Informational Reading
You need to be informed, yo!
Why do I need to know this?
We live in the “information age.”
 Approximately 96% of the sites on the
World Wide Web are expository in form.
 The majority of reading and writing adults
do is non-fiction, much of it informational.
 Academic achievement in a wide range of
subjects depends in part on ability to read
and write informational text.

http://www.ciera.org/library/presos/2001/duke/dukeimprovecomprehesion.pdf
Text features that signal
importance
Fonts and Effects
 Cue Words and Phrases
 Illustrations and Photographs
 Graphics
 Text Organizers
 Text Structures

from Strategies that Work, Harvey and Goudvis, 2000
Fonts and Effects

Titles, headings, boldface print, color print,
italics, bullets, captions, labels
from Strategies that Work, Harvey and Goudvis, 2000
Practice EOG test

http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/docs/accountabi
lity/testing/releasedforms/grade8readingrel
eased.pdf
Grade 8—Go to “Ear” selection, practice for
text features
Graphics

Diagrams, cross-sections, overlays,
distribution maps, word bubbles, tables,
graphs, charts
from Strategies that Work, Harvey and Goudvis, 2000
Text organizers

Index, preface, table of contents, glossary,
appendix
from Strategies that Work, Harvey and Goudvis, 2000
Text feature considerations
What is the author's purpose for using this
specialized text feature?
 What are the main ideas represented?
 Why did the author choose this type of
feature to convey the meaning?
 Can you think of another way of conveying
the same meaning?

Pennsylvania Assessment System
Classroom Connections, 2005
Tips
Look for the most important idea in the
selection. Note any signal words that
indicate an overall organizational pattern.
 Locate additional important ideas.
Identify their relationships to the most
important one.

For your thinking and planning. .








Why did the author write this article?
What was the author trying to prove in writing this?
What is the most important idea in this selection?
What are the three main points made by the author?
Are there other ideas the author could have included?
What statements support the author's main idea?
How does the author prove his/her main point?
Can you think of additional ideas that would support this
point?
Do you agree with the author? Why? Why not?

Pennsylvania Assessment System
Classroom Connections, 2005
Text structure




Chronological/Sequential Order: A main idea is
supported by details that must be in a particular
sequence.
Enumeration/Description: A major idea is supported by
a list of details or examples.
Comparison/Contrast: The supporting details of two or
more main ideas indicate how those concepts are similar
or different.
Cause/Effect: The supporting details give the causes of
a main idea or the supporting details are the results
produced by the main idea.
Pennsylvania Assessment System
Classroom Connections, 2005
Text structure:
Chronological/Sequential Order
Text structure: Chronological/Sequential Order
Author's Purpose: To teach readers how to make lemonade.
Major Idea: The steps in making lemonade
Supporting Details:
1. Cut lemons
2. Squeeze lemons
3. Remove seeds
4. Add sugar and water
5. Stir
6. Refrigerate
Pennsylvania Assessment System
Classroom Connections, 2005
Signal Words and Phrases Associated
with Chronological/Sequential Order

first
next
then
initially
before
after
when
finally
preceding
following
Pennsylvania Assessment System
Classroom Connections, 2005
How to change a flat tire:
Watch the following video:
 http://www.ehow.com/video_1863_change
-flat-tire.html

Then answer these questions!.....
See handout
Graphic Organizer
Chronological/Sequential Order
Author’s Purpose:
Major Idea:
Supporting Details:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Important Vocabulary:
Important Text Features:
Pennsylvania Assessment System
Classroom Connections, 2005
Chronological/Sequential Order
For your thinking and planning:
 What is being described in sequence?
 Why did a chronological order pattern
emerge?
 What are the major steps in this
sequence?
 Why is the sequence important?
Pennsylvania Assessment System
Classroom Connections, 2005
Signal Words and Phrases
Associated with Enumeration

for instance
for example
such as
to illustrate
most important
in addition
another
furthermore
first
second
Pennsylvania Assessment System
Classroom Connections, 2005
Signal Words and Phrases
Associated with Cause/Effect

because of
as a result of
in order to
may be due to
effects of
therefore
consequently
for this reason
if ... then
thus
Pennsylvania Assessment System
Classroom Connections, 2005
For your thinking and planning
Cause and Effect
What is the cause/effect process the
author is describing?
 Why did a cause/effect structure emerge?
 What is the cause?
 What is the effect?

Signal Words and Phrases Associated with
Comparison/Contrast

different from
same as
similar to
as opposed to
instead of
although
however
compared with
as well as
either... or
Pennsylvania Assessment System
Classroom Connections, 2005
Timetables and Schedules
Activity



You and your cousin are planning a trip to New York City,
using Amtrak. Your cousin must take the train from
Charlottesville to Richmond, and you must travel from
Newport News to Richmond, where you will meet and
travel together to New York’s Penn Station. You want to
arrive in Richmond as close to the same time as
possible. Upon your return to Richmond from New York,
the two of you will part ways, with your cousin returning
to Charlottesville and you going home to Newport News.
Students will use timetables provided at
http://www.amtrak.com to make travel plans for this trip.
Students should begin by reviewing the online
information for Using Schedules and Time Tables.
Student pairs will use the appropriate online timetables on the Amtrak
Web site to determine the arrival and departure times for both travelers
for all parts of the trip. Have them create a chart such as this:
Questions
• What is the cost of each round-trip
ticket?
 • What is the total cost of the tickets?
 • What trains will you ride?
 • How far in advance must you reserve
your tickets to get the best price?

Informational Reading Selections
“Yellow Stone Park” intermediate level
http://englishforeveryone.org/PDFs/Informati
onal%20Passages%20RC%20%20Yellowstone.pdf
 “Mosquitoes” intermediate level
http://englishforeveryone.org/PDFs/Informati
onal%20Passages%20RC%20%20Mosquitoes.pdf

Answer keys






Yellowstone
1.. A 1.. D
2.. D 2.. C
3.. B 3.. D
4.. D 4.. A
5.. B 5.. A








Mosquitoes
1.. D 1.. C
2.. B 2.. C
3.. E 3.. B
4.. A 4.. A
5.. E 5.. C
6.. C
7.. D
Final Assessment

Get out a pencil and review your notes
quietly while you wait for class to begin.