Informational Text

Another name for the Controlling Idea or a text is…

• topic sentence

• main idea

• hook

• evidence

Informational Texts have a very organized structure.

• True

• False

In a recent survey of parents of children in grades 1-8, more than half of the parents agreed that students are overburdened with homework. These parents favored mandating less homework in local schools.

• persuade

• describe

• explain

• inform

In 1972, Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Traf-O-Data, a computer program that tracked automobile traffic based on counters installed on roadways. Although Traf-OData was only moderately successful, the two men would go on to found Microsoft a few years later.

• inform

• persuade

• explain 

• entertain

The Food Group Pyramid tells how to eat healthy. It shows how food is divided into six groups. It is important to eat foods that belong to each group every day. The pyramid helps show how much of each you should eat.

The author wrote this paragraph mainly to -

• compare the different food groups in the Food Group Pyramid

• provide you information about the Food Group Pyramid

• persuade you to use the Food Group Pyramid to plan your meals

• offer a different way to look at food based off of the Food Group Pyramid

What is the main idea?

• Its the authors point of view

• Is what the passage is mostly about

• It is the sequence of the story.

IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA

Being a clown isn't all fun and games. Rodeo clowns expose themselves to great danger every time they perform. When cowboys dismount or bulls buck them off, rodeo clowns jump in front of the bulls and motion wildly to get their attention. In this way rodeo clowns provide an alternate target, and in doing so protect the rider. Of course, this is a very dangerous thing to do. So you see, sometimes clowning around can be serious business.

• Sometimes clowns can mean serious bussiness.

• Rodeo clowns protect cowboys by putting themselves in danger.

• Cowboys and Rodeo Clowns are constantly in danger.

• A Rodeo bull's attention is easily caught by Rodeo clowns.

If someone wrote an article about how to meditate and why you should try it, what would we say is the author’s two-part purpose?

• describe & entertain

• explain & express

• describe & express

• explain & persuade

To save water, consider installing a rain barrel. Begin by drilling a hole in the top of a large, plastic barrel. Drill a second hole on the side of the barrel, about two inches from the top. Drill a third hole in the base. Fit pipe adapters into the holes. These will later be fitted to a hose so that you can access the water for your lawn or garden.

• inform

• persuade

• entertain

• explain

The author's reason for writing about the topic that controls all of the information included is called -

• Topic Sentence

• Opinion

• Fact

• Controlling Idea