Text Features: Headings & Subheadings

Active learning works well for this topic because students need hands-on practice to see how non-fiction texts are structured. Moving around the room, collaborating, and applying skills immediately helps them understand the purpose of headings and subheadings better than passive reading alone.

• Year 3
• English
• 3 activities
• 15 min–30 min

Learning Objectives

1. Explain how subheadings help a reader predict the content of a text section.
2. Analyze the purpose of a table of contents for locating specific information within an informational text.
3. Identify the main idea and supporting details presented within a text section organized by subheadings.
4. Compare the information found using a text's index versus its table of contents.

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 25 min·Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: Feature Scavenger Hunt

Give groups a variety of non-fiction books and a checklist of features (e.g., 'Find a word in the glossary', 'What page is Chapter 3 on?'). The first group to find all items using only the navigation tools wins.

Prepare & details

Explain how subheadings help a reader predict what a section will be about.

Facilitation Tip: During the Feature Scavenger Hunt, circulate to ask guiding questions like 'How did you decide this heading belonged in the table of contents?' to reinforce connections between features.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials

Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Stations Rotation

⏱ 30 min·Small Groups

Stations Rotation: The Subheading Predictor

At one station, students are given a text with the subheadings removed. They must read the paragraphs and work together to create new, accurate subheadings that summarize each section's main idea.

Prepare & details

Analyze the purpose of a table of contents in an informational text.

Facilitation Tip: In The Subheading Predictor station, provide highlighters so students can mark evidence in the text that supports their predictions about subheadings.

Setup: Tables/desks arranged in 4-6 distinct stations around room

Materials: Station instruction cards, Different materials per station, Rotation timer

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 15 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Index vs. Contents

Show students a Table of Contents and an Index. Pairs discuss when they would use each one (e.g., 'I want to find the whole section on sharks' vs 'I want to find the one page about shark teeth').

Prepare & details

Differentiate between the main idea and supporting details within a section.

Facilitation Tip: For the Index vs. Contents activity, assign roles like 'Recorder' and 'Presenter' to ensure all students contribute to the discussion.

Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor

Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Teaching This Topic

Experienced teachers introduce this topic by modeling how to use headings and subheadings to answer questions, then gradually release responsibility to students. Avoid spending too much time explaining features abstractly; instead, let students discover their purpose through guided tasks. Research shows that students grasp these skills faster when they see immediate utility, such as finding answers to their own questions quickly.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students confidently identifying headings and subheadings, using them to locate information quickly, and explaining how these features improve comprehension. They should also articulate why skipping straight to the relevant section saves time compared to reading every word.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Feature Scavenger Hunt, watch for students treating the glossary like a generic dictionary.

What to Teach Instead

Use the matching game from the scavenger hunt to have students pair technical terms from the text with their glossary definitions, emphasizing that these terms are specific to the book’s topic.

Common Misconception

During the Subheading Predictor station, watch for students trying to read the entire text before predicting the subheading.

What to Teach Instead

Remind students to quickly skim the paragraph, focusing only on the first and last sentences and any bold or italicized words to predict the subheading before reading fully.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After the Feature Scavenger Hunt, provide students with a short article about an animal that includes headings and subheadings. Ask: 'What do you think the section 'Diet' will be about? Read the section and write down one fact that supports your idea.' Collect responses to check if students can infer content from subheadings.

Exit Ticket

During The Subheading Predictor station, give students a simplified table of contents for a fictional book. Ask them to write down: 'Which chapter would you read to find out about [specific topic]? Explain why you chose that chapter.' Use responses to assess their understanding of how headings guide navigation.

Discussion Prompt

After the Index vs. Contents Think-Pair-Share, present students with two paragraphs on the same topic, one with a clear subheading and one without. Ask: 'Which paragraph was easier to understand quickly? Why? How did the subheading help you?' Listen for explanations that mention skimming speed and clarity of purpose.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge early finishers to create their own two-page non-fiction text with headings, subheadings, and a glossary, then swap with a partner to test each other’s navigation skills.
• For students who struggle, provide a partially completed table of contents or index with missing entries they must fill in by scanning the text.
• Deeper exploration: Have students compare two non-fiction books on the same topic, one with clear headings and one without, and write a paragraph about which book was easier to use and why.

Key Vocabulary

Heading	A title at the beginning of a text or section that tells the reader what it is about.
Subheading	A smaller title that divides a section of text into smaller parts, giving more specific information about each part.
Table of Contents	A list at the beginning of a book that shows the titles of chapters or sections and the page numbers where they can be found.
Index	An alphabetical list of topics or names mentioned in a book, with the page numbers where they can be found, usually at the end of the book.
Main Idea	The most important point the author is trying to make about a topic in a specific section.
Supporting Detail	Information that explains or elaborates on the main idea of a text section.