English Language · Primary 3

Active learning ideas

Navigating Non-Fiction Text Features

Active learning works because students in Primary 3 need to move beyond passive reading to develop real-world research skills. These text features become tools they rely on when they need to find facts quickly or verify information, making the hunt for headings and captions an engaging way to build independence and confidence.

• MOE Syllabus Outcomes
• MOE: Reading and Viewing (Information) - P3

• 25–40 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Mystery Object
• 30 min · Pairs

Text Feature Scavenger Hunt

Provide information reports on animals or planets. Students work in pairs to find three headings, two captions, and use an index to locate a keyword, noting what each reveals. Pairs share one discovery with the class.

Analyze how headings help a reader decide which sections of a text are most relevant.

Facilitation Tip

During the Text Feature Scavenger Hunt, provide a mix of old and new non-fiction books so students notice how features repeat across texts.

What to look for

Provide students with a short excerpt from an information report. Ask them to identify one heading and explain what information they expect to find in that section. Then, ask them to identify one caption and explain what it tells them about the accompanying image.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Mystery Object
• 25 min · Small Groups

Heading Match-Up Game

Print headings and paragraphs from reports on cards. Small groups match headings to content, discuss relevance, then justify choices. Extend by adding captions to diagrams.

Justify why authors include diagrams instead of just using words to describe a process.

Facilitation Tip

Use the Heading Match-Up Game to pair students with different ability levels, which encourages peer explanations of how headings signal main ideas.

What to look for

Present students with a page from an information report that includes a heading, a caption, and a simple diagram. Ask students to point to the heading and state its purpose. Then, have them read the caption and explain what the diagram illustrates.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Mystery Object
• 35 min · Whole Class

Non-Fiction vs Fiction Layout Sort

Show pages from storybooks and reports. Whole class sorts images by feature type, then compares aloud how layouts differ for purpose. Students vote on most helpful feature.

Compare the layout of an information report to that of a storybook.

Facilitation Tip

For the Non-Fiction vs Fiction Layout Sort, give students physical cut-outs of layouts to group, which makes the differences in purpose clearer than verbal descriptions alone.

What to look for

Ask students: 'Imagine you are looking for information about how a bicycle works. How would you use the index of a book to find the right pages? What kind of headings might you see in those sections?'

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Mystery Object
• 40 min · Individual

Build Your Own Report

Individuals select a topic, add headings, captions to drawings, and an index. Share drafts in small groups for feedback on navigation ease.

Analyze how headings help a reader decide which sections of a text are most relevant.

Facilitation Tip

When students Build Your Own Report, supply blank templates with labeled spaces for headings, captions, and diagrams to scaffold structure without overwhelming them.

What to look for

Provide students with a short excerpt from an information report. Ask them to identify one heading and explain what information they expect to find in that section. Then, ask them to identify one caption and explain what it tells them about the accompanying image.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by modeling your own thinking aloud with text features: pause before reading a section to read the heading aloud and ask students what they expect to learn. Avoid assuming students understand the purpose of an index just because they know the word. Research shows that students benefit from repeated, guided practice with the same features in different contexts, so cycle back to these activities after new reports to reinforce retention.

By the end of these activities, students should confidently use text features to preview reports, locate details without reading every word, and explain why these elements matter. You will see students pointing to headings to predict content, using indexes to jump to topics, and discussing how captions support images.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Non-Fiction vs Fiction Layout Sort, watch for students who group layouts based on pictures rather than purpose.

  Prompt students to ask, 'What job does this layout do?' and point out that information reports use headings to divide topics, not just to look pretty.

• During the Heading Match-Up Game, watch for students who match headings based on word length or first letters instead of meaning.

  Have students read the heading aloud and ask, 'What part of the topic does this heading cover?' before matching, using the game cards to justify their choices.

• During the Text Feature Scavenger Hunt, watch for students who skip captions because they focus only on bold words.

  Give students a specific task like 'Find the caption that explains the most important feature of the animal' to shift their attention to the captions' explanatory role.

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Methods used in this brief

• Mystery Object