This document provides an overview of five common nonfiction text structures - description, sequence, compare and contrast, cause and effect, and problem and solution. It defines each structure and provides examples of key identifying words. Students are instructed to learn the different structures in order to enhance their reading and writing of informational texts and science reports.

1. Students…are you ready?!
• You are going to dive deep into a
nonfiction study and learn about a
variety of text structures…
• Enjoy and get your thinking caps on!

2. NONFICTION:
TEXT STRUCTURES
A lesson incorporating
•Reading
•Writing
•Science

3. Five Text Structures
Go ahead and count them
on your hand:
• 1. Description
• 2. Sequence
• 3. Compare and Contrast
• 4. Cause and Effect
• 5. Problem and Solution

4. Features of DESCRIPTION
• Main idea
• Unique features
• Supporting ideas
• Examples
KEY WORDS to look for:
“for example, involves, for instance,
next, also, within…”

5. Features of SEQUENCE
• List in order a series of events
• Steps in a process
KEY WORDS to look for:
“first, second, in addition, then,
last, finally, another…”

6. Features of
COMPARE AND
CONTRAST
• Lists and explains similarities and
differences of two ideas, objects,
or processes
KEY WORDS to look for:
“different from, same as, alike,
similar to, unlike, most, while…”

7. Features of
CAUSE and EFFECT
• Explains causes or reasons for an
event and the results or effects of
this event
KEY WORDS to look for:
“because, so that, thus, unless,
therefore, since, reasons for,
then…”

8. Features of
PROBLEM and SOLUTION
• States a problem and possible
solutions, or ways the problem can
be solved
KEY WORDS to look for:
“problem is, a solution is, solved by,
possible answer, in conclusion…”

9. Now let’s see what you
have learned…
• Sample Sentence:
“Golden Eagles are powerful raptors
with large brown bodies and small
heads with golden crowns.”
What type of sentence is this?
a. Description
b. Problem and Solution
c. Sequence

10. When reading
INFORMATIONAL TEXT:
• Reading and writing are
important skills in all subject
areas, including science
• Understanding and using
these different text
structures will help enhance
your reading and writing in
nonfiction
• Think about how knowing
these different text
structures will help you read
and write a nonfiction
science report for our next
unit on the Solar System

11. • Make sure to pay close attention to
the key words in the sentence

12. • The correct answer is “description”
text structure because the
sentence is describing the Golden
Eagle in detail.

13. How can I apply this in my
own learning?
• Reading expository • Higher level
or informational thinking:
texts • Describe
• Reader’s responses • Compare
• Writing nonfiction • Explain
report on _____ • Connect
• Science
• Social Studies

14. Now it’s your turn to apply
what you have learned:
• Look at the sample sentence strip
on the board
• What text structure does this
sentence fit best?
(description, sequence, compare and
contrast, cause and effect, problem
and solution)

15. Sentence Strip Activity
• One student will read • One student will
the sentence at your share WHY the
table aloud sentence fits that
• Determine what type text structure
of text structure it • One student will
is as a team match it correctly on
• One student will the board
share what type of
text it is with the EVERYONE
rest of the class PARTICIPATES