This document discusses informational text and how to effectively read it. The four steps of being an active reader of informational text are: previewing the text by reviewing questions and vocabulary, reading the text, summarizing what was read, and reviewing to check understanding. Informational text aims to convey information to readers who want to gain knowledge on a topic. Examples of informational text genres include textbooks, encyclopedias, dictionaries, field guides, and websites. Organizational structures may include chronological order for history or logical/topical order.

2. What major genre
would
informational text
fall under?

3. To convey information

4. Because my teacher said
so!!! NO!!!
To gain information … YES!!!

5. Previewing –
 any questions, review any questions at the
end of the chapter/section – read first so you
know what the focus of the chapter
 Previewing vocab, questions
Preview a chapter
Tell me what the chapter is about
Tell me some of the vocab words

6. Read the chapter

7. Summarize
Whether on paper or in your own
mind, summarize what you’ve read
Can you answer the questions?
Go over it again - review
Summarize on paper

8. Review
Do you understand what you have
read?
Do you need to go back and reread
a part, all, etc?

9. Can you list the steps of how to
read an informational text?
•Preview
•Question
•Summarize
•Review

10. Features – headings,
subheadings, realistic photos
with labels and captions
Navigational tools – indexes,
table of contents
Various graphical devices –
tables, charts, diagrams

11. Posters
Pamphlets

12. Textbooks
Encyclopedias
Dictionaries
“how-to” books
Field guides
“all about” books

13. Books
Magazines
Pamphlets
Newspapers
Posters
Web sites

14. Chronological … SS …
history
Logical order … think about
science / math books
Topical … religion … art …
building/architecture

15. Which book would you use if
I said find info on …
Pyramids
A WWII battle
Dogs
A mathematician

16.  Choose a topic
 Example … car or panda bear
 Write a short intro as if you were writing a story about that
topic
 Now, with the same topic, write a piece of informational text
about the topic
 Discuss
 What was your purpose?
 What was the reader’s purpose? … why would readers read
one v. the other?
 What did you do different?
 Heading
 Subheading
 Pictures with captions
 Etc

19. 1. What are the four steps of being an active reader?
2. What is the author’s purpose of writing a piece of
informational text?
3. What is the reader’s purpose for reading a piece of
informational text?
4. What is involved in previewing a chapter?
5. When do you ask questions about the chapter?
6. List 3 examples of informational text.
7. List 2 examples of literature that would not be
informational text.
8. What genre would informational text fall under?
9. Give 3 characteristics of a piece of informational text.
10.List 1 type of organizational structure of informational
text.

20.  Practice outlining and webbing
 Practice what we learned about how to read an
informational text
 Use SS text for practice –
 write down characteristics of informational text
 Author’s purpose
 Reader’s purpose
 Steps
 Preview the chapter (write down a couple of questions)
 Questions (write down questions you have WHILE you are
reading)
 Summarize
 Review
 Choose a chapter you have some interest in and
outline the chapter.