Identifying Non-Fiction Text Features

Active learning works for this topic because six- and seven-year-olds learn best by touching, moving, and talking. When students physically hunt for text features, they build spatial memory of where information lives in a book, which helps them become purposeful readers.

• Year 1
• English
• 3 activities
• 15 min–30 min

Learning Objectives

1. Identify the purpose of headings, labels, captions, and diagrams in non-fiction texts.
2. Explain how headings help readers locate specific information within a text.
3. Compare the function of a caption to the function of a label in a non-fiction book.
4. Analyze how diagrams and their accompanying labels work together to convey information.
5. Classify different text features based on their role in presenting information.

Gallery Walk

⏱ 25 min·Pairs

Gallery Walk: Non-Fiction Feature Hunt

Lay out several non-fiction books on tables. Students move in pairs with 'feature flags' (sticky notes) to label every heading, diagram, or caption they find, explaining why that feature is helpful.

Prepare & details

Analyze how different features help us understand information.

Facilitation Tip: During the Gallery Walk, place one large non-fiction book at each station so students can move without crowding the same text.

Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter

Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback

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

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 30 min·Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Labeling Lab

Groups are given a real object (like a toy tractor or a plant) and must create a 'live diagram' by placing labels on the different parts. They then compare their 'live' version to a diagram in a book.

Prepare & details

Compare the purpose of a heading to a caption.

Facilitation Tip: In The Labeling Lab, give every pair a different diagram so they practice labeling parts, not just copying from a model.

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

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 15 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Fiction vs. Non-Fiction

Show two book covers. Students discuss with a partner which one is a story and which is an information book, looking for clues like real photos versus drawings or 'How to' titles.

Prepare & details

Explain why authors use pictures and labels together in non-fiction.

Facilitation Tip: For the Think-Pair-Share, provide two clear examples—one fiction and one non-fiction—so the visual contrast supports 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

Teach this topic through repeated, short bursts of hands-on practice rather than one long lesson. Start with a 10-minute mini-lesson showing the same feature in three different books to build the idea that these features appear everywhere. Avoid worksheets; use real books and sticky notes so students transfer the skill to any text. Research shows that when children physically mark features, their recall and use of those features improve significantly.

What to Expect

Students will confidently point to headings, captions, labels, and diagrams, explain what each one tells them, and use these features to locate information without reading every word. You will see them open a book to the contents page first and scan headings before reading.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Gallery Walk, watch for students who open a book and read from the first page. Redirect them by asking, 'Which heading do you think will tell you about [animal/place/object]?' so they practice jumping to the right section.

What to Teach Instead

During The Labeling Lab, provide a sorting tray with two columns labeled ‘Title’ and ‘Caption’ and a set of mixed text cards. Ask students to place each card under the correct heading while explaining their choice. This clarifies that titles describe the whole page and captions describe a specific image.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After the Gallery Walk, give each student a page from a non-fiction book. Ask them to point to and name one heading, one caption, and one label, explaining what each one tells them about the text or image.

Exit Ticket

During The Labeling Lab, collect students’ labeled diagrams and ask them to write one sentence explaining the purpose of the diagram itself on the back before leaving.

Discussion Prompt

After the Think-Pair-Share, show two different non-fiction book pages, one with a clear heading and another with a large photograph and a caption. Ask, ‘How does the heading help you find information differently than the caption helps you understand the picture?’ and listen for mentions of scanning versus explaining.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge: Ask early finishers to find a second book that uses the same feature in a different way and explain the difference to a partner.
• Scaffolding: Provide picture dictionaries with labeled diagrams so students can match labels to parts before creating their own.
• Deeper exploration: Invite students to bring a non-fiction book from home and lead a mini-tour for a guest, pointing out three features they can now explain.

Key Vocabulary

Heading	A title for a section of a text, telling the reader what the section is about.
Caption	A short sentence or phrase that explains a picture, photograph, or illustration.
Label	A word or short phrase used to identify a part of a diagram or picture.
Diagram	A simplified drawing that shows the parts of something and how they work, often with labels.