So... What did I Read?

Reading to Learn

By: Cassie Dillard

Title: So... What did I Read?. A lesson focused on reading to learn.

Rationale:  Early readers have a lot to learn within reading. After students learn how to read, it is essential that they begin to read to learn. Students need to develop techniques and strategies of how to process and comprehend what they are reading. Summarization is a skill that students have to learn to help the process of comprehension. The students will be able to summarize by picking out important information, eliminating unimportant details, and organizing the main points into a main idea. Students will use these strategies to comprehend what they read in articles, books, and other media.

Materials:

-National Geographic Article- Spring Peepers (enough for each student) Also on transparency for teacher use

-National Geographic Article- The Secret Language of Dolphins (enough for each student) Also on transparency for teacher use

-Summarization Step Chart

-Highlighter (enough for each child)

-Black Marker (enough for each student0

-Pencil (enough for each student)

-Unlined Paper (enough for each student)

-Projector

Procedures:

1. [ Introduction] Introduce the lesson by telling the class that they will be talking about comprehension in reading. Allow the students to ask questions of what comprehension is. "Today we will be practice how to comprehend what we read. Comprehension is when a reader can understand what he or she read. Sometimes it can be difficult to understand what you read. So today, we are going to learn about a strategy called summarization. Does any one know what summarization is? [Allow student to answer] Summarization is picking out the most important information out of a book or text that you are reading. You try not to focus on the small details, but rather the main points of a selection. I know this sounds a little difficult, but I know that you can do it!"

2.[Review] I will begin the lesson with a review of how students should read silently. "I want to review how to read silently. Who can remind me how to read silently? [Allow students to answer] That's right; I read all the words in my head without saying them aloud.  Let me show you how to read silently [Read a paragraph without saying anything]. That is how you read silently. Now I want everyone to try it. Pull out The Spring Peepers Article and read it silently."

3.[Summarization]. "Now, that we know how to read and how to read silently, we need to learn how to summarize what we are reading. There are three important steps when summarizing a story. [Pull out chart paper with 3 summarizing steps]. Let's take a look at the chart. The first step is to pick out the most important points from a story. The second step is to get rid of details that are not very important to the main idea. And the last summarizing step is to organize the important points and make an overall main idea of the story. Let me show you each one of the steps in detail. I am going to read The Spring Peepers [on transparency]. I am going to read through the first paragraph first. [ Read first paragraph]  Okay, I read through it once, now I need to figure out how to summarize. I am going to reread it and highlight important points. Let me show you an example by highlighting on transparency. Spring peepers… wooded areas…near ponds. That is important information that I needed to know. Now, I am going to read it again and cross out information that is not that important. Let me show you. I would cross out lowlands, grassy, and deep. Now that I have done the two steps, I am going to summarize my main points. Hmm, Spring Peepers live in wooded area and near ponds. Now, that wasn't so bad."

4.[Reading Article] Article Talk: "A dolphin is very interesting. Some say that dolphins can talk and respond to humans. Some dolphins can play ball and jump through hoops. .I think we should read the article to see what we can learn about dolphins. [ Pass out the Secret Language of Dolphins to each student] Now that you have the article, I want you to read the first paragraph silently. Once you are done reading, put your finger on your nose so I know that you are finished. [ Give students time to read] Okay, now that you read through it once we are going to try our summarization skills with the article. [Have students read the summarization skills again to remind them] Now, I want you to reread the first paragraph and use a yellow highlighter to highlight important information. What were some important thing that you read the first time? Let's write them down on the board. [ Students should state important details] Now, I want you to read it through again, but this time cross out information that is not very important with a black marker and circle important details that you read. [Allow students time] Great, let's see if it matches mine on the transparency! Now, let's look at the sentences that you have circled.  [Have a transparency of the article and put up on the projector. Use it to go along with what the kids tell you to circle and cross out] I agree that these sentences should be circled. Let's see if we can take the circled sentences and summarize the entire article. Y'all have done a great job summarizing!"

5.Now, the students have had practice with the teacher, it is important for them to try it on their own. Pass out an unlined piece of paper to each student. The student should make three columns that should be headed "Important Facts", "Not Needed Facts", and "Very Important Facts. "Since we practiced the first paragraph, I want you to use this chart for the rest of the article." Model how to use the chart with the previous paragraph. "Please finish reading The Secret Language of a Dolphin and put the information under the right column. Remember to write it down as you read. Once you have finished the chart, I want you to write a summarization using your information at the bottom."

6.[Assessment] The students should come up individually to the teacher. The student should bring their summarization chart and give to the teacher. The teacher should also ask questions to check comprehension.

References

Spring Peepers. National Geographic.

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Stories/AnimalsNature/Spring-peepers

The Secret Language of Dolphins. National Geographic.

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Stories/AnimalsNature/Dolphin-language

Aldridge, Rebekah. And the Point is?. http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/voyages/aldridgerl.html

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