What is Your Child Learning?
Seventh graders learn to identify and analyze text structures - the organizational patterns authors use to present information. Understanding structure helps readers comprehend what they read and see how ideas connect. This skill is essential for the FAST assessment and for reading across all subjects.
On Florida's FAST assessment, students must identify structures and analyze HOW those structures contribute to meaning.
The Five Main Text Structures
Chronological Order: Events in time sequence (First, then, next, finally)
Cause and Effect: Shows why things happen and their results (Because, therefore, as a result)
Compare and Contrast: Examines similarities and differences (Similarly, however, in contrast)
Problem and Solution: Presents an issue and ways to address it (The problem is, one solution)
Description: Details about a topic's characteristics (For example, such as, specifically)
Activities to Try at Home
📰 News Article Structure Hunt
Read news articles together and identify the text structure:
- "How is this article organized? Does it show a problem and solutions? Causes and effects?"
- "What signal words helped you identify the structure?"
- "Why did the author choose this organization? How does it help readers?"
Example: An article about climate change might use cause/effect (why temperatures rise) or problem/solution (what we can do about it).
📺 Documentary Structure Analysis
Documentaries use text structures too! After watching, discuss:
- "Did the documentary follow events in order (chronological)?"
- "Did it compare different things (compare/contrast)?"
- "Did it explain why something happened (cause/effect)?"
- "Did it present a problem and suggest solutions?"
🍳 Recipe Analysis
Recipes use chronological structure! Discuss with your child:
- "What structure does a recipe use? How do you know?"
- "What signal words show the order? (First, then, next, finally)"
- "What would happen if you didn't follow the order?"
- "Why is this structure perfect for recipes?"
📊 Textbook Chapter Analysis
Help your child study more effectively by identifying structure in their textbooks:
- History texts often use chronological order
- Science texts often use cause/effect to explain phenomena
- Social studies may compare different cultures or governments
- "How can knowing the structure help you take better notes?"
Questions to Ask While Reading
- "How is this text organized? What pattern do you see?"
- "What signal words help you identify the structure?"
- "Why did the author choose to organize it this way?"
- "How does this structure help you understand the information?"
- "Could a different structure work for this topic? Why or why not?"
- "Does this text use more than one structure? Where do you see each?"
Parent Tip: Signal Words Are Clues
Help your child look for these signal words:
CHRONOLOGICAL: first, then, next, finally, before, after, during, later
CAUSE/EFFECT: because, therefore, as a result, consequently, due to
COMPARE/CONTRAST: similarly, however, in contrast, on the other hand, both, while
PROBLEM/SOLUTION: the problem is, one solution, to solve this, the answer
Signal words are helpful clues, but readers should also look at the overall organization!
Real-World Connections
Where You See Text Structures
- News articles (often problem/solution)
- Product reviews (often compare/contrast)
- History books (often chronological)
- Science explanations (often cause/effect)
Why Structure Matters
- Helps readers follow ideas
- Makes information easier to remember
- Shows relationships between ideas
- Helps readers predict what comes next
✍️ Writing Connection
Help your child use text structures in their own writing:
- "You're writing about the American Revolution - would chronological order help organize your ideas?"
- "You're comparing two books - how about a compare/contrast structure?"
- "You're writing about pollution - could problem/solution work?"
Understanding structure as a reader helps students become better writers!
Informacion para Padres (Spanish Summary)
Que esta aprendiendo su hijo? Los estudiantes de septimo grado aprenden a identificar y analizar ESTRUCTURAS DE TEXTO - los patrones de organizacion que los autores usan para presentar informacion.
Las cinco estructuras principales:
- Orden cronologico: Eventos en secuencia de tiempo
- Causa y efecto: Por que suceden las cosas y sus resultados
- Comparar y contrastar: Similitudes y diferencias
- Problema y solucion: Un problema y formas de resolverlo
- Descripcion: Detalles sobre caracteristicas de un tema
Preguntas para hacer:
- "Como esta organizado este texto?"
- "Que palabras clave te ayudaron a identificar la estructura?"
- "Por que el autor eligio organizar la informacion de esta manera?"
Consejo: Las palabras clave como "porque," "en contraste," y "primero" ayudan a identificar la estructura.