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English lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 30 minutes

Text features (headings, captions, glossaries)

Reading Comprehension

CCSS RI.3.5CCSS RI.2.5England: Y3/4 Reading (non-fiction features)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Text features (headings, captions, glossaries).

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: What is it mostly about?

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: A short text or extract (one copy each), Highlighters, Question cards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (What is it mostly about?). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Apples can be red, green or yellow. You can eat them raw or bake them in a pie. What is this mostly about? (colors / pies / apples / baking) → applesPrompt: What is the WHOLE text mostly about, not just one part?
  2. Teeth help us bite and chew. Brush them twice a day to keep them clean and strong. What is this mostly about? (teeth / bedtime / food / brushes) → teethPrompt: What is the WHOLE text mostly about, not just one part?

Hook · 3 min

  • Read the first lines of a short text aloud and ask what students predict will happen and why.
  • Share the objective: Text features (headings, captions, glossaries). Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: A text has the words "What Do Koalas Eat?" in large bold letters above a paragraph. What is this feature called?
  • Step 1: Text structure is how a writer organises ideas.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: a heading
  • Answer: a heading
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. A book about volcanoes has a section at the back listing hard words and their meanings. What is this section called? (a heading / a caption / an index / a glossary) → a glossaryPrompt: How is the information organised?
  2. Near the front of a book is a list of chapters and the pages they start on. What is this called? (the glossary / the table of contents / a caption / the index) → the table of contentsPrompt: How is the information organised?

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. A diagram of a plant has words with lines pointing to the roots, stem and leaves. What are these words called? (labels / a glossary / captions / headings) → labelsPrompt: How is the information organised?
  2. A text has the words "What Do Koalas Eat?" in large bold letters above a paragraph. What is this feature called? (a label / a heading / a glossary / a caption) → a headingPrompt: How is the information organised?

Watch out for

  • Answering from memory or opinion instead of evidence in the text.
  • Copying a long quote without explaining what it shows.

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: What is it mostly about?.
  • Use concrete materials: a short text or extract (one copy each).
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-3.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Text features (headings, captions, glossaries)

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    You want to find which page of a book about space mentions Saturn. Which part of the book should you use?

    • A. the index
    • B. the cover
    • C. the caption
    • D. the glossary

  2. Question 2

    Under a photo of a lion, there is a short sentence: "A male lion resting in the shade." What is this sentence called?

    • A. a caption
    • B. a table of contents
    • C. a glossary
    • D. a title page

  3. Question 3

    Near the front of a book is a list of chapters and the pages they start on. What is this called?

    • A. the index
    • B. the glossary
    • C. a caption
    • D. the table of contents

  4. Question 4

    A diagram of a plant has words with lines pointing to the roots, stem and leaves. What are these words called?

    • A. labels
    • B. captions
    • C. a glossary
    • D. headings

  5. Question 5

    A book about volcanoes has a section at the back listing hard words and their meanings. What is this section called?

    • A. a caption
    • B. a heading
    • C. a glossary
    • D. an index

  6. Question 6

    A text has the words "What Do Koalas Eat?" in large bold letters above a paragraph. What is this feature called?

    • A. a heading
    • B. a label
    • C. a caption
    • D. a glossary

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Answer key: Text features (headings, captions, glossaries)

  1. 1. A. the index

  2. 2. A. a caption

  3. 3. D. the table of contents

  4. 4. A. labels

  5. 5. C. a glossary

  6. 6. A. a heading