Tip #106 from Teacher Secrets for Parents (McKinley and Trombly) - Book Structure

 

Today's tip for parents from two talented teachers comes from 365 Teacher Secrets for Parents by Cindy McKinley Alder and Patti Trombly.

#106

Different Structures

The most interesting information comes from children, for they tell all they know and then stop.

Mark Twain

 

            Informational (nonfiction) books are written to inform, report, or describe information to the reader. In general, they are structured in one of six ways. If your child can begin to determine the structure the author uses in the text, she will be able to find the main ideas more easily.

 

Cause and Effect: In this structure, one event causes another to happen. The cause is why it happens, the effect is what happens. One event can have many effects. For example, if your child reads a book about smoking, there are many possible effects from that one event (coughing, shortness of breath, lung disease, etc.). Look for key words like since, because, if, then, due to, because of, or therefore.

Compare and Contrast: Texts that use the compare and contrast structure are helping the reader to view two or more different people, events or things and find what is the same or different about them (e.g., a book comparing alligators and crocodiles, or a book about two different presidents). Look for key words like similarly, the difference between, likewise, however, yet, or nevertheless. A Venn diagram (see Idea #143) works best for this type of book structure:

 

[CDL: draw a venn diagram here with alligators and crocodiles]

 

Problem/Solution: This structure is exactly as the title states. A problem is presented, and a solution follows (e.g., the problem is that the colonists didn’t want to be ruled by a king; the solutions is that, hey, went to a new land).

Question/Answer: Your child may read many books that use this structure when he wants to find out something specific. How does a clock work? How does a caterpillar turn into a butterfly? Why does a volcano blow its top? Look for key words like how, when, what, where, who, or how many.

Sequence: A book that has an ordered list of events uses the sequence structure. Some key words to look for are first, then, next, finally, after, or until.

Description: A descriptive book will have an abundance of information about a subject (about elephants, George Washington, or Alabama, for example). Using a mind map from Idea #157 is a great way to organize and remember all the information about the topic.

 Understanding how an author presents information in a book can help your child find the important information more quickly. He will know what to look for and he can use a graphic organizer to help organize and remember what he learned. You may find that many books have more than one structure. Decide what the purpose of reading is first and you’ll know which structure to focus on. If he’s reading about the American Revolution, what is he trying to learn—the problem and solution or the events of the entire revolution (sequence)? Regardless of which structure is used by the author, having a purpose for reading and using a graphic organizer will help your child stay focused and engaged as he practices being an active learner.          

   

     Cindy McKinley Alder                                            Patti Trombly

 

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