Nonfiction features poster

A poster in a third-grade classroom identifies some of the common elements of informational texts. When introducing a new nonfiction text to her students, the teacher in this class first reviews the book's standard features, including the table of contents, index, photographs, diagrams, captions, subtitles or headings, and maps. Explicit instruction of how these features work provides a foundation for critical academic skills. Students will use these skills throughout their schooling, particularly when the focus shifts from learning to read to reading to learn.