Nonfiction Text Structures

Identify the text structure:

Astronauts face many difficulties in space caused by weightlessness. One of the challenges is floating around the cabin. To solve this problem, astronauts wear shoes that are coated with a special adhesive. This adhesive sticks to the floor of the cabin. Serving food is another difficulty. It won’t stay on the table! Experts solved this problem by putting food and drinks in pouches and tubes. Food is preprocessed and only needs to be mixed with water. Weightlessness makes the simple task of turning a doorknob or a wrench a real problem. Since there is no gravity to keep the astronaut down, when he exerts a force one way, the opposite force may flip him over completely. Being very careful about how much force one exerts to do these simple tasks usually solves these problems. On earth, life is much simpler, thanks to gravity.

• chronological

• cause/effect

• problem/solution

• question/answer

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

CCSS.RI.8.5

CCSS.RI.9-10.5

Identify the text structure:

Wetlands are important for many reasons. Not only do they serve as resting places for migrating birds, but they are also breeding grounds for many different types of animals. Wetlands also absorb excess water during storms, helping to prevent flooding. The plants of wetlands help to absorb toxins and improve water quality.

• cause/effect

• descriptive

• argument/evidence

• sequential

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

CCSS.RI.8.5

CCSS.RI.9-10.5

Identify the text structure:

A coconut is a tropical fruit. It comes from Asia originally, but it grows in Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Central America, and South America. A coconut grows on a coconut palm, which looks like a palm but actually is taller and has more leaves. The coconut appears to be shades of brown and has a hairy shell. On the inside, there is a watery liquid called coconut milk. After you break through the shell, you find what is called the coconut meat. Both the meat and the milk are white. Dried coconut meat is called copra. The coconut is a very interesting fruit.

• descriptive

• cause/effect

• sequential

• compare/contrast

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

CCSS.RI.8.5

CCSS.RI.9-10.5

Identify the text structure:

Planting a riparian buffer zone is easy, but requires some planning. The first step is to observe the area. What is already growing there? Next, decide what you would like to plant. Trees like river birches, pin oaks, and sycamores provide habitat for wildlife as well as a good buffer zone. A shrub like sweet spire is both ornamental and well-suited to the wet area. After you have decided on the plants, gather the necessary tools. Then you can get started on your riparian buffer zone!

• descriptive

• chronological

• compare/contrast

• sequential

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

CCSS.RI.8.5

CCSS.RI.9-10.5

Identify the text structure:

Daniel Sullivan was the first to notice the flames coming from the O’Leary barn at around 8:30 pm on October 8. A problem with the alarm box made it impossible for the people in the area to call for the fire department. By 9:30 pm, the entire block was blazing. In another 3 hours, there were fires all over Chicago. The heavy wind coming from the lake only made the fire bigger. It would be another day before the fire would be completely out. By that time, 17,500 buildings had been burned.

• descriptive

• chronlogical

• compare/contrast

• problem/solution

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

CCSS.RI.8.5

CCSS.RI.9-10.5

Identify the text structure:

The way you take care of your lawn can affect the watershed. Many people use pesticides and herbicides to kill insects and weeds. These chemicals can run off into streams and rivers, harming plants and animals.

• cause/effect

• chronological

• description

• problem/solution

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

CCSS.RI.8.5

CCSS.RI.9-10.5