Informational Text Reading Strategies Part 1

Since I'm usually one, if not the, only reading specialist in my schools, I am always asked by other content teachers for reading activities.  When I taught high school, we tried to introduce one strategy per semester that the whole school would use.  Now, this of course only works if everyone is on board, and when I taught public school, that was difficult.  People are often very set in their ways when it comes to teaching.  I had one principal who always said it so well.

"It doesn't matter what subject you teach.  We are all reading teachers."

It was still difficult to get everyone to buy into to teaching something differently or, teaching something they were not comfortable with, but we did have several teachers that made a true effort. (Thanks, chemistry team!)  From what I understand, that practice died when I left, which is sad.

I now work at a school where most teachers are willing to try new things to help the kids, so I hope to get this started again.  It really makes life easy if the kids all know and practice a certain strategy.  You only have to tell the kids what they are doing, and they can jump right in with very little direction.  

My Social Studies partner loves my activities, so I have started to redesign the activities to make them more current and easier to use.  The first one I gave her is perfect for Social Studies and Science; really any course that uses a text book.  I call this activity "Title Turn-around."

I love this activity, because gets kids reading with a specific purpose.  First, the student takes the chapter title, heading, or subheading of the section and turns it into a question.  For example if the heading is:

The Life of a Cell

The student would change the heading to:

What is the Life of a Cell?

After they write down the original heading and the new question on the graphic organizer, they actively read the passage to answer the question they created.  As they find the answers, they them down in the next column.  

Besides the "reading with a purpose" part, I LOVE the next added bonus of the activity.  By writing down the answers to the question, the students then have a note sheet to study from when preparing for tests or just reviewing before a class activity.  When they fold the paper in half, they only see the heading and question.  The student then tries to answer the question without looking at the other side.  Finally, the student can unfold the page and check their answers.  Genius.  

I can remember reading text book assignments as a kid, and I had no purpose for reading the pages.  In fact, I don't think I really learned anything while reading.  I wish I had known these techniques as a kid.  Not only would it have sped the process up, but I wouldn't have been half asleep while reading the chapters.  Engagement is gold.

I hope you like this activity.  I have it posted in my TPT store, along with a few other strategies.  Someone asked me to do an Informational Text Strategy Bundle, so I will probably work on it over the summer.  I will post another strategy soon!

~L