Language Arts · Grade 7

Active learning ideas

Informational Text Features

Active learning works for informational text features because students must physically interact with texts to see how features guide understanding. When learners annotate, redesign, or evaluate, they move from passive readers to active problem-solvers who recognize the real-world purpose of these tools in organizing and clarifying information.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.5

• 20–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Gallery Walk
• 45 min · Small Groups

Annotation Stations: Feature Hunt

Prepare 4-5 non-fiction articles or pages at stations, each highlighting different features. In small groups, students locate and annotate features with sticky notes, explaining their purpose in journals. Groups rotate every 10 minutes and debrief as a class.

Explain how text features like subheadings and captions support the main idea.

Facilitation Tip

During Annotation Stations, circulate to ask students to justify their highlighted features with a simple question like, 'How does this heading help you understand what’s coming next?'

What to look for

Provide students with a short informational article. Ask them to identify and list three different text features used in the article. For each feature, they should write one sentence explaining its purpose in that specific context.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Gallery Walk
• 35 min · Pairs

Redesign Relay: Improve Readability

Provide plain text passages to pairs. They add headings, captions, and a simple graph using paper or digital tools. Pairs pass to another for evaluation, then revise based on feedback.

Evaluate the effectiveness of a specific graphic in clarifying complex information.

Facilitation Tip

For Redesign Relay, provide only one article version per team to force collaborative decision-making about which features to add or remove.

What to look for

Present students with two versions of the same article: one with minimal text features and another with enhanced features (e.g., clear subheadings, bolded keywords, a relevant graph with a caption). Ask: 'Which version is easier to read and understand? Explain why, referencing specific text features and their impact on clarity.'

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Gallery Walk
• 40 min · Whole Class

Gallery Walk: Evaluate Graphics

Students create one-page summaries with features and post them. Class walks the gallery, using checklists to rate clarity and effectiveness. Discuss top examples whole class.

Design a set of text features for an article to improve its readability and accessibility.

Facilitation Tip

In Gallery Walk, place a timer next to each poster so students practice concise feedback within a set time frame.

What to look for

Students work in pairs to create a simple informational poster about a chosen topic. After drafting the content, they add at least two text features (e.g., a title, a subheading, a caption for a drawn image). Partners then review each other's posters, answering: 'Are the text features clear and helpful? Do they accurately represent the information?'

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Gallery Walk
• 20 min · Pairs

Feature Match-Up: Quick Practice

Print features cut apart and matching texts. Individually or in pairs, students match and justify choices on worksheets. Review matches together.

Explain how text features like subheadings and captions support the main idea.

What to look for

Provide students with a short informational article. Ask them to identify and list three different text features used in the article. For each feature, they should write one sentence explaining its purpose in that specific context.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Experienced teachers approach this topic by modeling how to read features first, not the text. They ask students to predict content based on headings or captions before reading, which builds anticipation and purpose. Avoid teaching features in isolation; instead, connect them to how authors use these tools to build arguments or explain processes. Research shows that students grasp features best when they see them as author tools, not just teacher-imposed rules.

Successful learning looks like students confidently pointing out how a heading signals a new section or explaining why a graph caption adds meaning beyond the visual. They should also critique layouts and propose improvements, showing they understand features as tools for comprehension rather than decoration.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Feature Hunt activity, students often think headings are just decorations because they overlook how headings organize content.

  During Feature Hunt, have students pair up to reorder scrambled headings and subheadings with their corresponding text sections, forcing them to see how features structure the flow of information.

• During the Match-Up game, students assume captions are redundant if the image or graph seems clear.

  During Match-Up, provide captions that add missing context (e.g., percentages, dates, or interpretations) and have students discuss which caption improves their understanding of the visual.

• During the Gallery Walk, students may think all graphs and diagrams present information equally well.

  During Gallery Walk, ask students to note the clarity of labels, scales, and titles on each visual, then compare which graphs effectively support the author’s argument.

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Methods used in this brief

• Gallery Walk