Fun With Reading!

Reading to Learn

Anna Benson

After children are able to read with fluency and speed, they must begin to move on to the next step in reading. This is the reading to learn step. Children must be able to read and summarize all kinds of reading materials so that they are able to learn. This lesson will begin to teach students how to find the important information in a passage. They will read a passage and then discuss as a class what the important information is. They will highlight this material and then write a summarization from the information that they have highlighted.



- A copy of the article Baby Hippo Orphan Finds a Friend by Catherine Clarke in March of 2004 from National Geographic Kids found at http://news.nationalgeographic.com/kids/2005/03/owen.html

 - handout copy of the graphic organizers "An Important Point" from the First Graphic Organizers: Reading by Rhonda Graff Silver (Scholastic, Inc., 2003) for all students and a blown up copy of the graphic organizer laminated to write on in front of the class

 - Copy of summary checklist for each student that says:  


2.  Are important events and ideas stated? Yes or no            

3.  Do you have a topic sentence that states the author's main idea? Yes or no

- notebook paper and pencils for each student

- easel or board to display blown up copies of graphic organizers 

- dry erase board and markers

- a yellow and blue highlighter for each student 

- column handout (3 three columns: unimportant/repeated info, important ideas/events, author's main idea)



 2.  "The way we are going to read today is silently.  Does anyone remember what silent reading is?  Silent reading is when we read text to ourselves instead of out loud so we do not disturb others around us.  Let me show you just as a reminder.  I am going to read the sentences I have written on the board out loud and then I am going to read silently.  I want you to pay close attention to the differences.  (I will read the sentences "Pizza is my favorite food.  I could eat it everyday." aloud then silently to model by paraphrasing to show I understood what I read).  Now I want you to try.  I am going to write a new sentence on the board. (write "Put your left hand on your right shoulder." on the board).  Now everyone read the sentence on the board silently and demonstrate what you read. (everyone will read it silently, then show they understood by following the directions)  Good!"



6.  "Now everyone get out a piece of notebook paper.  On your own, I want you to write a paragraph that summarizes the book All About Frogs that you read silently using your two handouts you and your partner completed to guide your summary.  Also use the summary checklist that I handed out with the three reminders on it.  Start with a topic sentence that states the author's main idea.  When both you and your partner are donw writing your summaries swap paragraphs and read each other's summary and then fill out a checklist on your partner.  Circle yes or no beside each of the three reminders to let your partner know if they did it or not."





Clarke, Catherine. Baby Hippo Orphan Finds a Friend.  March 2004.  National Geographic Kids. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/kids/2005/03/owen.html.

Fleming, Nell.  1,2,3 A Summary. http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/connect/flemingrl.html

Silver, Rhonda Graff.  First Graphic Oraganizers" Reading.  Scholastic, Inc.  New York: 2003.

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