Nonfiction Text Features Anchor Chart & Examples

Creating a Nonfiction Text Features Anchor Chart

Creating a nonfiction text features anchor chart is a great way to encourage students to view a nonfiction book in terms of its parts or features, which can help quite a bit with reading comprehension!

This visual tool will help students understand that they don’t need to read every word from start to finish in a nonfiction book. They can focus on the parts they need, much like buying only what you need from a grocery store.

Key Elements for Your Nonfiction Text Features Anchor Chart

Creating a Nonfiction Text Features Anchor Chart

Nonfiction texts can seem a little overwhelming at first. Encouraging students to view a nonfiction book in terms of its parts or features can help quite a bit. A great way to do this is by creating a nonfiction text features anchor chart. This visual tool will help students understand that they don’t need to read every word from start to finish in a nonfiction book. They can focus on the parts they need, much like buying only what you need from a grocery store.

Key Elements for Your Nonfiction Text Features Anchor Chart

Table of Contents

Your informational text features anchor chart should include the importance of the table of contents. Teach students to scan the table of contents for chapters or sections that look useful. A fun activity is to split the class in half: have one group find information using the table of contents and the other by thumbing through the book. This will show which method is more effective.

Headings and Subheadings

Include headings and subheadings on your nonfiction text features anchor chart. These elements serve to give the main idea of the following section. Have students go through a chapter reading only the headings and subheadings, then predict what information the full chapter might contain.

Illustrations, Photos, and Captions

Pictures make the text come alive and are crucial for deeper understanding. Your informational text features anchor chart should highlight questions such as:

• How is this picture related to the main text?
• What can you learn from this picture that you can’t from the text?
• Does the caption help you understand the picture better?

Maps, Diagrams, Graphs, Tables, and Charts

These features grab attention and hold a great deal of information. Include on your nonfiction text features anchor chart tips like:

• State everything learned from a specific map or chart.
• Predict what a map might show based on the text, then compare with the actual map.

Sidebars and Fact Boxes

Sidebars and fact boxes are increasingly common in children’s nonfiction texts. They grab attention and fit additional information. Your anchor chart should include questions such as:

• What is the main idea of this sidebar?
• How is this sidebar related to the main text?

Font Styles, Bullet Points, and Quotations

Different font styles and bullet points can add to text understanding. On the nonfiction text features anchor chart, include prompts like:

• Why is this text in bold or highlighted?
• Why did the author choose bullet points?

Glossary

Younger students should know about glossaries for definitions of bolded words. Include on your nonfiction text features anchor chart an activity where students use glossary words in sentences.

Index

Indexes help find specific answers and vary in quality. Your anchor chart should teach students to evaluate indexes and use them effectively, possibly through a scavenger hunt activity.

Timelines, Fun Facts, and For Further Exploration

Encourage students to check the back of the book for additional valuable information. The nonfiction text features anchor chart can remind students to look for timelines, fun facts, and further exploration sections for more resources.

Lesson Plan for Creating a Nonfiction Text Features Anchor Chart

Introduction and Initial Sections

1. Introduction (10 minutes)
   • Explain the purpose of the nonfiction text features anchor chart.
   • Discuss how nonfiction (or informational) texts are like grocery stores—students read what they need.
2. Table of Contents and Headings/Subheadings (20 minutes)
   • Introduce the table of contents and headings/subheadings sections.
   • Activity: Split the class to find information using the table of contents versus thumbing through the book.
   • Discuss the effectiveness of using the table of contents.
3. Illustrations, Photos, and Captions (20 minutes)
   • Explain the importance of illustrations, photos, and captions.
   • Activity: Show a picture and ask the provided questions.
4. Group Activity (10 minutes)
   • Have students work in small groups to create their parts of the anchor chart for the table of contents, headings/subheadings, and illustrations/photos/captions sections.

Additional Sections

1. Review and Recap (10 minutes)
   • Briefly review what was covered on Day 1.
   • Discuss the importance of each section.
2. Maps, Diagrams, Graphs, Tables, and Charts (20 minutes)
   • Introduce these features and discuss their importance.
   • Activity: Show examples and ask students to state what they learn from each feature.
3. Sidebars and Fact Boxes (20 minutes)
   • Explain the purpose of sidebars and fact boxes.
   • Activity: Ask the provided questions about a sidebar or fact box in a text.
4. Group Activity (10 minutes)
   • Students add to their group’s sections of the anchor chart for maps/diagrams and sidebars/fact boxes.

Final Sections and Assembly

1. Font Styles, Bullet Points, and Quotations (20 minutes)
   • Explain how different font styles and bullet points can add to understanding.
   • Activity: Discuss why certain texts might be highlighted or in bullet points.
2. Glossary and Index (20 minutes)
   • Discuss the glossary and index sections.
   • Activity: Practice using a glossary and index with a scavenger hunt.
3. Timelines, Fun Facts, and Further Exploration (20 minutes)
   • Explain the importance of checking the back of the book for additional resources.
   • Activity: Explore a book’s “For Further Exploration” section and discuss its value.
4. Final Assembly (10 minutes)
   • Have each group present their section of the anchor chart.
   • Combine all sections into one large anchor chart for display in the classroom.

Creating a nonfiction text features anchor chart not only helps students navigate nonfiction texts (or informational texts) effectively but also empowers them to find and understand information quickly. This anchor chart will be a valuable reference throughout the school year, enhancing students’ nonfiction reading skills.