Introduction
Background:
The purpose of the unit, Analyzing Varied Text, is to promote students reading ability and provide them with the background knowledge and comprehension skills to understand the text. The unit will focus on understanding the type of text, identifying the author’s use of various languages, and pinpointing specific features to gain insight.
This unit will be broken into five subunits: genres, text features, text structures, story elements, and literary devics. Students will be able to read, comprehend, interpret, analyze, and evaluate texts at grade level mastery by the end of the unit.
This particular WebQuest will focus on text structures. Students will be encouraged to pull text that focus on topics in science and history in order to build upon Common Core State Standards.
Subunit Three: Text Structures
- Students will understand author’s reason for writing based on the structures used. (DOK 2)
- Students will identify signal words for various text structures. (DOK 1)
- Students will critically evaluate how texts have been structured to achieve their purpose. (DOK 2)
- Students will learn to use clues that identify text structure. (DOK 1)
Task
- I. Concept or Skill: Description text, including: (1) identify signal words, (2) compare and evaluate to sequential order, (3) create a graphic organizer, and (4) synthesize a text showing description.
- II. Lesson Objectives: The student will be able to identify descriptive text and respond to the author’s purpose based upon the text.
TASK:
Students will read two non-fiction excerpts of choice (8th grade reading level) and identify vivid details. Students will compare and contrast the author's style of writing based upon the text structure. Students will be able to analyze the authors' purpose based upon the text structure. The student will then produce a literary analysis expounding on the vivid details found in the texts.
Process
Introductory Activity:
Students will look at various artwork created by students and describe in vivid details the images. Artwork will be included in PowerPoint presentation.
Developmental Activity:
- Review the PowerPoint presentation.
- Students will select two non-fiction passages of choice (8th grade reading level). Select a passage that incorporates current objective in science or history.
- Students will then identify signal words, vivid details, and text structures found throughout the passage
- Student will then create a graphic organizer to go with each descriptive text.
Guiding Activity:
- Students will then rewrite a paragraph or passage from each text incorporating descriptive text. Students must incorporate at least 5 vivid details to enhance the paragraph/passage.
- Students will then compare the two and analyze why the author might have chosen the original text structure.
- Students will infer the author’s meaning based upon the text structure.
Bridging the Information:
- Students will then pull all the information together and create a literary analysis (3 pages) that expresses how the authors use of text structures and vid
Evaluation
- What signal words can be used to identify descriptive text?
- How would you teach descriptive text to a peer?
- How have you used the signal questions to understand text?
- Did the concepts taught enable you to comprehend text better?
Students will be graded using the rubric attached. Students must master this objective at 75% in order to move to the next lesson. Essays will be submitted online and returned the following day with feedback.
Conclusion
- Students will be given a short “simple” passage. Students will be required to incorporate signal words and details to show knowledge of description text. Students will be given 8-10 minutes to construct a "simple" passage using similar details.
- Students will master text structures focusing on descriptive text.
- Students will move to next level building upon skills learned from this lesson.
Credits
Resources:
http://www.literacyleader.com/sites/litlead.essdack.org/files/Text%20St…
Reading Comprehension 101
Text Structure 1 handout