Informational texts give facts and details about a topic. When reading about animals, these texts explain how animals look, live, and survive in their environments.
Informational texts are different from stories. They are written to teach you facts, not to tell a made-up tale.
The main idea is what the text is mostly about. When reading about animals, the main idea tells the most important point about the animal being described.
Ask yourself: What is the author mainly teaching me about this animal? That will help you find the main idea.
Supporting details give more information to explain or prove the main idea. They are the facts, descriptions, and examples that help you understand the animal better.
Look for details that answer the questions “How?” or “Why?” about the animal. These are often the supporting details.
Animal texts often use text features like pictures, captions, charts, and headings. These help readers understand the information more clearly.
Always pay attention to pictures and captions. They give extra information that is just as important as the words in the text.
When you finish reading, it helps to summarize. A summary tells the main idea and key details in your own words. This shows you understood the text.
A good summary is short and tells only the most important ideas. Do not copy every sentence from the text.