This document introduces different organizational features of informational texts that help with comprehension. It discusses chronological order, logical order, and cause-effect structures. Chronological order arranges information by time or occurrence, and is used in biographies, news articles, and historical texts. Logical order presents events in a sensible sequence, as seen in recipes or directions. Cause-effect structures explain reasons and results, such as in science or history books. Key transition words help identify each structure. Diagrams like flow maps can illustrate the relationships between ideas.

1. Introducing
Organizational Features
of
Informational Texts

2. Essential Question?????
 What organizational features help me
comprehend informational text?

3. Vocabulary to know!!
 Chronological order
 Logical order
 Cause-effect
 Classification schemes

4. We will start with
Chronological Order
 What does the word Chronological mean??
 arranged in or according to the order of
time… in other words…gives information in
order of occurrence.
 How will this help you with informational
text you ask???
 Well, it will help you sequence events!!

5. When would you come across
something that is in chronological
order?
 Biographies
 News articles
 Current events
 Historical recounts
 Diary
 Autobiographies

6. What are some of the characteristics of
something that is in chronological
order?
 Shows passage of time
 Chronicles events
 Retell real life
 Who, what, when, why, and where

7. Here is an example of chronological
order in a paragraph…
Jessica was born in a small town where she lived until
she was three years old. Next, she moved to the big city of
Atlanta. There she stayed until she graduated high school.
Next, she went away to college in New York city. She stayed
there for four years where she met the man of her dreams
and decided to get married. In addition to marriage she
moved to Houston, Texas. There she started to work in the
medical field. After a few years she had her first child,
Thomas. After her son was a few years old Jessica decided
that they would move back to the same small town where she
was originally from. Finally back at home she was at last
happy.

8. What do the underlined words
represent…
Jessica was born in a small town where she lived until
she was three years old. Next, she moved to the big city of
Atlanta. There she stayed until she graduated high school.
Next, she went away to college in New York city. She stayed
there for four years where she met the man of her dreams
and decided to get married. In addition to marriage she
moved to Houston, Texas. There she started to work in the
medical field. After a few years she had her first child,
Thomas. After her son was a few years old Jessica decided
that they would move back to the same small town where she
was originally from. Finally back at home she was at last
happy.
The underline words represent a change in time.

9. Key words to watch for…
Finally Before
After Next
Then In addition
First Second
Earlier Later

10. How could you represent the events
that just occurred?
In a flow map…circle map…???
What is
the first
event?

11. Now let’s try it with a whole book!

28. Logical Order
 We’ve already discussed what
chronological order is. Now we need to
differentiate it between logical order.
 What does the word logical mean you ask:
 Capable of reasoning or of using reason in
an orderly cogent fashion.
 Huh???

29. Logical Order
 This simply means
“the order of events
makes sense.”
 How can you tell the
difference in logical
order and
chronological order.
Logical Order Chronological
Order
The order of
events that
makes sense.
Is the order of
events in
which they
actually
occurred.

30. Where would you find something that
was in logical order?
 A cook book
 Directions
 Fictional stories

31. Key words to watch for…
Until Before
After Next
Finally Lastly
First/Last Then
On (date) At (time)

32. Let’s see this in action…

33. Let’s now put the events in order

34. Let’s put everything together so far…
 Chronological order???
 Logical order???
 Words to watch for???
 Thinking map to use???

35. Now we will discuss the next
organizational feature…
Cause & Effect
 What is cause and effect??
 Cause: something that brings about an
effect of result.
 Effect: something that follows an action.
 This gives reasons/explanations for
happenings.

36. Where would you see this??
 In a book about how something works.
 In a book about why an animal is
endangered.
 In a book about the causes of acid rain.
 A history book.

37. Here is a few examples…
 We observed the crocodile as it stalked a
raccoon and then it finally attacked.
 As a result of the noise we made, the rabit
bolted…
 People bumps make me shiver. When the
temperature drops below 45 degrees. My
skin crinkles into people bumps.

38. Key words to watch for…
Since Because
This led to On account of
Due to May be due to
For this reason Consequently
Then, so Therefore
Thus Makes
If Then
Results in Creates

39. What thinking map could you use to
show cause and effect?
A Multi Flow Map

40. Let’s see this in action..