Text Structure

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What is Text Structure?

How text is organized.

Text Structure is how a writers organize their information.

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Narrative

Text Structure Research

“Many students experience problems comprehending expository text….One reason is that they can’t see the basic structure of the text. Some students get lost in the words and can’t see the big picture.”

Dymock, 1998; Dymock & Nicholson, 19993

What will the questions look like?

• The author uses compare and contrast (or other text structure) as the main text structure of the passage to…

• How are ____ and ____ similar (or different)?• The second ___ was different from the first

___ because…• What was the cause of the ...?• How did ___ effect ____?• What would probably happen if….?

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What are the 5 main types of Text Structures we are going to learn?

DescriptionSequential OrderProblem-SolutionCause and EffectCompare-Contrast

Description

Explains a topic, often in considerable detail. Often the text is broken into sections, each with a main idea and details that elaborate on it.

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Description

Examples Signal Words For example, in particular,

for instance, to illustrate, such as, most important, another

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Information on sheets about products for sale, such as a car, an appliance, a house, etc.

Articles of things to do at a vacation destination

Sections of a student’s handbook that discuss the behavior or uniform policy

Description Signal Questions

What specific topic, person, idea, or thing is being described? How is it being described (what does it look like, how does it look like, how odes it work, what does it do, etc.)?

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Descriptive TextThere are ___________ kinds of ____________________. The first kind of ____________________is ________________________. It ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.The second one is ________________________. It ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.The third kind is ________________________. It ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.Now you can recognize the ________________________ kinds of

___________________________.

Sequence/Chronological Order

Steps described in the order they occur.

Information or arguments are constructed in a chain, so that the writer can lay out steps in a process, series of events, or a hierarchy.

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Sequence/Chronological OrderExamples Recipes Directions in a manual for

using an I-Pod. A timeline for product

development Student Schedule

Signal Words First, next, another, then,

finally, before, preceding, following, additionally

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Sequence/Chronological Order Signal Questions

What items events or steps are listed? Do they have to happen in this order? Do they always happen in this order?

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Sequence Text

Here is how a ________________________ is made. First, ________________________. Next,______________________. Then, ______________________. Finally, ______________________.

Compare and Contrast

Shows what’s in common and what’s different.

Describes similiarities between objects, places events, and similar or different qualities are linked back and forth.

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Compare and Contrast

Examples Sports pre-game stories

about two opposing teams New articles explaining

candidates’ position on issues

Description of difficult electives students can take

Signal Words Like, similar to, unlike, in

contrast, whereas, while, although , different from, as opposed to, instead of, however, as well as, either/or

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Compare and Contrast Signal Questions

What things are being compared?

In what ways are they alike?

In what ways are they different

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Comparison/Contrast Text________________________ and ________________________ are similar in several ways. Both________________________ and ____________________have similar ______________________.Finally, both ____________________ and ______________________ ______________________.________________________ and ________________________ are different in several ways. First,________________________ ________________________, while ________________________.Secondly, ______________________, but ______________________ ______________________.In addition while ________________________, ________________________. Finally,________________________, while ________________________.

Problem and Solution

Author states a problem and solution(s).

Present a problem and several possible solutions. The author may also describe the pros and cons of each solution

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Problem and Solution

Examples An newspaper editorial

outlining a current difficulty, prosposing some solutions and advocating for one of them.

A parent letter stating why a certain rule has been put in place

A speech proposing a remedy for anti-bullying

Signal Words The problem is, the

difficulty is, it is possible to , if-then, one challenge is, therefore

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Problem and Solution Signal Questions

What is the problem? Why is this a problem? Is anything being done to try to solve the problem? What can be done to solve the problem?

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Problem/Solution Text Sentence 1—tells who had the problem and what the problem is Sentence 2—tells what action was taken to try to solve the problem Sentence 3—tells what happened as a result of the action taken

_______________________ had a problem because ______________________________________Therefore, ________________________________________________________________________As a result, ______________________________________________________________________.

Cause and EffectA cause is a reason why an event

happens.  The effect is what happens.  A cause may have more than one effect.  An effect may happen because of more than one cause.

Focused on an event or occurrence, the writer names the event/occurrence and then tells the effects it has (on other events, on people, etc.) or the writer names the event/occurrence and then tells what caused it to happen 28

Cause and Effect

Example Warning labels naming

possible side effects of using a product

Signal Words Therefore, as a result,

leads to, because of, in order to, for these reasons, thus, if-then, may be due to

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Cause and Effect Signal Questions

What happened? Why did it happen? What caused it to

happen?

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Cause/Effect TextBecause of ______________________, ______________________. _______________________caused ________________________. Therefore ________________________. Finally, due to______________________, _____________________. This explains why ____________________.

PRACTICE

Starts easy but gets hard

1. Read the paragraph2. Identify the text structure3. Write it down.

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Deviled EggsPop out (remove) the egg yolks to a

small bowl and mash with a fork. Add mayonnaise, mustard powder, vinegar, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Fill the empty egg white shells with the mixture and sprinkle lightly with paprika. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to one day before serving.

Sports at Ericson

There are two popular sports played at Ericson, basketball and volleyball. Both take place inside of the gym at Ericson. Also, each sport has two teams of people. In basketball, however, the ball can be played off of the floor, and in volleyball, the ball cannot touch the floor or it is out of play. Basketball and volleyball are popular sports at Ericson.

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The Lazy Student

When Tim woke up, he didn’t want to go to school. His mom took him anyway. So, he went to school, but he didn’t do any work. The days passed, and Tim still didn’t do any work. Mr. Morton called Tim’s house, but Tim still wouldn’t do any work. Finally the report cards came out, and Tim failed his classes. Tim was sad.

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Failing Classes

Lots of students fail classes. Some students fail because the work is too hard for them. Other times they may fail because they are lazy, and don’t do any work. Another reason why students may fail is if they don’t go to school. If you’re not in class you may miss a lot. Many students fail classes every quarter.

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Passing Classes

A lot of students have been failing classes. These students wouldn’t be failing classes if they studied more, asked questions, tried harder, and came in for extra help. Even though a lot of students fail classes, they have many options if they want to pass.

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Gail DenversDevers experienced the highlight of any

sprinter’s career, as she stood on the huge platform in the giant stadium and received an Olympic gold medal.

Eighteen months earlier she wasn’t thinking about running. She was hoping that she would be able to walk again.

Just four years earlier, in the summer of 1988, as Devers was training for the Olympic Games, to be held in Seoul, South Korea, she began to feel very tired all the time and failed to make the Olympic finals.

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Three Types of Circus Clowns

Generally, there are three categories of circus clowns—whiteface, august and character. Each has a specific makeup style and costume. Each has a typical act as well.

• The neat whiteface is usually a strict, in-charge character who sets up the punch line for the joke with a partner His facial features are neatly detailed in red or black.

Circus legend has it that the august clown got his name from a German nickname for someone who is clumsy. The august wears light-colored makeup, but white is used around the mouth and eyes, and there’s a big red nose. This clown performs a great deal of slapstick humor.

Character clowns perform as different personalities—cowboys, scarecrows, grandmothers or symphony conductors. The most famous character clown, however, is the tramp. Tramps wear different styles of makeup and costumes that are torn or shabby. Some tramp clowns are happy-go-lucky. Others are extremely sad. Still others act like gentlemen who just happen to be out of money.

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HOW TO USE THE MICROSCOPE 1. Plug in the lamp.

2. Place a sample of what you wish to observe on a slide.3. Adjust the mirror so it reflects light from the room up into the objective lens. 4. Place your slide with the specimen directly over the center of the glass circle on the stage. 5. With the LOW POWER objective lens placed over the slide, use the coarse focus knob.6. Look through the eyepiece with one eye while closing the other eye. 7. Use the fine focus knob to fine 41

Fewer Toads

Though toads are still around, they no longer are as common in some areas as they were a few decades ago. The growing use of insecticides has reduced their numbers. The chemical sprays usually do not harm toads, but cut down the animals’ food supply. Thereby, the toads do not have enough food to survive. There are fewer toads in many areas populated by humans.

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Restoring the Toad

Dr. Knapp doesn’t want people to sit back and let the toad vanish. He believes that everyone is responsible for restoring the toad species. Dr. Knapp thinks we could help restore the toad population if we stop mowing parts of our lawns and let the grass grow wild to reserve space for the toad. He also believes we need to stop using pesticides and fertilizers. The chemicals kill the insects that toads eat. If we preserve some spaces in our lawns and stop using fertilizers, Dr. Knapp believes we can save the toads.

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What is a descriptive essay?

Sensory images are used to describe what the writer sees, hears, smells, touches, and tastes.

It paints a clear description of people, places, objects, or events.

Answers1. Sequence2. Compare and Contrast3. Chronological4. Cause and Effect5. Problem and Solution6. Chronological7. Compare and Contrast8. Sequence9. Cause and Effect10. Problem and Solution

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PRACTICE WRITING YOUR OWN PARAGRAPHS

Paragraph Frames provide the structure to

helps students write summaries of their learning

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exam p les

e lab ora tion

exp lan a tion

K E Y ID E A

exam p les

e lab ora tion

exp lan a tion

KEY IDEADescriptive(details)

Persuasive (reasons)Expository (facts/steps)

ConclusionS um m arize the pointsyou m ade in the essay

go back to the introduction

exam p les

e lab ora tion

exp lan a tion

K E Y ID E A

exam p les

e lab ora tion

exp lan a tion

KEY IDEADescriptive(details)

Persuasive (reasons)Expository (facts/steps)

exam p les

e lab ora tion

exp lan a tion

K E Y ID E A

exam p les

e lab ora tion

exp lan a tion

KEY IDEADescriptive(details)

Persuasive (reasons)Expository (facts/steps)

Introduce your top icG ive 3 details, reasons, facts or steps in a process

You w ill ta lk about in your paper.

First Paragraph

Second Paragraph Third Fourth

Fifth Paragraph

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Let’s prepare to write an essay!

Here’s the prompt.There are many good and bad things about being in the six grade. Explain what these things are.

What kind of prompt do we have?

Did you say expository? You’re right!

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This is an important step! Don’t try to write your paper without doing an outline first.

Why?!

•You will be graded on organization.

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Put it all together and write!Does this give you an overall review of

what we’ve studied for writing? There are many things that fit together to

help us become excellent writers.

Text

Text

Text

TextText

Text

Text

TextText

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