Focus on Genre: Science Article

Many science articles are expository nonfiction and include information on how to do something. The “how to,” or procedural text, gives readers numbered steps to follow.

Breathe. Within seconds, the oxygen you took in is cruising through your body.

expository text

Oxygen is carried by fast-flowing rivers of blood.

  • 1 Place two fingers on your wrist. Find a spot where you feel a thump. That’s your pulse. Each thump represents a heartbeat.

procedural text

Your Job as a Reader: Reading Strategy: Determine Importance

As you read, determine which ideas are the most important. Then summarize each section using only the most important details.

Important Ideas

You breathe oxygen. Oxygen is carried by blood.

Summary

After you breathe, blood carries oxygen throughout the body.

Illustration of the title page of the selection, “The Beat Goes On”