Text Features Hunt

Year Level

Years 1 to 3

Duration

60 minutes

Curriculum Alignment

Australian Curriculum (v9) - English

Foundation to Year 3:

ACELY1666: Recognise that texts are created by authors who tell stories and share experiences that may be similar or different to students’ own experiences.
ACELY1670: Identify some features of texts including events, characters and setting (for imaginative texts) and topic, key events and ideas (for informative texts).
ACELY1672: Recognise and use introductory and concluding statements in information texts.
ACELA1467: Explore the different contributions of words and images to meaning in stories and informative texts.
ACELY1671: Use comprehension strategies to build literal and inferred meaning about key events, ideas and information in texts that they listen to, read and view.
ACELY1669: Respond to texts drawn from a range of cultures and experiences.
ACELY1676: Explore how texts are structured to engage an audience—such as title, headings, captions and bold print—and how these features help readers navigate and make meaning of texts.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Identify and explain various text features in informational texts such as headings, subheadings, captions, labels, diagrams, and bold print.
Demonstrate understanding of how these features support comprehension by locating key information.
Create a mini book showcasing examples of text features with labelled sections.
Practice cooperative learning through a treasure hunt activity.
Develop early research skills by exploring a variety of informational books or texts.

Materials Needed

Selection of informational texts/books appropriate for Years 1-3 (with clear text features)
Printed worksheets with a treasure hunt checklist (pictures and labels of text features to find)
Paper, coloured pencils, markers, glue, scissors for mini book creation
Pre-made mini book templates (foldable booklets with blank sections for each feature)
Dyslexia-friendly texts (simple fonts like OpenDyslexic or Comic Sans, with ample spacing)
Digital tablets or interactive whiteboard (if available) for modelling texts

Lesson Outline

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

Begin by discussing what information texts are (books or texts written to teach or inform).
Show an example informational text and point out some text features: headings, captions, pictures, labels, bold words.
Explain the purpose of these features — how they help readers find and understand information.
Introduce the “Text Features Treasure Hunt” activity: students will explore texts to find examples of these features.
Show the treasure hunt checklist and explain each item briefly, using both pictures and simple words.

2. Treasure Hunt Activity (20 minutes)

Organise students into pairs or small groups (2-3 students each) to encourage discussion.
Give each group a set of informational texts and the treasure hunt checklist worksheet.
Allow students to explore books, finding and marking examples of text features.
Circulate the room, supporting students with reading, identifying features, and prompting them to explain what they found.
Use guiding questions like:
"What is the title telling us?"
"Where is a caption? What does it tell us?"
"Can you find a word in bold? Why might it be bold?"

3. Creating Mini Books (20 minutes)

Explain that students will now create a mini book to show what they learned.
Each page/section will be dedicated to one text feature (heading, caption, label, diagram, bold print).
Students cut and paste examples from the text or write/draw their own examples.
Encourage colourful and clear labelling to reinforce understanding.
Offer dyslexia-friendly writing options: use lined paper with wide spacing, allow use of assistive spelling tools or peer support.
Advanced learners can write a sentence about each feature, explaining its purpose.

4. Sharing and Reflection (10 minutes)

Students share their mini books with the class or in small groups.
Ask pairs or individuals to explain one or two features they found and why they are helpful.
Discuss how text features make reading and learning easier.
Wrap up by asking students to think about where else they might see text features (websites, signs, magazines).

Differentiation Strategies

For diverse learners:
Provide dyslexia-friendly books and worksheets.
Use audio versions or read aloud texts.
Visual aides and pictorial checklists to support comprehension.
Flexible grouping allowing peer assistance.
For advanced learners:
Encourage writing descriptive sentences explaining the function of each text feature.
Include a challenge to find examples of text features in digital texts or websites.
Suggest researching an additional text feature not on the checklist (e.g. table of contents or index).
For learners needing extra support:
Work in smaller groups with adult or teacher assistance.
Use a limited subset of features to focus on (start with headings and captions).
Allow extra time to complete activities.

Assessment

Formative: Observe student participation during treasure hunt and discussion, noting ability to identify text features.
Mini Book Evaluation: Check each student’s mini book for inclusion of correct text features and labels.
Students explain one text feature orally to teacher or peers, verifying understanding.

Teacher Tips for Engagement

Use enthusiastic, exploratory language to spark curiosity ("Let's become text detectives!").
Provide real-life text examples students encounter (recipe books, instruction manuals, posters).
Include tactile activities like cutting and pasting to keep young learners engaged.
Celebrate discoveries with stickers or stamps on checklist for motivation.

This lesson scaffolds comprehension of key text features critical for navigating informational texts, aligns closely with Australian Curriculum standards, and incorporates student-centred, multimodal activities suitable for Years 1 to 3. The treasure hunt approach combined with creative mini book-making fosters both analytical and expressive skills in young learners.

The design ensures inclusivity through dyslexia-friendly resources and differentiated tasks fostering success for diverse learners and extension for advanced students. This practical, interactive lesson promises an engaging and effective exploration of text features.

Teaching Instructions