 8.5 and RL 8.5

+ What does “text structure” mean? When authors organize passages in certain ways to help readers better understand the text. Informational (how ideas are organized) Fiction (compare/contrast literature)

+ Fiction Compare and contrast literature Analyzing the similarities and differences of the passages can help the reader have a broader understanding of literature. Text structure of fiction includes literary elements such us characterization, setting, plot, and theme, as well as organizational devices such as foreshadowing and flashback.

+ Informational Texts Text features have an impact on how nonfiction text looks on the page and are important to guide us in reading through the text. Nonfiction is usually written with specific, or specialized, text features and text structures. These text structures usually include helpful text cues or signal words.

+ Nonfiction Text Features Sub headings Bullets Fonts White space Charts/Diagrams/Pictures Labels Captions

+ Common Text Structures for Nonfiction In order to find out important information when reading nonfiction, it helps to identify the text structure, i.e., how ideas have been developed and organized within the text. Cause and Effect Problem and Solution Question and Answer Compare and Contrast Description Sequence/Chronology

+ Nonfiction Cues/Signal Words Cause and Effect and Problem and Solution CE: Why something happens is the cause. What happens because of the cause is the effect. PS: The author’s purpose is to write about a problem and give a solution. Because Since Therefore Consequently As a result This led to Nevertheless If this….then For this reason

+ Question and Answer The author asks a question and then gives an answer. How What When Where Why How many?

+ Compare and Contrast A comparison tells how things, people, places or events are alike. A contrast tells how they are different. However Like/unlike Both On the other hand Although Similarly In contrast As opposed to Whereas

+ Description All the facts and details make up the description part of nonfiction writing. There aren’t any specific text cues/signal words. Strong description depends on sensory details. Five Senses What we hear What we see What we feel What we taste What we touch

+ Sequence/Chronology All the facts are arranged in a special sequence or are listed in chronological or time order. Now/At the same time After/following Before When Since Until First/To begin with Finally In addition