Understanding Text Structures Video

Before Europeans came to North America ,many bald eagles graced the sky. As settlers moved west, they destroyed the eagles' natural habitat. Egg collectors and pesticides almost wiped out the bald eagle population. However, about 30 years ago the federal government passed laws to protect the eagles. Today, more than 7,678 pairs of bald eagles live in the lower United States.

How is this passage organized?

• Cause & Effect

• Compare & Contrast

• Chronological

• Sequence

Rainbows appear when sunlight passes through raindrops in the sky. As the light passes through, it is broken up into seven colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Rainbows normally appear from the rain, but they can happen wherever light is being bent inside of water droplets. Rainbows can be seen in mist, fog, spray, and dew. Rainbows are actually circles but they look like arches when we view them from the ground.

How is this passage organized?

• Chronological

• Compare & Contrast

• Descriptive

• Sequence

Astronomers claim that a star begins as a cloud of hydrogen and helium. As the cloud moves about, it collects bits of dust and more floating gases. Then, the cloud begins to warm as more dust and gases are pulled into it. After a long period of time, as the cloud becomes denser, heat and friction cause the atoms to explode. That is how a star is born.

How is this paragraph organized?

• Chronological

• Compare & Contrast

• Descriptive

• Problem & Solution

Both crocodiles and alligators look like large and intimating reptiles and share a number of similarities, including long snouts, powerful tails, short legs, and bony-plated backs. The main difference is that a crocodile has a narrow snout that comes to a point at the tip, and the fourth lower tooth is always visible even when the crocodile's mouth is closed. An alligator, on the other hand, has a broad, blunt snout. Another difference is color. If the reptile is gray or black then it’s most likely a gator. On the other hand, if you see one that is olive or tan you are most likely looking at a crocodile. How is this paragraph organized?

• Cause & Effect

• Compare & Contrast

• Problem & Solution

• Sequence

Both humans and beavers change their surrounding to suit their needs, and from time to time, these needs may come into conflict. Property owners, in particular, may experience unwanted flooding. When conflicts arise, it’s better to seek long-range solutions. Destroying beavers just creates vacant territory for new beavers to move in. Many property owners find success with water flow devices, which prevent issues from flooding caused by beaver dams. Pipe system devices control the water level in a beaver pond—offering a long-term solution for homeowners while allowing beavers to continue maintaining precious wetlands. How is this passage organized?

• Chronological

• Compare & Contrast

• Description

• Problem & Solution

After the Stamp Act and the Boston Tea Party, the British passed a series of acts that removed colonists from all positions of power, from judges to sheriffs, and restricted the colonial town meetings. The colonists called these the Intolerable Acts and it made them angry. The colonies formed the Continental Congress, their first united government, to demand fair treatment from Britain, who in turn saw this as a state of rebellion. In response, Britain sent troops to stop the riots and disband the militias that were forming. In April, the first shots were fired, and the Revolutionary War was underway. How is this passage organized?

• Cause & Effect

• Compare & Contrast

• Descriptive

• Problem & Solution

Michael Phelps is one of the greatest swimmers of all time. At the age of 7, Phelps starts swimming, mainly because his older sisters, Whitney and Hilary, were swimming. At just 10 years old, Phelps held a national record for his age group. Just five years later Phelps competed in his first Olympic Games in Sydney, and was the youngest member of the U.S. Olympic Team. After his Olympic debut, Phelps was the youngest man to break a world record in the 200 meter fly. He went on to compete in three more Olympic Games and won a record total of 28 medals. How is this passage organized?

• Cause & Effect

• Compare & Contrast

• Descriptive

• Sequence

The tongue is the fleshy muscle inside the mouth. A tongue lets us taste because the top of the tongue is made mostly of taste buds. Your tongue grows new taste buds about every two weeks. It is also very flexible, so it also helps us eat. When we chew, the tongue and the cheeks work together to constantly move the food between the teeth so that it can be chewed. The tongue presses the crushed food against the palate and moves this bolus, which is then ready to be swallowed. How is this passage organized?

• Chronoglogical

• Cause & Effect

• Description

• Problem & Solution

Texting and driving has become a huge issue, especially with the teenage population. 69 percent of U.S. drivers between the ages of 18 and 64 admitted to using their cell phone while driving during the previous month. Since texting increases the likelihood of a crash by 23 times, it’s a habit that must be stopped. A patent from Apple could play a big role in helping teens avoid accidents. The proposed feature would lock out certain features such as texts and calls. This would help eliminate the distractions phones provide. How is this passage organized?

• Cause & Effect

• Compare & Contrast

• Descriptive

• Problem & Solution

Both Divergent and the Hunger Games are dystopian novels who strong female protagonists. The protagonists face different difficulties in their stories. Tris, the main character in Divergent, mainly struggles to find her place in her new faction, while Katniss, the protagonist in The Hunger Games, has more day-to-day problems, such as finding food for her family. Although both societies rise from the ruins of North America, Tris and Katniss play different roles in their nation’s war. Tris is more of soldier, involved in the combat itself, whereas Katniss is portrayed rather as an icon of hope for the rebels. How is this passage organized?

• Cause & Effect

• Chronological

• Compare & Contrast

• Problem & Solution