Text StructureAnalyze organizational methods used in informational texts
Making Information Clear
Authors choose structure to organize information and make their meaning clear.
Readers use strategies to support interpretation of text.
Writing ClarityAuthors use organization to develop their
point of viewThey use different approaches to
support their purposesThey pick an organization format that will
help make their ideas clear to the reader
Readers ask…
Can I see a pattern to the writing?
How are the ideas divided and presented?
Why has the author chosen this particular organization pattern?
Organizational Patterns
DescriptionChronological (or Sequence)Cause and EffectCompare/ContrastProblem/Solution
Description
• Author provides descriptive details or characteristics of a topic.
topic
detail
detaildetail
detail
Description Key Words
snow
sparkle
white
frozenflakes
crystal
• For example• Specifically• Characteristics
include• Next• Another kind• In addition• Spatial words like
near, beyond, over, etc.
Description Example 1
Coral snakes are distinguished by their red, yellow/white, and black colored banding. Most species of are small in size. North American species average around 3 feet in length, but specimens of up to 5 feet or slightly larger have been reported.
Description Example 2
Geologists classify types of rocks by closely examining certain characteristics. They often begin by looking at the rock through a magnifying lens to check for crystal structures, luster, and color. Breaking the rock shows specimen’s fracture or cleavage.
Chronological
Story or information is told in the order that the events occurred
Elementary School
Middle School
High School
Sari’s Education
Chronology Key Words
First Next Then After Before Sequential dates Events Order
First she sat in the hard chair
Next she sat in the soft chair
Finally, she sat in the baby’s chair
Chronological Example (1)
First, Goldilocks sat in the great big, Papa Bear chair, but it was too hard.
Then, she sat in the medium sized, Mama Bear chair, but it was too soft.
Finally, she sat in the little, bitty, Baby Chair, and it was just right.
Chronological Example (2)
When the Anglo-Saxons conquered the British Isles they introduced their language which was composed of common everyday words like boat and tree.
Later, the Normans added French words like café.
Cause and Effect
The author establishes a link between the way things are now and how they got that way.
CauseEffect
Cause and Effect Key Words
If/then Reasons Why Because As a result This led to Consequently Due to
Cause Effect
Order doesn’t matter
Sometimes the cause will be presented first…
…then the effect will follow
CauseEffect
Cause/Effect Example (1)
Cause: During the experiment, Henry poured the liquid bromine into the saline solution.
Effect: His hypothesis was proved correct when the solution changed colors.
Order still doesn’t matter
Sometimes the issues are presented with the effects sited first…
…then the causes are offered as explanation
CauseEffect
Cause/Effect Example (2)Effect: The future of gorillas in the wild is
at risk. Scientists predict that at the present rate of decline, in 30 years all the world’s wild gorillas will be gone.
Cause: Gorilla meat is a dietary staple for nearly 12 million people in Africa.
Comparison and Contrast
One idea is presented first, followed by a similar or different way of seeing things.
Apples Oranges
Compare/Contrast Key Words
Differ Same Alike Compare But Both Similar On the other
hand
1920’s 1950’s
Compare/Contrast Example (1)
Seurat painted scenes of everyday life full of realistic people and objects with soft edges and lines. He wanted his art to capture “feelings” of the moment.
Picasso, on the other hand, used distorted images and strange colors to create mood.
Compare/Contrast Example (2)
Saturn is the second largest planet in the solar system, much larger than Earth. It is mostly made of hydrogen. It rotates more quickly too. A day on Saturn is only about 10 Earth hours long. But it takes about 30 of our years to make one full trip around the sun.
Problem/Solution
A problem is presented and followed by the steps to bring about a solution.
Problem
• The beach was littered with trash.
Steps
• Jeff organized a beach clean-up party.
Solution• 30
people came to pick up trash and soon the beach was clean.
Problem/Solution Key Words
problem is dilemma isif-thenbecause
Problem Steps Solution
so thatquestion-answerproblem is solvedreason why
Problem/Solution (1)
Native American tribes who lived on the central plains had to move from place to place to follow the migrating herds. Since they could not build permanent homes, they invented the teepee which allowed them to move their homes from place to place.
Problem/Solution (2)
Ted and Sam both wanted to drive the car. They started yelling at each other. Their mom came and told them to stop fighting. She told Ted he could drive the car today, and Sam would have a turn tomorrow.
Question Examples
This story is organized by— comparing Alfred’s life to
those of German families describing a series of events
in Nobel’s life discussing what the
scientist’s role was in organizing the prize
providing examples of how people lived in 1925
Which of the following best describes the organization of the passage? Presenting in order the steps
of cave and sinkhole formation
Comparing the formation of a cave to the formation of a sinkhole
Describing features of caves and sinkholes
Presenting basic information first about caves and then about sinkholes
REVIEWWhat are the 5 organizational
patterns?Why do author’s use different
types of organization?What clues will help you
determine the pattern?
Remember…
DescriptionChronologicalCause/EffectComparison/
ContrastProblem/Solution
ResourcesComprehension Strategies by Keene, Ellin Oliver, 2002.When Kids Can’t Read by Kylene Beers, 1998
GraphicsPhillip Martin Clip Art http://www.phillipmartin.info/clipart/homepage.htm
A Reading and Writing Out Loud PresentationBarbara Yardley, M.Ed.
For additional activities, worksheets and a complete Common Core teaching unit on Text Structure
visithttp://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Barbara-Yardley/