SED Reading Skills

Teaching
Reading
Skills
Lesson Plans for Promoting

Reading Skills
Teaching Reading Skills

Lesson Plans for Promoting Reading Skills
Editors:
Joan S. Wolf, Ph.D., Project Consultant
Allison H. Glasgow, Project Assistant
April 2007
University of Dayton
and
School Study Council of Ohio
2007 School Study Council of Ohio. All Rights Reserved
Developed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education:
Comprehensive Interventions for Elementary School Students Who Are Severely Emotionally Disturbed, Grant No. H324M010031
Foreword
Comprehensive Interventions for Elementary School
Students Who Are Severely Emotionally Disturbed (SED)
Model Demonstration Project
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education, Grant No. H324M010031
University of Dayton
The comprehensive intervention project for elementary students who are SED had as one
of its components the development of lesson plans for reading and social behavior instruction.
Teachers who participated in the project developed lesson plans to be used in the classroom to
support instruction in these areas.
These lesson plans have been revised, edited and organized into two manuals, one for
reading, another for social skills. The manuals have been reproduced for distribution to
teachers in the Columbus Public Schools and placed in the Resource Center for parents and
teachers interested in improving instruction for students with SED and for other Special
Education populations. The manuals will also be made available to the Special Education
Regional Resource Centers and to the Ohio Educational Service Centers.
The reading materials consist of lessons based on Ohios English Language Arts
Academic Content Standards and are tied to Grade Level Indicators (GLI)*. These materials
focus on lessons for students in grades K - 5.
*http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/
About the Editors:

Joan S. Wolf, Ph.D.
Dr. Wolf is Professor Emerita, Department of Special Education, University of Utah,
SLC, and was President of Educational Consulting Services, providing consultation and
evaluation to children, parents and schools. A native of Boston, MA, Dr. Wolf completed her
B.S. degree in Education at the University of Utah, an M.A. in School Psychology and a Ph.D.
in Special Education at The Ohio State University in Columbus, OH. She has conducted
numerous workshops on issues related to gifted education, learning disabilities and
school-family collaboration and is the author of many articles and book chapters dealing with
these topics. She serves as a consultant to the School Study Council of Ohio and the University
of Dayton Research Projects.
Allison H. Glasgow
Ms. Glasgow earned a B.S. in Psychology at The Ohio State University. She is currently
a School Study Council of Ohio/University of Dayton staff member and Program Coordinator
of the Martin W. Essex School for the Gifted. She is involved in research and evaluation
projects involving instrumentation and data reporting methods that aid in assessing school
district programs. She has been the Project Assistant for the federal project sponsoring the
publication of these curriculum materials. Ms. Glasgow has served as an applied behavior
analysis therapist through a non-prot treatment center.
Columbus Public School teachers and administrative staff who participated in the SED project :
Roxanne Anderson
Jill Bender
John Brunton
Aimee Crosby
Michelle Davis
Mary Ey
Carol Feyes
Tina Fincher
Terri Frazier
Christi Gentry
Ruth Gerhardt
Jennifer He
Katherine Helter
Amanda Kolp
Melissa Kovacs
Susan Kulisek
Katharine Myers
Cheryl Owens
Michael Sciarroni
Jennifer Sims
Cover Graphic: Learning and Teaching Scotland, Glasgow

Layout and design by: Cindy Meyers, Graphic Artist, SSCO
Dolores Smith
Patricia Swiger
Jason Tate
Eimy Torres-Sifuentes
Christa Truchan
Julie Watson
Donna Watts
Vondra White
Debbie Wilson
Jacqueline Zaborowski
Teaching Reading Skills

Table of Contents
Pages
Academic Content Standard #1 6 - 11
Phonemic Awareness, Word Recognition, and Fluency Standard

Acquisition of Vocabulary Standard

Reading Process: Concepts of Print, Comprehension Strategies and
Self-Monitoring Strategies Standard

Reading Applications: Informational, Technical and Persuasive Text Standard

Reading Applications: Literary Text Standard

Writing Process Standard

Writing Applications Standard

Writing Conventions Standard

Research Standard

Communications: Oral and Visual Standard
Academic Content Standard

#1
Phonemic Awareness, Word Recognition and
Fluency Standard
Students in the primary grades learn to recognize and decode printed
words, developing the skills that are the foundations for independent
reading. They discover the alphabetic principle (sound-symbol match)
and learn to use it in figuring out new words. They build a stock of
sight words that helps them to read quickly and accurately with
comprehension. By the end of the third grade, they demonstrate
fluent oral reading, varying their intonation and timing as appropriate
for the text.
Reading
Phonemic Awareness, Word Recognition & Fluency Standard
(Fiction and Non-fiction)
Lesson: Identifying missing consonants
Grades:
K-2
Time:
20 minutes
Materials: Instructional Test Reading Level III Book B1.
Objectives:
Students will
listen carefully to a spoken sentence and repeat it orally.
identify which word has a missing consonant.
insert the missing consonant when repeating the sentence back to the teacher.
Instructions:
1. Read a sentence and omit a consonant at the beginning or end of a word.
(i.e., The girl caught the _all.)
2. Have a student name the word and the missing letter. Then direct the student to
repeat the sentence and insert the missing consonant into the word correctly.
(i.e., ball...b The girl caught the ball.)
Extensions:
Leave out initial consonants in words in one lesson and leave out nal
consonants in words in the next lesson.
Say the complete sentence and then tell the student to repeat the sentence leaving
the consonant sound out in a certain word. For example: We went back to the store.
Leave out the k sound in back. The student will repeat: We went ba__ to the store.
For sentence ideas, refer to students reading books or trade books used previously in
class.
2004. Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division.
Reading
Lesson: Vocabulary
Grades:
3-4
Time:
20 minutes
Materials: Instructional Test Reading Level III Book B2
Objective:
Students will
learn pronunciation of new words and their meaning.
Instructions:
1. Pronounce new words.
2. Ask students to spell and pronounce new words on their own.
3. Share the meaning of the new words and have students discuss the denitions.
4. Have each student pronounce a column of new words with no errors.
Extension:
Have students incorporate new words into their writing.
2004. Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division.
Reading
Lesson: Phonics patterns with letter cards

Grades:
K-2
Time:
20 minutes
Materials: Letter cards with vowels different colors than consonants, words that the students
are learning to spell and read, students reading or spelling books, paper and pencil
Objective:
Students will
create their spelling/reading words using the letter cards and master phonics
patterns through the use of spelling/reading words.
Instructions:
1. Have students use letter cards to build the word strap and then write it as a
complete word on their paper.
2. After the students are nished, explain that this is a closed word with a
consonant after a short vowel sound.
3. Have the students create the word mask. Ask what type of word this is and have
students explain their answers. Then have students write the word.
4. After discussion, have the students look around the room or in their books to nd
other closed words. After students have selected their words, have them build the
words using their letter cards and discuss their rationale. Lead students in creating
a list of the closed words discussed.
5. Have students work independently and add 5 more words to their list following
the same phonics pattern.
9
Extensions:
On different days, introduce other phonics patterns, such as:
Vowel - consonant - silent e... drove (long vowel and silent e)
Open... the (ends in vowel sound)
Consonant - le... muscle (short vowel sound ending in _ le)
R - controlled... sharp (vowel with r makes a different sound)
Have students mark the phonics patterns in each word by circling or crossing out
different letters and by using long and short vowel markings.
Show students how to divide multi-syllabic words before nding the vowel patterns.
10
Reading
Lesson: Vocabulary
Grades:
4-5
Time:
15 minutes
Materials: Letter cards A - Z, pocket chart
Objective:
Students will
learn word building skills.
Instructions:
1. Pass out a set of letter cards to each student.
2. Have students lay out letters in front of them.
3. Direct students to do the following, while demonstrating the activity by arranging
letters in the pocket chart:
Spell am.
Add one letter to spell ram.
Change one letter to spell jam.
Spell are.
Change one letter to spell ace.
Add one letter to spell race.
Change one letter to spell face.
Spell cream.
Add one letter to spell scream.
Spell camera. Add and rearrange the letters needed to build the word Americans.
Extension:
Use same technique for rhyming words and word families.
11

#2
Students acquire vocabulary through exposure to language-rich
situations, such as reading books and other texts and conversing
with adults and peers. They use context clues, as well as direct
explanations provided by others, to gain new words. They learn to
apply word analysis skills to build and extend their own vocabulary.
As students progress through the grades, they become more
proficient in applying their knowledge of words (origins, parts,
relationships, meanings) to acquire specialized vocabulary that aids
comprehension.
12
Reading
(Fiction)
Lesson: Responding to the text

Grades:
Primary or Intermediate
Time:
10 - 15 minutes
Materials: Reading selection, beach ball with questions written on segments
Objectives:
Students will
respond to the text by answering questions that are written on segments of
the beach ball.
respond to a text by relating it to personal experiences or feelings.
Instructions:
1. Write questions pertaining to a reading selection on each segment of the beach ball.
Questions might include the following:
What was the problem and how was it solved?
What was the theme of the story?
What was the setting?
What were the main events of the story?
What would you like to ask this author?
In what ways was this story realistic?
Of what other stories does this remind you?
What personal connection do you have to this story?
2. Share these questions with students, explaining that they should consider them
while reading.
3. Assign the reading in the format that works best with your students.
4. Following the reading, have students move into a circle.
13
5. Have a student throw the beach ball to another student. Have that student read and
answer the question that his right thumb is touching.
6. Direct the student to throw the ball to another student who repeats the process.
7. Continue until all questions have been discussed or interest is waning.
8. Try to give a turn to each student. If a student catches the ball a second time,
provide an option for him/her to choose a student who has not had a turn. Continue
the game with that student answering and then throwing the ball to someone else.
Extensions:
Have students complete their own story maps individually.
In discussion groups, have students explain why they chose their answers.
14
Reading
Lesson: Vocabulary
Grades:
K-1
Time:
20 - 30 minutes
Materials: Teacher-created sheets with sentences incorporating sight/spelling/reading words
with room for illustrations
Objectives:
Students will
correctly read sight words in sentences.
show mastery of sight words learned.
Instructions:
1. Have student read sentences, preferably one at a time.
2. Have student copy the sentence and illustrate it.
3. Have student reread the sentence.
Extensions:
Create additional sentence papers combining new and mastered words.
Have student create sentence papers for a classmate to complete.
15
Reading
(Non-fiction)
Lesson: Vocabulary
Grades:
K-2
Time:
20 minutes
Materials: File cards/Post-It Notes, markers/pencils/crayons, book about sharing
Objectives:
Students will
establish connection between text and real objects.
establish connection between text and pictures in books.
recognize that the print in a text carries a message and begin to use visual,
structural and meaning cues to identify words.
develop a reading vocabulary in context.
integrate strategies to identify new words (e.g., rereading to self-correct, using
letter/sound relationships and seeking meaning through language).
Instructions:
1. Develop a print-rich environment.
Label classroom objects such as furniture, crayon/pencil boxes, storage trays,
storage cabinets and containers for manipulatives, to help students learn to
identify words in their environment.
Post name charts with student photos and job charts with student names.
2. Read aloud books about other children in their classroom setting.
3. Have students write their own books about the classroom.
Younger students can make pages with illustrations and selected words.
Older students can write full sentences with accompanying illustrations.
4. Encourage students to use the environmental print to assist them in writing and
reading text.
16
Reading
(Fiction and Non-Fiction)
Lesson: Vocabulary
Grades:
1-3
Time:
15 - 30 minutes
Materials: Vocabulary list from reading selection, chart paper
Objective:
Students will
use knowledge of word order and sentence context clues to support word
identication and dene unknown words while reading.
Instructions:
1. On chart paper or overhead, write sentences containing the vocabulary words for
the reading selection. Cover the vocabulary words.
2. Have students read the sentence and guess the missing word. If needed, pronounce
the words beginning sound to aid students in identifying the word. Review the
sentence with the correct vocabulary word and discuss its meaning.
3. Display words from the lesson on a word wall in the classroom.
17
Reading
(Fiction)
Lesson: Using graphic aids; vocabulary

Grades:
1-4
Time:
30 minutes each day for several days
Materials: Chart paper with story chart, markers, student copies of story chart, selected
reading book
Objective:
Students will
write a story/narrative with a good beginning, middle and end.
Instructions:
1. Prior to lesson, draw story chart on large chart paper.
2. Read aloud a selected book.
3. Lead discussion of what happened rst, next, then after that and nally.
4. Brainstorm with class ideas for stories that would include sequence words.
Write ideas on chart paper.
5. Model how to complete a story chart, addressing one section at a time. Complete
the whole chart before students begin.
6. Have students complete their charts.
7. Model writing a story, one section at a time.
8. Have students write their stories.
9. Have students share their work with the class.
18
10. Work individually with students to help them improve their skills.
Extensions:
Use sequence words in daily discussion.
Use sequence words in math, science and social studies.
19

#3
Reading Process: Concepts of Print, Comprehension
Strategies and Self-Monitoring Strategies Standard
Students develop and learn to apply strategies that help them to
comprehend and interpret informational and literary texts. Reading
and learning to read are problem solving processes that require
strategies for the reader to make sense of written language and
remain engaged with texts. Beginners develop basic concepts about
print (e.g., that print holds meaning) and how books work (e.g., text
organization). As strategic readers, students learn to analyze and
evaluate texts to demonstrate their understanding of text.
Additionally, students learn to self-monitor their own comprehension
by asking and answering questions about the text, self-correcting
errors and assessing their own understanding. They apply these
strategies effectively to assigned and self-selected texts read in and
out of the classroom.
20
Reading
Lesson: Choosing materials related to purposes
Grade:
5
Time:
60 - 90 minutes
Materials: Chart paper, marker
Objective:
Students will
select reading material for a variety of purposes and from a variety of resources.
Instructions:
1. Brainstorm with students what they enjoy about reading. Remind them of the various
types of reading materials, including magazines and newspapers.
2. Take a class trip to your closest branch of the public library. If this is not possible,
use your school library.
3. Encourage students to select one piece of reading material on their level.
4. Once back in class, allow students to share their reasons for choosing the reading
material.
Extension:
Provide opportunities for students to discuss their reading selections in small groups.
21
Reading
(Fiction)

Grade:
5
Time:
20 minutes
Materials: Fiction pieces, cards stating why a piece was written, cards stating passages
from pieces with purposes
Objectives:
Students will
match supporting statements to purpose of written piece.
explain how authors use content to support their purpose for writing.
Instructions:
1. Create two groups of cards from ction passages. One group will have
examples of why an author wrote the ction. The other set of cards will have
passages from the ction to support the reasons and some that do not support
the reasons.
2. Have students read the ction.
3. Have students match a passage card with the purpose cards.
22
Reading
Lesson: Analyzing the text

Grades:
3-5
Time:
Approximately 30 minutes
Materials: Book or story that you are reading in reading group or students selection
during independent reading, copy of Story Web for each student
(see p. 24)
Objectives:
Students will
read or listen to the selection determined by the teacher.
complete the story web.
Instructions:
1. Have students read a selection from their reading book or a book they have chosen
during independent reading. As an alternative, the teacher may read a story to the
whole group.
2. Have students complete the Story Web about their selection. They will answer
Who, Why, What, When, How and Where questions. Depending upon the
students ability, the Story Web may be completed individually, in small
groups, or as a class.
Extension:
This story web can be used with any level story, ction or non-ction and in other
subject areas.
23
Story Web
Why
Who
Name of Story:
What
Where
When
24
Reading
(Fiction)
Lesson: Using graphic aids; comparing and contrasting
Grades:
Time:
Material:
4-5
45 minutes
Do Not Open3 book, Venn diagram (see p. 26)
Objective:
Students will
compare and contrast story endings using a Venn diagram.
Instructions:
1. Read the book Do Not Open with the class.
2. Stop the story at the point where the bottle is about to be opened.
3. Allow students to write their own ending to the story.
4. Have each student read his/her ending.
5. Have the class read the authors ending.
6. Allow students to complete a Venn diagram comparing their ending to that
of the author.
7. Provide opportunities for students to verbalize the similarities and differences
between their endings and the authors.
Extension:
Compare several students endings with that of the author and use a multi-circular
Venn diagram.
Turkle, Brinton (1981). NY: Dutton.
25
Venn Diagram
26
Reading
(Non-fiction)
Lesson: Inferring from the text
Grades:
3 and up
Time:
5 - 10 minutes
Materials: Non-ction reading selection, graphic T-Chart, pencil and model of T-Chart
on chart paper, board, or overhead
Objectives:
Students will
recognize multiple clues and key words from the text.
make associations to prior knowledge/experience.
Instructions:
1. Prepare a T-Chart on overhead, chart paper, or the board. Label the two sides
The Book Says and So I Think.
2. Tell students that they are going to become investigators and try to gure out
information not directly stated in the text, but based on reading clues. Write facts
on the T-Chart under the label The Book Says. Under the label So I Think,
list the inferences made by the students.
3. Have students practice making inferences as they continue to read.
4. Have students work in small groups to discuss their inferences.
5. Have students share their inferences with the class.
Extension:
Provide opportunities for creative writing and analysis of reading material.
27
Reading
(Fiction)

Grades:
Time:
Material:
3 - 5 (Can be adapted for lower grades)

20 - 30 minutes
Reading selection
Objectives:
Students will
learn to make inferences about the situations to which the text refers, rather
than focusing on the text itself.
discuss questions created by the teacher and then create their own questions
about the text.
Instructions:
1. Create Why and How questions prior to presenting the lesson to students.
2. Before reading the selection, present questions to the students.
3. Write the questions on the board and/or give them to each student on a printed sheet.
4. Create questions according to the following format:
Why did a character take a particular intentional action?
Why did an explicit action, event, or state occur?
How could an explicit action, event, state occur?
How did one or more of the characters feel when an action, event, or
state occurred?
5. Have students complete the assigned reading in pairs to complete questions.
6. Provide help and support as students work through questions.
28
7. Encourage maximum participation, making sure that all students have the
opportunity to participate.
8. Lead class discussion in which students share their ndings.
Extension:
Provide opportunities for creative writing and discussions using the skills learned.
29
Reading
Grade:
5 (This activity can be modied for younger students.)
Time:
45 minutes
Materials: Chosen text/passage, chart paper, markers
Objective:
Students will
practice strategies for dealing with open-ended questions about a reading
passage.
Instructions:
1. Before class, list open-ended questions on chart paper.
2. Read passage aloud to students while they follow along.
3. Lead discussion to invite answers to some of the following questions.
Open Ended Questions:
Did you have strong feelings while you read the story?
Are there characters that changed during the story?
Who is the main character of the story? What kind of person is he/she?
How do you know?
Is this story like any others you have ever read? In what way?
Did you learn anything you didnt already know?
What was the most surprising thing you learned by reading this passage?
Extension:
Have students create written passage to which other students apply open-ended
questions.
30
Reading
(Non-fiction)
Grades:
Primary or Intermediate
Time:
10 - 15 minutes
Materials: Reading selection, beach ball with questions written on segments
Objective:
Students will
respond to the text by answering questions that are written on segments
of the beach ball.
Instructions:
1. Write questions on each segment of the beach ball. Questions might include
the following:
What was something you learned?
What was the main idea or theme?
What was one supporting detail about the main idea?
Where could you nd more about this topic?
How could this information be useful to you?
How could you use this to write ction?
What does your reading relate to that you have already read?
2. Share the questions with students before they read their selection.
3. Assign the reading in the format that works best for your students.
4. Following the reading, have students form a circle.
31
5. Have a student throw the beach ball to another student. Have the student read
and answer the question that his right thumb is touching.
6. Keep the process going until all questions have been discussed or interest is waning.
7. If a student catches the ball a second time, allow him/her to choose a student who
has not had a turn.
Extension:
Have students develop questions that help them respond to reading passages.
32
Reading
(Non-fiction)

Grade:
Intermediate
Time:
Blocks of project time over 2 weeks
Materials: A biography or autobiography
Objective:
Students will
respond to text by relating it to a personal experience or feeling.
Instructions:
1. Have students listen to or read an autobiography or biography.
2. Have students identify a personal experience similar to the one in the book and write
about it.
3. Lead class discussion as students share their written products.
33
Reading
(Non-fiction)

Grade:
Primary
Time:
Ongoing project time over two to three weeks
Materials: Camera, materials to go along with an activity chosen by the teacher, a
non-ction book about the activity
Objective:
Students will
respond by relating the text to personal experience or feelings.
Instructions:
1. Have students plan an activity (i.e. recycling activity in which students recycle
things for a week).
2. Take photos of students as they are engaged in the activity.
3. Have students read a selection that corresponds to the activity in which they were
involved (i.e. recycling).
4. Use the pictures that were taken to have students share their experience by
working as a group to make a book or to narrate the story.
Extension:
Have students select other activities that are related to their reading material.
34
Reading
(Fiction)

Grades:
3-5
Time:
30 minutes
Materials: Reading selection, double-entry journal (see p. 36)
Objectives:
Students will
write about an authors ideas in the double-entry journal.
respond to a text by relating it to personal experiences or feelings.
Instructions:
1. Record on one side of the paper some critical quotes or thoughts taken
directly from a text, citing the page on which each quote or thought is found.
2. Present these quotes or thoughts to the students and direct them to record their
reactions to the quotes or thoughts as they reach that point in the days reading.
3. Have students work individually or in small groups.
4. Have students record ideas that they want to raise for group discussion in the
left-hand column and then add the responses in the right-hand column as the
group discusses the items.
35
In the Story...
36
My Thoughts...
Reading
(Fiction)

Grade:
Intermediate
Time:
30 minutes
Materials: Paper plates, sticks
Objective:
Students will
respond to a text by relating it to personal experience or feelings.
Instructions:
1. After reading a story of ction, have students use paper plates to show emotions
they felt.
2. Have students glue the plates to a Popsicle stick. Have students recite a sentence
or two about their feelings and any similar experience they may have had.
Extensions:
Develop and display vocabulary lists for words denoting emotions as a way of
expanding and enriching student responses.
Incorporate vocabulary words into other curriculum areas, e.g., spelling.
37
Reading
(Fiction)

Grades:
K-2
Time:
30 minutes
Materials: Paper, digital or Polaroid camera, previewed ction selection
Objective:
Students will
respond to text by relating it to personal experience or feelings.
Instructions:
1. Read a story or a selection to the class.
2. Have students make a face to describe how the story made them feel.
3. Take a picture of the face they make.
4. Ask students to dictate or write a sentence underneath the photo.
Extension:
Have students nd magazine pictures that denote the feelings they want to convey.
38

#4
Reading Applications: Informational, Technical and
Persuasive Text Standard
Students gain information from reading for purposes of learning
about a subject, doing a job, making decisions and accomplishing
a task. Students need to apply the reading process to various types
of informational texts, including essays, magazines, newspapers, textbooks, instruction manuals, consumer and workplace documents,
reference materials, multimedia and electronic resources.
They learn to attend to text features, such as titles, subtitles and visual
aids, to make predictions and build text knowledge. They learn to
read diagrams, charts, graphs, maps and displays in text as sources of
additional information. Students use their knowledge of text structure
to organize content information, analyze it and draw inferences from
it. Strategic readers learn to recognize arguments, bias, stereotyping
and propaganda in informational text sources.
39
Reading
Lesson: Vocabulary
Grades:
K-3
Time:
30 minutes
Materials: Reading book, worksheet, pencils
Objectives:
Students will
improve vocabulary.
use selected words accurately in a sentence.
Instructions:
1. Choose words that the students do not know and write them on a worksheet.
2. Have students complete the worksheet with denitions or dictionary page numbers
of the denitions.
3. As an alternative, direct students to choose words they would like to learn, with
teacher approval of the list.
Extensions:
Have students graph or keep records of their vocabulary masters.
Reinforce the use of new vocabulary words in writing and speaking.
40
Reading
(Fiction)

Grades:
K-3
Time:
30 minutes
Materials: Reading book, pencils
Objective:
Students will
develop analytic skills in reading a text.
Instructions:
1. Create a chart with the following headings: Who? What? How? Why? When? Where?
2. Provide a copy of the chart to each student.
3. Have students write two questions about the book.
4. Lead a discussion in which students answer each others questions.
5. Vary the techniques used in the discussion, (e.g., small group work, game show
format).
41
Reading
(Non-fiction)
Lesson: Using graphic aids; analyzing the text

Grade:
1
Time:
30 minutes
Materials: A book about hurricanes and tornadoes, Venn diagram (see p. 26),
chart paper
Objectives:
Students will
practice using a Venn diagram
demonstrate knowledge of tornadoes and hurricanes.
describe similarities and differences in tornadoes and hurricanes.
Instructions:
1. As a class, read books about tornadoes and hurricanes.
2. Note the most important facts.
3. Fill in Venn diagram with facts.
4. Discuss items recorded in Venn diagram.
Extensions:
Introduce other books and magazine articles about tornadoes and hurricanes.
Use the Venn diagram in other topic areas.
42
Reading
(Non-fiction)

Grade:
5
Time:
30 minutes
Materials: Chart paper, non-ction selection
Objectives:
Students will
demonstrate understanding of an authors reasons for writing the piece of
non-ction.
explain how an author uses the contents of a non-ction text to support his/her
purpose for writing.
Instructions:
1. Create a chart with the headings: Rationale and Supporting Material.
2. Have students read a non-ction selection.
3. Discuss the authors rationale.
4. Direct students to passages that support the rationale. Record these on the chart.
5. Record passages selected by students under Supporting Material on the chart.
Extension:
This process can be used for Social Studies and Science.
43
Reading
(Fiction)
Lesson: Summarizing the text

Grades:
Time:
Material:
2-3
30 minutes
Response sheet and reading book
Objective:
Students will
develop a summary statement for a story they hear or read.
Instructions:
1. Read a book to the students and/or have students read a book.
2. Discuss the essential elements of a summary (character, setting, etc.).
3. Have students work together to create a brief summarizing statement.
4. Write the statement on the chart as students write it on their response sheet.
5. Have students draw and color a picture that illustrates the summary statement.
Extension:
After reading a different book, have students complete the response sheet
independently.
44
Reading
(Fiction)

Grades:
Time:
Material:
3-4
30 minutes
Self-selected book for each student
Objective:
Students will
prepare and deliver a verbal summary of a book they have read.
Instructions:
1. Have students read a book independently.
2. Discuss the components of a summary.
3. Have each student bring his/her book to the teacher one at a time.
4. Ask student to recite the title and author of the book and give a verbal summary
in complete sentences.
Extension:
Have students develop summaries of content material in Social Studies and Science.
45
Reading
(Non-fiction)
Lesson: Summarizing the text; using graphic aids; demonstrating an
understanding of the text by retelling in writing
Grade:
3
Time:
45 minutes
Materials: Chart paper, individual Story webs (see p. 24)
Objective:
Students will
use graphic organizers to summarize major events in a non-ction story.
Instructions:
1. Read about the life cycle of a frog.
2. Discuss the stages of development.
3. As a group, complete the story web on the chart. Have students complete individual
webs at their desks.
4. Using their story webs, have students write a story about the life cycle of a frog.
Extension:
Have students write a ctional story about a frog.
46

#5
Students enhance their understanding of the human story by
reading literary texts that represent a variety of authors, cultures and
eras. They learn to apply the reading process to the various genres of
literature, including fables, folk tales, short stories, novels, poetry and
drama.
They demonstrate their comprehension by describing and discussing
the elements of literature (e.g., setting, character and plot), analyzing
the authors use of language (e.g., word choice and figurative
language), comparing and contrasting texts, inferring theme and
meaning and responding to text in critical and creative ways. Strategic
readers learn to explain, analyze and critique literary text to achieve
deep understanding.
47
Reading
(Fiction)
Lesson: Comparing and contrasting
Grade:
Intermediate
Time:
30 - 45 minutes
Materials: 3 different colored Post-it Notes, Venn diagram (see p. 26) drawn on a
chalkboard or large butcher paper color-coded to match the Post-It Notes
Objective:
Students will
compare and contrast elements such as characters, setting and events.
Instructions:
1. Divide students into groups. Each group should have two Post-It Notes of each color.
2. After reading a selection, have students decide what can be compared and contrasted.
3. Label the Venn diagram accordingly.
4. Have the groups write similarities and differences on their Post-it Notes. Make
sure they use the colors that match the correct parts of the diagram.
5. Have members of the group come up and put the Post-it Notes in the correct part
of the diagram and read their statements to the group.
48
Reading
(Fiction)
Lesson: Comparing and contrasting
Grade:
Primary
Time:
30 - 40 minutes
Materials: 2 long ropes, index cards, markers
Objective:
Students will
compare and contrast elements such as characters, setting and events.
Instructions:
1. Choose elements of a story or two different stories to compare and contrast.
2. Preview the story and write similarities and differences on index cards.
3. Create two overlapping circles, large enough for a few children to stand in, on
the oor resembling a Venn diagram.
4. Explain the different parts of the Venn diagram.
5. Read or have students read the desired selections.
6. Have students stand in or place the index cards in the appropriate part of the
Venn diagram.
49
Reading
(Fiction)
Lesson: Using graphic aids

Grade:
2
Time:
45 minutes
Materials: Graphic organizers, storybook of your choice, pencils
Objective:
Students will
complete a graphic organizer for a given story.
Instructions:
1. Read the story to the class.
2. Stop and ask questions as you read the story.
3. When the story is over, have students use their graphic organizer to list key
elements of the story.
4. Depending on which organizer is used, ll it out as a group or use it in small groups.
5. Review and discuss items on students graphic organizers.
Extension:
Use graphic organizers for other stories and in other content areas.
50
Reading
(Fiction)

Grades:
3-4
Time:
30 - 45 minutes
Materials: Tacky the Penguin4 , Three Cheers for Tacky5 , Venn diagram (see p. 26),
chart paper, markers
Objective:
Students will
compare and contrast character(s), plot and setting.
Instructions:
1. Read aloud Tacky the Penguin and Three Cheers for Tacky.
2. After explaining the skill of comparing and contrasting and reviewing character(s),
plot and setting, use a Venn diagram to write three details for each story.
3. Lead a discussion in which students compare and contrast the terms listed on the
diagram.
Extension:
Have students select two favorite stories and complete their own diagram using
the skills of comparing and contrasting.
Lester, Helen (1990). MA: Walter Lorraine Books.
51
Lester, Helen (1994). MA: Walter Lorraine Books.
Reading
(Fiction)

Grades:
3-4
Time:
30 minutes
Materials: Mollys Pilgrim6, Venn diagram (see p. 26), chart
Objective:
Students will
compare characters in literature.
Instructions:
1. Read the story aloud.
2. Using a Venn diagram, have students compare the characters of Molly and Emma,
listing character traits of each or, using a chart, have students compare how Molly
dealt with teasing and how students have dealt with a similar situation.
Extension:
Have students write about a situation in which they were teased by another student
and how it made them feel.
Cohen, Barbara (1990). NY: Yearling.
52
Reading
(Fiction)
Lesson: Summarizing the text; using graphic aids

Grade:
5
Time:
40 minutes
Materials: Examples of short stories, additional teacher-created short stories, teachercreated outline
Objective:
Students will
identify and produce a summary statement reecting the main idea of a text.
Instructions:
1. Point out that a story has a main idea that can be summarized.
2. Explain that, usually, the author does not state the main idea of a passage.
3. Read a short story or passage and have the students identify the main idea.
4. Provide the students an outline of questions.
5. Provide the students with copies of short stories. Upon reading the selection, have
each student write a summary sentence for one story.
6. Once the students are ready, divide them into small groups and have each create a
summary sentence for a short story of their choice.
7. Select a member of the group to read the story and summary to the class. Have the
class determine whether or not the group successfully summarized the story.
53

#6
Students writing develops when they regularly engage in the major
phases of the writing process. The writing process includes the phases
of prewriting, drafting, revising and editing and publishing. They learn
to plan their writing for different purposes and audiences. They learn
to apply their writing skills in increasingly sophisticated ways to create
and produce compositions that reflect effective word and grammatical
choices.
Students develop revision strategies to improve the content,
organization and language of their writing. Students also develop
editing skills to improve writing conventions.
54
Reading
(Writing Process)
Lesson: Prewriting, drafting, revising, editing and publishing
Grades:
3-5
Time:
30 minutes for 4 - 5 days
Materials: Audio tape, story, science text, drawing paper, writing paper, writing checklists,
graphic organizers
Objectives:
Students will
state and develop a clear main idea for writing.
use organizational strategies to plan writing.
add information and details to elaborate on a stated central idea.
reread and edit writing for clarity, using a variety of methods.
Instructions:
1. Have students listen to an audiotape of a story or part of a chapter in the science book.
2. Lead students in a group discussion of the story or information.
3. Model use of graphic organizers to plan their writing.
4. Have students make sentences out of the words they placed in the organizer and use
a proofreading checklist and peer-editing checklist.
5. Select samples of students work for group critique.
6. Show students how to use spell check and insert computer graphics to produce
their nished products.
Extension:
Have students use the writing skills they have learned in other subject areas.
55
Reading
(Writing Process)
Lesson: Prewriting, drafting, revising, editing and publishing
Grades:
3-5
Time:
30 minutes for 4 - 5 days
Materials: Story, drawing paper, sticky notes, graphic organizer, writing paper,
writing checklists
Objectives:
Students will
state and develop a clear main idea for writing.
use organizational strategies to plan writing.
create paragraphs with topic sentences and supporting sentences.
reread and edit writing for clarity, using a variety of methods.
Instructions:
1. Ask students to make predictions about the story as they look at the pictures.
2. As students read, have them write down specics and draw pictures about the
story, events, characters and setting.
3. Have students use a prewriting activity to draw their ideas for 5 minutes and write
for 20 minutes.
4. Have students share their prewriting ideas and drawings.
5. From the prewriting, have students work in pairs to help each other organize the
information into graphic organizers.
6. Have students use a checklist to determine if they followed the steps in the process.
Extension:
Have students use PowerPoint to introduce a character, describe a setting and/or
describe the ve steps of the writing process.
56
Reading
(Writing Process)
Lesson: Proofreading
Grades:
1-3
Time:
30 minutes
Materials: Finished writing sample, chart paper, pencils
Objective:
Students will
proofread writing to improve grammar, spelling, punctuation and capitalization.
Instructions:
1. Display writing samples on chart paper and provide copies to each student.
2. Provide a list of editing steps.
3. Lead class discussion on the writing sample.
4. Direct students to check off editing steps as they are completed.
Extension:
Have students use proofreading skills in their own writing.
57
Reading
(Writing Process)
Lesson: Descriptive words
Grades:
K-1
Time:
30 minutes
Materials: Chart paper, pen, word strips, tape
Objective:
Students will
add descriptive words and details to writing.
Instructions:
1. Write a short paragraph on chart paper, using certain words in repetition.
2. Write synonyms on word strips.
3. Read the paragraph to students.
4. Ask for feedback. Prompt discussion of how the same words were used repeatedly,
making the story uninteresting.
5. Ask for ways to improve the story, using synonyms for the repeated words.
6. Tape the new words over the old words.
7. Read the story again.
8. Ask for feedback.
Extension:
Post word strips around the room with synonyms for use in other writing. Extend
as other writing conventions are discussed, e.g., antonyms, homonyms and parts of
speech.
58

#7
Students need to understand that various types of writing require
different language, formatting and special vocabulary. Writing serves
many purposes across the curriculum and takes various forms.
Beginning writers learn about the various purposes of writing; they
attempt and use a small range of familiar forms (e.g., letters).
Developing writers are able to select text forms to suit purpose and
audience. They can explain why some text forms are more suited to a
purpose than others and begin to use content-specific vocabulary to
achieve their communication goals.
Proficient writers control effectively the language and structural
features of a large repertoire of text forms. They deliberately choose
vocabulary to enhance text and structure their writing according to
audience and purpose.
59
Reading
(Non-fiction)
Lesson: Demonstrating an understanding of the text by retelling in writing

Grades:
K-2
Time:
20 minutes
Materials: Non-ction picture book, cards with pictures/photos/drawings of acts/events
in book
Objectives:
Students will
retell a story.
state facts in own words.
sequence events/steps in logical order.
Instructions:
1. Read a book aloud.
2. Discuss the events of the book.
3. Display photo/illustration cards that correspond to the events of the story.
4. Ask students to place cards in correct order (use fewer or more cards, depending
on age/skill level of children).
5. Have students retell the story to the class in their own words using the cards.
Extension:
Have students use sequencing skills in other writing and retelling of stories.
60
Reading
(Fiction)
Lesson: Demonstrating an understanding of the text by retelling in writing

Grades:
K-2
Time:
20 minutes each for 2 days
Materials: Picture book (The Very Hungry Caterpillar7 , Curious George8, Curious George
Rides a Bike9, No David10, or David Goes to School11), chart paper, markers,
drawing paper/chart paper for students, crayons, pencils
Objectives:
Students will
identify characters in a story.
identify setting.
identify events in a story.
identify beginning, middle and end of a story.
retell story in own words.
take risks and learn to illustrate own ideas.
use own words and illustrations with supporting details to identify the
characters, setting, beginning and end of a story.
Instructions:
DAY ONE
1. Read book aloud to whole class or small group.
2. Lead a discussion of the story.
3. Record students responses on chart paper.
4. After students responses are recorded, read them aloud.
7
11
Carle, Eric (1994). NY: Philomel. 8 Rey, H.A. (1973). MA: Houghton-Mifin. 9 Rey, H.A. (1973). MA: Houghton-Mifin. 10 Shannon, David (2006). UK: Scholastic Hippo.
Shannon, David (2005). UK: Scholastic Hippo.
61
DAY TWO
1. Read and discuss the list of responses.
2. Have each student select one sentence from the list and write or illustrate it.
3. Have students write the sentence (older students can add details, etc.).
4. Create a booklet with the students products.
Extension:
Make multiple copies of the booklet and place it in the reading center.
62
Reading
(Fiction)
Lesson: Vocabulary
Grades:
K-2
Time:
20 minutes
Materials: Post-It Notes, markers/pencils/crayons
Objectives:
Students will
identify unfamiliar words in text by using picture clues, context clues and
beginning sounds.
use visual, structural and meaning cues to identify words in ction and
non-ction.
develop a reading vocabulary in context.
integrate strategies (e.g., rereading to self-correct, using letter/sound relationships
and seeking meaning through language) to identify new words.
Instructions:
1. Show students a picture from a story you have read to them.
2. Write a sentence on a sentence strip about the picture. Display the sentence strip
below picture with one word covered with a Post-It Note.
3. Read the sentence aloud and have students guess what the covered word might be.
4. After students guess, read the sentence aloud with their predicted word.
5. Question students about the appropriateness of the word.
6. Move Post-It Note to reveal the rst letter of the word.
7. Have students identify the beginning sound and determine if their prediction can be
correct according to the words rst letter.
63
8. Have students consider alternative predictions.

9. Reveal the word.
Extension:
Have students read simple passages and apply word attack skills and other reading
strategies in content areas.
64
Reading
(Non-ction)

Grade:
5
Time:
45 - 60 minutes
Materials: Summarizing Non-ction Articles12 handout (see pp. 67 - 69), non-ction articles,
additional samples of short articles or teacher-created examples
Objective:
Students will
identify and produce a summary statement that reects the main idea of the text.
Instructions:
1. Point out that a non-ction article has a topic and a main idea. Explain that the topic
tells you what the article is about, such as cooking or pioneer life, and that the main
idea tells you what the author wants to say about the topic.
2. Distribute copies of Summarizing Non-ction Articles. Point out the following:
The topic of the article is about spiders.
The main idea of an article is usually given in a topic sentence found in the rst
paragraph.
The main idea of this article is found in the rst sentence: Spiders are not
insects.
3. Explain the process for summarizing a non-ction article.
4. Point out that the main idea is not always conveyed in the rst sentence. Have
students read the second selection on the human skeleton and determine the main
idea of the story.
5. Read several of the attached articles and have students identify the sentence that
summarizes the article.
12
Block, Beckwith, Hockett, and White (2001). Reading Detective: Beginning. Pacic Grove, CA: Critical Thinking Books & Software.
65
6. Provide the students with copies of a short article. After reading the selection, have
students write their own summary.
7. Once the students are ready, divide them into small groups. Have students create
summary sentences for one or two short articles.
8. Choose a member from each group to read an article and summary to the class.
Have the class determine whether or not the group successfully created a summary
of the article.
Extension:
Use any of the remaining articles as independent practice.
66
Summarizing Non-ction Articles

Article #1
Spiders are not insects. They belong to the same class of animals as insects. However,
there are many differences between spiders and insects. The bodies of spiders and insects are
different. A spiders body has two main parts. The front part is the head and chest together.
The second part is the stomach, or abdomen. The insects body has three parts. In the insect,
the head and chest are two separate parts. The abdomen is the third part. There are differences
between a spiders body and an insects body. An insect has six legs. A spider has eight legs.
Most insects also have wings and spiders dont. An insect has antennae on its head. A spider
has no antennae.
Article #2
Imagine what it would be like if you didnt have any bones. Your body would be soft and
limp. Your skeleton is the framework that supports and protects your body. Your skeleton has
three important jobs. It supports your body and gives it shape. It protects organs inside your
body, such as the heart and liver. It holds the muscles that help your body move.
Article #3
Minerals occur naturally - they are not man-made. They grow, but they do not have life.
Each kind of mineral has a special color, crystal shape, luster, hardness and even its own way
of splitting or breaking apart. A geologist - a scientist who studies the Earth and its rocks - will
study all those things to determine what type of mineral they have found.
People do not make minerals. They are formed within the Earths mantle, within the
Earths crust, or on the surface of the Earth. Strong heat and pressure form minerals in much
the same way as rocks are formed. Minerals make up rocks. Some rocks have only one mineral
in them. Marble, from which statues are carved, has only one mineral called calcite [CAL-site].
Other rocks are made up of several different minerals. You do not have to go into a cave or dig
in the ground to nd minerals. Your home is full of them! Your toothpaste contains a mineral
called uorite. Your bath powder contains talc. Your clock radio contains the minerals copper,
gold, quartz and cassiterite [kuh-SIT-uh-right] - the ore of tin. Your pencils contain graphite.
The salt you use to season your food is a mineral!
67
Article #4
As a young boy, Christopher Columbus lived in Italy. He had always had an interest in
ships and sailing, so at the age of 19 he went to sea. He thought perhaps he could nd a short
cut to the Indies by sailing west, but no one was willing to take the risk of giving him money to
nd out. Finally, however, Columbus convinced King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain
that he could nd the short cut. At last they agreed and he set sail in three ships, the Santa
Maria, the Pinta and the Nina. After a long and restless voyage, Columbus landed in North
America in October 1492. The beautiful land that he named San Salvador is located in Latin
America between Mexico and South America.
Article #5
Your Sense of Taste
by Carrie Beckwith
What makes ice cream taste so good? Your nose and tongue have a lot to do with taste.
Together, they decide if youd rather have beans or a banana split!
Your tongue helps create your sense of taste by using its taste buds. Taste buds are those
little bumps on your tongue. They are split into four parts on your tongue. The parts are sweet,
salt, sour and bitter. Taste buds notice the taste that is strongest. For example, ice cream has a
lot of sugar in it. When you eat ice cream, your taste buds notice a sweet taste. When you eat
pizza, they notice sweet and salty tastes.
Your nose also helps create your sense of taste. Think about the smell of fresh pizza.
Your nose tells your brain about the smell. If it smells good, you want to eat it. What if you have
a stuffy nose and cant smell very well? You may not taste things very well either. Have your
taste buds stopped working? No. They just dont work as well without your sense of smell.
Your nose and your tongue are like a team. Each one has a job to do. Each one must do
it well to create your sense of taste.
68
Article #6
The Wright Stuff
by David White
Orville and Wilbur Wright invented the airplane in 1903. Orville won a coin toss and got
to y rst. On Dec. 17, 1903, he ew 120 feet in 12 seconds. The Wrights had been
interested in ight since they were boys. They had read all about it. They knew how to build
toys and bicycles. Now they were ready to build something they could y. They had built
gliders, but these didnt y very high or far. The challenge was to make something that kept
going. The newly invented gasoline engine was their ticket to y - and keep ying. Using a
gasoline engine, they ew the plane four times on that day in 1903. Wilbur made the longest
ight, which was 852 feet. It took him 59 seconds.
Orville and Wilbur Wright did a lot in the next few years to make their invention famous.
They ew their plane for people all over the country. Wilbur ew around the Statue of Liberty
and over New York City. By 1909, the Wrights had formed a business to make and sell their
planes. Little did they know how that business would take off.
One hundred years later, airplanes are everywhere. They y around the world. They y
at night. They y high in the air. The Wright brothers ideas live on.
Article #7
False Face Society
by Carrie Beckwith
The Iroquois Indians thought sickness was caused by bad spirits. Sometimes they used
medicine to cure sickness. Other times, medicine was not enough. When this happened, they
called on the False Face Society. The False Face Society was a secret group of men who were
thought to cure sickness. No one knew who the men were. When someone was sick, they
would do a special dance with masks. They danced with rattles. They made noises like hu, hu,
hu. The noises were made to scare away the bad spirits. Then one member would rub ashes
from the re over the sick persons head. Many times they would sing a healing song before
they left.
Each member of the Society had to make his own mask. He would rst nd a tree. For
three days, he would offer the tree gifts, like tobacco. The Iroquois did this because he wanted
to thank the tree for letting him cut into it. After he cut out a piece from the tree, he would take
the piece home and work on it. There were many types of masks, but some parts of the mask
were always the same. For example, they all had big noses and strange mouths. Some mouths
were twisted or off center. Some were opened in surprise or closed tight. Masks always had
horsehair. The hair could be braided or left hanging down. Most masks of the False Face
Society are in museums. However, some Iroquois people still make the masks today.
69

#8
Students learn to master writing conventions through exposure to
good models and opportunities for practice. Writing conventions
include spelling, punctuation, grammar and other conventions
associated with forms of written text.
Students learn the purpose of punctuation: to clarify sentence
meaning and help readers know how writing might sound aloud.
They develop and extend their understanding of the spelling system
using a range of strategies for spelling words correctly and using
newly learned vocabulary in their writing. They grow more skillful
at using the grammatical structures of English to effectively
communicate ideas in writing and to express themselves.
70
Reading
(Writing Conventions)
Lesson: Spelling, grammar, word usage

Grades:
3-5
Time:
30 - 45 minutes
Materials: Sentences that need correcting, overhead, overhead marker
Objectives:
Students will
spell high-frequency words correctly.
spell plurals and inectional endings correctly.
use commas, end marks, apostrophes and quotation marks correctly.
use various parts of speech such as nouns, pronouns and verb forms correctly.
use subjects and verbs that are in agreement.
Instructions:
1. Teach a lesson on the parts of speech.
2. Write sentences with errors on the board and have students correct the sentences.
3. Have students make up their own sentences in which other students nd the mistake.
4. Provide a worksheet on which students can work in pairs to nd the mistakes in the
sentences.
Extensions:
Use comic strips in which students correct Snoopys and Garelds grammar mistakes.
Provide opportunities for peer editing of written work.
71
Reading
Lesson: Punctuation and capitalization

Grades:
Time:
Material:
1-2
15 - 30 minutes
Chart paper
Objectives:
Students will
use end punctuation correctly, including question marks, exclamation points
and periods.
use correct capitalization in writing.
Instructions:
1. On chart paper write simple sentences that do not contain capitals or punctuation.
2. Have students nd and correct the mistakes as a group. Discuss the rationale for
capitalizing and adding punctuation.
Extension:
Prepare sentences which can be written as a worksheet for students to do on their
own or as homework.
72
Reading
Lesson: Word spacing

Grades:
K-2
Time:
15 minutes
Materials: Paper, pencils, small Post-It Notes
Objective:
Students will
improve the spacing between written words.
Instructions:
1. Have students dictate a simple sentence that is written on chart paper.
2. Model spacing between words by writing out loud (talk while writing) exaggerate and make a point of the spacing between words by placing your hand
between words or placing a large Post-It Note between words.
3. Have students copy the sentences independently. Have students place a small
Post-It Note between each of their words.
4. Remove the Post-It Notes when nished and discuss the large spaces between words.
5. Count the words.
Extension:
Have students practice appropriate spacing between words in their writing.
73
Reading
Lesson: Upper case letter words

Grades:
K-2
Time:
15 minutes
Materials: Magazines, newspapers, copied pages from a text, scissors, highlighters
Objective:
Students will
learn to use upper case letters in their writing.
Instructions:
1. Have students cut out a section of text from a magazine or newspaper.
2. Using a highlighter, have students highlight words that begin with upper case letters.
3. Discuss ndings. Point out rst words in sentences, names, titles, brand names,
places, etc.
Extension:
Have students edit their own writing for appropriate capitalization.
74

#9
Research Standard
Students define and investigate self-selected or assigned issues, topics
and problems. They locate, select and make use of relevant
information from a variety of media, reference and technological
sources. Students use an appropriate form to communicate their
findings.
75
Reading
Research Standard
(Non-fiction)
Lesson: Identifying parts of text
Grades:
3-5
Time:
20 - 30 minutes
Materials: Scavenger Hunt paper (see pp. 77 - 78), pencils, non-ction text of choice
Objectives:
Students will
identify components of a non-ction text.
locate various components in a particular non-ction text.
Instructions:
1. Explain to students what a scavenger hunt is.
2. Pass out a non-ction text chosen for this activity.
3. Tell students that today, they will be going on a scavenger hunt throughout the
non-ction text distributed.
4. Pass out the Non-ction Scavenger Hunt paper. Make an overhead of the paper.
5. Assist the students in nding the rst two or three items on the scavenger hunt list.
6. Model how to complete the paper. Adapt to the grade level and complete the activity
as a class, with students working in small groups.
76
Non-ction Scavenger Hunt
1. How do we know if a book is ction or non-ction?
2. What is the title of your book?
3. On what page is the table of contents?

4. On what page would we learn about ___________________?
5. On what page would we learn about ___________________?
6. Find a picture with a caption under or beside it. On what page did you nd this?
7. Turn to the glossary towards the back of your book. For what can we use a glossary?
77
8. In the glossary, nd the meaning of the word ________________.
9. Find the index in the back of the book. For what can we use an index?
10. On what page(s) could we read about _________________?

_____________________________________________________________________________
11. Write down two interesting ideas found in your book.
a. ___________________________________________________________________________
b. ___________________________________________________________________________
78
Reading
Research Standard
(Non-fiction)

Grade:
5
Time:
20 - 30 minutes
Materials: Index cards, markers
Objectives:
Students will
select information for a variety of purposes, including enjoyment, and from a
variety of resources to support ideas, concepts and interpretation.
learn to use a variety of resources to support an idea.
Instructions:
1. Before the activity, write two different statements, one on each index card
(e.g., There were a lot of different types of dinosaurs that roamed the earth.)
2. On other index cards, write resources that students might use to get information to
support the ideas written on the index cards (i.e. encyclopedia, internet, television,
etc.)
3. Working in pairs, have students choose one of the ideas. Have them place the resource
cards in a pile face down and alternate turns taking a card and deciding if they would
use that resource to support the idea and explain why.
4. After all pairs are nished, each group shares results with the class.
79
Reading
Research Standard
(Non-fiction)
Lesson: Choosing books for best reference
Grades:
2-5
Time:
15 - 20 minutes
Materials: Three non-ction books on the same topic for each group of students,
paper, pencil
Objectives:
Students will
learn to use the table of contents in various books.
evaluate various non-ction books on the same topic to determine which
books would be most helpful when doing research.
Instructions:
1. Have students work in small groups and distribute three books on the same topic
to each group.
2. Have students generate a list of questions that they would like to answer about their
topic. Depending on the age of the students, suggest writing 2 - 10 questions.
3. Have students look through all three books, paying special attention to the table of
contents and the indices.
4. Have students select the two books that will best answer the greatest number of their
questions.
5. Once each group has selected their two books, discuss with the class how they
determined which books were the best resources.
6. Ask if any of their questions went unanswered in their search through the books.
If there were unanswered questions, lead a discussion on where students might
search in order to nd the answers.
Extension:
Have students use these skills in Social Studies and Science.
80

#10
Communications: Oral and Visual Standard
Students learn to communicate effectively through exposure to good
models and opportunities for practice. By speaking, listening and
providing and interpreting visual images, they learn to apply their
communication skills in increasingly sophisticated ways.
Students learn to deliver presentations that effectively convey
information and persuade or entertain audiences. Proficient speakers
control language and deliberately choose vocabulary to clarify points
and adjust presentations according to audience and purpose.
81
Reading
Communication: Oral and Visual Standard
(Fiction)
Lesson: Summarizing the text; using graphic aids

Grade:
5
Time:
30 - 45 minutes over 2 days
Materials: Stories to Summarize handout (see pp. 83-84), additional short stories
Objective:
Students will
produce a summary statement that reects the main idea of the text.
Instructions:
1. Explain that a story has a main idea and clarify what a main idea is.
2. Explain that usually an author does not provide a summary of his/her passage.
3. Read several of the attached short stories and have the students identify the main idea.
4. Write the following on the board:
Helpful Hints for Making Summaries
After reading a selection, consider what the passage is about.
Try to sum up the content of the passage in a single sentence.
Dont confuse a detail in the passage with the main idea.
5. Provide students with copies of short stories. After reading the selections, lead the
class in writing a summary sentence for each of the stories.
6. Once the students are ready, divide them into small groups. Provide each group with
1 or 2 short stories to be summarized.
7. Choose a member of each group to read one of its stories and summary to the class.
Have the class determine whether or not the group successfully summarized the story.
82
Stories to Summarize
1. Jed couldnt whistle. When he tried, he made funny sounds. His sister made fun of him.
But Jed kept trying. Finally, he learned to whistle.
What is this story about?
A. A boy who had a sister.
B. A boy who learned to whistle.
C. How people made fun of Jed.
(Answer: B)
2. Some trees are as tall as a 30 story building and as wide as a truck. Some trees are as thin
and as small as a one-year-old child. Some trees have owers, while others do not. Some
look gray and some look black. Trees grow in many different forms.
Which sentence is a summary of this selection?
A. Some trees are gray.
B. Some trees have no owers.
C. Trees grow in different forms.
(Answer: C)
3. Poets write of the silence under the water. They think the bottom of the ocean is very quiet.
But now we know they are wrong. Scientists took listening devices down to the bottom of
the sea. They thought it would be quiet. Instead, they heard a lot of whistles, beeps and
grunts. One scientist said it sounded like a trafc jam with a lot of cars honking.
What is the best summary of this passage?
A. Fish make beeps and whistles.
B. Poets are not very smart.
C. There is a lot of noise under the sea.
(Answer: C)
4. In many jungle lms, the gorilla is seen as a erce hunter. Gorillas are shown as killers,
much like leopards and lions. In recent years, students of forest life have painted a far
different picture. Gorillas do not ght except in self-defense. They do not eat meat when it
is fed to them in zoos. Despite their powerful bodies and frightening appearance, they seem
to be quite peaceful.
The best summary for this selection is:
A. Gorillas are erce hunters.
B. Gorillas are peaceful animals.
C. Gorillas prefer not to eat meat.
83
(Answer: B)
Jorge and Adam are good friends. Both of them are medium height, but they dont look
alike. Jorge is from Spain and he has dark eyes and dark hair. Adam is from Oklahoma and
he has light hair and fair skin. Adam and Jorge are the same age. They have some of the same
interests in music, sports and friends. Some of their friends include Jason, Amy and Buddy.
While Jorge enjoys playing soccer, Adam enjoys playing in the school band. Both boys are
good students. They always do their homework and both speak up in class discussions.
Furthermore, they plan to attend college after graduating from high school.
________________________________________________________________________
I go to the beach in Florida every summer with my parents. We always have a lot of fun
in the water and on the beach. The sun is usually hot, the water is warm and I see many new
things. Last summer at the beach, I saw a marlin that someone had caught out in the ocean. It
was about six feet long with ns that were two feet long. On the end of its nose was a long
pointed spear. In the bright sunlight, the marlin glistened and radiated a deep purple color, not
black. It was so beautiful. Every summer at the beach I always see different kinds of sh. The
summer before last, I saw a shark, but I was not afraid. It was not very big. I wonder what I
will see next summer at the beach.
________________________________________________________________________
Sarah and her family were visiting relatives in New England. They were spending the
night in Oakley Manor. Sarahs aunt and uncle had just bought the old house. They planned to
x it up and turn it into an inn. In the middle of the night, Sarah was awakened by a low
moaning sound. She climbed out of bed and grabbed her ashlight from the night stand. She
peeked out the door. No one else was awake. She walked down the dark hall. The wailing got
louder. Who could it be? Was someone in pain? The sound was coming from behind a locked
door at the end of the hall. Should she wake up her parents? As she turned away, the door
creaked open. Sarah looked inside. There was a narrow stairway leading up to the attic. The
wailing was coming from up there. Should she go up alone?
84
Reading
(Fiction)

Grade:
5
Time:
30 minutes each day for 3 days
Materials: Chapter books (one for each student), SCAMPER materials (see pp. 86 - 89)
Objective:
Students will
analyze aspects of the text, examining characters, setting, plot, problem/solution,
point of view or theme.
Instructions:
1. Present instructions using the SCAMPER components to encourage analytical
processing of written material.
Substitute some aspect of it.
Combine elements with something else.
Adapt an aspect of it.
Modify an aspect of it.
Put some part of it to another use.
Elaborate or eliminate an aspect of it.
Reverse or rearrange an aspect of it.
2. Upon completion of a chapter book, teach students the SCAMPER technique
using the Bubble Gum SCAMPER activity provided with this lesson.
3. Have students independently complete the SCAMPER chart using the chapter
book.
Extension:
After students have had time to complete the SCAMPER chart, have them choose
one category in which to write, edit and produce a nal copy.
85
S.C.A.M.P.E.R.
Summary Statement
Item Scampered
Ideas about the item:
Rough draft of Summary Statement including the new and/or improved use for the item:
Final Summary Statement:
86
C
Combine
Retell the story

from a different
characters point
of view.
S
Substitute
How would the

story be
different if the
main character
were (______)?
87
Imagine the
story takes place
in a different
setting. What
new problems
would the main
character face?
A
Adapt
What are some
other solutions
to the problem?
How would you
have solved the
problem?
M
Modify
Identify the
general message
of the story. What
other messages
could this story
teach?
P
Put to Another
Use
S.C.A.M.P.E.R. Chart
What would
have happened if
(character) had
never met
(character)?
E
Elaborate or
Eliminate
Retell the events

of the story in
reverse order
(end/middle/
beginning).
R
Reverse or
Rearrange
S.C.A.M.P.E.R.
S (Substitute) --
C (Combine) --
A (Adapt) --
M (Modify) --
P (Put to another use) --
E (Elaborate; Eliminate) --
R (Reverse; Rearrange) --
88
Bubble Gum S.C.A.M.P.E.R

S: substitute
C: combine
A: adapt
M: modify
P: put to another use
E: elaborate; eliminate
R: reverse; rearrange
S: You have just won a lifetime supply of bubble gum in a random contest. You are allergic to
bubble gum. What is another way that you could use this gum?
C: In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Violet Beauregarde chewed gum that contained an
entire dinner of tomato soup, roast beef and blueberry pie before turning her blue and
blowing her up like a balloon. If you could combine an entire dinner into one gumball,
what menu would you choose?
A: Imagine if people did not have teeth. What would you do with bubble gum if you couldnt
chew it?
M: What would you do if a piece of bubble gum came in a ve-pound package the size of a
basketball? What would you do if bubble gum were the size of a grain of salt?
P: What are some ways that bubble gum wrappers can be used besides wrapping gum to
throw away?
E: What would you do if the President banned gum chewing in the United States?
R: What if gum latex came from grass instead of trees? Would this make a difference in
gum manufacturing?
89
Reading
(Fiction)

Grades:
K-2
Time:
30 minutes
Materials: Response sheet, reading book
Objective:
Students will
develop summary of a book.
Instructions:
1. Read a book to the students or have students read a book independently.
2. Discuss the parts of a summary (character, setting).
3. Lead the students in constructing a complete sentence summarizing the story.
.
4. Instruct students to write the nal sentence on their response sheets.
5. Have students draw and color a picture illustrating the sentence.
Extension:
After reading a different book, students will complete the response sheet independently.
90

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Lesson Plans for Promoting

Teaching Reading Skills

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Cover Graphic: Learning and Teaching Scotland, Glasgow

Teaching Reading Skills

Academic Content Standard #2 12 - 19

Academic Content Standard #3 20 - 37

Self-Monitoring Strategies Standard

Academic Content Standard #4 38 - 46

Academic Content Standard #5 47 - 53

Academic Content Standard #6 54 - 58

Academic Content Standard #7 59 - 69

Academic Content Standard #8 70 - 74

Academic Content Standard #9 75 - 80

Academic Content Standard #10 81 - 90

Academic Content Standard

2004. Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division.

2004. Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division.

Lesson: Phonics patterns with letter cards

Academic Content Standard

Lesson: Responding to the text

Lesson: Using graphic aids; vocabulary

Academic Content Standard

Lesson: Choosing materials related to purposes

Lesson: Analyzing the text

Turkle, Brinton (1981). NY: Dutton.

Lesson: Inferring from the text

3 - 5 (Can be adapted for lower grades)

Lesson: Responding to the text

Lesson: Responding to the text

Lesson: Responding to the text

Lesson: Responding to the text

Lesson: Responding to the text

Academic Content Standard

Lesson: Analyzing the text

Lesson: Using graphic aids; analyzing the text

Lesson: Responding to the text

Lesson: Summarizing the text

Lesson: Summarizing the text

Academic Content Standard

Lesson: Using graphic aids

Lesson: Using graphic aids; comparing and contrasting

Lester, Helen (1990). MA: Walter Lorraine Books.

Lester, Helen (1994). MA: Walter Lorraine Books.

Lesson: Using graphic aids; comparing and contrasting

Cohen, Barbara (1990). NY: Yearling.

Lesson: Summarizing the text; using graphic aids

Academic Content Standard

Academic Content Standard

Lesson: Demonstrating an understanding of the text by retelling in writing

Lesson: Demonstrating an understanding of the text by retelling in writing

8. Have students consider alternative predictions.

Lesson: Summarizing the text

Summarizing Non-ction Articles

Academic Content Standard

Lesson: Spelling, grammar, word usage

Lesson: Punctuation and capitalization

Lesson: Word spacing

Lesson: Upper case letter words

Academic Content Standard

Non-ction Scavenger Hunt

1. How do we know if a book is ction or non-ction?

2. What is the title of your book?