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Kindergarten Text Features Resources

22 kindergarten text features resources: 12 worksheets, 8 activities and 2 Common Core Lessons. How teachers use these

Kindergarten Text Features Resources

22 kindergarten text features resources: 12 worksheets, 8 activities and 2 Common Core Lessons. How teachers use these

Worksheet
WorksheetKindergartenThe Parts of a Book Worksheet

The Parts of a Book Worksheet helps Kindergarten readers name the front cover, back cover, and pages, then trace each word. Includes an answer key — a fun, no-prep way to build early print concepts.

Activity
ActivityKindergartenPictures Tell Stories Sequencing Activity

Children put wordless picture cards in order and tell the story in this pictures tell stories sequencing activity for preschool to 1st grade, with a practice page and answer key included.

Activity
ActivityKindergartenStory Elements Activity

This story elements activity has kindergarten and 1st grade students hear a short story and match picture cards to its characters, setting, problem and solution. Answer key included.

Worksheet
WorksheetKindergartenWhere the Wild Things Are Worksheet

Using this Where the Wild Things Are Worksheet, students describe the title, author, and illustrator of Where the Wild Things Are.

Activity
ActivityKindergartenPictures and Words Context Clues Activity

This pictures and words context clues activity lets PreK to 1st grade children hold up a sign to show whether a fact came from the picture or the words. Answer key included.

Worksheet
WorksheetKindergartenIllustrations in a Story Worksheet

This Illustrations in a Story Worksheet gives Kindergarten readers a short story, a bright picture, and five bubble questions that send them to both. An answer key is included, so checking work takes seconds.

Worksheet
WorksheetKindergartenThe Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System Worksheet

Using The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System Worksheet, students read The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System to determine the meanings of these words and phrases.

Worksheet
WorksheetKindergartenCompare Contrast Book Covers Worksheet

Using Compare Contrast Book Covers Worksheet, students compare two books using information from the book cover to determine how they are alike and different.

Activity
ActivityKindergartenText Features Activity

This text features activity sends Kindergarten to 2nd Grade readers on a book part hunt with 12 picture cards, a recording sheet and a practice page, answer key included, to build nonfiction reading skills.

Worksheet
WorksheetKindergartenWord Meaning Earthworms Worksheet

Using Word Meaning Earthworms Worksheet, students read Earthworms by Claire Llewellyn to determine the meanings of these words and phrases.

Worksheet
WorksheetKindergartenComparing Expository Texts Worksheet

This comparing expository texts worksheet has kindergarten readers listen to two leaf texts, match facts to each text, and find what both share. An answer key is included.

Worksheet
WorksheetKindergartenRocking Word Meanings Worksheet

Using Rocking Word Meanings Worksheet, students read Let's Go Rock Collecting by Roma Gans to determine the meanings of these words and phrases.

Activity
ActivityKindergartenWhat Does This Word Mean Activity

Using What Does This Word Mean Activity, students read independently or with a partner to collect unknown words and phrases to build their vocabulary and reading comprehension.

Activity
ActivityKindergartenPictures and Words Matching Activity

Using Pictures and Words Matching Activity, students describethe relationship between illustrations and the text in which they appear.

Activity
ActivityKindergartenUnknown Words and Phrases Activity

This unknown words and phrases activity has Kindergarten and 1st Grade readers use context clues to match 8 new words to picture cards, with a detective log, practice page and answer key included.

Activity
ActivityKindergartenParts of a Book Activity

This parts of a book activity helps Preschool to 1st Grade students find the front cover, back cover, spine and title page in a fun Show Me card game. Answer key included.

Worksheet
WorksheetKindergartenIllustrations in a Book Worksheet

This illustrations in a book worksheet asks kindergarten students to study a picture book scene and circle yes or no for six sentences. An answer key is included for quick, easy checking.

Worksheet
WorksheetKindergartenDr. Seuss Book Parts Worksheet

Using Dr. Seuss Book Parts Worksheet, studentsidentify the front cover, back cover, and page of a book to gather information about what they will read.

Worksheet
WorksheetKindergartenAmelia Bedelia Author and Illustrator Worksheet

Using this Amelia Bedelia Author and Illustrator Worksheet, students describe the title, author, and illustrator of an Amelia Bedelia book.

Common Core Lesson
Common Core LessonKindergartenRI.K.5 Kindergarten Common Core Lesson

Using RI.K.5 Kindergarten Common Core Lesson, studentsidentify the front cover, back cover, and title page of a book.

From our teachers' playbook

Covers, titles and pictures that talk

What do kindergartners learn about text features?

Kindergartners learn how a book works. They find the front cover, back cover and title page, and they learn that the author writes the words and the illustrator draws the pictures: author = words · illustrator = pictures. They also discover that pictures tell part of the story and can help them figure out new words. In nonfiction books, they start to notice photos and labels. The click moment is when a child picks up a new book and proudly points out the title and the author before you even open it.

Our favorite ways to teach text features

Kindergartners learn best by touching books and looking closely. These moves get books in their hands.

Give the book a tour

Hold up a book and give it a "tour": the front cover, the title, the author, the illustrator, the back cover. Do this every read-aloud for a few weeks. Soon kids will be giving the tour for you!

Why it works: showing first, practicing together, then letting kids try alone is the "gradual release" model teachers have relied on for decades (Pearson and Gallagher, 1983).

The Parts of a Book WorksheetTry it withThe Parts of a Book WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →

What do the pictures say?

Cover the words on a page and show only the picture. Kids tell what's happening. Then reveal the words and compare. It shows them how pictures and words work together.

Why it works: pairing a picture with each word gives kids two ways to remember it, a well-tested principle of how people learn (Mayer, 2009).

Illustrations in a Story WorksheetTry it withIllustrations in a Story WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →

Label the book parts

Give kids sticky notes labeled cover, title, author and illustrator to stick on a real book. Moving and touching the parts makes the words stick.

Why it works: going from real objects to pictures to symbols is a core recommendation of the U.S. Department of Education's elementary math guide.

Parts of a Book ActivityTry it withParts of a Book ActivityActivitiesOpen it →

Questions teachers and parents ask

What text features do kindergartners learn?

Kindergartners learn the front cover, back cover, title page, title, author and illustrator. They also learn how pictures help tell a story and, in nonfiction, how photos and labels give information.

What's the difference between an author and an illustrator?

The author writes the words and the illustrator draws the pictures. Sometimes one person does both jobs!

How can I teach parts of a book at home?

Before reading, ask your child to find the front cover and the title. Read the author's and illustrator's names aloud. It takes just a few seconds and builds the habit.

Why do text features matter in kindergarten?

They teach kids how books work, which helps them become confident readers. Using pictures and labels also helps them understand new words and ideas.