Practice worksheet for identifying text structures in nonfiction texts, designed for educational use.

Let's solve the worksheet titled "Text Structures of Nonfiction" – Practice #1B. The goal is to identify the correct text structure for each paragraph based on the definitions provided in the left-hand column.

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🔍 Step-by-Step Analysis:

#### Paragraph 1:
> *The Great Lakes formed as a result of glaciers. These huge hunks of ice caused basins to be carved in the earth’s surface. As the glacier melted, its water filled these basins.*

- This paragraph explains how the Great Lakes were formed.
- It describes a sequence of events:
1. Glaciers carved basins.
2. Glaciers melted.
3. Water filled the basins.
- This is a Cause/Effect structure because it shows how glaciers (cause) led to the formation of the Great Lakes (effect).

✔ Text Structure: Cause/Effect

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#### Paragraph 2:
> *Algae is a problem in Lake Erie. It harms plants and animals living in the lake. A group from Canada and the USA presented a three-part plan to resolve this issue.*

- This paragraph identifies a problem (algae harming life in Lake Erie).
- Then it presents a solution (a three-part plan by Canada and the USA).
- This matches the Problem/Solution structure.

✔ Text Structure: Problem/Solution

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#### Paragraph 3:
> *Lake Huron and Lake Michigan are "sister lakes." Their surface area is similar. Lake Huron covers 23,000 square miles, while Lake Michigan covers 22,300 square miles. They are both 577 feet above sea level. In contrast, Lake Michigan is deeper and holds more water.*

- This paragraph discusses two lakes and compares their similarities and differences.
- Words like “similar,” “in contrast,” and numerical comparisons show a Compare/Contrast structure.

✔ Text Structure: Compare/Contrast

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#### Paragraph 4:
> *Glaciers formed the Great Lakes over many years. The first glacier came about 13,200 years ago then began to melt. By 11,800 years ago, glaciers pushed south again. They melted around 10,000 years ago, leaving the Great Lakes behind.*

- This paragraph outlines a series of events in chronological order:
- 13,200 years ago → glaciers arrived
- 11,800 years ago → pushed south
- 10,000 years ago → melted
- This is clearly a Sequence structure.

✔ Text Structure: Sequence

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#### Paragraph 5:
> *Pollution stays in the Great Lakes for a long time. Since Lake Erie is smallest, pollution stays there for two and a half years. Pollution remains in Lake Michigan for about 99 years. The biggest lake, Lake Superior, can hold pollution for the longest time, 191 years.*

- This paragraph explains how pollution behaves differently in different lakes.
- It describes each lake in terms of how long pollution lasts.
- It does not tell a story, compare only one thing, or present cause/effect directly — instead, it describes characteristics of each lake in logical order.
- This fits the Description structure.

✔ Text Structure: Description

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✔ Final Answers:

1. Cause/Effect
2. Problem/Solution
3. Compare/Contrast
4. Sequence
5. Description

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📝 Summary Table:

| Paragraph | Text Structure |
|---------|----------------------|
| 1 | Cause/Effect |
| 2 | Problem/Solution |
| 3 | Compare/Contrast |
| 4 | Sequence |
| 5 | Description |

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💡 Teaching Tip:

This worksheet helps students recognize how authors organize information in nonfiction texts. Understanding text structures improves reading comprehension and writing skills.

Let me know if you'd like a printable version or a classroom activity to go with it!