Second Grade English: Text Features: Headings, Subheadings, and Titles
When you open a fiction storybook, sentences typically flow in solid blocks of text from top to bottom. But when you open a modern nonfiction book about science, history, or geography, the page looks completely different! Nonfiction pages are filled with bold signs, divided sections, colorful banners, and organized levels. These special organizational tools are called text features. Among the most important text features are titles, headings, and subheadings. In this chapter, you will master the hierarchy of headings, learn how headings act as signposts for your brain, and discover how to use them to locate information rapidly.
What Are Nonfiction Text Features?
Text features are visual design elements that organize information, highlight important terms, and help readers navigate a book efficiently without having to read every single word in sequence.
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| THE NONTEXTUAL ROAD SIGNS |
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| Imagine driving down a highway with NO road signs: |
| You would not know where cities were, which exit to take, |
| or how far you had traveled! |
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| Headings and titles are the ROAD SIGNS of informational text! |
| They announce: "Here is where the topic changes!" |
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The Three-Level Hierarchy: Title, Heading, Subheading
Informational text is arranged in an organized hierarchy, stepping down from the largest umbrella topic to specific bite-sized concepts.
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| THE HEADING HIERARCHY |
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| [ LEVEL 1: THE BOOK OR CHAPTER TITLE ] |
| Large, bold at top of page: "THE WONDERS OF RAINFORESTS" |
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| V |
| [ LEVEL 2: MAJOR SECTION HEADING ] |
| Medium bold: "Layers of the Rainforest" |
| |
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| V |
| [ LEVEL 3: SUBHEADINGS ] |
| Smaller bold: "The Forest Floor" |
| "The Understory" |
| "The Canopy Layer" |
| "The Emergent Layer" |
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The Title: The Big Picture
The title names the entire book, article, or chapter. It tells you the grand subject you are exploring.
The Heading: The Section Leader
Headings divide a long article into smaller chapters or sections. When you scan down a page, reading only the headings gives you an instant preview of what each section contains.
The Subheading: The Topic Specialist
Subheadings break a major heading into even smaller, focused categories. If the major heading is "Animal Diet," subheadings might be "Carnivores," "Herbivores," and "Omnivores."
How to Read with Headings: The Pre-Reading Scan
Before reading an informational article from start to finish, always perform a 30-second Pre-Reading Scan:
1. Read the Title: What is the main subject?
2. Read Every Heading: How has the author organized the ideas?
3. Turn Headings into Questions: If a heading says "How Beavers Build Lodges," ask yourself: "How DO beavers build lodges?" As you read the paragraph below, hunt for the answer to that question!
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Look at the sample chapter structure: Title: "All About Weather." Heading: "Severe Storms." Subheadings: "Thunderstorms," "Hurricanes," "Tornadoes." Under which subheading would you look to find facts about rotating funnel clouds?
Exercise 2: Write an appropriate title and two section headings for a three-paragraph informational report about pet care for hamsters.
Exercise Solutions
Solution to Exercise 1: You would look under the subheading "Tornadoes" because tornadoes are famous for forming rotating funnel clouds.
Solution to Exercise 2: A student could write: Title: "Caring for Your Pet Hamster." Heading 1: "Creating a Comfortable Habitat." Heading 2: "Nutritious Food and Daily Water."