TEXT

STRUCTURE
Grade 11 Communication Arts (RWS)
What is text structure?
 Text structure is how information is
organized in a passage
 The structure can change multiple
(many) times in a passage
Types of Text Structure
 There are seven (7) common types of
text structure:
 Cause and Effect
 Chronological Order
 Compare and Contrast
 Order of Importance
 Problem and Solution
 Sequence/Process
 Spatial/Descriptive
Review
 With your neighbor, answer these
questions:
 What is text structure?
 How many types of text structure exist?
 Pick two and describe them.
 You have 1 minute and 30 seconds to discuss.
 Be prepared to share your responses!
Cause and Effect
 The results of something are explained.
 What is a cause?
 Something that gives rise to an action
 What is an effect?
 A result of an action
Cause and Effect
 Example:
 Becky Smith was invited to go to see
“Breaking Dawn” with a group of her
friends. Becky’s mom told her she could
see the movie, but only if she cleaned her
room and washed the dishes. Becky was so
focused on picking out the perfect outfit
that she forgot about her mom’s rule.
Because Becky did not do her chores, she
was not allowed to go the movie.
Cause and Effect
 With your neighbor, identify the cause in
the passage.
 You have 45 seconds.
 Becky Smith was invited to go to see “Breaking
Dawn” with a group of her friends. Becky’s mom
told her she could see the movie, but only if she
cleaned her room and washed the dishes. Becky
was so focused on picking out the perfect outfit
that she forgot about her mom’s rule. Because
Becky did not do her chores, she was not
allowed to go the movie.
Cause and Effect
 With a neighbor, identify the effect in the
passage.
 You have 45 seconds.
 Becky Smith was invited to go to see “Breaking
Dawn” with a group of her friends. Becky’s mom
told her she could see the movie, but only if she
cleaned her room and washed the dishes. Becky
was so focused on picking out the perfect outfit
that she forgot about her mom’s rule. Because
Becky did not do her chores, she was not
allowed to go the movie.
Cause and Effect
 Cause
 Becky did not do her chores.
 Effect
 Becky was not allowed to go to the movie.
Chronological Order
 Information is organized in order of time.
Chronological Order
Jack and Jill ran up the hill to fetch a pail of
water. Jack fell down and broke his crown
and Jill came tumbling after.
Chronological Order
 Re-write the example so that it is not in
chronological order.
 Do not make up your own sentences!
Just rearrange the sentences!
 Jack and Jill ran up the hill to fetch a pail
of water. Jack fell down and broke his
crown and Jill came tumbling after.
 You have three minutes.
Chronological Order
 Share your version with your neighbor.
 Do either of your versions make sense?
 Why is chronological order so important?
 You have two minutes to discuss.
 Be prepared to share your responses.
Compare and Contrast
 Two or more things are described
 Their similarities and differences are
discussed/analyzed.
Compare and Contrast
 Using a Venn Diagram (illustrated
below), we’ll compare and contrast the
Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh
Steelers.
 We will only be using facts—not
opinions!
 For example, we can discuss their
locations, mascots, division in the NFL,
team colors, etc.
Compare and Contrast
 Differences
Ravens Steelers
-Baltimore, MD Pittsburgh, PA
-Purple/Black -Yellow/Black
-Three Ravens -No cheerleaders
-Have -6 Super Bowl
cheerleaders Rings
-One Super
Bowl Ring
Compare and Contrast
 Similarities
 With a neighbor, develop a list of three
similarities of the Baltimore Ravens and
the Pittsburgh Steelers.
 Take 1 minute for this activity.
 Be prepared to share your answers.
Order of Importance
 Information is expressed as a hierarchy
or in priority
 Either least important to most important
or vice versa (Most important to least)
Order of Importance
 Read the next slide and then decide with
your neighbor what are the least and
most horrible things you could do on a
date.
 You have 3 minutes.
 Be prepared to share your ideas.
Order of Importance
 Here are the three worst things that you can
do on a date. First, you could tell jokes that
aren’t funny and laugh really hard to
yourself. This will make you look bad. Worse
though, you could anger your date. One bad
“joke” may cause your date to yell at you,
thus ruining the evening. But the worst thing
that you can do is to appear slovenly. By not
showering and properly grooming, you may
disgust your date, and this is the worst thing
that you can do.
Order of Importance
 What are the least and worst things you
could do on a date?
 Least:
 Tell really bad jokes.
 Worst:
 Don’t shower before the date.
Problem and Solution
 A problem is described and a response
or solution is proposed or explained.
Problem and Solution
 Read the following passage.
 Identify the problem and solution with
your neighbor.
 Write down your answers on a scrap
piece of paper.
 You will have 2 and a half minutes.
Problem and Solution
 The volume in the hallway after lunch is
an increasing problem. Loud students in
the hallway disrupt the learning of those
in class. Therefore, the teachers should
enact a silent hallway policy to protect
the learning of all students.
Problem and Solution
 What’s the problem?
 Students are too loud in the hallways.
 What’s the solution?
 Teachers should enact a silent hallway
policy.
Sequence/Process
 Information is organized in steps.
 A process is explained.
Sequence/Process
 Take out a piece of paper for this activity.
 Activity:
 Marvin the Martian has just landed in
Spring Grove, PA. Marvin is rather hungry
and really wants to eat a bowl of cereal
with milk, but he doesn’t know how! Write
out each step Marvin must take to properly
prepare and eat a bowl of cereal.
 *You will have 2 minutes to write out these
steps!
 Be prepared to share your answers.
Sequence/Process
1. Get a clean bowl from the cabinet.
2. Take out a clean spoon from the utensil drawer.
3. Pick the cereal you want.
4. Retrieve the milk from the refrigerator.
5. Pour the cereal into the bowl, but don’t fill it up
all the way!
6. Pour the milk into the cereal, but don’t pour too
much!
7. Use the spoon to scoop out the cereal and milk
and bring it to your mouth.
8. Chew, swallow, repeat until the cereal is gone!
Sequence/Process

Thank
you,
earthling
s!
Spatial/Descriptive
 Information is organized in order of
space (top to bottom, left to right).
 Example:
 When you walk into my living room, my
sofa and a bookcase is to your right. To
your left are the stairs leading to the
second floor. The second bookcase is
directly in front of you. On top of the
second bookcase is my navy teddy bear.
Spatial/Descriptive
 Now it’s your turn!
 Using spatial (space) clues, write a
description of your living room.
 Be prepared to share your responses.
 You have 2 minutes to complete your
descriptions.
Spatial/Descriptive
 Before we share with the class, share
your description with your neighbor.
 You have one minute.
Closure
 With a neighbor, answer the following
questions:
 What is text structure?
 What are the seven types?

 Pick two to explain to your neighbor.

 Which is the most challenging structure for

you?
*You will have 3 minutes.
*Be prepared to share your answers!
Evaluation
 Answer the handouts and identify the
text structure attached. Use the answer
sheet to write your answer.