Perfect Mentor Texts for Teaching Text Structure in Primary Grades
Let’s Talk Teaching Text Structures
My first year teaching, when I first saw teaching text structure on my list of reading strategies I thought, “WHAT IS THAT?!?!” I do not ever remember learning anything referred to as that name. However, it is such a beneficial skill that truly helps student comprehend what they are reading!
It is really important that you are teaching each of the five text structures separately and then how they work as a group to define how a text is organized. The perfectly chosen mentor text is the key to leading your students to grasp each text structure and its importance!
The Five Text Structures
- cause & effect
- problem & solution
- description
- sequence
- compare & contrast
I have found that it is helpful to teach each text structure separately and explain
- signs to identify it
- keywords
- importance
- how it helps you understand the text
all in the context of the mentor text, THEN read a text where you need to identify which of the text structures it uses. I usually start with giving 2 options to chose from then work up to having all 5 as a possibility.
I am sharing my favorite mentor texts for teaching text structure in shared readings/ think alouds.
- National Geographic Kids- Coral Reefs – description
- History of Fun Stuff- The Colorful Story of Comics– cause & effect
- Mistakes That Worked – problem & solution
- Who Would Win- Ultimate Shark Rumble – compare & contrast
- National Geographic Kids- Cats vs. Dogs – compare & contrast
- History of Fun Stuff- The 4-1-1 on Phones! – sequence
Obviously, these are just suggestions and what I have found work well with my students. Remember to ALWAYS prioritize choosing books that align with the interests and reading abilities of your students in order to see the most successful outcome. Most of these suggestions are in a series that you can pick a topic that will be best for your kids. Teaching text structures are really fun so enjoy the ride!
Mentor Texts Ideas for Other Non-Fiction Skills
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