Littlefield explained that text features are found in informational texts. She said that her class has been focusing on them daily for the last few weeks.

“Text features include headings, photographs, captions, illustrations, graphs and tables, maps, keywords, diagrams and more,” Littlefield said.

Littlefield said that this project helps her students apply their focus on text features in a unique way. She said that the first step of this process helps her students identify the different text features and apply them.

“They were given a patient file, which included eight different patients with symptoms to diagnose,” Littlefield said. “The prescription was the text feature. They had to prepare for surgery with gloves, masks, and sanitizer.  They were given a magazine and had to find the text features prescribed, cut them out and glue them on the correct patient file.”

Littlefield said that the second part of the process helps her students understand why we use text features and how they help us understand our reading.

“They then had to explain the purpose of the text feature and how it helps us when we read,” Littlefield said. “They explained there finding in the post op report.”

Littlefield said that her students seem to thoroughly enjoy this project.

“We treat it like a real surgery in an operating room with heartbeat sound effects,” Littlefield said. “This has been a favorite activity of our students and we hope to continue this in years to come. They were also allowed to take their gloves and masks home. We try to make learning hands on which makes it fun for the students.”