Text Structure | Parent Activity Guide

What is Text Structure?

Text structure is the way an author organizes information in a text. Fifth graders learn to identify five main structures: compare/contrast, cause/effect, problem/solution, sequence, and description. Understanding text structure helps students comprehend and remember what they read.

On Florida's FAST assessment, students must identify text structures and explain how they help convey meaning.

The Five Text Structures

Compare/Contrast Shows similarities and differences
Signal words: but, however, similarly, unlike, both

Cause/Effect Explains why something happens and the result
Signal words: because, therefore, as a result, due to

Problem/Solution Presents a problem and ways to solve it
Signal words: the problem is, one solution, resolved

Sequence Shows events or steps in order
Signal words: first, next, then, finally, after

Description Describes features, characteristics, or examples of a topic
Signal words: for example, such as, includes, characteristics

Activities to Try at Home

📰 News Article Detective

Look at news articles or magazine features together and identify the text structure:

Sports articles often use sequence to describe how a game unfolded
Science articles often use cause/effect to explain phenomena
Opinion pieces often use problem/solution
Product reviews often use compare/contrast

Ask: "How did the author organize this article? What signal words do you notice?"

📺 Commercial Analysis

TV commercials often use problem/solution structure! Watch commercials together and identify:

What problem does the commercial present?
What solution does the product offer?
This helps kids see text structure in everyday life!

🍳 Recipe Reading

Recipes are perfect examples of sequence structure!

Cook or bake something together using a written recipe
Point out signal words: "First," "Next," "Then," "Finally"
Ask: "Why is it important that recipes are in order?"
Discuss: "What would happen if we did step 5 before step 2?"

🔬 Science Connection

Science topics naturally use cause/effect structure. Discuss everyday phenomena:

"Why does ice melt?" (CAUSE: heat / EFFECT: ice turns to water)
"Why do we wear sunscreen?" (CAUSE: sun exposure / EFFECT: sunburn)
"What happens when plants don't get water?" (CAUSE: no water / EFFECT: plants wilt)

📊 Comparison Conversations

Practice compare/contrast in daily conversations:

Compare two foods: "How are apples and oranges similar? Different?"
Compare two activities: "How is soccer like basketball? How is it different?"
Compare two books or movies your child has enjoyed

Use signal words: "Both... but... however... similarly... unlike..."

Questions to Ask While Reading

"What is the author mainly trying to do - explain why something happens, compare things, solve a problem, show steps, or describe something?"
"What signal words do you notice? What do they tell you about the structure?"
"If you were going to draw a picture of how this information is organized, what would it look like?"
"Why do you think the author chose to organize the text this way?"
"What graphic organizer would help you understand this text?"

Matching Structures to Graphic Organizers

Help your child visualize text structure by matching each type to its organizer:

Compare/Contrast Venn Diagram (overlapping circles)

Cause/Effect Arrows showing cause leading to effect

Problem/Solution Two boxes: Problem on left, Solution on right

Sequence Timeline or flowchart with arrows

Informacion para Padres (Spanish Summary)

Que es la estructura del texto? Es la manera en que un autor organiza la informacion. Los estudiantes de quinto grado aprenden cinco estructuras principales:

Comparar/Contrastar: Muestra similitudes y diferencias
Causa/Efecto: Explica por que algo sucede y el resultado
Problema/Solucion: Presenta un problema y como resolverlo
Secuencia: Muestra eventos o pasos en orden
Descripcion: Describe caracteristicas de un tema

Actividades en casa:

Lean recetas juntos (secuencia)
Comparen dos peliculas o libros (comparar/contrastar)
Discutan por que ocurren las cosas (causa/efecto)
Busquen palabras clave como "porque," "sin embargo," "primero"

Text Structure - Parent Activity Guide