English 4113-3
Methods of Organization
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
(What do I already know)
NEW ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE
(What am I learning)
MODELING
(How does this work? What does this look like?)
PRACTICE
(Let me try this…)
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
(How am I doing?)
I GOT IT!�
I HAVEN’T QUITE GOTTEN IT�
LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Students will understand some ways in which informational texts are organized (e.g. cause/effect, chronological order, comparison/contrast, example, explanation, listing of ideas)
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
(What do I already know)
START
LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Students will understand some ways in which informational texts are organized (e.g. cause/effect, chronological order, comparison/contrast, example, explanation, listing of ideas)
If you were going to write out a recipe (informational text) of your favorite meal to share with a friend, how would you organize it?
If you were writing an article (informational text) about why people should go to college vs university, how would you organize it?
If you were writing down directions (informational text) to give to someone on how to get to your house, how would you organize them?
How are other informational texts that you know of organized?
dictionaries
documentaries
newspapers
biographies
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
(What do I already know)
NEW ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE
(What am I learning)
LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Students will understand some ways in which informational texts are organized (e.g. cause/effect, chronological order, comparison/contrast, example, explanation, listing of ideas)
COMMUNICATION
We COMMUNICATE EVERY DAY in COUNTLESS WAYS.
But what happens when you are not clear in your message? ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF5UowD1I8k
MISCOMMUNICATION
MAIN IDEAS vs SUPPORTING IDEAS
When communicating effectively, it is important to consider what your main/keys ideas are and what your sub points/supporting ideas are.
Main Idea
The main idea is the “big point” or the “most important idea the writer is communicating to the reader.
Often, the reader can find this just by looking at the title or by reading the topic sentence of a paragraph.
However, sometimes the main idea isn’t stated, rather, it is implied. So, make sure to read the entire text to ensure you have the correct main idea.
Sub Idea
The sub idea/supporting ideas are the things that describe or explain more about the main idea.
Often, the supporting ideas tell us more about the main idea or they make the main idea stronger or more clear.
Sometimes, authors will use headings, subheadings or even bold font to guide your reading of the supporting ideas.
Examples
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
(What do I already know)
NEW ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE
(What am I learning)
MODELING
(How does this work? What does this look like?)
PRACTICE
(Let me try this…)
LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Students will understand some ways in which informational texts are organized (e.g. cause/effect, chronological order, comparison/contrast, example, explanation, listing of ideas)
Activity
Get into pairs, read article #2.
Search for the MAIN IDEAS & SUPPORTING IDEAS
How does the author organize the information?
Methods of Organization
Methods of Organization is the way in which a text is organized/structured.
(*also referred to as text-structure, pattern of organization)
Methods of organization create order and direct the thoughts of the audience interacting with the information. Whether it is creating a report, sorting data, presenting an idea or organizing facts, choosing a method of organization sets the stage for decision-making.
SOME Methods of Organization
Analogy
�A comparison between two things, typically on the basis of their structure and for the purpose of explanation or clarification.
A is to B as C is to D.�
Ex: Pig is to pork as cow is to beef
Cause & Effect
This pattern is used to show the different causes and effects of various conditions.
This pattern is effective when writing a persuasive document in which the writer advocates some action to solve a problem, because it demonstrates important relationships between variables.
Chronological
A chronological pattern arranges information according to a progression of time, either forward or backward.
When a topic is best understood in terms of different segments of time, a chronological format works well.
For example, topics of an historical nature are best organized using this pattern.
Taken from the biography of Malcolm X (chapter 1 starts with this…)
When my mother was pregnant with me, she told me later, a party of hooded Ku Klux Klan riders galloped up to our home in Omaha, Nebraska, one night. Surrounding the house, brandishing their shotguns and rifles, they shouted for my father to come out. My mother went to the front door and opened it. ….
Comparison & Contrast
A compare and contrast pattern arranges information according to how two or more things are similar/different from one another.
This is an effective pattern to use when the reader can better understand one subject when it is described in relation to another. If the reader is familiar with one topic, the writer can compare or contrast it with another topic to shed insight on it.
Example
Uses a series of examples to explain a general statement.
The organization goes from general to more specific.
A series of examples or statistical information can be persuasive:
Modern humans are bacteria-killing machines. We assassinate microbes with hand soap, mouthwash and bathroom cleaners. It feels clean and right.��But some scientists say we're overdoing it. All this killing may actually cause diseases like eczema, irritable bowel syndrome and even diabetes. The answer, they say, is counterintuitive: Feed patients bacteria. (Keim)��In each paragraph, the main idea is developed through a list of concrete examples, making the idea clear and real.
Sequential
A sequential pattern arranges information according to a step-by-step sequence that describes a particular process. Using a sequential pattern, each main section of information represents a main step that one would follow in the actual process. The points included within each main section represent the sub-steps one would follow.
Problem & Solution
A problem-solution pattern divides information into two main sections, one that describes a problem and one that describes a solution.
This pattern is typically used in persuasive writing, where the writer's general purpose is to convince the reader to support a certain course of action (the solution).
Looking for a handout on this information?
Check out the following link… this handout includes more methods of development but the definitions and examples are very short and too the point.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/142nXXY1H4elo70_Sphg3XEOGbSRjV07ZT8XTxGtVrRE/edit?usp=sharing
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
(What do I already know)
NEW ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE
(What am I learning)
MODELING
(How does this work? What does this look like?)
PRACTICE
(Let me try this…)
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
(How am I doing?)
LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Students will understand some ways in which informational texts are organized (e.g. cause/effect, chronological order, comparison/contrast, example, explanation, listing of ideas)
Activity 2
GRAB A WHITEBOARD, AN ERASABLE MARKER, & SOME PAPER TOWEL… it’s QUIZ TIME!!
I will show various texts on the whiteboard. After each one, write which method of organization is used. When you are done, flip your board facedown until everyone is ready :)
Question 1
Answer 1
SEQUENCE
Question 2
Answer 2
Compare & Contrast
Question 3
Answer 3
Cause & Effect
Activity 3
Get back into your pairs, read article #2.
What method of organization is used to inform the audience?
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
(How am I doing?)
I GOT IT!�
I HAVEN’T QUITE GOTTEN IT�
LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Students will understand some ways in which informational texts are organized (e.g. cause/effect, chronological order, comparison/contrast, example, explanation, listing of ideas)