Using Non-Fiction Text Features

Active learning works well for this topic because non-fiction text features are visual and interactive by nature. When students physically locate, annotate, and create these features, they move from passive readers to strategic analysts of information layout and design.

• 5th Year
• Voices and Visions: Advanced Literacy and Expression
• 3 activities
• 20 min–50 min

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze how subheadings and captions in a non-fiction text help predict and locate specific information.
2. Compare the organizational structure of a scientific report with that of a historical narrative.
3. Explain the relationship between textual information and visual aids such as diagrams and charts within an informational text.
4. Synthesize information from glossaries and indexes to answer research questions efficiently.

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 40 min·Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Text Feature Scavenger Hunt

Give groups a variety of non-fiction materials (textbooks, magazines, reports). They must find and explain the purpose of ten different text features, documenting their findings with photos or sketches.

Prepare & details

Analyze how subheadings help a reader predict the content of a section.

Facilitation Tip: For the Scavenger Hunt, assign each pair a different text feature so they become experts on one type before sharing with the group.

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

Simulation Game

⏱ 50 min·Pairs

Simulation Game: The Textbook Designer

Students are given a long, plain piece of text about a complex topic. They must 'design' a two-page spread for a textbook, adding appropriate subheadings, a glossary of key terms, and a labeled diagram that clarifies a difficult concept.

Prepare & details

Explain the relationship between the main text and the visual diagrams provided.

Facilitation Tip: During the Textbook Designer simulation, circulate and ask students to justify each design choice aloud to reinforce the purpose of their selected features.

Setup: Flexible space for group stations

Materials: Role cards with goals/resources, Game currency or tokens, Round tracker

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 20 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Caption Critique

Students look at a series of images from a news article without their captions. They brainstorm their own captions in pairs, then compare them to the originals to see how the author's choice of words changes the reader's interpretation of the image.

Prepare & details

Differentiate how the organizational structure of a report differs from a narrative.

Facilitation Tip: In Caption Critique, model first by thinking aloud about what a caption reveals or omits, then let students practice with a partner before whole-class 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 approach this topic by treating text features as tools for thinking, not just decoration. They avoid isolated worksheets and instead embed practice in authentic tasks like designing a page or solving information gaps. Research shows that when students create their own features, they internalize their purpose more deeply than when they only identify them. Teachers also model confusion by asking, ‘What if this subheading were missing?’ to highlight how these features reduce cognitive load during reading.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students confidently using text features to preview, navigate, and verify information. They should explain why a glossary entry or a diagram matters, not just list its presence. Clear oral or written justifications show deep understanding of these tools as part of the text’s architecture.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Text Feature Scavenger Hunt, watch for students who rush through the hunt without stopping to read or reflect on the text features they find.

What to Teach Instead

After the hunt, ask each pair to present one surprising or useful fact they learned from a sidebar, caption, or glossary entry they initially skipped.

Common Misconception

During the Caption Critique activity, students may dismiss captions as unimportant or assume they only describe images.

What to Teach Instead

Have students rewrite a caption to make it more informative, then compare their version to the original to see how captions guide understanding beyond the image itself.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After the Text Feature Scavenger Hunt, provide a short non-fiction article and ask students to identify all subheadings and captions. Then, have them write one sentence explaining how each feature helped them locate or understand information in the article.

Exit Ticket

After the Textbook Designer simulation, give students a page from a textbook with a glossary, index entry, subheading, and caption. Ask them to write one sentence explaining how each feature helped them navigate or understand the page.

Discussion Prompt

During the Caption Critique activity, present two texts on the same topic with different structures. Ask students to discuss how the subheadings and visual aids in the report help them navigate information differently than the narrative text, and what advantages each structure offers for different purposes.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge pairs to design a new textbook page on a science topic they haven’t studied, including at least five features and a glossary entry they create together.
• Scaffolding: Provide sentence starters for students to explain how a diagram or index entry helps them locate information (e.g., ‘This diagram helps me because...’).
• Deeper exploration: Have students compare two glossaries on the same topic from different publishers, noting how word choice and definitions affect clarity.

Key Vocabulary

Glossary	An alphabetical list of terms with their definitions, often found at the end of a book or article.
Index	An alphabetical list of names, subjects, etc., with the page numbers where they are found in a book.
Subheading	A secondary heading that divides a section of text into smaller, more focused parts.
Caption	A brief explanation or title accompanying a picture, diagram, or chart.
Diagram	A simplified drawing showing the appearance, structure, or workings of something; a schematic representation.