Non-Fiction Text Features
Recognise different non-fiction text structures and features (headings, contents, glossary, index), understanding how texts are organised to present information
What a learner can do afterwards
- Use a contents page to find information on a specific topic in a non-fiction book
- Identify the purpose of headings, glossary, and index in an information text
- Recognise that non-fiction books can be structured as lists, time order, or question-and-answer
The lesson
Non-fiction books share true facts, so they are built with special tools to help you find things fast: a contents page, headings, a glossary, and an index.
Zara wants to read about sharks. She opens the contents page at the front. It says 'Sharks ... page 14,' so she turns straight there instead of flipping page by page.
Non-fiction books are organised in different ways too. Some list facts one after another, some follow time order like steps in a recipe, and some ask a question then give the answer right after.
Looking for a whole topic? Try the contents page at the front. Looking for one exact word? Try the index at the back, it is in ABC order with page numbers.
Contents pages, headings, glossaries, and indexes help you find facts fast, and non-fiction books can be built as lists, time order, or question-and-answer.
Watch it
Where it sits
Where this leads
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.