1. Nonfiction Organizational Patterns
Text Structure
Nonfiction Organizational Patterns

2. Text Structure – Patterns with a purpose.
Chronological
Sequence/Order of importance
Compare and Contrast
Cause & effect
Problem and Solution
Description

3. Chronological In order of time Chrono = time
Stories and history texts are often told chronologically
Moved
Away
Met Girl
Fell in
Love
Born
in 1882
Married
in 1906
Died
in 1948

4. Sequence / Order of Importance
Steps described in the order they occur.
Get bread
Tighten
Laces
Open jars
Tie Loops
Together
Spread peanut butter
Make Two
Loops
Spread jelly
Combine slices
Put on
Shoe
Enjoy.
Does not take place at any specific point in time.

5. Explains reasons why something happened.
Cause and Effect
Explains reasons why something happened.
Or explains the effects of something.
Text is not telling
the story of a dog.
Not feeding it.
Many Karate
Schools Opened.
Not petting it.
Why Dog
Ran Away
Lots of Karate Movies in 60’s
Nunchuck sales
Increased 400%
Not loving it.
Hospital cases
went up.

6. Problem and Solution Author states a problem and solution(s).
Similar to cause and effect.
Missing
Books
Eagles were
endangered.
Make laws to
protect them.
Putting in
the Closet
Basically
Cause & Effect
With an Opinion. And an answer.
Getting
Lockers

7. Shows what’s in common and what’s different.
Compare and Contrast
Compare = find similarities Contrast = find differences
Shows what’s in common and what’s different.
Apples &
Oranges
Fruits
Have Seeds
Healthy
Colors
Tastes
Locations

8. Description
Uses sensory words and strong adjectives to describe a topic.
Includes many interesting details.