You will learn
- Say what an informational passage is.
- Find the topic.
- Find key facts.
- Ask and answer questions.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- An informational passage gives facts.
- The topic is what it is about.
- Key facts are the important details.
- Ask who, what, where, when, why, how.
Words to know
a short piece of writing
what the passage is about
an important true detail
giving facts
1. Discover: All about frogs
Frogs are amphibians. This means they can live in water and on land. Frogs lay eggs in water. The eggs become tadpoles, and tadpoles grow legs and become frogs. Frogs eat insects. Their long, sticky tongues catch food fast.
Think: What is the topic? Name two key facts.
2. Understand: Reading for facts
Idea 1: Topic and facts
An informational passage gives true facts about a topic. Here the topic is frogs.
Idea 2: Key facts
Key facts are the important details: frogs live in water and on land; they lay eggs; tadpoles grow into frogs; they eat insects.
Idea 3: Ask questions
Ask: What do frogs eat? Where do they lay eggs? Then look for the answer in the passage.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Topic
What is the topic?
- Whole passage.
Answer: frogs
Example 2 (We do it together): Fact
What do frogs eat?
- Look for food.
Answer: insects
Example 3 (You try): Question
Ask a question about frogs.
Show the steps and answer
- Use a question word.
Answer: Where do frogs lay eggs?
Did you know?
Some frogs can jump more than twenty times their body length.
Why this matters
Reading informational passages helps you learn about the world.
4. Explore: Fact finder
Find facts in a passage.
- Read the passage.
- Find the topic.
- List key facts.
- Ask a question.
Think about it: what did you notice?
You can find key facts.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- The topic is ___.
- A key fact is ___.
- I wonder ___?
- I learned ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What is the topic?
frogs
Question 2. What do frogs eat?
insects
Question 3. Where do frogs lay eggs?
in water
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- A text that gives facts is ___.
- What it is about is the ___.
- An important true detail is a key ___.
- A short piece of writing is a ___.
- Frogs lay eggs in ___.
Level 2: Grow
- What do tadpoles become?
- What catches food?
- What are frogs?
Level 3: Stretch
- Why read for facts?
- Can I ask questions?
- Where are the answers?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Read a short passage and tell a family member three facts.
Show a sample answer
three facts
Another one. Write three facts and a question about frogs.
Show a sample answer
facts and question
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Check facts.
Fix: Ask what it is about.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can say what an informational passage is.
- I can find the topic.
- I can find key facts.
- I can ask questions.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Informational passages give facts.
- Find the topic.
- Find key facts.
- Ask questions.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Titles and headings. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- What is an informational passage? [1 mark]
- What is the topic of the frog passage? [1 mark]
- Write two key facts. [2 marks]
- Ask a question about frogs. [1 mark]
- Explain how to read an informational passage. [3 marks]
Total: 8 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- a passage that gives facts [1]
- frogs [1]
- fact [1]; fact [1]
- valid question [1]
- read the title [1]; find topic and facts [1]; ask questions [1]
Score guide: 7 to 8 = secure. 5 to 6 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 5 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- A text that gives facts is ___.
- What it is about is the ___.
- An important detail is a key ___.
- A short writing is a ___.
- Frogs lay eggs in ___.
- True or false: an informational passage gives facts.
- True or false: frogs eat grass.
- What do tadpoles become?
- What do frogs eat?
- Ask a question about frogs.
Homework
Read a short passage and tell three facts.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. A text that gives facts is ___. | informational | 1 |
| 2. What it is about is the ___. | topic | 1 |
| 3. An important detail is a key ___. | fact | 1 |
| 4. A short writing is a ___. | passage | 1 |
| 5. Frogs lay eggs in ___. | water | 1 |
| 6. True or false: an informational passage gives facts. | true | 1 |
| 7. True or false: frogs eat grass. | false | 1 |
| 8. What do tadpoles become? | frogs | 1 |
| 9. What do frogs eat? | insects | 1 |
| 10. Ask a question about frogs. | Where do frogs live? | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 informational; 2 topic; 3 fact; 4 passage; 5 water. Level 2: 1 frogs; 2 sticky tongue; 3 amphibians. Level 3: 1 to learn; 2 yes; 3 in the passage.
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Say what an informational passage is | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Find the topic | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Find key facts | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Ask and answer questions | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Mixing opinion and fact. Check facts.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use pictures.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child reads informational passages. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Read non-fiction together.
- Ask: What did you learn?
- Praise facts.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: say what an informational passage is; find the topic; find key facts; ask and answer questions.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 1 informational skills.
Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Read a passage.
Explanation (10 min). Teach topic and facts.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise.
Independent activity (10 min). Share.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What is it about? What facts did I learn?
Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use pictures. Extension. Read articles.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Mixing opinion and fact. Check facts.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 8-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Use pictures. Enrichment. Read a longer passage. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 2 » Writing; Grade 2 » Reading: Informational Text; Grade 2 » Speaking & Listening. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core RI.2.1, RI.2.2 and RI.2.10; Cambridge Primary English Stage 2 (reading). These sources informed the lesson.