Elements of Nonfiction

Text FeaturesOrganization of IdeasAnalyze Technical Directions

Text Features (Keep in spiral, p.35-36)

1. Text features—design elements that highlight the structural patterns of the text and help you identify key ideas.

2. Headings—the title of the article.3. Subheadings—headings that signal

the beginning of a new topic or section within a written piece.

4. Sidebars—additional information set in a box alongside, below, or within an article.

5. Bulleted lists—lists of items of equal value or importance.

Main Idea & Supporting DetailsStep 1—Identify the main ideaStep 2—Evaluate texts1. Topic—what the text is about2. Main idea—the most important idea that

a writer wants to share about a topic. (can usually be stated in a sentence)

3. Topic sentence—usually the first or last sentence of a paragraph or section.

4. Implied main idea—it is not actually stated outright; readers must INFER the main idea from the supporting details.

5. Supporting details—facts, examples, or other kinds of information that reinforce or elaborate upon the main idea.

Summarizing (Spiral p.36)

Summarizing—the art of briefly retelling, in your own words, the main ideas and most important details of something you read, heard, or saw. (Summarizing is useful to share information on a test, research report, or in a conversation.)

To Summarize:1. Take clear & thorough notes2. Then, restate the main ideas & most

important details in two or three sentences. A good summary is always shorter than the

text it is summarizing.

“The Spiderman Behind Spider-Man” p.892-896 (Vocabulary Preview—spiral p.37)

1. Engaging Rate each word 1-4

2. Perseverance using the chart from

3. Potential yesterday.

4. Rendition

“The Spiderman Behind Spider-Man” p.892-896 (Vocabulary—spiral p.37)

1. Engaging—adj. Charming; likeable

2. Perseverance—n. Steady persistence in sticking to a course of action.

3. Potential—n. The ability to grow or develop.

4. Rendition—n. A pictoral (picture) representation; an interpretation.

Organization of Ideas (Keep in spiral, p.38-39)

Part-by-part order—One idea or group of ideas suggests another, which then suggests another, and so on.

To understand part-by-part order, pay attention to:

Topic sentences within paragraphs and new ideas they introduce and discuss

Subheadings that introduce new but related parts and topics

Reading Strategy: MonitorTo monitor your reading, you

pause to check your comprehension of the text. (Pause when the text confuses you and use the following strategies to clarify information)

1. Ask questions about the information presented.

2. Visualize, or picture, events and details being described.

3. Reread passages that you find confusing.

“Robo-Legs” Vocabulary (Keep in spiral, p.40)1. Mobility—n. the capability of moving from

place to place.2. Rehabilitation—n. the process of restoring

someone to physical capability, usually through exercise and physical therapy.

3. Keener—adj. more acutely sensitive.4. Appendage—n. a body part, such as an

arm or leg, that is attached to the main part of the body.

5. Serendipitous—adj. found by fortunate accident.

“Robo-Legs” Vocabulary 6. Pervasive—adj. present

throughout. 7. Infectious—adj. capable of being

transmitted by infection. 8. Contaminate—v. to make impure

or unclean through contact.

Skill Focus: Analyze Technical Directions (Keep in spiral, p.42)

Technical Directions—A type of procedural text, or text that explains how to do something.

These directions usually contain:1. A parts list or glossary of key terms

you need to know2. Illustrations, diagrams, or photos that

show key steps3. Clearly labeled instructions that

appear in a logical sequence (in an order that makes sense)

Technical Directions…Checklist:1. Scan the heading/subheadings to learn

what process is being explained. (Look for numbers/letters for the order of steps.)

2. Read the entire directions through once. (Figure out what you need to accomplish.)

3. Go back and reread the instructions one step at a time. (Do the steps now.)

4. Examine the diagrams or other graphics. (They may offer other information.)