Text Structure

EXPOSITORY

Text structure introduction lesson

Narrative vs. Expository

“Begin at the beginning,’ the king said gravely,’ and go till you come to the end; then stop.’”

Lewis CarrollAlice’s Adventures in Wonderland

(1865), p. 12

Table of ContentsChaptersHeadingsGraphicsIndex

Review

What do you know about the word text?

Where have you heard it before?

What do you know about the word structure?

Where have you heard it before?

Now, let’s look at the outside

structure.

Cochran and Hain,

Predict what is found inside each “box” below by looking at the outside of the box.

Cochran and Hain,

How did you infer what was in each box?

SizeShapeColor

Location

Cochran and Hain,

Text is like a container: To figure out what’s in the

text - examine structure of the

outside of the text

Cochran and Hain,

Which pattern tells a story? (Narrative) Which pattern gives information? (Expository)How can you tell?

XXXXXXX xx XXXXXXI. XxxxxInitially, xxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxx xxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxx xx

xxxx. Xxxxx xx xxxx xxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxx. Xxxx, xxxxx, xxxx

xxxxxx.

II. Xxxx XxxxxXxxx, xxxx, xxx, xx:

• Xxxx• Xxxxxxx xxx

XXXXXXX xx XXXXXX As she lingered xxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxxx. Xxxx, xxxxx xxxx xxxx! Xxxx xxxx xxxx. Xxxx! Xxxx! Xxxxxxx xxxx xxxx, xxxx xxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxx. Xxxx xxxx, “Xxxxxx xxxxx. Xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxx xx xxxxxxx xxxx?”

1

2

• Italics

•Bold

•Underlining

• Indentation

•Sidebars

External text structuresFound outside the main body of

text. They include:

•Pictures and graphics

•Headings and subheadings

•Footnotes

Now, let’s look at the inside

structure.

Why are you having a hard time figuring out what this it?

Can you tell what this is?

If you organize the parts inside the cabinet, you can better understand what

it is.

Internal Text Structures

Internal text structure is how the main body of the text is

organized. It will be organized a certain way depending on its

purpose.

Internal Text Structures

Some text structures we will be studying.

Cause/Effect Comparison/Contrast Sequential or Chronological Question/Answer Problem/Solution Flashback/Foreshadow Fact/Opinion

1. Sequence

Steps or directions are listed in numerical or chronological order

Some cue words: first, second, third, after, next, then and finally

Real life examples of Sequence Text Structure

Recipes Science experiment steps Directions to set up your computer What steps should I follow to send a

text message? A “To-Do” list Your turn! Now you come up with

examples …

Sequence Example

You can do an experiment to give yourself goose bumps. First, roll up your sleeve. Next, rub an ice cube up and down your arm until you start to shiver. Finally, you will see small bumps appear on your skin.

2. Chronological Events are listed in

chronological order to tell a story or history.

Days, months, years, and seasons might be included.

Some cue words: beginning, birth, child, adult, death, end, middle

Real life examples of Chronological Text

Structure A timeline of your life An agenda A calendar A history book Your turn! Now you come up with

examples …

Chronological Example

When I was young, before I started school, I thought goose bumps came from geese. Later, when I started third grade, my teacher explained why we get goose bumps.

3. Compare and Contrast

Explains how two things are alike and/or different

Often organized by a Venn diagram or “T” chart

Compare/contrast example

Some people get goose bumps from fear. Others get goose bumps when they are touched emotionally.

Real life examples of Compare/Contrast

How are the NBA and NFL alike? Which is better, a hybrid or

conventional car? Which bank offers the best services

for my money? Who should I ask for money, Mom or

Dad? Your turn! Now you come up with

examples …

4. Cause and Effect

Lists one or more causes and the resulting effect or effects

Cause/Effect Example

Goose bumps make me shiver. When the temperature drops below 45 degrees, my skin crinkles into goose bumps.

Real life examples of Cause and Effect

What happens when you miss the bus?

What will occur if you forget to set your alarm?

Why don’t you have your homework? What is the author’s purpose? Your turn! Now you come up with examples …

5. Problem/Solution

Problem is stated and one or more solutions listed

Problem/Solution

Goose bumps make me shiver, but they disappear as soon as I cover up with a jacket or sweater.

Real life examples of Problem and Solution

My friend doesn’t trust me - how can I get my friend to trust me again?

My sharpener doesn’t work very well. How can I invent a better pencil sharpener?

Reduce global warming Your turn!

7. Question/Answer

A question is posed and answer(s) follow

Q: What are goose bumps?A: Goose bumps are the bumps on a person's skin at the base of body hairs which involuntarily develop when a person is cold or experiences strong emotions like fear. Q: How do goose bumps form?A: Goose bumps are created when tiny muscles at the base of each hair, contract and push the hair straight up.

Question/Answer Examples

Real life examples of Question & Answer

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) links on a website http://www.howstuffworks.com/

http://www.irs.gov/faqs/index.html?portlet=5

Dear Abby (also problem/solution)

Your turn! Now you come up with examples …

7. Description...

Topic is described by listing characteristics, features and examples

Also called ‘description’ or ‘list’

Real life examples of Description

I don’t like school for the following reasons:

Your turn! Now you come up with examples …

Description ExampleGoose bumps make me shiver. I get little bumps on my skin. They look like sesame seeds.

8. Fact Opinion

Opinion – what someone thinks about the fact

Fact – Can be backed up by research

In what unit did we study fact and opinion?

Fact/Opinion Example

I hate the way that goose bumps make you feel but I really like the name!

9. Foreshadowing and Flashback

This text structure is mainly used in Narratives.

Review: What is a narrative?

This will be further discussed in the actual lesson for these text structures.

So after all that, what is a text structure

anyway?

Text Structure is …

–Pattern(s) of organization used by writer to communicate ideas

– More than one can be used at a time

So why is all this important anyway?

Why do I have to learn all this stuff?

Writers use Text Structure to organize what they want to tell us.

Readers use Graphic Organizers to organize the information to better understand what the writer is telling us.

Helping our brain to organize

Text Structure

– Pattern of organization used by writer to communicate ideas

– Writers often use more than one pattern in a single text

– Pattern of organization used by reader to organize ideas

– Reader’s choice of graphic organizer depends on the purpose for reading, the question asked, or the problem to be solved

Graphic Organizers

1. Comprehension:If you can follow the pattern and figure out the text structure of a piece of writing, you can understand what you are reading in a more organized way.

2. Prediction:Once you identify a text pattern, you can make predictions about what comes next. Effective readers actively make predictions about what is coming next.

3. Memorization:Once you understand the text organization, it’s much easier to store and recall information.

4. Writing:Once you become familiar with text structures, writing is easier to plan and organize because you are following a format -- you are filling in the pieces to fit the pattern.

Comparison & Contrast Text______ and ______ are similar in several ways. They both _____.They also ______. Finally, both ________. Because of these similarities, we can _________.

What do you think?

Can a piece of writing have more than one text structure?

A. Of course! B. No way, silly! C. Um, what was the question?

D. Text wha--?

Review What is text structure?

…a p_______________ of o_______________ used by a w_______________ to communicate ideas

atternrganizationriter

_________________________________ has several specific characteristics. Onecharacteristic is _______________________.Another key characteristic is the ____________________________________, which influences how __________________.Another important trait is _______________. This is important because ___________________________________________________.

Here are the steps to follow to ___________________.First, ________________________________________.Second, _____________________________________.Next,________________________________________.It’s important to remember to ___________________.The last step is to _____________________________.By following these steps, you’ll be able to ______________________________________________________.

___________________and ______________________ are different in several ways. One difference is that _______________________________, while on the other hand __________________________________. Another way they differ is _________________________________________________________________.In addition, ____________________, however, ___________________________________________.In contrast, _________________________________.These differences help us to see _____________________________________________________________.

The cause of ___________________________________ is not easy to define. Some people think the cause is _____________________________________________.Others believe the main cause is __________________.Understanding the cause of ______________________ is important because ____________________________.

The problem of _______________________________ really boils down to the issue of _______________________________________________________.In the past, the common solution was to ___________________________________________________________________. However, this was only effective in terms of _______________ _______________________. There are no other solutions that might work. One option would be to _______________________________________________________________________.This would _________________________________________. Another option would be to ____________________________. This is ideal because ___________________________________________________________________. These possible solutions are worth considering if we are to solve this issue in the near future.

http://www.dietsinreview.com/diet_column/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/kid-with-valentine-candy.jpg

http://atlasnetwork.org/toolkit/wp-content/uploads/envelope-mail.jpg

http://img.alibaba.com/photo/11804909/Metal_Money_Box_Safe_Bank.jpg

http://goodbadandugly2.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/texting.jpg

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ws420/en/ug/inside09.gif

http://www.notempire.com/images/uploads/082208_cube_1.jpg

http://static.gadgets-weblog.com/gadgets-weblog.com/imgname--dell_xps_710_h2c_desktop_computer---50226711--Dell_XPS_710_H2C-desktop-computer.jpg

http://www.small-house-building.com/image-files/framing-the-porch-2.jpg

http://www.dragonartz.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/vector-human-brain-preview-by-dragonart.jpg

http://thewiddershins.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/coming-soon.jpg