Text Detectives Teacher Guide Teacher Case File
Subject: Master Detective Training (Narrative vs. Informational)
Top Secret
Mission Objective
Students will use an "I Do, We Do, You Do" framework to distinguish between narrative and informational texts by identifying multiple genre-specific features in complex passages.
Operation Time
45 Minutes
(Intro: 5, I Do: 10, We Do: 10, You Do: 15, Exit: 5)
Detective Gear
Text Detectives Slides
Case File Evidence Worksheet
Final Verdict Exit Ticket
Highlighters (2 colors)
1. Briefing: The Library Crisis (5 min)
"Agents, a local library has had a disaster. A shelf collapsed and hundreds of book covers fell off! The librarians can't tell which books tell stories and which ones give facts. We need to look at the pages themselves to find the clues."
Review the two main categories: Narrative (Story/Entertainment) and Informational (Facts/Learning) using Slide 2 .
2. I DO: Think-Aloud Modeling (10 min)
Use Slide 3 to model your thinking. Project "The Giant Panda's Habitat."
Teacher Script: "I see a bold heading: 'The Giant Panda's Habitat.' That's an informational feature. I also see a picture with a caption. This tells me the author wants to teach me facts. It's an Informational text."Modeling Clues: Point out features like headings, captions, and bold vocabulary. Explain that informational texts look organized for learning.
3. WE DO: Guided Investigation (10 min)
Use Slide 4 . Project the Sarah and Leo adventure ("Evidence #102").
Have students identify the characters ("Who is in the story? Sarah and Leo!").
Point out the dialogue ("I see quotation marks—Sarah is talking!").
Ask: "Is this book teaching us facts about tall grass, or telling us about a treasure hunt?"
Practice high-fiving (Narrative) vs. thumbs-up (Informational) for quick checks.
4. YOU DO: Solo Case Files (15 min)
Distribute the Case File Evidence Worksheet .
Students must read the longer, multi-feature passages (Sonora Desert and The Missing Compass).
Requirement: They must find and circle at least THREE specific clues per text and write their reasoning in the 'Case Notes.'Walk around and prompt: "I see you circled 'Oliver.' Is that a character clue or a fact clue?"
5. Final Verdict: Exit Ticket (5 min)
Students complete the Final Verdict Exit Ticket independently to prove they can match features to genres without a full text.
Narrative Evidence
• Dialogue (Quotation marks)
Informational Evidence
• Headings & Subheadings
Text Detectives Slides Updated Features Text Detectives
The Mission: Solving Genres
Our Detective Tool Kit
Narrative
Characters & Dialogue
Problem & Solution
Plot (Beg, Mid, End)
Informational
Facts & Real Data
Headings & Captions
Diagrams & Labels
I DO: Model Investigation
Evidence #101
The Giant Panda's Habitat
The Giant Panda lives primarily in high-altitude forests in southwestern China. These areas are cool and moist, perfect for growing bamboo.
Caption: A panda eating bamboo stems in the wild.
Teacher Thinking:
"I see a Heading at the top."
"There is a Caption for a picture."
"It teaches me Facts about China."
Verdict: Informational
WE DO: Guided Investigation
Evidence #102
"Leo, wait for me!" Sarah called out as she raced through the tall grass. Her sneakers were soaked with morning dew.
Leo didn't stop. He held the old map tight. "The treasure is close, Sarah. I can feel it!" He pointed toward the crooked oak tree on the hill.
Suddenly, a loud crack echoed through the forest. Sarah froze. "Did you hear that?" she whispered.
Group Discussion:
Who are the Characters?
Is anyone Talking?
What is the Problem?
Narrative
Informational
YOU DO: Solo Case
It's time to test your skills, Detective. Open your Case File Worksheet.
Read the Evidence
Circle 3 Clues
Final Verdict
Text Detectives Case Worksheet Updated Features Case File Evidence
Bureau of Text Investigation • Master Division
Agent Name: ________________________
Date: ________________
Detective Mission: The Solo Case
The following two evidence files were recovered from the scene. Your mission is to analyze the text features to determine the genre.Circle three specific clues (headings, dialogue, facts, etc.) inside the text.
Evidence File #77-A Subject: Desert Life
The Sonora Desert
A Dry Environment
The Sonoran Desert is located in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. It is known for its extreme temperatures and unique plants. Because it receives very little rainfall, animals and plants must find ways to conserve water to survive the hot sun.
Cactus Adaptations
The Saguaro cactus is the most famous plant in this desert. It has a thick, waxy skin that helps it store water for many months. These giant plants can grow up to 40 feet tall and live for over 150 years.
Caption: Saguaros have shallow roots that spread out far to catch rain quickly.
Verdict:
Narrative
Informational
Case Notes (Why?):
Evidence File #88-B Subject: The Missing Compass
Oliver gripped his backpack straps until his knuckles turned white. He looked down at his map, then back at the fork in the trail. The sun was dipping below the mountains, and the shadows were stretching like long, dark fingers across the path.
"I'm sure we went left last time," his sister, Maya, said. She sounded worried, her voice trembling just a little.
"We can't be lost," Oliver replied, though his heart was racing. "The compass was right here in my pocket!" He reached in, but his fingers only found a small hole in the fabric. His stomach did a slow somersault.
Just then, a low hoot echoed from the trees above. Both children jumped. Maya grabbed Oliver's sleeve. "What was that?" she whispered. Oliver took a deep breath. He had to be the brave one. "It's just an owl, Maya. Let's try the path by the big rock. I think I remember that mossy log."
Verdict:
Narrative
Informational
Case Notes (Why?):
Text Detectives Answer Key Answer Key
Text Detectives Mystery Lesson (Master Division)
Master Investigation Case Worksheet
Evidence File #77-A: The Sonora Desert
Verdict: Informational
Clues students should circle:
Heading: "The Sonora Desert"Subheadings: "A Dry Environment" or "Cactus Adaptations"Bold Vocabulary: "Saguaro cactus"Caption: "Saguaros have shallow roots..."Facts: "40 feet tall," "live for over 150 years," or location data.
Note: Students only need to circle 3 clues. Any combination of the above is correct.
Evidence File #88-B: The Missing Compass
Verdict: Narrative
Clues students should circle:
Dialogue: "I'm sure we went left last time" or "Did you hear that?"Characters: Oliver or Maya.Setting/Mood: "shadows were stretching like long, dark fingers."Plot/Problem: The missing compass (hole in the pocket) or being lost.Feelings: "heart was racing" or "stomach did a slow somersault."
Note: Look for circles around quotation marks as a primary indicator of narrative awareness.
Final Verdict Exit Ticket
1. Matching
Narrative: Characters/Dialogue, Problem/SolutionInformational: Facts/Photographs, Headings/Diagrams
2. Short Answer
Sample correct response: "A story is for fun and follows characters, while an informational book is for learning and uses facts to teach you things."
Master Detective Insights
As students analyze these longer texts, watch for those who misidentify the "Desert" text as Narrative because they see the word "Desert." Point them back to the Visual Features (headings and captions) as proof of the author's intent to teach.
Common Misconception:
Students might think dialogue only happens in movies. Remind them that quotation marks in a book are the "talking clues" for narratives.
Advanced Clue:
Encourage high-flyers to look for similes (like shadows stretching like fingers) in the Narrative text—these are rarely found in pure Informational text.
Plot Twists Exit Ticket Master Division
Final Verdict
Bureau of Text Investigation • Exit Exam
Agent Name: ________________________
1. Match the clue to the correct Text Type:
Characters & Dialogue
Facts & Statistics
Headings & Diagrams
Problem & Solution
Narrative
Informational
2. Why does an informational text use features like headings and captions?
Cut Here
Master Division
Final Verdict
Bureau of Text Investigation • Exit Exam
Agent Name: ________________________
1. Match the clue to the correct Text Type:
Characters & Dialogue
Facts & Statistics
Headings & Diagrams
Problem & Solution
Narrative
Informational
2. Why does an informational text use features like headings and captions?
Advanced Case Teacher Guide Teacher Case File: Operation Mastery
Mission: Deep Investigation (Day 2)
Master Division
Mission Goal
Students will sharpen their investigative skills by analyzing 'Tricky Cases' where text types might overlap or share similar topics, ensuring they can rely on structural features for classification.
Mission Time
45 Minutes
(Recall: 5, Guided: 10, Sorting Lab: 20, Final Report: 10)
Evidence Kit
Advanced Case Slides (Day 2)
Bureau Sorting Cards Activity
Master Detective Highlighters
Clue Magnifiers (Optional)
1. Evidence Recall (5 min)
Feature Flash: Call out features rapidly (e.g., "Glossary!", "Dialogue!", "Diagram!"). Students point to the 'Narrative' side or 'Informational' side of the room (or simple hand signals).
2. The 'Tricky Case' Analysis (10 min)
Use Slides 3-4 to analyze paired texts about the same topic (e.g., Owls).
Discussion Point: "Both texts are about owls. How do we know which one is a story and which is for learning? Look at the Chapter Heading vs. the Subheading . Look for the dialogue vs. the facts ."
3. The Sorting Lab (20 min)
Evidence Sorting: In detective duos, students sort the Bureau Sorting Cards . These cards are specifically designed with 2-3 overlapping features to test their focus.
Detective Peer Review: Once sorted, duos swap piles with another team. If they find a card they disagree with, they must "file an appeal" by pointing out the specific text feature that supports their view.
4. The Final Report (10 min)
Students pick their "most difficult case" from the sorting cards and glue it onto a response sheet, writing a 2-sentence defense of their verdict based on features.
Field Observation Tips
Common Pitfall
"But they both talk about birds!" Remind agents that topic does not determine genre . Features do.
Mastery Check
Can the student identify a caption even if the text itself seems like a story intro? (This is a 'Tricky Case' hallmark).
Advanced Case Slides Day 2 Master Division
Day 2: Tricky Case Files
Advanced Clue Board
Narrative Signals
Dialogue: Quotation marks for speech.
Arc: A character faces a problem.
Feelings: Emotions and thoughts.
Informational Signals
Headers: Subheadings and bold titles.
Captions: Text explaining a graphic.
Numbers: Dates, statistics, and measurements.
Case #201: Topic Overlap
A Busy Colony
Ants live in large groups called colonies. A single colony can have millions of ants! Each ant has a job to do. The queen ant lays eggs all day, while the worker ants find food.
Caption: A diagram showing the tunnels inside an ant hill.
Arthur the Ant sighed. He was tired of carrying heavy crumbs. "Why can't I just be a guard today?" he asked his friend, Andy.
"Because the Queen needs this muffin crumb now!" Andy replied, pointing his antenna toward the tunnel. Arthur picked up the crumb and started walking.
Both are about Ants! How do we tell them apart?
Case #202: The Deceptive Layout
Tricky!
Chapter Two: The Big Race
"Get ready, get set, GO!" the whistle blew. Toby the Turtle didn't move. He was too busy looking at a shiny blue beetle in the grass.
Is a "Chapter Header" an Informational or Narrative feature?
Detective Analysis:
Sometimes a story looks like it has headings, but if it has a problem and talking characters, it is still a...
Narrative
The Sorting Lab Mission
Your team will receive 8 Advanced Case Cards. Some share topics. Some share features.
Step 1
Sort the cards into Case N and Case I.
Step 2
Pick one "Tricky Case" and explain your verdict.
Text Sorting Cards Activity Bureau Sorting Cards
Master Division • Station Activity (Day 2)
Print & Cut • 8 Evidence Files
Evidence #301
The Red Planet
Mars is often called the 'Red Planet' because of the iron oxide on its surface. It is the fourth planet from the sun. Mars has two small moons, Phobos and Deimos. NASA has sent many rovers to explore the rocky surface.
Fact Box:
A day on Mars is 24.6 hours long.
Evidence #302
Chapter 1: The Mars Mission
"Control, do you read me?" Captain Cooper's voice crackled through the headset. He looked out the small round window. The red dust was swirling outside the landing craft.
He was finally here. But where was the rest of his team? His heart hammered against his chest as he reached for the door handle.
Evidence #303
Pollination Power
Honeybees are vital to our environment. As they travel from flower to flower, they carry pollen on their hairy legs. This process allows plants to grow fruits and seeds.
Caption: A bee collecting nectar from a clover flower.
Evidence #304
"Wait up, Finnegan!" Buzz called out. He did a little waggle dance to show his friend where the best clover was hiding.
Finnegan didn't look back. He was determined to find the legendary Golden Orchid at the edge of the meadow. "It's a long flight, Buzz. Are your wings ready for an adventure?"
Clues: Dialogue, Characters, Goal
Evidence #305
Pack Structure
Gray wolves are social animals that live in families called packs. A pack usually includes a mother, father, and their pups. They communicate through body language and vocalizations like howling.
Key Vocabulary:
Nocturnal: Active during the night hours.
Evidence #306
The moonlight hit the clearing. Silver the wolf stood on the rock and let out a long, mournful howl. His pack had gone south, but he stayed behind to wait for his brother.
Suddenly, he heard a snap of a twig. He bared his teeth, ready for a fight. "Who's there?" he growled into the shadows.
Problem: Being left behind
Evidence #307
Baking Bread
Step 1: Mix yeast and warm water.
Step 2: Add flour and salt to form a dough.
Step 3: Knead the dough for 10 minutes until smooth.
Step 4: Let the dough rise in a warm place.
Evidence #308
The Bread Disaster
Grandma's kitchen was covered in white flour. Leo coughed as he tried to find his mixing bowl. "I followed the steps!" he cried out.
Text Type Challenge Worksheet Final Case Log
Bureau of Text Investigation • Master Division Certification
Agent Name: ________________________
Date: ________________
Section 1: The Sorting Lab Results
After sorting your 8 Evidence Cards, list the ID numbers in the correct category below.
Case N (Narrative)
__________________________________________
Case I (Informational)
__________________________________________
Section 2: The Most Difficult Case
Select the card that was the hardest to classify. Defend your verdict with specific evidence from the text.
Difficult Card ID#:
Verdict:
Narrative
Informational
Evidence Clue #1:
Evidence Clue #2:
Final Defense (Explain why these clues prove the genre):
Section 3: Master Certification
When a text has overlapping topics (like two texts about space), what is the most reliable "tool" in your kit to find the truth?
Explain your strategy here...
Certified Detective Agent
Confidential File • Grade 3 Division
Advanced Case Answer Key Answer Key: Day 2
Advanced Case Investigations • Master Division
Bureau Sorting Lab Solutions
Case N: Narrative
#302 (The Mars Mission)
Clues: Captain Cooper, "Control, do you read me?", Problem of missing team.
#304 (Buzz & Finnegan)
Clues: Characters Buzz/Finnegan, Dialogue, Goal to find the Golden Orchid.
#306 (Silver the Wolf)
Clues: Silver (named wolf), "Who's there?", Emotional problem (left behind).
#308 (The Bread Disaster)
Clues: Characters Leo/Grandma, "I followed the steps!", Humorous story resolution.
Case I: Informational
#301 (The Red Planet)
Clues: Heading, Fact Box (Mars hours), Bold vocab (rovers), Real data.
#303 (Pollination Power)
Clues: Scientific facts about pollen, Image Caption, Purpose is to teach biology.
#305 (Pack Structure)
Clues: Facts about wolf social life, Bold underlined vocab (vocalizations), Key vocab box.
#307 (Baking Bread)
Clues: Sequential steps (1-4), Objective instructional tone, Center heading.
Section 2 & 3 Support
Evaluation of Section 2:
A correct defense should mention structural features (e.g., "I know #308 is narrative because it has dialogue and a character named Leo") rather than just the topic (e.g., "It's about bread").
Self-Reflection Mastery:
Master-level detectives should identify that text features (headings, dialogue, captions) are more reliable than topic when classifying genre.
Case N IDs: 302, 304, 306, 308 • Case I IDs: 301, 303, 305, 307
