- English Language Arts and Reading
- Grade 3
- Multiple genres
recognize characteristics and structures of informational text, including:
organizational patterns such as cause and effect and problem and solution;
During a read aloud, create an anchor chart to illustrate the organizational pattern of the text. Identify the organizational pattern for the class. As you read the text, stop and ask students to share the information that establishes the organizational pattern. For example, with a text that is written with cause and effect, stop after reading each cause and effect to elicit student responses about the cause or effect.
Cause | Effect |
This assessment example requires students to understand that informational texts are written with specific organizational patterns that help the reader comprehend the information in a logical way. With the organizational pattern identified for students, they are able to examine the text through the lens of the organizational pattern. It is important for students to develop this knowledge with a variety of organizational patterns in text. As such, this activity can be completed with different organizational patterns. Depending on the organizational pattern, a different graphic organizer on the anchor chart may be necessary.
Meyer, B. J., & Ray, M. N. (2011). Structure strategy interventions: increasing reading comprehension of expository text. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education,4(1), 127–152. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?q=expository+text&pr=on&ft=on&id=EJ1070453
Summary: In this literature review, researchers examine empirical studies designed to teach the structure strategy to increase reading comprehension of expository texts. Strategy interventions employ modeling, practice, and feedback to teach students how to use text structure strategically and eventually automatically. The analysis suggests that direct instruction, modeling, scaffolding, elaborated feedback, and adaptation of instruction to student performance are keys in teaching students to strategically use knowledge about text structure.