Lesson 1: Organizational Structure of Informational Texts

Lesson Overview: This lesson will review how informational texts are organized,
including discussion about the running text, text features that support, and their purpose.
Resources or Materials Needed
Chart paper and markers
Scholastic Scope Article Is Facebook Making You Mean?
Text Features Google Drawings task
Chromebook
Document Camera
Performance Objective: Given a nonfiction text, students will accurately identify the
organizational structure of a text; including the introduction paragraph, body paragraphs,
conclusion paragraph, and the text features with 100% accuracy.
Time: 55 minutes
Step 1: Pre-Instructional Activities
Teacher will create an inquiry T-chart, on the left hand side is What do we know
about informational texts? and on the right hand side is What do we want to
know about informational texts?
Students will answer the entry question: what do you know about informational
texts?
Students will turn and talk to discuss their prior knowledge with their partner and
then share out to class.
Teacher will record student responses on the left hand column of the inquiry
chart; What do we already know about informational texts?
Students will turn and talk to discuss what they want to know about informational
texts? Then, share out with class.
Teacher will record responses on right hand column of the chart; What do we
want to know?
Teacher will share the purpose of the lesson with the students.
Step 2: Content Presentation
Teacher will put Scholastic Scope Article Is Facebook Making You Mean?
under document camera for students to see.
Teacher asks students, What about the text stands out to you?
As students point out the text features, teacher will name them (i.e. title, picture,
caption, platform etc.) for the students, if they dont know what they are called,
and record them on a chart paper.
After exhausting the text features add any text features that may be missing from
the chosen text.
Have students turn and talk with their partner about what they think the purpose
of the text features are on a text.

Teacher record their answers next to the appropriate text feature listed on chart
paper.
Teacher will then ask the students what else they notice about the text besides the
text features.
After students respond, or if no response, explain the different types of paragraphs
and what their purposes are (introduction, body and conclusion).

Step 3: Learner Participation

Share Text Features Google Drawings task with students
Students talk with elbow partner about what text features they see.
Have students label the different paragraphs by adding boxes and labeling to
identify the introduction, body, and conclusion paragraph. Have them also label
the text features in the text using text boxes or arrows with words.
After they are finished labeling, have students explain/prove how they know
which text features and paragraphs are which with their partner.
Students will share their Google Drawing with teacher.
Step 4: Assessment
Teacher will observe conversations students are having with each other about the
text.
Teacher will monitor students work of labeling the text and assist or reteach if
necessary; provide verbal feedback of students work.
Google Drawings will be shared with teaching and returned with feedback.
Students will take a post assessment to test their understanding of the
organizational structure of informational texts. Feedback will be given on the
rubric upon completion.
Step 5: Follow-Through Activities
Students will continue to preview and label new texts they are introduced to.
Students will also continue to apply these skills in their social studies and science
classes when reading informational texts.