Text Structure

1. TextStructure Nonfiction Organizational Patterns

2. TextStructure How text is organized. • ALL stories are chronological. • Nonfiction has lots of text structures. • Each paragraph may be different. We’ll learn 6 types.

3. Chronological The author lists items or events in order of time. Chrono = time Stories are told chronologically Key Words: First, Second, Third Next Not long after Moved Away Met Girl Fell in Love Born in 1882 Married in 1906 Died in 1948

4. Sequence / Order of Importance The author describes the order of events or how to make something Get bread Tighten Laces Open jars Tie Loops Together Spread peanut butter Make Two Loops Spread jelly Key Words: First, Second, Third Next Not long after Combine slices Put on Shoe Enjoy. Does not take place at any specific point in time.

5. Cause and Effect The author lists 1 or more causes or events and the resulting consequences or effects. Key Words: Reasons why Effects of Brought about by If….then Text is not telling the story of a dog. Not feeding it. Many Karate Schools Opened. Not petting it. Why Dog Ran Away Lots of Karate Movies in 60’s Nunchuck sales Increased 400% Not loving it. Hospital cases went up.

6. Problem and Solution Author states a problem and lists one or more solutions. Missing Books Eagles were endangered. Make laws to protect them. Putting in the Closet Key Words: Problem is Dilemma is One possible solution is Therefore Since Getting Lockers

7. Compare and Contrast Compare = find similarities Contrast = find differences The author explains how 2 or more things are alike or different Key Words: Different Similar to On the other hand Either Not only, but also Apples & Oranges Fruits Have Seeds Healthy Colors Tastes Locations

8. Description • The author explains a topic, idea, person, place, or thing by listing characteristics, features, and examples. • Key Words • For example • Characteristics are • Such as • Looks like • For instance

9. Practice Starts easy but gets hard • Read the paragraph • Identify the text structure • Write it down.

10. 1 Deviled Eggs Pop out (remove) the egg yolks to a small bowl and mash with a fork. Add mayonnaise, mustard powder, vinegar, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Fill the empty egg white shells with the mixture and sprinkle lightly with paprika. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to one day before serving.

11. 2 Sports at Ericson There are two popular sports played at Ericson, basketball and volleyball. Both take place inside of the gym at Ericson. Also, each sport has two teams of people. In basketball, however, the ball can be played off of the floor, and in volleyball, the ball cannot touch the floor or it is out of play. Basketball and volleyball are popular sports at Ericson.

12. 3 The Lazy Student When Tim woke up, he didn’t want to go to school. His mom took him anyway. So, he went to school, but he didn’t do any work. The days passed, and Tim still didn’t do any work. Mr. Morton called Tim’s house, but Tim still wouldn’t do any work. Finally the report cards came out, and Tim failed his classes. Tim was sad.

13. 4 Failing Classes Lots of students fail classes. Some students fail because the work is too hard for them. Other times they may fail because they are lazy, and don’t do any work. Another reason why students may fail is if they don’t go to school. If you’re not in class you may miss a lot. Many students fail classes every quarter.

14. 5 Passing Classes A lot of students have been failing classes. These students wouldn’t be failing classes if they studied more, asked questions, tried harder, and came in for extra help. Even though a lot of students fail classes, they have many options if they want to pass.

15. 6 Gail Denvers Devers experienced the highlight of any sprinter’s career, as she stood on the huge platform in the giant stadium and received an Olympic gold medal. Eighteen months earlier she wasn’t thinking about running. She was hoping that she would be able to walk again. Just four years earlier, in the summer of 1988, as Devers was training for the Olympic Games, to be held in Seoul, South Korea, she began to feel very tired all the time and failed to make the Olympic finals.

16. 7 Three Types of Circus Clowns Generally, there are three categories of circus clowns—whiteface, august and character. Each has a specific makeup style and costume. Each has a typical act as well. The neat whiteface is usually a strict, in-charge character who sets up the punch line for the joke with a partner His facial features are neatly detailed in red or black. Circus legend has it that the august clown got his name from a German nickname for someone who is clumsy. The august wears light-colored makeup, but white is used around the mouth and eyes, and there’s a big red nose. This clown performs a great deal of slapstick humor.

17. 7 Three Types of Circus Clowns cont. Character clowns perform as different personalities—cowboys, scarecrows, grandmothers or symphony conductors. The most famous character clown, however, is the tramp. Tramps wear different styles of makeup and costumes that are torn or shabby. Some tramp clowns are happy-go-lucky. Others are extremely sad. Still others act like gentlemen who just happen to be out of money.

18. 8 HOW TO USE THE MICROSCOPE1. Plug in the lamp.2. Place a sample of what you wish to observe on a slide.3. Adjust the mirror so it reflects light from the room up into the objective lens. 4. Place your slide with the specimen directly over the center of the glass circle on the stage. 5. With the LOW POWER objective lens placed over the slide, use the coarse focus knob.6. Look through the eyepiece with one eye while closing the other eye. 7. Use the fine focus knob to fine

19. 9 Fewer Toads Though toads are still around, they no longer are as common in some areas as they were a few decades ago. The growing use of insecticides has reduced their numbers. The chemical sprays usually do not harm toads, but cut down the animals’ food supply. Thereby, the toads do not have enough food to survive. There are fewer toads in many areas populated by humans.

20. 10 Restoring the Toad Dr. Knapp doesn’t want people to sit back and let the toad vanish. He believes that everyone is responsible for restoring the toad species. Dr. Knapp thinks we could help restore the toad population if we stop mowing parts of our lawns and let the grass grow wild to reserve space for the toad. He also believes we need to stop using pesticides and fertilizers. The chemicals kill the insects that toads eat. If we preserve some spaces in our lawns and stop using fertilizers, Dr. Knapp believes we can save the toads.

21. Answers • Sequence • Compare and Contrast • Chronological • Cause and Effect • Problem and Solution • Chronological • Compare and Contrast • Sequence • Cause and Effect • Problem and Solution

22. Additional Practice • Read the following examples and decide which text structure the author uses.

23. PopularSports • Football and baseball are two of the most popular sports in the country. They have many things in common. For one, they are both team sports, and they both require players to advance to an end or “home” point on the playing field. However, football requires players to carry the ball to the end zone, whereas in baseball, it is the defending team that controls the ball while it is in play.

24. The MagicBlanket • One day while walking home from school, he found a magic blanket. When he covered himself with it, he turned invisible. At first he used his power to play all kinds of tricks on people. He’d turn invisible and hide things, or move a cup when someone was pouring juice to make a mess. He had a lot of fun. But then one day, he found that he couldn’t take the blanket off. He was just stuck invisible. He quit playing tricks on people, hoping that he’d be able to take the blanket off and rejoin society, but it didn’t work. He is still invisible somewhere right now, and he is very lonely.

25. Studying for a Test • Believe it or not, as important as it is, many students do not know how to study for a test. Well, studying for a test is easy. The first thing that you must do is take out your notes. Open your notes up to the section that you are supposed to review. Read what you wrote in your notebook. When you are done, close your notebook and see if you remember the ideas that you were studying. Still don’t remember? Open your notebook back up a try again.

26. Low TestScores • Many students have been getting low scores on tests and this is upsetting to parents, teachers, and students. Low test scores show that teachers aren’t teaching effectively or that students aren’t learning. Either way it’s an issue with which we are concerned. I propose the following: any teacher who is giving a test should open up their classroom for study groups the night and morning before the test. Maybe by giving students extra opportunities to study, we can improve students’ test scores.

27. PeanutButter and Jelly • After a long day at school, I came home and watched my favorite show. During the commercial breaks, I got up and made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I took the bread out of the cabinet, spread the jelly and peanut butter on the bread, and stuck the two pieces together. I enjoyed that sandwich as I watched the rest of my favorite show.

28. Eligibility • Being involved in after school sports and clubs is not a right. It is a privilege. Therefore, students have to meet eligibility requirements. If students have any “D”s or “F”s, they are not allowed to play. Also, if students have behavior issues in class, they cannot be on the team or in the club. Lastly, students need to keep good attendance. If students miss school, they most certainly cannot come to practice. Being on a team is a lot of responsibility. If students are not proving to be responsible, they will not be permitted to be in clubs or teams.

29. Answers • Compare and contrast • Chronological • Sequence or process writing • Problem and solution • Chronological • Cause and effect