How reports connect ideas: two text structures

Why are playground balls still scattered around the yard after cleanup? One original school report follows a problem, an unsuccessful change and a numbered-tag response. A second report compares a staffed checkout table with a self-service rack. These simulated reports give students a shared topic and different ways of connecting information.

The four student pages contain two passages with four questions each. A word bank explains description, sequence, comparison, cause/effect and problem/solution. Students identify and explain overall structures, consider where a new paragraph could fit, analyze what would be lost by omitting difficulties, and write a four-sentence comparison using details from both reports. Ruled spaces provide four lines for explanations and eight for the final paragraph.

The separate two-page teacher guide includes a worked model, all eight keys with acceptable alternatives and boundaries, specific misconception feedback, support choices and the RI.5.5 practice mapping. The activity is intended for grade 5 and prepared grade 4 readers who can follow a short report and connect details. Teachers may read aloud, scribe or support AAC responses.

Students will

• Explain how details support an overall text structure.
• Analyze paragraph placement and the effect of omitted details.
• Compare the overall structures of two reports on the same topic.