Reviewing and Locating Text Features

by
Alyssa Carmona

1. Learning Outcomes:
During this lesson, students will get to review and explore the various text features
that they have previously learned about. First, they will be provided with the
opportunity to brainstorm in order to come up with a list of text features, and will
be asked to match given definitions to the listed features. They will then work
within their groups to locate various text features within given books, before
sharing and discussing their findings with the entire class.

2. Common Core Standards:

CC.1.2.3.E: Use text features and search tools to locate and interpret information.
CC.1.2.3.G: Use information gained from text features to demonstrate understanding
of a text.
CC.1.5.3.A: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions on grade-level
topics and texts, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly.
CC.1.5.3.G: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English when
speaking based on grade 3 level and content.

3. Lesson Objectives:
Students will be able to recall various text features in order to create a class list.
Students will be able to select the appropriate text feature when provided with a
specific definition.
Students will be able to locate examples of each text feature within their groups
when given books by the teacher.
Students will be able to report and explain their findings to the entire class when
asked to do so by the teacher.

4. Anticipatory Set:
During this lessons anticipatory set, the teacher will work with the students to
brainstorm a list of text features.
o Before beginning the actual lesson, the teacher will be sure to cover up the
text feature anchor charts in the front of the classroom.
The teacher will begin by informing the students that their classroom teacher said
they were a little rusty with text features, so we are going to review and practice
with them today!
The teacher will then ask the students to raise their hands to tell him/her which text
features they remember.
As students raise their hands and provide responses, the teacher will create a list of
text features on the classroom whiteboard.
If students have trouble recalling certain text features, the teacher will provide the
students with hints (i.e. by asking: Which text feature?).
By the end of the brainstorming session, the list should include the following text
 features:
o Caption
o Glossary
o Table of Contents
o Bolded Text
o Index
o Map
o Table
o Diagram
o Headings and Subheadings
o Fact Box
o Timeline
This will conclude the anticipatory set, and the teacher will move on to the
procedures portion of the lesson.

5. Procedures:
Once the teacher has worked with the students to brainstorm a list of text features,
he/she will begin prompting the students to match each of the various text features
with their corresponding definitions.
One by one, the teacher will provide the students with a definition, and will ask
them to match the given definition to the appropriate text feature.
o For instance, the teacher will ask: Which text feature (corresponding
definition)?
o Students will use magnets to place each definition with the correct text
feature.
This process will be completed until each definition has been matched with its text
feature.
The text features and definitions for this portion of the lesson are as follows:
o Caption: words that explain a picture
o Glossary: little dictionary in the back
o Table of Contents: located in the front, and names chapters
o Bolded Text: fatter, darker print used for important words
o Index: located in the back, and is an alphabetical list of names and subjects
with page numbers listed
o Map: helps you find where things are
o Table: gives you information in an organized way
o Diagram: shows how something works, or shows parts of something
o Headings and Subheadings: tells you what information will be included on
that page
o Fact Box: gives you a bit of extra factual information
o Timeline: shows important events in the order that they occurred
Once this matching exercise has been completed, the teacher will provide
instructions for the next portion of the lesson.
The teacher will first inform the students that he/she has a challenge for them.
Each of the six groups will be given a stack of books by the teacher.
 o Students will be grouped based upon the classrooms seating arrangement
(base groups).
Working as a group, the students will use their given books to locate each text
feature (as many as possible, but the goal is to try to find at least one of each).
As they find their text features, the students will use post-its to mark them they
will be told to make their books hairy.
o This language is used by the regular classroom teacher, and it means that the
students should make the post-its stick out of the book (so that they can
more easily find their marked pages).
Before allowing the students to begin, the teacher will remind them that they can
quietly work, and will use their six-inch voices when they need to talk with their
group members.
At this point in time, allow the students to begin searching, and circulate around the
classroom.
o Check in with the groups of students as they work, and provide additional
assistance/support as needed.
o Be sure to carry around the jar of bears (used by the classroom teacher as
part of a reward system) and distribute them as appropriate to any groups
that are working and following directions.
Once the students are finished with their challenge/search (roughly 10 minutes),
the teacher will move on to the closure portion of the lesson.

6. Differentiated Instruction:
This lesson will be differentiated for the students in several ways. For one, the
students will gradually be provided with more of a responsibility throughout the
course of the entire lesson. Not only will their roles become more independent, but
their responsibility of working with the lessons content will as well. At first, the
students will be working as a whole class along with the teacher. Then, the students
will be required to work both within their base groups and independently. Lastly,
the students will need to individually report their findings during the lessons
closure activity.
Differentiation is also present within this lesson due to the fact that students are
able to brainstorm and review the text features before working to locate them. In
addition, the books provided to each group were selected ahead of time with the
help of the students regular classroom teacher. This will ensure the fact that the
students can find examples of the various text features when asked to do so. The
actual presence of text features, for instance, will not prevent the students actual
ability to identify them from being assessed.
Allowing the students to work within their base groups will also provide
differentiation due to the fact that it will provide students with the opportunity to
talk through and clarify their ideas with one another. In addition, this aspect of the
lesson will appeal to interpersonal learners. The needs of intrapersonal learners will
also be addressed, being that the students will also be provided with the
opportunity to work independently as they search for examples of text features.
Those with linguistic, visual-spatial, and bodily-kinesthetic intelligences will also be
 appealed to via this lessons various components. For instance, verbal discussions
will take place; written representations of lesson content will be utilized; visual
examples will be searched for and shared throughout; students will be given various
opportunities for movement (i.e. via: matching activity; sharing findings during
closure; thumbs up/thumbs down).

7. Closure:
At this point in time, the teacher will have the class come back together as one, and
will provide them with the opportunity to share and discuss their findings with one
another.
o The teacher will use the classrooms document camera to review the first five
text features: table, diagram, map, timeline, and caption. He/she will have
each group share for each of these text features.
o The remaining text features will also be reviewed using the document
camera, but not all groups will share findings. This time, the teacher will use
popsicle sticks to call on individual students to share.
For the first five text features:
o The teacher may choose a couple of students for each text feature to show
their example using the classrooms document camera.
o Each time, the rest of the class will give a thumbs up/thumbs down to tell
whether or not they agree with the groups finding.
1. Table: #1s from each group will be asked to come up to the front of
the room to share their groups example.
2. Diagram: #2s from each group will be asked to come up to the front of
the room to share their groups example.
3. Map: #3s from each group will be asked to come up to the front of the
room to share their groups example.
4. Timeline: #4s from each group will be asked to come up to the front of
the room to share their groups example.
5. Caption: #5s from each group will be asked to come up to the front of
the room to share their groups example.
For the remaining text features:
o Glossary
o Table of Contents
o Bolded Text
o Index
o Headings and Subheadings
o Fact Box
One by one, for each remaining text feature, the teacher will use the classroom
popsicle sticks to call on individual students.
Each student who is selected will share one example of the text feature at hand that
his/her group found with the rest of the class using the classrooms document
camera.
o Each time, the rest of the class will give a thumbs up/thumbs down to tell
whether or not they agree with the groups finding.
 Once this process has been repeated for each of the remaining text features, explain
to the students that this concludes our review of text features, and thank the
students for participating.
o Also remind the students that, now, they will all be really prepared for the
text feature quiz that their classroom teacher will be giving to them.

8. Assessment (Formative and Summative):

Formative Assessment
o Formative assessment for this lesson will occur upon various instances. It
will be ongoing, and each instance will drive the teachers instruction. Each
instance of formative assessment will provide the teacher with the
opportunity to decide how to change his/her instruction in order to best
meet the students needs.
o The first instance of formative assessment for this lesson will occur during
the lessons anticipatory set as the teacher prompts the students to recall text
features and create a class list. During this portion of the lesson, the teacher
will be able to formatively assess the students as he/she actively listens and
responds to them. In doing so, the teacher will be able to gain initial
information regarding students current understandings of the lesson
content.
o The next instance of formative assessment will occur as the students work to
match each of the text features with their given definitions. Once again, the
teacher will be able to formatively assess the students as he/she actively
listens and responds to them. Students responses during this portion of the
lesson will also enable the teacher to gain further information regarding the
students current understandings of text features.
o The next instance of formative assessment will occur as students work to
locate examples of each text feature within their given books. At this point in
time, the teacher will be circulating around the classroom in order to check
in and conference with the students. In doing so, the teacher will be able to
formatively assess the students understandings of the lesson content, as well
as their ability to apply it. The students actions and verbal responses during
this portion of the lesson will enable the teacher to assess which students are
demonstrating success with the lessons content, as well as those who
require additional support/assistance.
o The last instances of formative assessment will occur as the students share
and report their findings with the class. The teacher will not only be able to
formatively assess the students based upon their groups responses (selected
examples), but also by their individual responses (thumbs up/thumbs
down). As a result, both students actions and verbal responses will once
again provide the teacher with a means of formative assessment. During this
portion of the lesson, the teacher will once again be able to determine
students levels/current understandings of the lessons content, as well as its
application.
Summative Assessment
 o Summative assessment for this lesson will occur via a text feature quiz, given
to the students by their classroom teacher at a later point in time.

9. Materials/Equipment:
Classroom whiteboards (back of the room)
Dry erase markers
Definitions for text features
Magnets
Stacks of classroom books with various text features located within them (one stack
per group)
Post-its
Jar of reward system bears
Classroom document camera
Classroom projector
Popsicle sticks with students names on them

10. Technology:
The classrooms document camera, in conjunction with the classroom projector, will
be used in order to display examples of various text features during the lessons
closure activity as students share their findings with one other.

11. Reflection on Planning:

This was an interesting lesson to plan for being that it is the first third grade lesson
that I will actually get to implement. In addition, it is also the first actual whole
group lesson that I will teach within this exact student teaching placement. I have
only known these students for a short period of time, and although I have already
been getting to know them, and will continue to do so there is no doubt that my
cooperating teacher has a deeper understanding of these students. As a result,
conferring with her and gaining her insight was imperative. Her input was
extremely valuable, and really helped to guide me through the planning of this
lesson. She was not only able to provide me with suggestions for lesson content, but
was also able to provide me with suggestions for facilitating the lesson itself. She
helped to provide me with examples of the type of language I should use, and with
examples of the types of activities I could utilize.
According to my cooperating teacher, the students would benefit from more
exposure to and practice with identifying text features. Thus, her input was crucial
when selecting the actual topic of my lesson. She also provided me with the
suggestion of using the brainstorming/matching activities at the beginning of the
lesson in order to prepare students for the upcoming task of locating examples of
text features. The processes for having the students complete this task, and review
their findings, were also suggested by my cooperating teacher.
After talking through the ideas for the lesson with her, and gaining her input and
suggestions, I felt fully prepared to begin writing my lesson plan. In doing so, I was
also able to find ways to incorporate some other ideas/techniques, in order to make
the lesson my own. Not only do I want this lesson to provide the students with a
 meaningful way to review, explore, and interact with text features, but I also want to
use it as an opportunity to get to know the students in my classroom on a deeper
level. I am hopeful that this lesson will turn out to be effective for both of these
purposes, and I am very eager to see how it goes once carried out.

12. Reflection on Instruction (once the lesson has been taught):