Notice that I don’t start with the zooplankton. I start with the setting.
Readers already know the spread is about zooplankton from the main text, and
they can see the critters in the art.

So I prioritize the setting to provide readers with necessary background information.
The first sentence tells readers:
—It is winter.
—We are in the Arctic.

—At this time and in this place, the Sun doesn’t rise above the horizon.

The second sentence repeats this last fact to reinforce it.

Now readers are ready move on. So I explain (1) how zooplankton respond to
moonlight and (2) how their response helps them survive. By sharing this
information over the course of two sentences, I give readers a chance to pause
briefly and wonder what’s coming. Then I satisfy their curiosity. This approach
is less likely to overwhelm readers than one long sentence with three clauses.

Text scaffolding also involves strategically placing information to
provide intellectual and/or emotional breaks. This is similar to what fiction
writers (and screen writers) do as they develop plot. If a book (or movie) has
five high-speed car chases in a row, readers (or moviegoers) will feel
exhausted and overwhelmed. So writers create lulls in between action-packed
scenes.

Similarly, nonfiction writers think carefully about how they will present
information. In Thank You, Moon, the zooplankton spread is followed by a
spread that features a kangaroo rat and bobcat. Even young readers know that members
of the cat family hunt mice and rats. Since the animals and setting are
familiar and the art is straightforward, readers can easily digest the content.
This provides a much-needed break.

As you look for mentor texts to teach informational writing, be on the
lookout for books with excellent text scaffolding. When students have a chance
to see this important craft element at work, they can begin to incorporate it
into their own prose.