Seminar: how is this text built?
The class analyses the structure of a shared text and argues about what the writer gained by choosing it.
- Close Reading Seminar move: Structural analysis debated as a class
- Evidence it produces: A shared judgement about the writer's structural choice
Before you plan from this: the lesson body below is currently near-identical to the other route's. This panel describes the intended difference, which is not authored yet — so choose either route on topic and year band, not on this pitch. Both routes are kept and will be differentiated; neither is being retired.
Lesson 5: Analysing Text Structures: Cause/Effect & Compare/Contrast
Building confident, active readers through Te Ao Māori perspectives, comprehension strategies, and rich Aotearoa texts.
🎯 Ngā Whāinga Akoranga | Learning Intentions
Common non-fiction text structures (cause and effect, compare and contrast, problem and solution, chronological order) and signal transition words (however, as a result, similarly, consequently).
Identify non-fiction text structure types using signal words, construct cause-and-effect flowcharts, and fill Venn diagrams comparing two perspectives.
🎥 Media Anchor & Pedagogical Scaffold
Non-Fiction Text Structures & Signal Words
Video: kaiako to select — guidance below.
🎬 Kaiako: Select and embed a video here
Suggested search: "Non-Fiction Text Structures & Signal Words"
Search YouTube for a short clip (5–10 min) on this topic. Verify it is age-appropriate and plays correctly before embedding. Add data-oembed-verified="true" only after verifying via YouTube oEmbed.
🧠 1. Before Viewing (Activate & Predict)
How do signal words like 'because', 'therefore', and 'in contrast' help readers navigate complex non-fiction texts?
👁️ 2. During Viewing (Watch With a Job)
- Early in the clip: Spot cause-and-effect transition words (because, leads to, consequently, resulting in).
- Midway: Spot compare-and-contrast transition words (similar to, unlike, on the other hand, whereas).
- Later in the clip: Map text information into visual graphic organizers (flowcharts, double-bubble maps).
🗣️ 3. After Viewing & Kaiako Move (Process & Apply)
Kaiako Move: Provide colour-coded signal word bookmark cards for students to reference while reading articles.
Immediate Task: Complete Section 5 of your Reading Journal: Cause-and-Effect Flowchart & Venn Diagram Comparison.
⚡ Whakaoho | Do Now: Reading Warm-Up (10 mins)
Review key reading vocabulary, strategy definitions, and context clues for Lesson 5. Connect previous reading reflections to today's text analysis.
📖 Activity 1: Guided Reading & Strategy Practice (25 mins)
Read selected Aotearoa non-fiction, School Journal articles, or pūrākau passages in pairs. Apply active reading strategies, highlight text evidence, and complete graphic organizers.
📝 Activity 2: Year 7 Reading Journal & Reflection Scaffolding (20 mins)
Draft your formal Reading Journal entry for Lesson 5. Use specific text quotes and reading strategy terminology (e.g., schema, context clues, main idea, evidence-based inference, cause/effect, pūrākau metaphor, author bias, text synthesis) to justify your answers.
🏫 Kaiako Planning & Pedagogy Notes
Year 7 Curriculum Alignment: Te Mataiaho English Phase 3 — Reading and Viewing for meaning. Builds core comprehension, critical literacy, and cultural connectedness through Aotearoa literature and pūrākau.