Text Features & Structure | Parent Activity

Dear Families,

Your child is learning to identify and understand text features—special parts of a text like headings, diagrams, captions, and glossaries. On the Florida FAST test, students must explain HOW these features help readers understand information. Practice spotting text features in books, magazines, and even menus!

Why This Matters for the FAST Test

The FAST reading test asks questions like "Why did the author include this diagram?" or "How does the heading help the reader?" Students need to do more than just identify features—they must explain the PURPOSE and how the feature contributes to understanding.

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Headings

Tell what a section is about

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Bold Words

Important vocabulary

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Diagrams/Charts

Show info visually

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Captions

Explain pictures

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Glossary

Defines key words

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Shows what's in the book

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Activity 1: Feature Hunt at Home

Find text features in everyday materials

Gather materials: cookbooks, instruction manuals, magazines, newspapers, or textbooks.
Give your child 5 minutes to find as many different text features as possible.
For each feature found, ask: "What is it? How does it help you?"
Make a tally: Which feature appeared most often?

Example Finds:
Recipe book: Headings ("Ingredients"), bold words, numbered steps, photos with captions
Magazine: Table of contents, sidebars, charts, photos with captions
Game instructions: Diagrams, numbered lists, bold key words

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Activity 2: "What Would Be Missing?"

Understand WHY features matter

Choose a page from a nonfiction book or magazine with several text features.
Point to one feature (like a diagram or chart) and cover it up.
Ask: "If this feature wasn't here, what would be harder to understand?"
Discuss how the feature adds information or makes things clearer.
Repeat with other features on the page.

Sample Conversation:
Parent: "If we covered up this map, what would be harder to understand?"
Child: "We wouldn't know WHERE the rainforests are. The map shows us their location!"

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Activity 3: Create Your Own Features

Add features to a plain text

Write or find a short paragraph about something your child is interested in.
Together, decide what text features could be added:
- What words should be bold? (vocabulary)
- What picture or diagram would help?
- What headings could organize sections?
Have your child add the features (draw, write, or cut and paste).
Discuss: "How do these features make the text better?"

Text Feature Scavenger Hunt

Can you find these text features in books, magazines, or websites this week?

A heading that tells what a section is about

A bold word with its definition nearby

A diagram with labels

A photo with a caption

A table or chart comparing things

A glossary at the back of a book

A table of contents

A sidebar with extra information

Questions to Ask About Text Features

"What text features do you see on this page?"
"Why do you think the author included this [diagram/chart/photo]?"
"How does this heading help you know what this section is about?"
"Where would you look to find the meaning of this word?"
"What would be harder to understand without this feature?"
"How does this [table/diagram/map] make information easier to understand?"

Resumen en Espanol

Caracteristicas del texto: Su hijo esta aprendiendo a identificar y explicar partes especiales de los textos, como titulos, diagramas, leyendas y glosarios.

Caracteristicas comunes:

Encabezado (Heading): Dice de que trata una seccion
Texto en negrita (Bold): Muestra palabras importantes
Diagrama: Muestra informacion visualmente
Pie de foto (Caption): Explica una imagen
Glosario: Define palabras clave

Actividades en casa: Busquen caracteristicas de texto en libros, revistas y manuales. Pregunten: "¿Como ayuda esta caracteristica al lector?"

Home Activity: Text Features