Year 4 English: How a non-fiction text is organised
Part of the Year 4 English reading non-fiction chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
How a non-fiction text is organised
The organisation of a non-fiction text is how its parts are arranged. Many information texts use a contents list at the top, headings for each main part, sub-headings for smaller parts, a caption under a picture, and a glossary of key words at the end. Each feature helps you find information without reading every word.
Look first at the labelled page, then read the leaflet in the box. Then answer the questions in exercise 10A.
The Lighthouse
Contents
- What is a lighthouse?
- How the light works
- Keeping ships safe
What is a lighthouse?
A lighthouse is a tall tower built on the coast or on a rock near the sea. At the top, a strong light shines out over the water.
How the light works
The light shines through a large lens. A lens is a curved piece of glass that bends the light into a strong beam. Some lighthouses flash their lights, so that sailors can tell one lighthouse from another.
Figure 1: A lighthouse with a beam of light shining over the sea.
Keeping ships safe
Ships use the beam to stay away from rocks and shallow water. A sailor who sees the beam knows that the coast is near, and can steer around the danger. Most lighthouses today run automatically, but their lights still guide ships at night.
Glossary
- beam
- a line of light that shines out in one direction
- lens
- a curved piece of glass that bends light
Key ideas
- A contents list shows the main parts of a text, in the order they come.
- A heading names a main part; a sub-heading names a smaller part inside it.
- A caption tells you what a picture or a table shows.
- A glossary explains key words, so you do not have to guess what they mean.
Method. Use the heading that matches the topic of the question.
- Read the headings. The headings are What is a lighthouse?, How the light works and Keeping ships safe.three headings
- Match the topic. The question is about ships, and safety is the topic of the last heading.ships and safety
- Check the section. The section says ships use the beam to stay away from rocks and shallow water.stay away from rocks
- Write the answer. Keeping ships safe
Check. The heading names the topic of the question. ✓
Method. A caption is a short sentence that goes with a picture.
- Find the caption. The caption is in italics, inside the leaflet, after the paragraph about the light.Figure 1
- Read what it says. It names a lighthouse and a beam of light over the sea.a lighthouse and a beam
- Say what the caption does. The caption tells the reader what to look for in the picture.what the picture shows
- Write the answer. It tells you what the picture shows.
Check. A caption explains the picture it sits next to. ✓
Method. A glossary lists key words at the end of a text, with their meanings.
- Find the glossary. The glossary comes at the end of the leaflet.Glossary
- Find the word. Lens is the second word in the glossary.lens
- Copy its meaning. The meaning is written after the word.a curved piece of glass that bends light
- Write the answer. a curved piece of glass that bends light
Check. The glossary gives the meaning of lens. ✓
Watch out
Watch out: a contents list shows the order of the parts, and a heading names a part. Do not read the whole leaflet when a heading will take you to the part you need.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Look at a real leaflet or a book together. Ask your child to find the contents list, then one heading, then one caption. Ask: "Which part would you read first to answer my question?"
Exercise 10A Practice: how a text is organised
Method. Find the fact that the text states.
- Find the words that answer the question. Scan the text for the detail the question asks about.How the light works
- Check that the fact is stated, not guessed. The contents list gives the headings in the order they come in the leaflet.How the light works
- Write the answer. How the light works
Check. The text states this fact. ✓
Method. Find the fact that the text states.
- Find the words that answer the question. Scan the text for the detail the question asks about.The light shines through a large lens
- Check that the fact is stated, not guessed. The section explains the lens and the beam, so it is the right part.How the light works
- Write the answer. How the light works
Check. The text states this fact. ✓
Method. Find the fact that the text states.
- Find the words that answer the question. Scan the text for the detail the question asks about.Ships use the beam to stay away from rocks and shallow water
- Check that the fact is stated, not guessed. The section about ships names their need for safety.Keeping ships safe
- Write the answer. Keeping ships safe
Check. The text states this fact. ✓
Method. Think about what a contents list is for.
- Look at the list. The contents list names three parts in order: 1, 2 and 3.1, 2, 3
- Say what it does. It shows the reader where each part is, before they start reading.where each part is
- Write the answer. it shows the main parts of the leaflet and the order they come in
Check. A contents list gives the order of the main parts. ✓
Method. Find the fact that the text states.
- Find the words that answer the question. Scan the text for the detail the question asks about.lens: a curved piece of glass that bends light
- Check that the fact is stated, not guessed. The glossary lists lens with its meaning.lens
- Write the answer. lens
Check. The text states this fact. ✓
Method. Find the fact that the text states.
- Find the words that answer the question. Scan the text for the detail the question asks about.beam: a line of light that shines out in one direction
- Check that the fact is stated, not guessed. The glossary gives the meaning of beam.a line of light that shines out in one direction
- Write the answer. a line of light that shines out in one direction
Check. The text states this fact. ✓
Method. Find the fact that the text states.
- Find the words that answer the question. Scan the text for the detail the question asks about.so that sailors can tell one lighthouse from another
- Check that the fact is stated, not guessed. The reason is stated in the section about how the light works.so that sailors can tell one lighthouse from another
- Write the answer. so that sailors can tell one lighthouse from another
Check. The text states this fact. ✓
Method. Read the caption and say what it describes.
- Read the caption. It says Figure 1: A lighthouse with a beam of light shining over the sea.Figure 1
- Say what it tells you. It names the picture and what the picture shows.what the picture shows
- Write the answer. it tells you that Figure 1 shows a lighthouse with a beam of light over the sea
Check. A caption tells you what the picture shows. ✓
Method. Think about the features that information texts often have.
- Think of the common features. Information texts often have a contents list, headings, captions and a glossary.contents, headings, captions, glossary
- Choose two that help you find facts. The contents list and the headings show where each part is.contents list and headings
- Write the answer. the contents list and the headings
Check. Any two features that help you find information. ✓
Method. Find the fact that the text states.
- Find the words that answer the question. Scan the text for the detail the question asks about.Most lighthouses today run automatically
- Check that the fact is stated, not guessed. The sentence about automatic lights is in the section with the heading Keeping ships safe.Keeping ships safe
- Write the answer. Keeping ships safe
Check. The text states this fact. ✓
Method. Think about what a reader does when they need one fact.
- Think about the reader. A reader often needs only one fact, not the whole text.one fact
- Explain the effect of headings. Headings show where each part is, so the reader can jump to it.jump to the part
- Write the answer. headings show the main parts, so the reader can skip straight to the part they need
Check. Headings save time because they name each part. ✓