You will learn
- Say what a title is.
- Say what a heading is.
- Predict from titles.
- Find information using headings.
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
- The title names the whole text.
- Headings name each part.
- They help you predict and find facts.
- Headings are often in bold.
Words to know
the name of the whole text
a title for one section
guess what will come
one part of a text
1. Discover: About elephants
Elephants
What elephants eat
Elephants eat grass, leaves and fruit.
Where elephants live
Elephants live in Africa and Asia.
Baby elephants
A baby elephant is called a calf.
Think: Where would you look to find what elephants eat?
2. Understand: Titles and headings
Idea 1: Title
The title tells what the whole text is about: Elephants. It is at the top.
Idea 2: Headings
A heading names one section: What elephants eat. Headings are often bold.
Idea 3: Using them
Read the title and headings first to predict the content. Then use a heading to jump to the part you need.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Title
What is the title?
- Top.
Answer: Elephants
Example 2 (We do it together): Heading
Which heading tells what elephants eat?
- Read headings.
Answer: What elephants eat
Example 3 (You try): Find
Where do you look for where they live?
Show the steps and answer
- Heading.
Answer: under Where elephants live
Did you know?
News articles use bold headlines like a heading to attract readers.
Why this matters
Titles and headings help you find information fast.
4. Explore: Heading hunt
Find facts using headings.
- Read the title.
- Read the headings.
- Choose a question.
- Find the heading.
Think about it: what did you notice?
You can use headings.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- The title is ___.
- A heading is ___.
- I look under ___ to find ___.
- I predict ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What is a title?
name of the text
Question 2. What is a heading?
name of a section
Question 3. Where do you find food facts?
under the food heading
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- The name of the whole text is the ___.
- A title for a section is a ___.
- One part is a ___.
- To guess what comes is to ___.
- Headings are often in ___.
Level 2: Grow
- Which heading tells where elephants live?
- Write a heading for a text about food.
- What is a baby elephant called?
Level 3: Stretch
- Why use headings?
- Where is the title?
- Can headings predict?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Find the title and headings in a book.
Show a sample answer
list
Another one. Write a title and three headings for a text about dogs.
Show a sample answer
title and headings
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Title = whole text.
Fix: Use them.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can say what a title is.
- I can say what a heading is.
- I can predict from titles.
- I can find facts using headings.
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
- The title names the text.
- Headings name sections.
- They help predict.
- They help find facts.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Captions and illustrations. 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 a title? [1 mark]
- What is a heading? [1 mark]
- Which heading tells about food? [1 mark]
- Why use headings? [1 mark]
- Explain how to use titles and headings. [3 marks]
Total: 7 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- the name of the whole text [1]
- a title for one section [1]
- What elephants eat [1]
- to find information fast [1]
- read the title to predict [1]; read headings [1]; find the section you need [1]
Score guide: 6 to 7 = secure. 5 to 5 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 5 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- The name of the whole text is the ___.
- A title for a section is a ___.
- One part is a ___.
- To guess is to ___.
- Headings are often in ___.
- True or false: headings help find facts.
- True or false: the title is for one section.
- Write a heading about food.
- Find a heading in a book.
- Write a title for a dog text.
Homework
Find the title and headings in a non-fiction book.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The name of the whole text is the ___. | title | 1 |
| 2. A title for a section is a ___. | heading | 1 |
| 3. One part is a ___. | section | 1 |
| 4. To guess is to ___. | predict | 1 |
| 5. Headings are often in ___. | bold | 1 |
| 6. True or false: headings help find facts. | true | 1 |
| 7. True or false: the title is for one section. | false | 1 |
| 8. Write a heading about food. | What we eat | 1 |
| 9. Find a heading in a book. | a heading | 1 |
| 10. Write a title for a dog text. | All About Dogs | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 title; 2 heading; 3 section; 4 predict; 5 bold. Level 2: 1 Where elephants live; 2 What we eat; 3 a calf. Level 3: 1 find facts fast; 2 at the top; 3 yes.
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 a title 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 Say what a heading 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 |
| O3 Predict from titles | 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 Find information using headings | 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: Confusing title and heading. Title = whole text.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use a text with simple headings.
- 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 uses titles and headings. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Look at non-fiction books.
- Ask: Which heading?
- Praise using them.
- 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 a title is; say what a heading is; predict from titles; find information using headings.
Prerequisite knowledge. Informational passages.
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). Show a text with headings.
Explanation (10 min). Teach titles/headings.
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 does the heading say?
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. Write headings.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Confusing title and heading. Title = whole text.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 7-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 a text with simple headings. Enrichment. Write headings for a text. 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.2.5 (know and use various text features to locate key facts or information in a text efficiently); Cambridge Primary English Stage 2 (reading and non-fiction). These sources informed the lesson.