Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Established Goals:
I can identify the connection (cause/effect, sequence, problem/solution, compare
/contrast) between sentences or paragraphs.
R.I. 3.8: Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and
paragraphs in a text (e.g., comparison, cause/effect, first/second/third in a
sequence).
Background Information:
Before teaching this seed students need to understand the relationship between
cause and effect, sequence, problem/solution, and compare/contrast. In the 3rd
grade unit, weeks 19-24, students read a variety of texts where they had to
describe the relationship between ideas, events, and steps (seeds 4-7). Anchor
charts of signal words were created to help readers identify sequence and
cause/effect relationships. You may want to revisit these seeds before moving on to
this seed. You may want to start with teaching one type of connection at a time
such as sequence or compare and contrast.
The following link contains a video of a 3rd/4th grade teacher explaining how she
introduces her students to various text structures. http://dww.ed.gov/Reading-
Comprehension/Focus-on-Text-Structure/see/index.cfm?
T_ID=36&P_ID=98&c1=2075
Vocabulary:
compare
contrast
cause
connection
paragraph
relevance
sequence (first, second, third)
effect
sentence
Learning Activities:
Day 1:
1. Begin by giving students the text structures book or foldable. Explain that we
will be learning the different ways informational texts can be set up. Go
through each text structure in the book and have students write down the
definition. Then have them read and paste the example in the bottom part.
You can also have them write down the key words in the book. Then have
them go through the example and highlight the key words and how the text
shows it is that text structure.
2. Give the students the two paragraphs to read and decide as a class what
structure.
3. Do the text structure sort.
4. Give students the prove it sheet. They will have to read paragraphs and
decide which text structure it is and write a 2 on the short answer.
Day 2
1. Review the different text structures and give paragraphs and decide as a
class what text structure it is.
2. Do text structure sort #2.
3. Give students the prove it sheet. They will have to read paragraphs and
decide which text structure it is and write a 2 on the short answer.
Days 3 and 4:
1. Begin by providing students with a concrete example of different ways
writers can organize information. Lets say that I wanted to tell you
about what I did over the weekend. I may say something like; First, I
had to get up and run. Then I had to go to the grocery story. Next, I
had to make cookies for my daughters birthday. After that , Notice
how I told you the events in the order it happened. This is called
sequence. Provide students with other concrete examples to describe
the other structures like problem/solution, compare/contrast, and
cause/effect. Explain to students that writers will choose various ways
to organize their ideas like sequence or problem/solution.
3. During the guided practice portion, have students work with partners
to read short paragraphs from a variety of different texts and
determine the connection between paragraphs or sentences in the
text. Then have partners join another partnership to compare their
thinking. Finally, bring students back together to share how
sentences/paragraphs are connected using evidence to support their
thinking. During this discussion point out key words that signal
different connections.
Days 5 and 6:
1. Choose a passage that was used in the previous seed. Explain to students
that you have identified how the author has organized the information but
now we need to take it a step further by describing this connection. For
example, show students this section from Everything Dolphin by Marty Crisp.
Dolphins and porpoises are closely related. Porpoises have smaller heads and
shorter snouts than dolphins have. They have spade-shaped teeth, while
dolphins have cone-shaped teeth. But in modern language usage, some
people use the words dolphin and porpoise as synonyms, both meaning the
same thing. During the previous lesson you and your students identified that
this passage is comparing and contrasting how dolphins are different than
porpoises. Model for students how to explain why you think this is organized
this way using evidence from the text. You may want to use the following
prompt: Describe how the author has organized the information in this
paragraph. Support your answer with evidence from the text. Using large
chart paper, model how to respond to this prompt. Leave this chart up during
guided and independent practice as a model for student work.
3. During work time (small group instruction and independent practice) students
will continue practicing identifying how paragraphs in informational texts are
connected. Pull small groups of students who may need additional support.
Day 7:
Continue with practice/review and assessment.