Primary Type: Lesson Plan
Status: Published
This is a resource from CPALMS (www.cpalms.org) where all educators go for bright ideas!
Resource ID#: 41591
Text Features: An Introduction
In this lesson, students will receive an introduction on nonfiction text features and their purpose. They will search for a variety of text features in
leveled, nonfiction books and will create a Text Feature Book for their personal use.
Subject(s): English Language Arts
Grade Level(s): 2
Intended Audience: Educators
Suggested Technology: Document Camera,
Computer for Presenter, Internet Connection, LCD
Projector, Microsoft Office
Instructional Time: 1 Hour(s)
Resource supports reading in content area: Yes
Freely Available: Yes
Keywords: nonfiction, text features, informational text, scavenger hunt
Instructional Design Framework(s): Direct Instruction
Resource Collection: CPALMS Lesson Plan Development Initiative
ATTACHMENTS
Text Feature Book Template.docx
Nonfiction text features assessment_2nd.docx
Text Feature Introductory Powerpoint.pptx
LESSON CONTENT
Lesson Plan Template: General Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives: What should students know and be able to do as a result of this lesson?
Students will be able to identify nonfiction text features and use them to locate information.
Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?
Students should:
understand the difference between fiction and nonfiction texts.
be familiar with frequently used text features: titles, headings, table of contents, photographs, glossaries, etc.
be able to independently read grade-level informational text.
be able to complete graphic organizers to organize information.
Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?
What are text features?
What are examples of text features?
What is the purpose of text features?
Why are text features important to the reader?
Teaching Phase: How will the teacher present the concept or skill to students?
1. Hold up a nonfiction book; the book should have multiple types of text features, such as a classroom textbook/big book, or texts such as National Geographic for Kids.
To ascertain prior knowledge, ask students:
What is the difference between fiction and nonfiction?
page 1 of 3 What are text features?
What are some examples of text features?
2. Display the Text Features Introductory PowerPoint. Go through each slide, discussing the text feature, its purpose, and its importance.
3. Create an anchor chart with three columns entitled: type of text feature, what it looks like, its purpose. Using the list on slide 2 of the PowerPoint as a guide, record
each type of text feature introduced in the PowerPoint, add a picture or drawing of what it looks like, and discuss and add its purpose.
4. Using preselected nonfiction books (see special materials for suggested texts) that contain the various features, show students what the features look like in actual
books and discuss the information you can gain from each. For the last two (electronic menus and icons), project a computer program or website and show students
how to access information using those two text features.
5. Ask:
What are text features?
What are examples of text features?
What is the purpose of text features?
Why are text features important to the reader?
Guided Practice: What activities or exercises will the students complete with teacher guidance?
1. Provide students with a variety of leveled nonfiction text and one of the attached graphic organizers (see related CPALMS resources - Book Look and Text Feature
Find). Have students work with a partner to locate the text features listed on the graphic organizer and answer the related questions. Circulate and provide guidance
and feedback as needed.
2. Have students create a Text Feature Book (see attached template). Using the anchor chart, have the students write the name of the text feature, its purpose, and
add a drawing of the text feature in the provided box. Create a page for each text feature introduced in the PowerPoint. Circulate and provide guidance and feedback
as needed.
Note: Beth Newingham created a text features book template for Scholastic. It is freely available through her blog at
http://hil.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/myweb3/index.htm under her March Top Ten List. You will need to click on "Teacher Resources" on the left-hand menu to
access the monthly lists.
Independent Practice: What activities or exercises will students complete to reinforce the concepts and skills developed in the
lesson?
Students will complete a Nonfiction Text Feature Assessment in which they will answer specific questions about various text features and use them to gain information
about a topic.
Closure: How will the teacher assist students in organizing the knowledge gained in the lesson?
Review guiding questions.
Review the anchor chart of text features and allow different students to share their examples from their text features booklet.
Summative Assessment
Students will complete a Nonfiction Text Feature Assessment in which they will ask specific questions about various text features and use them to gain information about
a topic.
Formative Assessment
Students will create a text features book with examples of the various text features introduced in this lesson. They will also engage in a scavenger hunt for text features
in a variety of nonfiction text. The teacher will be able to evaluate student written responses to determine student understanding of the text features and their purpose.
Feedback to Students
The students will receive oral feedback throughout the lesson. While students are engaged in the guided practice activities, the teacher can ask guiding questions, such
as:
What type of text feature have you found? What does it look like?
What is the purpose of that text feature?
What information is included in the text feature?
How does the text feature help you as a reader?
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Accommodations:
Students can work with a partner to complete the guided practice tasks.
Students can be provided with printed pictures of each of the text features to cut and paste into their book instead of drawing them.
Students can be provided with leveled text at their readability level as long as the text contains several of the text features.
The teacher can read aloud the final assessment.
Extensions:
Students can conduct a research project using both nonfiction text and preselected websites.
Students can add to the text feature anchor chart other text features they see when reading nonfiction text.
Students can write an informative piece and use text features to organize and visually add to their writing.
Suggested Technology: Document Camera, Computer for Presenter, Internet Connection, LCD Projector, Microsoft Office
Special Materials Needed:
Attached PowerPoint
Copies of graphic organizers for scavenger hunt (see related CPALMS resources)
Copies of template for Text Features Book (attached or found at Beth Newingham's site: http://hil.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/myweb3/index.htm under
March Top Ten List-click on Teacher Resources link to see lists)
page 2 of 3 Copies of final assessment (attached)
A variety of leveled nonfiction text for student use (see below)
Preselected nonfiction text with a variety of text features for teacher modeling; examples include National Geographic for Kids, Discovery Kids, Gail Gibbons' books,
and science textbooks/big books
Further Recommendations: Students will need additional practice to use text features efficiently. This is an introductory lesson; many opportunities need to be
provided where students can locate and use text features to find information. The graphic organizers used for the scavenger hunt can be used multiple times with
different text to help students become more efficient at locating the various text features.
Additional Information/Instructions
By Author/Submitter
This is an introductory lesson on nonfiction text features. Students will need ample practice to use text features efficiently (to meet the expectations in the aligned standard).
SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Name of Author/Source: Anonymously Submitted
Is this Resource freely Available? Yes
Access Privileges: Public
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial
Related Standards
Name
LAFS.2.RI.2.5:
Description
Know and use various text features (e.g., captions, bold print, subheadings, glossaries, indexes, electronic menus,
icons) to locate key facts or information in a text efficiently.
Attached Resources
Student Center Activity
Name
Comprehension: Book Look:
Description
In this FCRR Student Center Activity, the student will identify parts of a book.
Comprehension: Text Feature
In this FCRR Student Center Activity, the student will identify text features.
Find:
page 3 of 3