CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.5

ELA1st GradeCraft and Structure

The Standard

Know and use various text features (e.g., headings, tables of contents, glossaries, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text.

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts · Reading Standards for Informational Text

What This Standard Means

Students need to notice parts of nonfiction books and digital texts that help them find information fast. They should use headings, a table of contents, a glossary, menu buttons, and icons to answer a question without reading every page.

Mastery looks like a student saying, “I need the glossary for this word,” or “The heading tells me this page is about food.” Many first graders confuse text features with pictures. They may also flip page by page instead of using clues. Practice should be short, repeated, and tied to real questions they want to answer.

Ways to Teach It

Give pairs a nonfiction book and sticky notes, then have them label the heading, table of contents, glossary, and one helpful icon.
Ask students, “Which text feature would help you find what a penguin eats, and why?”
Show a page with a heading and picture, then ask students to point to the feature that helps find the topic.
Open a classroom website or lunch menu and have students use icons or headings to find one specific piece of information.