Infographics used in informational texts ESL

 In this session, we will explore informational texts, specifically focusing on how different structures and visuals help the reader understand the key concepts. We will learn how diagrams, photos, and charts complement the written information and make it easier to remember and interpret content.

Warm Up:

 "Have you ever seen a picture or a chart that helped you understand a story or an article?

 How do you think the picture made it easier to understand the text?" 

What is an informational text?

Informational Texts

An informational text is a non-fiction text that provides facts, explanations, and ideas on a specific topic.

Textbook: (Like a science book or history book)

News Article: (Provides facts about recent events)

Encyclopedia: (A book or website with facts about many topics)

Biography: (A book about a real person's life)

Instruction Manual / Directions: (Tells you how to build or use something)

Cookbook: (Gives facts and instructions for making food)

Informational texts (books or articles with facts) use special plans to organize ideas. Knowing the plan helps you understand the information easily!

• Time Order (Chronological Order):

  • The Plan: The writer tells events in the order they happened.

  • Think: A timeline or step-by-step instructions.

  • Example: A story of a person's life, starting from their birth until today.

• Compare and Contrast:

  • The Plan: The writer shows how two things are alike (the same) and how they are different.

  • Think: Using a T-chart or Venn diagram.

  • Example: Showing the similarities and differences between dogs and cats.

• Cause and Effect:

  • The Plan: The writer explains why something happened (the Cause) and what happened after (the Effect or result).

  • Think: One event makes another event happen.

  • Example: It rained all day (Cause), so the river flooded (Effect).

• Problem and Solution:

• The Plan: The writer describes a problem (a difficulty or challenge) and then explains how to fix it (the Solution).

• Think: A question followed by an answer.

• Example: The ocean has too much plastic (Problem). New machines can clean the water (Solution).

Next, let's explore how visuals help readers understand information. Visuals include charts, graphs, diagrams, pictures, illustrations, and captions.

• Pictures Show the Main Idea: Visuals (pictures, charts, and graphs) give you clues about the most important topic. For example, a bar graph showing how many people move to the city helps explain a text about why cities are growing.

• Diagrams Make Hard Ideas Simple: Diagrams and pictures can take a difficult (complex) idea and break it down into small, easy-to-understand parts.

• Captions Tell You What is Important: Captions (the short text under a picture) and labels tell you exactly what you need to look at. They explain details that are not clear just by looking at the image.

• Visuals and Text Structures Work Together: The way the text is organized (like Cause/Effect) and the pictures work together. The visual is like a map that helps you follow the writer's plan from start to finish.

● "How does this diagram help you understand the process compared to reading a paragraph about it?"

Text Features: Helper Words and Pictures

When you read a book or article, special parts help you understand it better. These are called Text Features.

• Caption: This is a small text under a picture. It tells you more about what is in the picture.

  • Think: A small sentence below a photo of a dog that says, "This is Max, a happy golden retriever."

• Heading: This is a big word or a short sentence at the top of a part of the text. It tells you what that part will be about.

  • Think: A title like "How Plants Grow" before you read about plants.

• Diagram: This is a simple drawing. It shows you how something works or what its different parts are. It often has names for each part with lines pointing to them.

  • Think: A drawing of a flower showing its roots, stem, and petals.

• Infographic: This is like a smart picture. It uses many images, small charts, and only a few words to show a lot of information quickly and easily.

  • Think: A picture showing steps to stay healthy, with small drawings and quick tips.

Guided Practice:

How to Stay Healthy Every Day!

It is very important to take good care of our bodies every day. When we are healthy, we feel strong and have energy to learn and play. Simple habits can help us stay well. Eating different kinds of healthy food gives our body what it needs. Also, moving our bodies by playing sports or walking is good exercise. We also need to drink enough water and get good sleep at night. Following these easy steps helps us live a happy and healthy life.

What is the main idea? What does the picture tell us?

Animal Homes Around the World

Animals live in many different places called habitats. A habitat is where an animal finds its food, water, and shelter. Some animals, like monkeys, live high in the forest trees. Other animals, like polar bears, live in very cold places with ice and snow, called the Arctic. Fish and other sea animals make their homes in the ocean. And many animals, such as lions, live in warm, open lands called the savanna. Each animal's home helps it stay safe and find what it needs to live.

What did we learn? What does the picture tell us?

Recycling is a very important way we can help our planet. When we recycle, we take old materials like plastic bottles, paper, and glass, and turn them into new things. First, we put our waste into special bins. Then, it goes to a center where machines sort it. After sorting, the materials are cleaned and processed to make new products. This cycle helps save natural resources and reduces pollution, keeping our Earth healthy.

Identify the main idea of the passage and explain how the diagram helps you understand the process.

Exit Ticket 

1. How do visuals like diagrams or charts support the main ideas of a text?

2. Which text structure did you find most helpful for understanding information, and why?