1. Looking at Text Structures
ERMS- 6th grade LA
Kristi Orcutt,

2. What are Text Structures?
Organizational patterns in writing
-Description
-Sequence
-Problem and Solution
-Cause and Effect
-Comparison and Contrast -Chronological
-Spatial
-Order of Importance
Discuss what students already know about text structures.
Kristi Orcutt,

3. Share this handout and/or the one on the next two slides with students
Share this handout and/or the one on the next two slides with students. Discuss what students already know about text structures.

4. Text Structures
Why is it important that readers can recognize and understand text structures?
Ask students to share one idea with a partner, then discuss as a whole class reasons why text structures might be important to know.
Kristi Orcutt,

5. It is easier to read when we recognize familiar patterns.
If we can recognize the way something is organized then reading it becomes easier!
Help students make connection between patterns, organization, familiar features and structures of the drawings and of text. It is easier to read text when we recognize familiar patterns and when it is organized in a way that makes sense to us.
Kristi Orcutt, 5

6. Discuss/compare the structures we commonly talk about when reading narrative and the structures and terminology of expository text.

7. Kristi Orcutt, kristio@essdack.org

8. Kristi Orcutt, kristio@essdack.org

9. Kristi Orcutt, kristio@essdack.org

10. Kristi Orcutt, kristio@essdack.org

11. Discuss and/or review each of the text structures in the upcoming slides.
For each slide there is a graphic organizer and a sample paragraph to discuss.
Kristi Orcutt,

12. Description
The music was blasting so loud, Marco thought his ears would burst. The stage was filled with bright blue laser beams and a shower of yellow and green paper streamers. All around him, the crowd was singing and dancing wildly.
Discuss what makes this paragraph descriptive. What are the signal words and clues that help readers determine the text structure?

13. Kristi Orcutt, kristio@essdack.org

14. Comparison and Contrast
Although both cities have experienced great tragedies, Greensburg is very different from New York City. There are no tall skyscrapers in Greensburg. All you can see are fields and sky. Instead of taxicab horns and fire truck sirens, it is so quiet at night that you can hear the crickets chirping.
Discuss what makes this paragraph compare and contrast. What are the signal words and clues that help readers determine the text structure?

15. Your Turn! With a partner:
Identify the text structure of each paragraph.
Underline signal words and clues that helped you determine each text structure.
Students should use their foldable and other text structure handouts to identify each of the text structures. They may work with a partner on this activity.
Kristi Orcutt, 15

16. How did you do?
Students should use their foldable and other text structure handouts to identify each of the text structures. They may work with a partner on this activity.
Kristi Orcutt, 16