Today is rung 5 of 9 on this topic
How non-fiction is organised
Can do: Spots cause-and-effect, compare-and-contrast, sequence and problem-solution structures, and uses headings and diagrams.
Why it matters
Knowing the structure means knowing where the answer will be. It is the difference between reading a textbook and searching one.
What it looks like when it's wobbly
Reads non-fiction start to finish like a story, ignoring headings, captions and diagrams entirely.
⏱️ Two-minute check
Show a non-fiction page. "How is this organised? What does the diagram add that the text doesn't?"
Solid looks like: Names a structure, and finds something in the diagram not stated in the words.
The full activity for this topic · 15 minutes
Preview Before You Read
- 1Before reading a word, do a two-minute tour: title, headings, pictures, captions, bold words.
- 2Predict what the section will tell you and what structure it uses.
- 3Read it and check the prediction.
- 4Turn each heading into a question, then answer it from the text.
- 5Explain what the diagram or table added — there is almost always something.
If it's too hard
One page, headings only.
If it's too easy
Turn the whole section into an outline with the structure labelled.
Say this
"Tour it before you read it. Headings, pictures, bold words — what's this page going to tell you?"