Reading Element Card Informational Text Grades 6-8

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Teaching Informational Text All of the CCCs in this document relate to teaching informational text. Page 2 of this document provides a template of an Element Card and a line by line explanation of its components. Each Element Card contains related CCCs within a grade band (i.e., K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12) and suggestions as to how the CCCs may be taught, supported and scaffolded. The suggested strategies are commonly used by general educators and may need to be modified to meet the needs of students with disabilities. Many of the instructional strategies will be strengthened when used in combination with systematic instruction such as a system of least prompts or time delay. An Instructional Resource Guide is provided on the NCSC Wiki (https://wiki.ncscpartners.org/index.php/Main_Page) and contains information on how to use specific systematic instruction strategies when teaching academics. The strategies, supports and scaffolds listed on the Element Cards are suggestions and not intended to be an exhaustive list. Below are some additional resources that may be helpful:

NCSC Curriculum Resource Guides Reading Informational Text Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

NCSC Content Modules Author's Purpose and Point of View Main Idea, Theme, and Details Summarizing and Inferencing Text Structure Vocabulary Use and Acquisition Informational Writing Persuasive Writing

Websites for additional information http://aim.cast.org http://www.inspiration.com/community/lessons-and-ideas www.edhelper.com http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/graphic-organizers-reading-comprehension http://learnzillion.com http://www.teacherspayteachers.com http://www.ncte.org/standards/common-core/nonfiction-texts http://blogs.loc.gov/teachers/2013/02/informational-text-the-common-core-and-the-library-of-congress-a-resource-center-rich-with-primary-sources-and-teacher-tools/

Grades 6–8 Reading Element Card – Informational Text – Retelling Texts Using Details1

Grade 6 students: Grade 7 students: Grade 8 students:
2 CCSS CCSS CCSS
3 PI PI PI
4 CCCs CCCs CCCs
Specific 6th grade CCCs would be listed here. Specific 7th grade CCCs would be listed here. Specific 8th grade CCCs would be listed here.
5 Essential Understanding: Essential Understanding: Essential Understanding:


6 Suggested Instructional Strategies:


7 Suggested Scaffolds and Supports:

Explanations for corresponding line numbers

  1. Strand and Instructional Family: The Instructional Families group the CCCs into easily interpretable visuals that illustrate the areas of curricular emphasis within and across grades by ELA CCSS Anchors and Anchor Standards. https://wiki.ncscpartners.org/index.php/Instructional_Families
  2. Common Core State Standard (CCSS): A set of national standards that provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn. http://www.corestandards.org/
  3. Progress Indicators (PI): The PIs come directly from the Learning Progression Framework (LPF) and provide the sequence for instruction within strands. http://www.naacpartners.org/publications/ELA_LPF_12.2011_final.pdf
  4. Core Content Connectors (CCCs): The CCCs represent the eligible content for instruction and assessment for students who participate in the alternate assessment based upon alternate achievement standards. The CCC cells are color coded to represent the Instructional Family. https://wiki.ncscpartners.org/index.php/Core_Content_Connectors
  5. Essential Understandings: The Essential Understandings (EUs) identify the fundamental concepts and skills that students use to address the content described in a reading CCC at a specific grade level. These EUs are in a suggested progression which reflects one potential path to reach the content targets within the CCCs. Since students differ in how they learn and demonstrate their understanding, instructional decisions should be made by the teacher to meet the needs of each student.
  6. Suggested Strategies: Suggested instructional strategies to teach the specific concepts and skills of the CCC.
  7. Suggested Supports and Scaffolds: Suggested supports and scaffolds for students to be able to demonstrate what they know and can do.

*Strategies/Supports/Scaffolds should promote understanding for a range of students and should support instruction at various levels of difficulty.

Contents

Grades 6–8 Reading Element Card – Informational Text – Using Details to Describe Text

Grade 6 students: Grade 7 students: Grade 8 students:
CCSS: RI.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RI.6.2 Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.

RI.6.3 Delineate a speaker's argument and specific claims, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not.

CCSS: RI.7.3 Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how individuals influence ideas or events). CCSS: RI.8.2 Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.
PI:

M.RI.c Using background knowledge of topics to ask and refine questions and summarize central ideas using relevant details.

M.RI.e Identifying author's purpose, viewpoint, or potential bias and explaining its impact on the reader.

PI: M.RI.j Using supporting evidence to summarize central ideas, draw inferences, or analyze connections within or across texts (e.g., events, people, ideas). PI: M.RI.j Using supporting evidence to summarize central ideas, draw inferences, or analyze connections within or across texts (e.g., events, people, ideas).
CCCs CCCs CCCs
6.RI.c1 Identify prior knowledge of an event or topic.

6.RI.c2 Provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.

6.RI.c5 Summarize the points a speaker makes.

6.RI.e2 Summarize the points an author makes.

7.RI.j4 Provide/create an objective summary of a text. 8.RI.j5 Provide/create an objective summary of a text.
Essential Understanding:

Identify the main idea of a text.

THEN

Identify key details related to the main idea of a text.

THEN

Identify a factual summary/statement about the text.

Essential Understanding:

Identify the main idea of a text.

THEN

Identify key details related to the main idea of a text.

THEN

Identify a factual summary/statement about the text.

Essential Understanding:

Identify the main idea of a text.

THEN

Identify key details related to the main idea of a text.

THEN

Identify a factual summary/statement about the text.

Suggested Instructional Strategies:

Write to Understand

  • Use a sequence chart to record events as they happen in a story, poem or drama.
  • Use system of least prompts as needed to provide feedback.*

Discuss to Understand Teach using Word Splash

  • Read through the text and decide on key words, phrases and concepts in the text that will give students ideas of what the text is about or words that may need further clarification.
  • Type or write, then copy for individual students or small groups.
  • Once distributed, allow students a few minutes to read through the text and discuss listed words and phrases with others. Allow students to make predictions about the central idea of the text in their groups.
  • Bring students back together and ask them for their predictions, encouraging all students to contribute. Students may write or present their information to the class or in small groups.

One Sentence Paraphrase (1SP).

  1. Select a section of text that includes several paragraphs. Display the text on the board or screen to allow the class to work as a group.
  2. Read the first paragraph with the class. Cover the paragraph. Ask students to write one sentence that reflects their understanding of the paragraph.
  3. Share several sentences, looking for similarities and differences.
  4. Read the next paragraph and continue the process.

Model to Understand Model the following summarizing steps:

  1. Go through the passage and delete trivial or unnecessary material.
  2. Delete redundant or repeated material.
  3. Model how to substitute terms for lists (i.e., substitute flowers for daisies, tulips, and roses).
  4. Model how to create a one sentence summary based on the steps 1-3.

Teach students to make notes in the margins (i.e., questions for discussion or future thinking, notes to identify important information, comments about content); notes can be on sticky notes if writing in the book is not appropriate.

Suggested Scaffolds and Supports
  • Highlighted important information; crossed out unimportant information in a version (i.e., read clean version, use marked up version to write summary)
  • Sentence strips that summarize the beginning, middle, and end of the text for sequence
  • Sample text and three proposed summaries
  • Read aloud texts
  • Interactive white board
  • Sentence strips that reflect key details about the topic
  • Videos or story boards/cards of the story for visual supports.
  • Graphic organizers
  • Content delivered using multi-media (e.g., book, storyboard, video, computer, etc.)
  • Clearly differentiated multiple-choice answers
  • Prepared objects, pictures, words, sentence strips, or recorded communication supports to provide access to content and facilitate responding
  • Dichotomous questions that allow for making a choice of correct versus incorrect answers
  • Simpler or shorter containing the same key information
  • Peer support, collaborative grouping
  • Picture icons on graphic organizers to support non-readers and visual learners

* Refer to Instructional Resource Guide for full descriptions and examples of systematic instructional strategies.

Grades 6–8 Reading Element Card – Informational Text – Using Details to Describe Text

Grade 6 students: Grade 7 students: Grade 8 students:
CCSS: RI.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. CCSS:

RI.7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RI.7.9 Analyze how two or more authors writing about the same topic shape their presentations of key information by emphasizing different evidence or advancing different interpretations of facts.

CCSS: RI.8.1 Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
PI: M.RI.d Using supporting evidence to draw inferences or compare content presented within or across texts. PI: M.RI.j Using supporting evidence to summarize central ideas, draw inferences, or analyze connections within or across texts (e.g., events, people, ideas). PI: M.RI.j Using supporting evidence to summarize central ideas, draw inferences, or analyze connections within or across texts (e.g., events, people, ideas).
CCCs CCCs CCCs
6.RI.d2 Use textual evidence to support inferences. 7.RI.j1 Use two or more pieces of evidence to support inferences, conclusions, or summaries of text.

7.RI.j6 Use supporting evidence to summarize central ideas, draw inferences, or analyze connections within or across texts.

8.RI.j1 Use two or more pieces of evidence to support inferences, conclusions, or summaries of text.

8.RI.j2 Determine which piece(s) of evidence provide the strongest support for inferences, conclusions, or summaries.

Essential Understanding:

Make an inference from an informational text.

THEN

Match evidence to a given inference from a text.

Essential Understanding:

Make an inference from an informational text.

THEN

Identify a conclusion from an informational text.

THEN

Identify a summary of an informational text.

THEN

Identify a detail to support the inference, conclusion, or summary.

Essential Understanding:

Make an inference from an informational text.

THEN

Identify a conclusion from an informational text.

THEN

Identify a summary of an informational text.

THEN

Identify a detail to support the inference, conclusion, or summary.

Suggested Instructional Strategies:

*This card focuses on making inferences and drawing conclusions. For information on summarizing see 6.RI.c2, 7.RI.j4, 8.RI.j5.

Write to Understand

  • Teach students to make inferences using an "It Says, I Say, And So" Graphic Organizer "It Says – I Say – And so…"
  • First the students have to find out what the reading says.
  • Next they find information from the text that will help answer the question.
  • Then they add, in their own words, their thoughts about what the reading says.
  • Finally, the students combine what the reading says and their thoughts to answer the question and thus create new meaning—the inference.
  • Use a graphic organizer to record evidence or make connections among pieces of information.
  • Use system of least prompts as needed to provide feedback.*

Discuss to Understand

  • Break students into small groups to discuss connections between texts, summaries or conclusions. Questions might include:

What is this book really about? In one or two sentences, can you summarize the book? What is the author trying to teach you? What have you learned?

  • Think, Pair, Share: Provide students with an inference, opinion, or conclusion. Ask students to individually find the strongest piece of evidence from the text to support the inference, summary, or conclusion. Then, the student meets with a peer to share their findings. After the pairs share, a couple teams can share with the rest of the class.
  • Prediction: While presenting a text, stop to have students make a prediction.

Model to Understand

  • Model making inferences, summaries, and conclusions as you read an informational text aloud.
  • Teach using the think- aloud strategy.
Suggested Scaffolds and Supports
  • Use picture/object/tactile representations to illustrate important events or details of events in the text
  • Sentence strips that reflect evidence about the topic
  • Use multi-media as a means for presenting information.
  • Technology (e.g., interactive whiteboard, informational texts read by the computer that highlights text)
  • Graphic organizers
  • Teach using meaningful content from a variety of mediums (e.g., internet)
  • Task folders that include short paragraphs from text and student velcros/matches the inferences to the text.
  • Read aloud texts
  • Highlighted information within the text
  • Content delivered using multi-media (e.g., book, storyboard, video, computer, etc.)
  • Clearly differentiated multiple-choice answers
  • Prepared objects, pictures, words, sentence strips, or recorded communication supports to provide access to content and facilitate responding
  • Dichotomous questions that allow for making a choice of correct versus incorrect answers
  • Simpler or shorter containing the same key information
  • Peer support, collaborative grouping
  • Picture icons on graphic organizers to support non-readers and visual learners

* Refer to Instructional Resource Guide for full descriptions and examples of systematic instructional strategies.

Grades 6–8 Reading Element Card – Informational Text – Using Details to Describe Text & Analyzing Relationships

Grade 6 students: Grade 7 students: Grade 8 students:
CCSS: RI.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RI.6.3 Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text (e.g., through examples or anecdotes).

CCSS: RI.7.3. Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how individuals influence ideas or events). CCSS: RI.8.3 Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories).
PI: M.RI.g Analyzing how an author develops ideas and supports a thesis or reasoning. PI: M.RI.j Using supporting evidence to summarize central ideas, draw inferences, or analyze connections within or across texts (e.g., events, people, ideas). PI: M.RI.j Using supporting evidence to summarize central ideas, draw inferences, or analyze connections within or across texts (e.g., events, people, ideas).
CCCs CCCs CCCs
6.RI.g1 Identify key individuals, events, or ideas in a text.

6.RI.g2 Determine how key individuals, events, or ideas are introduced in a text.

6.RI.g3 Determine how key individuals, events, or ideas are illustrated in a text.

6.RI.g4 Determine how key individuals, events, or ideas are elaborated or expanded on in a text.

7.RI.j5 Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how individuals influence ideas or events). 8.Ri.j6 Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories).
Essential Understanding:

Identify important people, events, or ideas in the text.

THEN

Identify a description of an event or individual in a text.

THEN

Create a timeline of how one individual or idea is developed in text selection.

Essential Understanding:

Identify important people, events, or ideas in text.

THEN

Create a timeline of how one individual or idea is developed in text selection.

THEN

Identify the relationship between people, events, or ideas in a text from a list.

Essential Understanding:

Identify important people, events, or ideas in text.

THEN

Create a timeline of how one individual or idea is developed in text selection.

THEN

Identify the relationship between people, events, or ideas in a text from a list.

Suggested Instructional Strategies:

Write to Understand

  • Biography Posters: Students can present information they learned about a key individuals by creating a biography poster. Within the poster, students can draw a picture of the figure, and then create symbols around the picture to show various aspects of the person's life. Specifically, students should describe how key individuals are introduced in a text, how they are illustrated in a text, and how they are elaborated upon in a text. Students can also analyze how individuals interact with other individuals, events, or how individuals influence ideas or events.
  • Time Lines: Individually, in pairs, or with the whole class, students can draw a timeline to record important events in history or important milestones in a well-known person's life. Students can create multiple timelines of the same historical period to compare the influence of one thing on something else (e.g. timeline of important events of the Civil Rights movement and a timeline of historical Civil Rights legislature that was passed as a result).

Discuss to Understand

  • Socratic Seminar: To encourage students to think more deeply about texts, teachers can lead students in Socratic Seminars. Before meeting with a small group or whole class, the teacher should make a list of questions to ask about a specific individual, event, or idea from the text. These questions should go beyond literal (who, what, when, where) questions and should begin to ask children to delve deeper about the topic (how and why). Throughout the seminar, the teacher should position him/herself as question-asker. Students should have a free-flowing conversation with minimal interruptions from the teacher.
  • Oral Reports: After learning about key individuals, events, or ideas, students can prepare an oral report about the topic. Students should consider how key individuals are introduced in a text, how they are illustrated in a text, and how they are elaborated upon in a text. Students can also analyze how individuals interact with other individuals, events, or how individuals influence ideas or events. Students should consider the audience (e.g. classmates) when making the report. Then, based on the information learned, students can deliver their informational report to classmates.

Model to Understand

  • Think Aloud: The purpose for asking students questions about texts is to get them into the habit of self-questioning as they read by themselves. To model this, a teacher should read aloud an informational text in front of the class. Then, periodically, the teacher should stop and ask questions out loud. Then, as the teacher continues to read, the teacher should begin answering the questions him/herself. During this Think Aloud, teachers should specifically address how individuals interact with other individuals, events, or how individuals influence ideas or events.
Scaffolds ad Supports
  • Materials (paper, writing utensils, pictures, symbols, posterboard) for Biography Posters
  • Blank timelines
  • Various informational Texts
  • Interactive White Board
  • Peer support, collaborative grouping
  • Prepared objects, pictures, words, sentence strips, or recorded communication supports to provide access to content and facilitate responding
  • Repeated exposure to content and strategies
  • Read aloud texts
  • Content delivered using multi-media (e.g., book, storyboard, video, computer, etc.)
  • Graphic organizers
  • Highlighted text
  • Color coded text
  • Simpler or shorter text of the same content with the same key events or details
Additional Resources

Tompkins, G. (2005). Patterns of practice. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Note: Many of these strategies will be strengthened through the use of Systematic Instruction. Refer to Instructional Resource Guide for full descriptions and examples of systematic instructional strategies.

Grades 6–8 Reading Element Card – Informational Text –Describing the Main Idea

Grade 6 students: Grade 7 students: Grade 8 students:
CCSS: CCSS: RI.7.2 Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text. CCSS: RI.8.2 Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.
PI: PI: M.RI.j Using supporting evidence to summarize central ideas, draw inferences, or analyze connections within or across texts (e.g., events, people, ideas). PI: M.RI.j Using supporting evidence to summarize central ideas, draw inferences, or analyze connections within or across texts (e.g., events, people, ideas).
CCCs CCCs CCCs
7.RI.j2 Determine the central idea of a text.

7RI.j3 Analyze the development of the central idea over the course of the text.

8.RI.j3 Determine two or more central ideas in a text.

8.RI.j4 Analyze the development of the central ideas over the course of the text.

Essential Understanding: Essential Understanding:

Identify a key idea within a text.

THEN

Determine the central or main idea for a text.

Essential Understanding:

Identify key ideas within a text.

THEN

Determine central or main idea in a text.

Suggested Instructional Strategies:

Write to Understand

  • Sketch-to-Stretch: Sketch-to-stretch is a way for students to capture the central idea through drawing. After the students have completed reading an informational text, they can draw a visual representation about the central idea the author is trying to convey. They can use examples and details from the text to inform their drawings.
  • 'Information Coding:' Provide the students with a copy of the text the students for students to mark. Students should then create a coding system to help them mark and understand the text. The coding system might look something like this:

Code Meaning

CI I think this is the Central Idea

*** This part supports the central idea.


Discuss to Understand

  • Determining the Central Idea: As students read particular sections of text—or, after reading a text—ask a series of questions to help students determine the central idea. The teacher can help facilitate this by asking questions such as:
    • What is this informational text really about?
    • What do you think the author wants you to learn from this book?
    • How does the author support this central idea in each chapter/section?
    • Are there more than one central ideas in this text? If so, what are they?

Model to Understand

  • Think Aloud: To model determining a central idea, a teacher should read aloud an informational text. Then, at the end of the text, the teacher should demonstrate what he/she believes the central idea to be. As the teacher continues reading, the teacher can highlight sections in the text that support the central idea over time.
Scaffolds and Supports
  • Writing materials (paper, markers, crayons) for Sketch-to-Stretch exercise
  • Various informational Texts
  • Interactive White Board
  • Graphic Organizers
  • Individual copies of informational texts for each student
  • Informational coding sheet for each student
  • Read aloud texts
  • Deliver content using multi-media
  • Preview of the text, illustrations, and details, frontloading
  • Peer support, collaborative grouping
  • Prepared objects, pictures, words, sentence strips, or recorded communication supports to provide access to content and facilitate responding
  • Dichotomous questions that allow for making a choice of correct versus incorrect answers
  • Simpler or shorter text with the same key events or details
Additional Resources

Tompkins, G. (2005). Patterns of practice. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. www.liketoread.com

Note: Many of these strategies will be strengthened through the use of Systematic Instruction. Refer to Instructional Resource Guide for full descriptions and examples of systematic instructional strategies.


Grades 6–8 Reading Element Card – Informational Text – Distinguishing a Point of View

Grade 6 students: Grade 7 students: Grade 8 students:
CCSS: RI.5.6 Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent.

RI.6.6 Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text.

CCSS: RI.7.6 Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others. CCSS: RI.8.6 Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.
PI: M.RI.e Identifying author's purpose, viewpoint, or potential bias and explaining its impact on the reader. PI: M.RI.k Analyzing and explaining why and how authors: organize, develop, and present ideas; establish a point of view; or build supporting arguments to affect the text as a whole. PI: M.RI.k Analyzing and explaining why and how authors: organize, develop, and present ideas; establish a point of view; or build supporting arguments to affect the text as a whole.
CCCs CCCs CCCs
5.RI.e1 Note important similarities and differences in the point of view of multiple accounts of the same event or topic.

6.RI.e1 Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed.

7.RI.k6 Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others. 8.RI.k3 Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.
Essential Understanding:

Identify author's purpose.

THEN

List two examples of how the purpose is conveyed.

Essential Understanding:

Identify author's point of view or purpose in text.

THEN

List two examples of how the purpose is conveyed.

Essential Understanding:

Identify author's point of view or purpose in text.

THEN

List two examples of how the purpose is conveyed.

Suggested Instructional Strategies:

Write to Understand

  • Informational Venn Diagrams: For texts that have different points of view, determine how the points of view are similar and how they are different using a Venn Diagram. Within the left circle, record one point of view. Within the right circle, record the second point of view. In the middle write how both points of view are similar.
Reading Element Card Informational Text Grades K-2.PNG
  • Cubes: Students can create cubes to examine multiple points of view in a historical or scientific text. First, students and teachers can choose a topic related to a social studies or science theme. In small groups, or on concurrent days, students can examine the topic from different perspectives on different days. On each day, they write about the perspective on one sheet of paper. After examining six different perspectives, the students can tape the perspectives together to make a cube. For example, if a student is studying the Civil War, they could write perspectives from Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, Abraham Lincoln, a slave, a plantation owner, and a soldier. Or, students may have different categories for each side of the cube in which they: describe, compare, associate, analyze, apply, and argue for a side.

Discuss to Understand

  • Instructional Conversations: Individually, in small groups, or with the whole class, engage in a conversation about a content-area topic. First, teachers should ask students what they already know about the topic to determine their background knowledge. Next, the teacher can provide direct information about the topic to build their knowledge. Then, teachers ask different questions about the topic and allow the group to have an open conversation about the topic. Students should support their ideas by using information they learned from books or other multimedia sources. For this particular instructional conversation, teachers should ask students about point of view.
  • Debates: For informational texts in which multiple points of view are presented, students can participate in a debate. One student (or group of students) can take one position. Another student (or group of students) can take the opposing side. Students should identify the topic, prepare for the debate, conduct the debate, and reflect on the outcome.

Model to Understand

  • Think Aloud: The purpose for asking students questions about texts is to get them into the habit of self-questioning as they read by themselves. To model this, a teacher should read aloud an informational text in front of the class. Then, periodically, the teacher should stop and ask questions out loud. Then, as the teacher continues to read, the teacher should begin answering the questions him/herself. This think aloud should focus entirely on point of view. The teacher should describe each point of view presented in the informational text and offer some explanation about why these different points of view exist.
Scaffolds and Supports
  • Squared paper to make cubes
  • Graphic Organizer (Venn Diagram)
  • Various informational Texts
  • Interactive White Board
  • Pictures, objects or tactile representations to illustrate the topic, events or details
  • Sentence strips that provide support for the authors point of view
  • Videos or story boards/cards of the story for visual supports
  • Technology (e.g., interactive whiteboard, informational texts read by the computer that highlights text)
  • Graphic organizers
  • Highlighted information within the text
  • Content delivered using multi-media (e.g., book, storyboard, video, computer, etc.)
  • Clearly differentiated multiple-choice answers
  • Prepared objects, pictures, words, sentence strips, or recorded communication supports to provide access to content and facilitate responding
  • Dichotomous questions that allow for making a choice of correct versus incorrect answers
  • Simpler or shorter containing the same key information
  • Peer support, collaborative grouping
Additional Resources

Tompkins, G. (2005). Patterns of practice. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Note: Many of these strategies will be strengthened through the use of Systematic Instruction. Refer to Instructional Resource Guide for full descriptions and examples of systematic instructional strategies.

Grades 6–8 Reading Element Card – Informational Text – Identifying Text Structure

Grade 6 students: Grade 7 students: Grade 8 students:
CCSS: RI.5.5. Compare and contrast the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in two or more texts. CCSS: RI.7.5. Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas. CCSS: RI.8.5. Analyze in detail the structure of a specific paragraph in a text, including the role of particular sentences in developing and refining a key concept.
PI: M.RI.b Using text structures (e.g., cause-effect, proposition-support), search tools, and genre features (e.g., graphics, captions, indexes) to locate and integrate information. PI: M.RI.i Utilizing knowledge of text structures and genre features to locate, organize, or analyze important information. PI: M.RI.i Utilizing knowledge of text structures and genre features to locate, organize, or analyze important information.
CCCs CCCs CCCs
6.RI.b1 Use signal words as a means of locating information (e.g., knowing that "because" or "as a result of" may help link a cause to a result). 7.RI.i1 Use signal words as a means of locating information. 8.RI.i1 Use signal words as a means of locating information.
Essential Understanding:

Identify signal words in a text.

THEN

Locate answers to questions by identifying signal words and the associated text pattern/structure.

Essential Understanding:

Identify signal words in a text.

THEN

Locate answers to questions by identifying signal words and the associated text pattern/structure.

Essential Understanding:

Identify signal words in text.

THEN

Locate answers to questions by identifying signal words and the associated text pattern/structure.

Suggested Instructional Strategies:

Write to Understand

  • Informational Data Charts:Have a text structure conversation with students. Find a book that represents each of the five different informational text structures. Then, with the students, fill out a data chart to see the types of signal words that are used with each type of text.

Description Sequence Problem/Solution Compare/Contrast Cause/Effect

Signal Words Like Similar First Next One problem A way to solve this On one hand On the other hand Because If, Only


Discuss to Understand

  • Instructional Conversations: Individually, in small groups, or with the whole class, engage in a conversation about signal words. First, teachers should ask students what they already know about signal words to determine their background knowledge. Next, the teacher can provide direct information about signal words to build their knowledge. Then, teachers ask different questions about signal words and allow the group to have an open conversation about the topic. For this particular instructional conversation, teachers should ask students about signal words. Questions might include:
    • How does this signal word (point to a word in a text) help us locate information in this text?
    • (Pointing to other signal words) What do these signal words tell us about the information?
    • How do these signal words help us as readers?

Sort to Understand

  • Information Sorting: On sorting cards, write several different signal words. On five of the cards, make the following categories: Description, Sequence, Problem/Solution, Cause/Effect, and Compare/Contrast. Ask students to sort the signal words under each of the matching text structures.

Model to Understand Place a brief informational piece with clear structure and signal words on the overhead or interactive whiteboard. As you read aloud, highlight the signal words. When appropriate, place pieces of information in a graphic organizer to show how the signal words helped to locate important information (e.g., if the author has used a chronological structure, place the sentences with the signal words that demonstrate the chronology on a timeline. For example, the informational piece titled A Few Steps Along the Way: Making Our Constitution uses headings with dates. These headings can be placed on a timeline to show the structure. This piece is from a mini page and can be located here: http://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/minipage/id/2669/rec/4).

Scaffolds and Supports
  • Graphic Organizers (blank data charts)
  • Various informational Texts
  • Sorting cards
  • Interactive White Board
  • List of signal words that might help students determine the text structure being used
  • Peer support, collaborative grouping
  • Prepared objects, pictures, words, sentence strips, or recorded communication supports to provide access to content and facilitate responding
  • Repeated exposure to content and strategies
  • Highlighted information within the text (e.g., signal words)
  • Word bank from which students may select answers to questions
  • Dichotomous questions that allow for making a choice of correct versus incorrect answers
  • Simpler or shorter text of the same story with the same key events or details
  • Peer support, collaborative grouping
  • Provide a signal word chart (e.g., http://www.pinterest.com/source/seedsofsciencerootsofreading.wordpress.com/)
Additional Resources

Tompkins, G. (2005). Patterns of practice. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Note: Many of these strategies will be strengthened through the use of Systematic Instruction. Refer to Instructional Resource Guide for full descriptions and examples of systematic instructional strategies.

Grades 6–8 Reading Element Card – Informational Text –Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

Grade 6 students: Grade 7 students: Grade 8 students:
CCSS:

RI.5.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the highend of the grades 4–5 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

RI.6.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 6–8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

CCSS: RI.7.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 6–8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. CCSS: RI.8.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high end of the grades 6–8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
PI: M.RI.a Flexibly using strategies to derive meaning from a variety of print/non-print texts. PI: M.RI.h Flexibly using strategies to derive meaning from a variety of print/non-print texts. PI: M.RI.h Flexibly using strategies to derive meaning from a variety of print/non-print texts.
CCCs CCCs CCCs
5.RI.a1 Use a variety of strategies (e.g., use context, affixes and roots) to derive meaning from a variety of print/non-print texts.

6.RI.a1 Use a variety of strategies to (e.g., use context, affixes and roots) derive meaning from a variety of print/non-print texts.

7.RI.h1 Use a variety of strategies (e.g., use context, affixes and roots, use reference materials) to derive meaning from a variety of print/non-print texts. 8.RI.h1 Use a variety of strategies (e.g., use context, affixes and roots, use reference materials) to derive meaning from a variety of print/non-print texts.
Essential Understanding:

Identify common prefixes, suffixes, and root words in text.

THEN

Use common affixes to help define words (morphemic analysis).

THEN

Use context to help define the words.

THEN

Verify definition in dictionary.

Essential Understanding:

Identify common prefixes, suffixes, and root words in text.

THEN

Use common affixes to help define words (morphemic analysis).

THEN

Use context to help define the words.

THEN

Verify definition in dictionary.

Essential Understanding:

Identify common prefixes, suffixes, and root words in text.

THEN

Use common affixes to help define words (morphemic analysis).

THEN

Use context to help define the words.

THEN

Verify definition in dictionary.

Suggested Instructional Strategies:

Write to Understand

  • Information Coding:Provide the students with a copy of the text the students for students to mark. Students should then create a coding system to help them mark and understand the text. The coding system might look something like this:
Code Meaning
<- - -> I have a connection.
??? This part does not make sense.
!!! Wow! This was interesting. I want to share.
### This is an important part.
  • Reflective Monitoring: As students read a text, they can record thoughts/questions/wonderings about the text in a reflective journal. After each day of reading the text, they should spend the last 5 minutes to do a quick write reflection about what they just read. This is a way for them to keep track of their thinking as they continue to read.

Discuss to Understand

  • Book Clubs: Gather students in a small group to have a conversation about a common text. The group should determine what chapters will be read and when. Then, they gather periodically to share their thoughts about the book. Student can record notes in a reader's notebook.

Model to Understand

  • Think Aloud: Read aloud various informational texts to students. As you read, demonstrate several different comprehension strategies including: Monitoring Comprehension, Activating and Connecting to Prior Knowledge, Questioning, Visualizing and Inferring, Determining Importance in Text, and Summarizing and Synthesizing Information. Students will begin to see strategies they can use when comprehending texts.
Scaffolds and Supports
Additional Resources

Karen Haag's Website: www.liketoread.com Strategies that Work by Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis

Note: Many of these strategies will be strengthened through the use of Systematic Instruction. Refer to Instructional Resource Guide for full descriptions and examples of systematic instructional strategies.

Grades 6–8 Reading Element Card –Informational Text – Recognizing Features of Text

Grade 6 students: Grade 7 students: Grade 8 students:
CCSS: NO CCSS CCSS: NO CCSS CCSS: NO CCSS
PI: M.RI.b Using text structures (e.g., cause-effect, proposition-support), search tools, and genre features (e.g., graphics, captions, indexes) to locate and integrate information. PI: M.RI.i Utilizing knowledge of text structures and genre features to locate, organize, or analyze important information. PI: M.RI.i Utilizing knowledge of text structures and genre features to locate, organize, or analyze important information.
CCCs CCCs CCCs
6.RI.b2 Use search tools or text features as a means of locating relevant information. 7.RI.i2 Use text features to locate information. 8.RI.i2 Use text features as a means of locating information.
Essential Understanding:

List common search tools/text features (e.g., Table of Contents, headings, subheadings, sidebars, italics/bold/underline, etc.).

THEN

Decide which search tools/text features best help locate important information in text.

THEN

Use appropriate search tools/text features to locate information.

Essential Understanding:

List common search tools/text features (e.g., Table of Contents, headings, subheadings, sidebars, italics/bold/underline, etc.).

THEN

Decide which search tools/text features best help locate important information in text.

THEN

Use appropriate search tools/text features to locate information.

Essential Understanding:

List common search tools/text features (e.g., Table of Contents, headings, subheadings, sidebars, italics/bold/underline, etc.).

THEN

Decide which search tools/text features best help locate important information in text.

THEN

Use appropriate search tools/text features to locate information.

Suggested Instructional Strategies:

Write to Understand

  • KWL Charts: Before, during and after reading a text, create a KWL chart with the class to answer questions about key details in the text. Students can first post a list of questions they might have about a topic. Then, they can use search tools to locate answers to their questions. They can use KWL chart to list what they've learned about the topic after viewing various text features.
What we Know about a topic What we Wonder about a topic What we Learned about a topic





Sort to Understand

  • Use example/non-example to teach illustration from text*
  • Use time delay to teach students to identify types of illustrations*
  • Provide cards with text and cards with different types of illustrations (e.g., map, diagram, photograph, graphics). Ask students to sort examples of text from examples of illustrations.

Discuss to Understand Teach using the 5 W's and How Strategy. (Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How)

  • Provide students with an informational text that contains illustrations, such as, maps, photographs or other graphics. Have students highlight all illustrations within the informational text. Discuss how the illustrations differ from the actual text. Review each type of illustration in the text making a chart with each type of illustration and draw example of each. Ask students questions about types of illustrations and which they would use to answer specific questions about the text. For example:
    • Which illustration would you use to answer the question, "In what year did Abraham Lincoln deliver the Gettysburg Address?" Students answer "timeline."
  • Use system of least prompts when teaching students to identify which source or type of source might provide the needed information.*

Model to Understand Teach using QAR. Model the four types of questions:

  • Right There- Pose a question to the class that may be answered by looking in more than one location of the text.
  • Think and Search- Ask a question that may be answered by looking in more than one location of the text.
  • Author and Me- Pose a question that requires "reading" the text and using knowledge that is in your head.
  • On My Own- Ask a related question that can be answered without having to read the text. These are usually higher level thinking questions.
Suggested Scaffolds and Supports
  • Highlighted information
  • Add images to information presented visually
  • Sentence strips, words, or pictures that represent details from the text that may be added to graphic organizers or used to answer questions
  • Interactive whiteboard
  • Teach daily using meaningful content from a variety of mediums (e.g., internet, or weather illustration that is in the daily newspaper)
  • Pictures, objects or tactile representations to illustrate the key information on a chart, graph, or map
  • Dichotomous questions that allow for making a choice of correct versus incorrect answers
  • Color coded text

* Refer to Instructional Resource Guide for full descriptions and examples of systematic instructional strategies.

Grades 6–8 Reading Element Card – Informational Text – Using Details to Describe Text, Describing the Main Idea & Analyzing Across Texts

Grade 6 students: Grade 7 students: Grade 8 students:
CCSS: RI.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. CCSS:

RI.7.1. Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RI.7.9 Analyze how two or more authors writing about the same topic shape their presentations of key information by emphasizing different evidence or advancing different interpretations of facts.

CCSS:

RI.8.1 Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RI.8.2 Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

PI: M.RI.d Using supporting evidence to draw inferences or compare content presented within or across texts. PI: M.RI.j Using supporting evidence to summarize central ideas, draw inferences, or analyze connections within or across texts (e.g., events, people, ideas). PI: M.RI.j Using supporting evidence to summarize central ideas, draw inferences, or analyze connections within or across texts (e.g., events, people, ideas).
CCCs CCCs CCCs
6.RI.d2 Use textual evidence to support inferences. 7.RI.j1 Use two or more pieces of evidence to support inferences, conclusions, or summaries of text.

7.RI.j6 Use supporting evidence to summarize central ideas, draw inferences, or analyze connections within or across texts.

8.RI.j1 Use two or more pieces of evidence to support inferences, conclusions, or summaries of text.

8.RI.j2 Determine which piece(s) of evidence provide the strongest support for inferences, conclusions, or summaries.

Essential Understanding:

Make an inference from an informational text.

THEN

Match evidence to a given inference from a text.

Essential Understanding:

Make an inference from an informational text.

THEN

Identify a conclusion from an informational text.

THEN

Identify a summary of an informational text.

THEN

Identify a detail to support the inference, conclusion, or summary.

Essential Understanding:

Make an inference from an informational text.

THEN

Identify a conclusion from an informational text.

THEN

Identify a summary of an informational text.

THEN

Identify a detail to support the inference, conclusion, or summary.

Suggested Instructional Strategies:

*This card focuses on making inferences and drawing conclusions. For information on summarizing see 6.RI.c2, 7.RI.j4, 8.RI.j5.

Write to Understand

  • Teach students to make inferences using an "It Says, I Say, And So" Graphic Organizer "It Says – I Say – And so…"
  • First the students have to find out what the reading says.
  • Next they find information from the text that will help answer the question.
  • Then they add, in their own words, their thoughts about what the reading says.
  • Finally, the students combine what the reading says and their thoughts to answer the question and thus create new meaning—the inference.
  • Use a graphic organizer to record evidence or make connections among pieces of information.
  • Use system of least prompts as needed to provide feedback.*

Discuss to Understand

  • Break students into small groups to discuss connections between texts, summaries or conclusions. Questions might include:

What is this book really about? In one or two sentences, can you summarize the book? What is the author trying to teach you? What have you learned?

Model to Understand

  • Model making inferences, summaries, and conclusions as you read an informational text aloud.
  • Teach using the think- aloud strategy.
Suggested Scaffolds and Supports
  • Use picture/object/tactile representations to illustrate important events or details of events in the text
  • Sentence strips that reflect evidence about the topic
  • Technology (e.g., interactive whiteboard, informational texts read by the computer that highlights text)
  • Graphic organizers
  • Highlighted information within the text
  • Task folders that include short paragraphs from text and student velcros/matches the inferences to the text.
  • Read aloud texts
  • Videos or story boards/cards of the story for visual supports.
  • Content delivered using multi-media (e.g., book, storyboard, video, computer, etc.)
  • Clearly differentiated multiple-choice answers
  • Prepared objects, pictures, words, sentence strips, or recorded communication supports to provide access to content and facilitate responding
  • Dichotomous questions that allow for making a choice of correct versus incorrect answers
  • Simpler or shorter containing the same key information
  • Peer support, collaborative grouping
  • Picture icons on graphic organizers to support non-readers and visual learners

* Refer to Instructional Resource Guide for full descriptions and examples of systematic instructional strategies.

Grades 6–8 Reading Element Card – Informational Text –Identifying Text Structure

Grade 6 students: Grade 7 students: Grade 8 students:
CCSS: RI.5.5 Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text. CCSS: RI.7.5. Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas. CCSS: RI.8.5 Analyze in detail the structure of a specific paragraph in a text, including the role of particular sentences in developing and refining a key concept.
PI: M.RI.d Using supporting evidence to draw inferences or compare content presented within or across texts. PI: M.RI.k Analyzing and explaining why and how authors: organize, develop, and present ideas; establish a point of view; or build supporting arguments to affect the text as a whole. PI: M.RI.k Analyzing and explaining why and how authors: organize, develop, and present ideas; establish a point of view; or build supporting arguments to affect the text as a whole.
CCCs CCCs CCCs
6.RI.d1 Compare and contrast the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in two or more texts. 7.RI.k1 Determine the structure of a text. 8.RI.k1 Determine the structure of a text.
Essential Understanding:

Identify informational text structure for one text.

THEN

Identify informational text structure for multiple texts.

Essential Understanding:

Identify signal words that are commonly used in different text structures (first, next, then in sequencing, for example).

Essential Understanding:

Identify signal words that are commonly used in different text structures (first, next, then in sequencing, for example).

Suggested Instructional Strategies:

Write to Understand Graphic Organizer

  • Read aloud a variety of informational texts that represent different text structures (compare/contrast, description, cause/effect, problem/solution, sequence). As you read the various texts, ask students to fill out a corresponding graphic organizer so they recognize the differences in text structures.
  • For compare/contrast informational texts, use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the information within the text. Provide several different types of informational texts or multi-media (i.e., magazine, online, or newspaper article) for students to use to make comparisons.
  • Provide sentences or sets of sentences with signal words that indicate a specific text structure (e.g., "Before 1900s", "The 20th century", and "The future" are headings that indicate a chronological text structure; these sentences: "Today, only the deepest parts of the ocean are unexplored. But in the 1800s, much of the land west of the Mississippi, all the way to the Pacific Ocean was unexplored," indicate a compare/contrast text structure.). Ask students to complete the correct graphic organizer using the provided sentences. This can be expanded by providing passages and asking students to pull information from the passages to fill in the graphic organizer. Graphic organizers can be found here: http://www.ereadingworksheets.com/text-structure-worksheets/identifying-text-structure-1.pdf.
  • Use a system of least prompt as needed to select information from text and selects appropriate location on graphic organizers.*

Sort to Understand

  • Create five different book bins and label them with the different text structures (compare/contrast, description, cause/effect, problem/solution, sequence). After reading several different types of informational texts, ask students to sort the texts into the corresponding bins.
  • Provide sentences or sets of sentences with signal words that indicate a specific text structure (e.g., "Before 1900s", "The 20th century", and "The future" are headings that indicate a chronological text structure; these sentences: "Today, only the deepest parts of the ocean are unexplored. But in the 1800s, much of the land west of the Mississippi, all the way to the Pacific Ocean was unexplored," indicate a compare/contrast text structure.). Ask students to sort the sentences by text structure.
  • Provide signal words that describe each type of structure as follows:
  • Cause and Effect. since, because, made, for this reason,
  • Chronology. first, second, third, before, after, when
  • Compare and Contrast. similar, different, on the other hand, but, however
  • Problem and solution. problem, solution, dilemma, if and then, puzzling

Discuss to Understand Think-Pair-Share

  • Place a brief informational piece with clear structure and signal words on the overhead or interactive whiteboard. As you read aloud, highlight the signal words.
  • Ask students, "What structure does the author use in this text?" Provide time for students to think about the structure and refer them to the graphic organizer described in the section above if used.
  • Students may answer these questions to help determine the text structure:
  • Cause and Effect. What happened? What was the cause?
  • Chronology. What is the timespan from the first event to the last? Does the author use signal words to transition from one event to the next?
  • Compare and Contrast. What is being compared? Does the author point to similarities and differences?
  • Problem and solution. What was the problem? What was the solution? Was the problem solved?
  • Pair students and have them discuss their thoughts about the structure.
  • Student pairs share their ideas about structure with whole class. As students report out, place pieces of information in a graphic organizer where appropriate to show structure (e.g., if the author has used a chronological structure, place the sentences with the signal words that demonstrate the chronology on a timeline. For example, the informational piece "A Few Steps Along the Way: Making Our Constitution" uses headings with dates. These headings can be placed on a timeline to show the structure.) "A Few Steps Along the Way…" is from a mini page and can be located here: http://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/minipage/id/2669/rec/4.

Model to Understand

  • Place a brief informational piece with clear structure and signal words on the overhead or interactive whiteboard. As you read aloud, highlight the signal words. When appropriate, place pieces of information in a graphic organizer to show the structure (e.g., if the author has used a chronological structure, place the sentences with the signal words that demonstrate the chronology on a timeline. For example, the informational piece titled A Few Steps Along the Way: Making Our Constitution uses headings with dates. These headings can be placed on a timeline to show the structure. This piece is from a mini page and can be located here: http://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/minipage/id/2669/rec/4).
Suggested Scaffolds and Supports
  • Highlighted information within the text (e.g., signal words)
  • Graphic organizers
  • Interactive whiteboard
  • Content delivered using multi-media (e.g., book, storyboard, video, computer, etc.)
  • Provide a signal word chart (e.g., http://www.pinterest.com/source/seedsofsciencerootsofreading.wordpress.com/)
  • Copies of informational texts for each student
  • Various informational Texts
  • Peer support, collaborative grouping
  • Prepared objects, pictures, words, sentence strips, or recorded communication supports to provide access to content and facilitate responding
  • Repeated exposure to content and strategies
  • Pair each type of text structure with a symbol.
  • Examples can be found here: http://www.pinterest.com/explore/text-structures/

* Refer to Instructional Resource Guide for full descriptions and examples of systematic instructional strategies.

Grades 6–8 Reading Element Card – Informational Text –Identifying Text Structure

Grade 6 students: Grade 7 students: Grade 8 students:
CCSS: CCSS: RI.7.5. Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas. CCSS: RI.8.5 Analyze in detail the structure of a specific paragraph in a text, including the role of particular sentences in developing and refining a key concept.
PI: PI:

M.RI.i Utilizing knowledge of text structures and genre features to locate, organize, or analyze important information.

M.RI.k Analyzing and explaining why and how authors: organize, develop, and present ideas; establish a point of view; or build supporting arguments to affect the text as a whole.

PI:

M.RI.i Utilizing knowledge of text structures and genre features to locate, organize, or analyze important information.

M.RI.k Analyzing and explaining why and how authors: organize, develop, and present ideas; establish a point of view; or build supporting arguments to affect the text as a whole.

CCCs CCCs CCCs
7.RI.i3 Outline a given text to show how ideas build upon one another.

7.RI.k2 Determine how the information in each section contribute to the whole or to the development of ideas.

8.RI.i3 Outline the structure (i.e., sentence that identifies key concept(s), supporting details) within a paragraph.

8.RI.k2 Determine how the information in each section contribute to the whole or to the development of ideas.

Essential Understanding: Essential Understanding:

Identify key ideas in a text.

THEN

Organize ideas given in a text or list into an outline.

Essential Understanding:

Identify key ideas in a text.

THEN

Identify main idea within a paragraph.

THEN

Identify supporting details within a paragraph.

Suggested Instructional Strategies:

Write to Understand

  • Informational Data Charts: Have a text structure conversation with students. Find a book that represents each of the five different informational text structures. Then, with the students, fill out a data chart to see the types of signal words that are used with each type of text.
Description Sequence Problem/Solution Compare/Contrast Cause/Effect
Signal Words Like

Similar

First

Next

One problem

A way to solve this

On one hand

On the other hand

Because

If, Only

Sort to Understand

  • Signal Word Sorting: On sorting cards, write several different signal words. On five of the cards, make the following categories: Description, Sequence, Problem/Solution, Cause/Effect, and Compare/Contrast. Ask students to sort the signal words under each of the matching text structures.
Scaffolds and Supports
  • Graphic Organizers (Data Chart)
  • Sorting cards for Signal Word Sort
  • Various informational Texts
  • Interactive White Board
  • Highlighted information
  • A list of signal words for reference (e.g., first, next, after, before, last)
  • Peer support, collaborative grouping
  • Clearly differentiated multiple-choice answers
  • Prepared objects, pictures, words, sentence strips, or recorded communication supports to provide access to content and facilitate responding
  • Dichotomous questions that allow for making a choice of correct versus incorrect answers
  • Simpler or shorter text of the content
Additional Resources

Tompkins, G. (2005). Patterns of practice. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Note: Many of these strategies will be strengthened through the use of Systematic Instruction. Refer to Instructional Resource Guide for full descriptions and examples of systematic instructional strategies.

Grades 6–8 Reading Element Card – Informational Text –Connecting Diverse Media and Formats

Grade 6 students: Grade 7 students: Grade 8 students:
CCSS:

RI.5.2 Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text.

SL.5.2 Summarize a written text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

CCSS:

RI.6.7 Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.

SL.6.2 Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study.

PI:

M.RI.c Using background knowledge of topics to ask and refine questions and summarize central ideas using relevant details

PI:

M.RI.b Using text structures (e.g., cause-effect, proposition-support), search tools, and genre features (e.g., graphics, captions, indexes) to locate and integrate information.

M.RI.c Using background knowledge of topics to ask and refine questions and summarize central ideas using relevant details.

CCCs CCCs CCCs
5.RI.c5 Summarize the text or a portion of the text read, read aloud, or presented in diverse media. 6.RI.b3 Identify what is learned from different media or formats compared to what is learned via written words or spoken words.

6.RI.b4 Summarize information gained from a variety of sources including media or texts.

6.RI.c3 Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally).

6.RI.c4 Explain how information gained in diverse media and formats contributes to the understanding of a topic, text, or issue under study.

Essential Understanding:

Identify the topic of portion of a text or media presentation.

THEN

Identify the topic of a text or media presentation.

THEN

Retell details about a text or media presentation.

THEN

Identify the most important details from a text.

THEN

Identify the most important detail from a media presentation.

Essential Understanding:

Identify a topic from a single source.

THEN

Identify the details, ideas, opinions linked to the topic from a single source.

THEN

Identify a common topic from two or more diverse sources (e.g., presented visually, quantitatively, orally).

THEN

Identify common information (e.g., details, ideas, opinions) from multiple diverse sources (e.g., presented visually, quantitatively, orally).

Essential Understanding:
Suggested Instructional Strategies

*This card focuses on topic and gaining information. For information on summarizing see 6.RI.c2, 7.RI.j4, 8.RI.j5.

Write to Understand

  • Keep records of important information from various sources using a graphic organizer.
  • Keep a record of recurring topic as the text is read- noting events and details that support the topic (e.g., information about planting fruits and vegetables recurs in this text).
  • Use a graphic organizer (e.g., t-chart) to record information from diverse sources.
  • Use a system of least prompts as needed to provide feedback.*

Discuss to Understand

  • Teacher think aloud of topic and evidence from sources.
  • Tell the students what the question(s) is prior to reading text. Have students identify sentences in the text that provide important information or answer the question.

Model to Understand

  • Keep record of recurring topic as the text is read- noting events and details that support the topic (e.g., information about planting fruits and vegetables recurs in this text).
  • Place text on overhead or interactive whiteboard. Model identifying the topic.
  • Model using a graphic organizer to summarize information gained from multiple sources.
Suggested Scaffolds and Supports
  • Pictures, objects or tactile representations to illustrate the topic, events or details
  • Sentence strips that reflect supporting details about the topic
  • Videos or story boards/cards of the story for visual supports
  • Technology (e.g., interactive whiteboard, informational texts read by the computer that highlights text)
  • Highlighted information within the text
  • Graphic organizers
  • Color coding of story details in book, on graphic organizer, and on charts
  • Content delivered using multi-media (e.g., book, storyboard, video, computer, etc.)
  • Clearly differentiated multiple-choice answers
  • Prepared objects, pictures, words, sentence strips, or recorded communication supports to provide access to content and facilitate responding
  • Dichotomous questions that allow for making a choice of correct versus incorrect answers
  • Simpler or shorter text of the same content
  • Peer support, collaborative grouping

* Refer to Instructional Resource Guide for full descriptions and examples of systematic instructional strategies.

Grades 6–8 Reading Element Card – Informational Text – Gather Information

Grade 6 students: Grade 7 students: Grade 8 students:
CCSS: RI.6.8 Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not. CCSS: RI.7.8 Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims. CCSS: RI.8.8 Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced.
PI: M.RI.g Analyzing how an author develops ideas and supports a thesis or reasoning. PI: M.RI.k Analyzing and explaining why and how authors: organize, develop, and present ideas; establish a point of view; or build supporting arguments to affect the text as a whole. PI: M.RI.k Analyzing and explaining why and how authors: organize, develop, and present ideas; establish a point of view; or build supporting arguments to affect the text as a whole.
CCCs CCCs CCCs
6.RI.g5 Identify an argument or claim that the author makes.

6.RI.g6 Evaluate the claim or argument; determine if it is supported by evidence.

6.RI.g7 Distinguish claims or arguments from those that are supported by evidence from those that are not.

7.RI.k3 Identify an argument or claim that the author makes.

7.RI.k4 Evaluate the claim or argument to determine if they are supported by evidence.

7.RI.k5 Distinguish claims or arguments from those that are supported by evidence from those that are not.

8.RI.k4 Identify an argument or claim that the author makes.

8.RI.k5 Evaluate the claim or argument to determine if it is supported by evidence.

Essential Understanding:

Identify a fact from the text.

THEN

Identify a claim from the text.

THEN

Differentiate a fact versus a claim.

Essential Understanding:

Identify a fact from the text.

THEN

Identify a claim from the text.

THEN

Differentiate a fact vs. a claim.

Essential Understanding:

Identify a fact from the text.

THEN

Identify a claim from the text.

THEN

Differentiate a fact vs. a claim.

THEN

Match evidence to a claim.

Suggested Instructional Strategies:

Write to Understand Graphic Organizer

  • Use an evidence tracker to record claims an author makes.


















  • Teach the skill of evaluating claims using a task analysis.

Annotating the text

  • Students are encouraged to "mark up" the text by highlighting important information such as claims an author makes and supporting evidence, definitions, key vocabulary.

Model to Understand

  • Place text on overhead or interactive whiteboard. Model the process of reading through an argument by answering the following questions:
    • What does the title suggest?
    • Who is the author? Is the author a reliable source?
    • What is the author's claim?
    • How does the author support the claim with evidence?
    • What is the publication date?
    • What is my background knowledge on the issue?
  • Model the process of reading an argument.
    • Read through once for an initial impression.
    • Read/review the argument several times.
    • Annotate as you read.
    • Highlight key terms and important information.
    • Evaluate the evidence.
  • Use example/non-example to teach fact vs. claim.*
  • Model using a graphic organizer to record arguments, facts, and claims.
Suggested Scaffolds and Supports
  • Highlighted information within the text
  • Graphic organizers
  • Pictures, objects or tactile representations to illustrate the topic, events or details
  • Sentence strips that reflect supporting details about the topic
  • Videos or story boards/cards of the story for visual supports
  • Technology (e.g., interactive whiteboard, informational texts read by the computer that highlights text)
  • Content delivered using multi-media (e.g., book, storyboard, video, computer, etc.)
  • Prepared objects, pictures, words, sentence strips, or recorded communication supports to provide access to content and facilitate responding
  • Dichotomous questions that allow for making a choice of correct versus incorrect answers
  • Peer support, collaborative grouping
Additional Information

Annotating a text:

* Refer to Instructional Resource Guide for full descriptions and examples of systematic instructional strategies.

Grades 6–8 Reading Element Card – Informational Text – Analyzing Across Texts

Grade 6 students: Grade 7 students: Grade 8 students:
CCSS:

RI.6.9 Compare and contrast one author's presentation of events with that of another (e.g., a memoir written by and a biography on the same person).

RI.6.7 Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.

CCSS:

RI.7.7 Compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of the text, analyzing each medium's portrayal of the subject (e.g., how the delivery of a speech affects the impact of the words).

RI.7.9 Analyze how two or more authors writing about the same topic shape their presentations of key information by emphasizing different evidence or advancing different interpretations of facts.

CCSS:

RI.8.9 Analyze a case in which two or more texts provide conflicting information on the same topic and identify where the texts disagree on matters of fact or interpretation.

PI:

M.RI.e Identifying author's purpose, viewpoint, or potential bias and explaining its impact on the reader.

M.RI.f Determining relevance or comparability of concepts and supporting details from multiple sources and integrating them to research a topic.

PI: M.RI.l Comparing or integrating information from multiple sources to develop deeper understanding of the concept/topic /subject, and resolving conflicting information. PI: M.RI.l Comparing or integrating information from multiple sources to develop deeper understanding of the concept/topic /subject, and resolving conflicting information.
CCCs CCCs CCCs
6.RI.e3 Compare and contrast one author's presentation of events with that of another (e.g., a memoir written by and a biography on the same person).

6.RI.f1 Identify relevant details from several texts on the same topic (e.g., what are the important things that you learned?).

7.RI.l1 Compare/contrast how two or more authors write about the same topic.

7.RI.l2 Analyze how two or more authors writing about the same topic shape their presentations of key information by emphasizing different evidence or advancing different interpretations of facts.

8.RI.l1 Analyze a case in which two or more texts provide conflicting information on the same topic and identify where the texts disagree on matters of fact or interpretation.
Essential Understanding:

Identify two texts on the same topic.

THEN

Locate important information within a text related to a provided topic.

THEN

Identify statements from the text that agree or disagree on the same topic.

THEN

Compare two statements about the same topic.

Essential Understanding:

Identify two texts on the same topic by different authors.

THEN

Locate important information within a text related to a provided topic.

THEN

Identify statements from the text that agree or disagree on the same topic.

THEN

Compare two selections of text on the same topic.

Essential Understanding:

Identify two texts on the same topic by different authors.

THEN

Locate important information within a text related to a provided topic.

THEN

Identify statements from the texts that disagree on the same topic.

THEN

Distinguish identified statements as fact or interpretation.

Suggested Instructional Strategies:

Write to Understand

  • Venn Diagram Study: Use a Venn Diagram to compare texts that address the same topic (e.g., Venn diagram to compare two articles about Lincoln). Use a system of least prompts as needed to provide feedback.*


Sort to Understand

  • Provide information on a topic from two texts. Have students sort one author's information from another's.

Discuss to Understand

Model to Understand

  • Model determining the author's point of view by placing text on overhead or whiteboard and highlighting information as it is read that tells you the author's point of view.
Suggested Scaffolds and Supports
  • Highlighted information within the text
  • Graphic organizers
  • Venn Diagram
  • Read aloud texts
  • Interactive white board
  • Content delivered using multi-media (e.g., book, storyboard, video, computer, etc.)
  • Picture icons on graphic organizers to support non-readers and visual learners
  • Peer support, collaborative grouping
  • Prepared objects, pictures, words, sentence strips, or recorded communication supports to provide access to content and facilitate responding

* Refer to Instructional Resource Guide for full descriptions and examples of systematic instructional strategies.

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