Unit 4: Text Structures

______________ is the overall organization of the text; how you divide up your writing.

A text structure used to show similarities and differences between two things, ideas, etc

• problem/solution

• compare/contrast

• cause/effect

A text structure that presents a problem and offers solutions to solve the problem. *

• problem/solution

• compare/contrast

• cause/effect

A text structure that presents ideas in the order in which they happen or happened.

• compare/contrast

• chronological/sequence

• cause/effect

A text structure that either discusses cause and shows the results (effects) or discusses the effect and projects backward to determine the cause.

• chronological/sequence

• problem/solution

• cause/effect

• compare/contrast

Which text structure is used in the passage?

In 1821 the first public high school in the United States was started in Boston. By 1900, 31 states required children to attend school from the ages of 8 to 14. As a result, by 1910, 72 percent of American children attended school. Half the nation's children attended one-room schools. In 1918, every state required students to complete elementary school. In 1954, the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education unanimously declared that separate facilities were unconstitutional and desegregation began.

• problem/solution

• cause/effect

• chronological

Which text structure is used the passage?

In recent days more and more Charter schools have been popping up in cities across the country. Both charter schools and neighborhood schools fill traditional roles like providing instruction, serving lunch and other meals, and administering the state tests. But charter schools and neighborhood schools differ in many important ways. One key difference is the amount of time students spend in school. In Chicago, students who attend neighborhood schools do so for around 180 days in a year, and each day is slightly over seven hours long. On the contrary, students who attend charter schools do so for around 200 days in a year and most charter school days are over eight hours long. While both neighborhood and charter schools provide free public education to students meeting enrollment criteria, student who attend charter schools spend more time in class. *

• problem/solution

• compare/contrast

• cause/effect

Which text structure is being used in this passage?

Having good attendance is important because attendance determines the school's funding. Some students have poor attendance, and the school has tried many ways of addressing this: teachers have talked to parents on the phone and the school has mailed letters. Yet, some students still maintain poor attendance. Next, the staff will attempt to schedule parent/teacher/administrator conferences with students who are habitually absent. Hopefully, this will help more student get to school everyday. *

• problem/solution

• cause/effect

• chronological

Which text structure is being used in this passage?

Some scientist believe that tornadoes are caused when warm air meets cold air, a tornado may form. The reason for this is that the warm air is lighter than the cold air, so it rises up fast and meets different winds moving different directions. Under the right conditions, this can cause a tornado. Many people believe that when warm, wet air meets cool, dry air, tornadoes can result.

• problem/solution

• chronological

• cause/effect

Which text structure is being used in this passage?

Hurricanes and tornadoes are both amazing yet deadly phenomena. Both generate deadly conditions, but in different ways. Tornadoes are likely to damage people and property with their high winds, which go up to 300 miles per hour, but hurricanes are generally more feared for their flooding. Also, hurricanes can produce tornadoes, which makes them quite dangerous indeed.

• compare/contrast

• chronological

• cause/effect