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Text Feature Descriptions
Text Features are visual pieces of an article that help organize the information.
Part 1: Label the Features
Directions: Look at the text below and label all the text features. (Hint: Label the titles, headings,
subheadings, map, sidebar, and bold words.)
Tornadoes Did you know?
A tornado is a storm that can damage Tornadoes are most common in the central
part of the United States. It is called Torna-
do Alley because that is where so many
buildings and land. Winds can reach up to 300
tornadoes happen. Some states in Tornado
Alley are Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas.
miles per hour! Tornadoes form from huge rain Tornadoes form here because of the way
the air moves.
storms with thunder and lightning, or
thunderstorms. Cool, dry air from the north and
warm, moist air from the south meet. This causes
thunderstorms, which can become extreme.
When the gases in the air are not stable, the
winds can get stronger and create a tornado.
Directions: Answer the following questions based on the “Tornadoes” text above.
1. List all the boldprint words. ________________________________________________________________
2. What information is in the sidebar? __________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
3. What causes thunderstorms? _______________________________________________________________
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Part 2: Describe the Features
Directions:
Look at the information in the Text Features and Example column.
Complete the Definition column.
In the Example Description column, write about what you see in the Example column.
Text Feature Definition Example Example Description
photograph
caption
Usually a tornado is in the
form of a funnel. Sometimes
Image: © F5 Tornado, Elie, Manitoba / Justin Hobson / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA 3.0
it looks like a rope.
sidebar
Did you know?
Tornadoes are most common in
an area
of the United States called
Tornado Alley. This area is where
many tornadoes form because of
the way the air moves.
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diagram
Tornado Funnel
Cumulonimbus
cloud
Spiral updraft
Funnel cloud
Debris cloud
Spiral inflow
map
boldface print Tornadoes form from
huge rain storms with
thunder and
lightning, or
thunderstorms.