ALEX Learning Activity

  

Informational Text Features Part 2

A Learning Activity is a strategy a teacher chooses to actively engage students in learning a concept or skill using a digital tool/resource.

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  This learning activity provided by:  
Author: Pamela Otto
System:Houston County
School:Ashford Elementary School
  General Activity Information  
Activity ID: 2853
Title:
Informational Text Features Part 2
Digital Tool/Resource:
Youtube Video: UnderstandingText Features
Web Address – URL:
Overview:

The teacher will use a YouTube video to help students understand text features as it will explain each one. After each text feature is explained, the teacher will ask a follow-up question to determine if the students are comprehending the new information. The students will then play a game to interactively identify text features through the game.

This activity was created as a result of the ALEX Resource Development Summit.
  Associated Standards and Objectives  
Content Standard(s):
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 3
23. Identify and use text features in informational passages to locate information.

Examples: headings, photographs, illustrations, labels, charts, graphs, legends

a. Explain how text features support details in the text.

b. Explain how illustrations contribute to meaning in a story.

c. Interpret text features used in written and digital formats.
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
23.
  • Text features
  • Locate
  • Informational passage
  • Identify
23a.
  • Explain
  • Text features
  • Supporting details
  • Text
23b.
  • Explain
  • Illustrations
  • Contribute
  • Meaning in a story
23c.
  • Interpret
  • Text features
  • Written formats
  • Digital formats
Knowledge:
23. Students know:
  • Informational passages often include text features that can be used to locate information within the text.
23a.
  • Text features can provide additional or clarifying information about details in a text.
23b.
  • Illustrations included with a story can contribute to the story's meaning.
23c.
  • Text features can be used in printed (written) and digital text.
Skills:
23. Students are able to:
  • Identify text features in informational passages, such as headings, photographs, illustrations, labels, charts, graphs, legends.
  • Use text features to locate information within an informational passage.
23a.
  • Identify text features and explain how the text features supports details in a text.
23b.
  • Identify an illustration and explain how it contributes to the meaning of the story.
23c.
  • Interpret text features presented in a digital format.
  • Interpret text features presented in a written format.
Understanding:
23. Students understand that:
  • Informational passages have predictable features that can be used to locate important information within the text.
  • Text features that are often used in informational text include headings, photographs, illustrations, labels, charts, graphs, and legends.
  • Using text features helps support their overall comprehension.
23a.
  • An author chooses to include text features to provide additional information, clarify information, or enhance ideas with in a text.
  • Using text features supports their comprehension of details in a text.
23b.
  • Authors and illustrators choose to include illustrations to enhance the meaning of the story provided in the text.
23c.
  • Text features are often included in written (printed) text and digital text.
  • In either format, text features can be used to locate information or enhance overall comprehension.
Learning Objectives:

The students will be able to identify text features in informational passages to locate information.
  Strategies, Preparations and Variations  
Phase:
During/Explore/Explain
Activity:

  1. The teacher will explain that today the students will watch a video to help them identify and use text features in informational passages to locate information. 

  2. Play the Understanding Text Features YouTube video.

  3. Table of Contents: Stop at 1:16 to ask the students to discuss the following question: "Where would a reader find information about where an animal lives?" 

  4. Play the video.

  5. Index: Stop at 2:35 to ask the students to discuss the following question: "Where would a reader find information in the text about acid rain?"

  6. Play the video.

  7. Glossary: Stop at 3:18 to ask the students to discuss the following question: "How would the glossary help the reader understand text about animal adaptations?"

  8. Play the video.

  9. Titles: Stop at 3:55 to ask the students to discuss the following question: "What do the titles of these articles in these newspapers tell you?"

  10. Play the video.

  11. Subheadings: Stop at 4:53 to ask the students to discuss the following question: "Where would the leader look to find out about a fire ant?"

  12. Play the video.

  13. Text: Stop at 5:52 to ask the students to discuss the following question: "How do the words in italics help the reader understand the text?"

  14. Play the video.

  15. Photographs/Illustrations: Stop at 6:56 to ask the students to discuss the following question: "How might these photos help the reader understand the text?"

  16. Play the video.

  17. Captions: Stop at 7:37 to ask the students to discuss the following question: "How does this caption help the reader understand the picture?"

  18. Play the video. 

  19. Textbox: Stop at 8:47 to ask the students to discuss the following question: "What is the purpose of a textbox?"

  20. Play the video. 

  21. Maps: Stop at 9:10 to ask the students to discuss the following question: "How do the words in italics help the reader understand the text?"

  22. Play the video. 

  23. Diagrams: Stop at 9:48 to ask the students to discuss the following question: "How could this diagram help the reader understand volcanoes?"

  24. Play the video. 

  25. Tables: Stop at 10:38 to ask the students to discuss the following question: "How would a table about volcano eruptions help the reader understand volcanoes?"

  26. Play the video.

  27. Timelines: Stop at 10:17 to ask the students to discuss the following question: "How would a timeline help a reader understand an article about why older people aren't knowledgeable about computers?"

  28. Stop at 11:42.

  29. Afterward, have the students log in to their devices and access the Text Features Game. The students will play this game to practice and/or reinforce identifying text features in a silly newspaper article.
Assessment Strategies:

The teacher will take anecdotal notes of how the students perform in the game.
Advanced Preparation:

  • The teacher will need a clipboard with paper to take anecdotal notes.

  • The teacher will want to preview the video before playing it. 

  • Prior to assigning the game for the activity, the teacher needs to sign up for an account on education.com and add their students so they can assign the game and see their reports. 

  • If the teacher wants the students to individually complete the activities they need to make sure the game is uploaded properly for each student. 
Variation Tips (optional):

If the internet is down, the teacher may use these text feature slides.
Notes or Recommendations (optional):

What to do next? The following activities can be used with this learning activity. 

Informational Text Features Part 3 (after)

Informational Text Features Part 1 (before) 
  Keywords and Search Tags  
Keywords and Search Tags: informational, nonfiction, text features