Informational Text

​Informational Text

By Pauline Harvey

​Central Idea
The main message or point that an author is trying to make about a text

Multiple Choice

What is the central idea of a text?

• The author's biography and background.
• The main point or message of a text.
• A summary of the text's content.

​Always look at the title and the images or graphics in the text (text features)

​Title

​Title gives the reader the
topic which helps find
central idea

​Headings-helps the reader determine
main ideas of sections

​Heading

​Graph

​Graphs-organize information
to allow the reader to quickly draw
conclusions

​Photograph

​Photographs allow the reader
to visualize or see important
information

Multiple Choice

How do photographs help a reader of informational text?

• Photographs are used only for artistic purposes.

• Photographs help by providing visual context and enhancing understanding of the text.
• Photographs distract from the main ideas in the text.
• Photographs are there so that author's don't have to expain things.

Multiple Choice

How can titles help readers understand informational text?

• Titles summarize every paragraph in the text.
• Titles are only decorative and have no meaning.
• Titles provide detailed information about the text.

• Titles help readers understand the main topic and purpose of informational text.

​Look for clue words and phrases that are
repeated throughout the selection.

​Meerkats in Africa live in large groups of 20 to 50 members. The group works together to survive. All members of the group care for the baby meerkats. They take turns babysitting and will protect the young ones from danger. Members of the group also take turns watching out for threats from other animals while the group finds food. If any dangerous animal comes towards the group, the meerkat will bark a warning.

Open Ended

Type the clue words and phrases that are repeated.

Meerkats in Africa live in large groups of 20 to 50 members. The group

works together to survive. All members of the group care for the baby meerkats. They take turns babysitting and will protect the young ones from danger. Members of the group also take turns watching out for threats from other animals while the group finds food. If any dangerous animal comes towards the group, the meerkat will bark a warning.

• ​Read the first and last sentence of the passage. The central idea might be stated there.

• Identify examples, explanations, and details the author provides about the topic.

​Meerkats in Africa live in large groups of 20 to 50 members. The group works together to survive. All members of the group care for the baby meerkats. They take turns babysitting and will protect the young ones from danger. Members of the group also take turns watching out for threats from other animals while the group finds food. If any dangerous animal comes towards the group, the meerkat will bark a warning.

Multiple Choice

What is the central idea?

Meerkats in Africa live in large groups of 20 to 50 members. The group

works together to survive. All members of the group care for the baby meerkats. They take turns babysitting and will protect the young ones from danger. Members of the group also take turns watching out for threats from other animals while the group finds food. If any dangerous animal comes towards the group, the meerkat will bark a warning.

• Meerkats live in groups of 20-50 members

• Meerkats

• Meerkats bark when danger is near

• Meerkats live in groups to help each other

Multiple Choice

​Meerkats in Africa live in large groups of 20 to 50 members. The group works together to survive. All members of the group care for the baby meerkats. They take turns babysitting and will protect the young ones from danger. Members of the group also take turns watching out for threats from other animals while the group finds food. If any dangerous animal comes towards the group, the meerkat will bark a warning.

What conclusion can the reader draw about meerkats after reading this passage?

First let's talk about what this question means.

• Meerkats live on many continents.

• It would be hard for a meerkat to survive without the group.

• Young meerkats are lazy.

• Meerkats find food in many different areas