Informative Text Structures

Overview

In this second lesson of the 10-lesson unit, students examine a range of informative texts to identify common text stages and structures. They focus on how authors organise information (chronological order, cause and effect, and comparison) and how these structures support the purpose of informing and engaging readers.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• identify typical stages and phases in informative texts (such as an introduction and information sections)
• recognise common text structures used to organise information: chronological order, cause and effect, and comparison
• explain how authors adapt structure and language features to suit the text’s purpose and audience
• use a simple planning framework to record evidence from texts

Success criteria

Students can:

• name the structure of an informative section (chronological, cause–effect, or comparison) and justify it with details
• locate structural stages (e.g. introduction, body/sections, closing) in an informative text
• describe how specific language features help readers follow the organisation (e.g. time words, because/so, compare/contrast markers)
• contribute to group discussion using evidence from the text

Curriculum links

• Explain how texts across the curriculum are typically organised into characteristic stages and phases depending on purposes, recognising how authors adapt text structures and language features - Analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text and engage audiences - Select, navigate and read texts for a purpose, monitoring meaning and evaluating the use of structural features - Plan, create, edit and publish written and multimodal texts using text structure and language features through a short evidence-based response

Lesson structure (45 minutes total)

1. 0–5 min · Hook (Think–Pair–Share). Teacher shows three short “information excerpts” (one time-based, one cause–effect, one comparing two things) and asks students which set feels most “step-by-step”, “because/so”, or “both/compared”. Students share initial guesses and reasoning with a partner.

2. 5–12 min · Mini-teach: stages vs structures. Teacher briefly models how informative texts often include stages (introduction, information sections, conclusion) and that within the body, authors may use structures like chronological order, cause and effect, or comparison. Students copy a class anchor chart:

• Introduction (topic + what you will learn)
• Information stage (organised sections)
• Closing (summary or key takeaway)

3. 12–22 min · Guided analysis (Text Hunt). Teacher displays an informative text (print or projected) about a familiar topic (e.g. “How recycling works”, “Weather and climate”, or “How volcanoes form”). Students work in pairs to:

• highlight the introduction stage
• identify one information section and label it as chronological, cause–effect, or comparison
• underline 2–3 language clues (e.g. first/next/then; because/therefore/so; however/but/whereas/likewise). Teacher circulates with prompts: “What makes you say that?” and “Which sentences give evidence?”

4. 22–30 min · Group jigsaw: compare structures. Teacher groups students into threes and assigns each group one short excerpt set (three excerpts total across the class, each representing a different structure). Each group completes a “Structure Evidence” sheet:

• Structure type: chronological / cause–effect / comparison
• Stage(s) present (intro/body/closing where visible)
• Evidence: 3 quoted or copied phrases/sentences
• Effect: “This helps the reader because…” Students record their findings and prepare to share.

5. 30–38 min · Whole-class share: how structure meets purpose. Teacher facilitates a discussion linking structure to purpose and audience. Students share their evidence and teacher records a “What authors do” chart:

• Chronological: helps readers follow processes and steps
• Cause–effect: helps readers understand reasons and outcomes
• Comparison: helps readers weigh similarities/differences. Teacher asks: “How did the language features make the structure easier to follow?”

6. 38–45 min · Exit ticket (Individual). Students complete a short written response:

• “In the informative text, the body is mainly organised as a ___ (choose one).”
• “Two words/sentences that show this are ___ and ___.”
• “This structure helps the reader by ___.” Teacher collects for quick checks.

Resources

• 3 short informative excerpts (time-based, cause–effect, comparison), printed or displayed
• 1 fuller informative text for the guided analysis (student-friendly, age appropriate)
• Highlighters or sticky notes (or digital annotation tools)
• Anchor chart: stages (introduction/body/closing) and structure types with example word clues
• “Structure Evidence” recording sheet
• Exit ticket slips or digital form
• Projector/screen for modelling excerpts and text

Assessment

• Formative observation during pair and group tasks using prompts about evidence and structure labels
• Checklist while circulating: students can identify structure type and provide 2+ language clues
• Exit ticket to confirm understanding of structure type, evidence, and the purpose connection

Differentiation

• Provide sentence starters for evidence explanations: “The structure is chronological because…”, “This helps readers understand…”
• Offer a scaffolded graphic organiser (three boxes with time words / because-so words / compare-contrast words) for students who need support
• Extension for early finishers: ask them to identify the stage boundaries (where introduction ends and information begins) and how that stage transition is signalled
• For EAL/SEN: pre-select key phrases to underline, allow pointing to evidence before writing, and use consistent colour-coding for structure types