Animal Information Texts

Overview

Students begin a 30-lesson unit by learning what information texts are and noticing key features such as headings, subheadings, and images. They practise identifying these features on an animal page and discuss how they help the reader find information.

Learning intentions

• Students will identify an information text and explain what it is for.
• Students will recognise common features: headings, subheadings, and images with labels/captions.
• Students will use an animal theme to sort and match text features to their purpose.
• Students will communicate ideas using sentences that link the feature to how it helps the reader.

Success criteria

• I can tell the class what an information text is used for (to inform).
• I can point to a heading and a subheading and say what each helps the reader do.
• I can identify images and explain how they support the written information.
• I can participate in a group discussion using complete sentences.

Curriculum links

• English: understanding how texts are structured and how language features help readers (including headings and images).
• English: using speaking and listening to share ideas and contribute to group discussions.
• English: using comprehension strategies to make meaning from texts.
• English: creating short written or visual responses that represent information.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 5 — Welcome and goal setting: Show two picture books: one story and one animal information page. Ask, “Which one tells facts?” and “How do you know?” Briefly introduce that this unit is about learning how information texts help us find out about animals.

2. 7 — Mini lesson: what features do we notice?: Display a single animal information page (large print on the board). Point to: heading, subheading, and an image. Say: “Headings tell the main topic. Subheadings break it into smaller parts. Images show details and help our understanding.”

3. 10 — Guided noticing with think-aloud: Reread the page as a class. Model where your eyes go first (heading), then what you look for next (subheading), and then how the image matches the text. Ask three quick questions: “What animal is this?”, “What is the next part called?”, “What does the picture help us see?”

4. 12 — Small group feature hunt (6 students): In one group, give each learner a small stack of feature cards (Heading, Subheading, Image). Display the same animal page divided into sections. Students take turns placing cards under the correct parts and saying one sentence: “This is a heading because…”.

5. 8 — Talk task: “How it helps the reader”: Provide sentence starters on the board:

• “A heading helps me…”
• “A subheading helps me…”
• “The image helps me…” Students choose one starter and share in a round. Keep answers short and focus on the purpose of each feature.

6. 3 — Exit check and tidy: Each student points to one feature on the page and completes a one-word or one-sentence response (e.g., “heading”, “subheading”, “image”). Collect materials.

Resources

• Large-print animal information text page (simple layout with heading, one subheading, one image with label/caption)
• Colour-coded feature cards: Heading, Subheading, Image (and optional “Caption/Label” if included on the page)
• Sentence starter cards or board sentence stems
• Projector/interactive whiteboard (or printouts if no digital access)
• Timer visible to students
• Student folders or clipboards for response pages
• Whiteboard markers and magnets or Velcro for placing feature cards
• Optional: animal picture cards to support engagement if reading is challenging

Assessment

• Teacher checklist during the feature hunt: can the student correctly identify headings, subheadings, and images?
• Observe oral responses using the sentence starters: whether the student links the feature to its purpose.
• Exit check: quick pointing and one-sentence explanation to confirm understanding.

Differentiation

• Support: Use large print, limit to one page, and provide sentence starters and gesture prompts (pointing to heading/subheading/image).
• Support: Pre-teach vocabulary informally (heading, subheading, picture/label) with actions and repeated modelling.
• Extension: Ask students to suggest a possible subheading for a new animal section or predict what information might come after the image.
• EAL/SEN: Allow responses in short phrases; accept pointing plus one word; provide sentence frames and maintain consistent structure across lessons.