1 Using QARs to Develop Comprehension and Reflective Reading Habits Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Reading Grades: Grades 3–8 Professional Commentary: Mature readers move from reading for literal comprehension to developing inferential comprehension strategies. This lesson provides a foundation for building reflective reading habits, which enables students to develop these higher-level comprehension strategies.... Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Reading Grades: Grades K–3 Professional Commentary: This resource describes how to use questioning the text as a teaching strategy to improve students' understanding of nonfiction material. The article outlines how to choose an appropriate text to model the strategy, as well as ideas to introduce the strategy, model the strategy, and provide time for guided practice.... 3 Making Personal and Cultural Connections Using A Girl Named Disaster Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Reading Grades: Grades 6–8 Professional Commentary: This lesson is intended to help students experience both "efferent" (reading for information) and "aesthetic" (reading as a personal, emotional experience) responses to the story A Girl Named Disaster by Nancy Farmer. Students work as a whole class and with partners to explore the main character Nhamo as she struggles to survive in her extended family... 4 The History Behind Song Lyrics Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Reading Grades: Grades 6–8 Professional Commentary: The events described in the lyrics from Billy Joel's song "We Didn't Start the Fire" are used as a springboard for this lesson. The lyrics include references to people, places and events from four decades of world occurrences.... 5 Press Conference for Bud, Not Buddy Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Reading Grades: Grades 6–8 Professional Commentary: This lesson is centered around the novel Bud, Not Buddy, by Christopher Paul Curtis. The lesson encourages students to use higher-level thinking skills, and asks them to examine different character perspectives.... 6 Lights, Camera, Action: Interviewing a Book Character Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Reading Grades: Grades 6–7 Professional Commentary: During a novel study, students closely examine the different characters in the text by keeping journal entries, meeting for group discussions, and using graphic organizers. This extensive character examination is designed to help them to prepare a final project that involves creating an interview-style television show.... 7 Keep It Real: Newspapers, the Ultimate Informational Text Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Reading Grades: Grades 2–4 Professional Commentary: This resource provides a set of ten lessons designed for use with newspapers. These comprehensive lessons outline ideas for instruction, guided practice, and assessment.... 8 Literacy Strategies: KWL Resource Type: Content Supports Discipline: Reading Grades: Grades 3–7 Professional Commentary: This resource, developed by an instructional design team at Southeastern Louisana University as part of a large content area reading project, provides directions for using KWL to help students construct meaning. The KWL strategy helps students make sense of new information by connecting it to what they already know.... 9 Before, During, and After Reading: Reading and Thinking Strategies Resource Type: Professional Resources Discipline: Reading Grades: Grades 1–12 Professional Commentary: This resource summarizes widely accepted comprehension strategies that effective readers use to understand a variety of texts. Based, in part, on research related to students' use of prior knowledge, this resource provides a chart describing the strategies used when students are effectively engaged in reading.... |