Reading Comprehension Boosters: 100 Lessons for Building Higher-Level Literacy, Grades 3-5 - Softcover

Gunning, Thomas G.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0470399929 ISBN 13: 9780470399927

Publisher: Jossey-Bass, 2010

Synopsis

An effective resource for improving young students' comprehension skills

With 100 high-interest reading activities, this book is designed to help students gain fundamental comprehension skills so they can succeed in reading complex and varied types of texts. Each lesson includes a brief reading selection followed by questions, multiple-choice selections, and thinking and writing activities. The activities, all on reproducible worksheets, can be used to give individual students or groups extra practice, or as supplemental skill-building and test-prep activities for the full class.

• Activities are grouped within seven units, each focusing on an important aspect of comprehension
• Units increase in difficulty level so that students gain proficiency as they work through the material
• High-interest themes include stories about robots, animal helpers, space, and famous people
• Offers activities that build the advanced cognitive skills called for in the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP)

Each lesson includes a teacher section with guidance on how to introduce the activities to students and support them in their reading practices.

About this title

About the Author

Thomas G. Gunning, a consultant and former public school teacher, is professor emeritus in the Department of Reading at Southern Connecticut State University and adjunct professor at Central Connecticut State University. He teaches a variety of courses on literacy, remedial reading, and reading diagnosis.

From the Back Cover

Reading Comprehension Boosters features 100 high-interest readings and activities designed to help students improve their comprehension and response skills. Classroom-tested lessons include brief reading selections followed by constructed response and multiple-choice questions and thinking and writing activities. Reading Comprehension Boosters is flexible and can be used as a core or supplemental program, as test prep, or for intervention with individual students or groups.

Lessons include easily reproduced worksheets grouped within six thematic units. Each unit builds background knowledge and focuses on an important aspect of comprehension: 1) comprehending main ideas and details and visualizing; 2) summarizing; 3) inferring, predicting, and concluding; 4) understanding facts versus opinions; 5) comparing and contrasting; and 6) review and application. These units gradually build in level of challenge so that students gain proficiency and confidence as they move along. Each unit includes a teacher section that offers extensive guidance on how to introduce the lessons to students and support them in their development of essential reading and responding skills.

Praise for Reading Comprehension Boosters

"Reading Comprehension Boosters is exactly what struggling readers need to improve their comprehension. The best part: the texts for each task are included saving teachers countless hours of hunting for high-interest short passages. Teachers will love this resource!" Nancy Boyles, professor of reading, Southern Connecticut State University, and Independent Literacy Consultant

"Reading Comprehension Boosters provides teachers with critical comprehension strategies that all students need to know. The lessons are well-organized for the teachers, as well as interesting and motivating for the students. This book is an incredible resource for all classrooms." Jennifer Brodeur, reading specialist, Old Saybrook, Connecticut

"This book performs the real service of guiding teachers in developing a step-by-step approach to teaching students strategies for improved comprehension." Irene W. Gaskins, founder and head of school emerita, Benchmark School, Media, Pennsylvania

From the Inside Flap

Reading Comprehension Boosters features 100 high-interest readings and activities designed to help students improve their comprehension and response skills. Classroom-tested lessons include brief reading selections followed by constructed response and multiple-choice questions and thinking and writing activities. Reading Comprehension Boosters is flexible and can be used as a core or supplemental program, as test prep, or for intervention with individual students or groups.

Lessons include easily reproduced worksheets grouped within six thematic units. Each unit builds background knowledge and focuses on an important aspect of comprehension: 1) comprehending main ideas and details and visualizing; 2) summarizing; 3) inferring, predicting, and concluding; 4) understanding facts versus opinions; 5) comparing and contrasting; and 6) review and application. These units gradually build in level of challenge so that students gain proficiency and confidence as they move along. Each unit includes a teacher section that offers extensive guidance on how to introduce the lessons to students and support them in their development of essential reading and responding skills.

Praise for Reading Comprehension Boosters

"Reading Comprehension Boosters is exactly what struggling readers need to improve their comprehension. The best part: the texts for each task are included—saving teachers countless hours of hunting for high-interest short passages. Teachers will love this resource!" —Nancy Boyles, professor of reading, Southern Connecticut State University, and Independent Literacy Consultant

"Reading Comprehension Boosters provides teachers with critical comprehension strategies that all students need to know. The lessons are well-organized for the teachers, as well as interesting and motivating for the students. This book is an incredible resource for all classrooms."—Jennifer Brodeur, reading specialist, Old Saybrook, Connecticut

"This book performs the real service of guiding teachers in developing a step-by-step approach to teaching students strategies for improved comprehension." —Irene W. Gaskins, founder and head of school emerita, Benchmark School, Media, Pennsylvania

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Reading Comprehension Boosters

100 Lessons for Building Higher-Level Literacy, Grades 3-5By Thomas G. Gunning

John Wiley & Sons

Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-470-39992-7

Chapter One

Finding Main Ideas, Identifying Supporting Details, and Visualizing

Unit One has two themes. The first theme explores the world of animals. It looks at unusual animals and ways in which animals take care of their young and help each other. The second theme explores the world of robots. It describes some of the main ways in which robots are used-some of which will undoubtedly be surprising to students-and concludes with a story about a pet robot. Place books and articles on the topic in your classroom library. The skills/strategy focus for the first unit is deriving the main idea and supporting details. Visualizing is also introduced.

Teaching the Main Idea and Supporting Details

Grasping the main idea of a selection is a foundational skill. In this book, the main idea is a summary statement that includes the details or ideas in a selection. It is what all the other sentences are about. The main idea is more specific than the topic. Whereas the topic is the subject, the main idea is the general idea that is expressed about the topic. A topic might be "guide dogs." A general idea about guide dogs might be, "Guide dogs are carefully trained." Unless students grasp the main idea, they have no basis for organizing information and run the risk of getting lost in details.

Grasping the main idea is also a prerequisite for summarizing, outlining, and taking notes. Grasping the main ideas requires the ability to see similarities among details, note differences, and classify or categorize details. Without the prerequisite skills of noting likenesses and differences and being able to classify details, students will have difficulty deriving or recognizing main ideas. The major problem that students have with selecting or constructing main ideas is not including all the details. Students tend to select or construct a main idea that is too narrow. Deriving the main idea requires the following subskills:

Categorizing words and sentences

Identifying topic sentences

Using titles and headings to predict the main idea

Selecting the main idea when directly stated

Selecting the main idea when implied

Using graphic organizers to display the main idea and supporting details

Using a frame to state the main idea and supporting details

Stating the main idea and supporting details

Lesson 1 Identifying Topic Sentences

Objectives: To prepare for identifying main ideas, students apply their concept of main idea by choosing from the sentences in a paragraph the one that includes all the others. In preparation for choosing a topic sentence, students categorize groups of words.

Introduction: Explain to the students that an important reasoning skill is being able to see similarities and differences and then tell how things are the same or different. Explain that being able to see similarities and differences will help them better understand the materials they read. Using a series of items that are similar, such as those listed next, ask students to tell how they are the same. Then have them provide a category label:

collies, poodles, German shepherds (dogs) crows, robins, blue jays, eagles (birds) tigers, lions, leopards, panthers (wild cats) bass, tuna, flounder, cod (fish)

Explain that just as words can be classified, so too sentences can be classified and given a label. Write the following sentences, or similar ones, on the board, and explain to students that one sentence acts as a label and includes all the other sentences. Ask them to read the sentences and identify which one tells about the others:

Buffalo can smell a pool of water that is three miles away.

Buffalo have sharp senses.

Buffalo can see moving animals or people as far away as a mile.

Buffalo also have good hearing.

Most zebras have large black stripes that cover their bodies.

Some zebras have gray, brown, yellow, or red stripes.

Not all zebras look alike.

Some zebras have spots, instead of stripes, on most parts of their bodies.

Some zebras have stripes, but the stripes are so faded that the zebras appear to be all white.

Discuss why "Buffalo have sharp senses" and "Not all zebras look alike" are the main idea sentences. Emphasize that these sentences include the ideas in the other sentences in their group.

Guided and independent practice: Once students have grasped the idea of classifying sentences, have them complete the exercises on the Student Pages. Discuss students' responses. Help them to see that the sentence that includes all the others is the topic sentence. Explain, too, that they can check their responses by seeing if all the other sentences are included in the topic sentence. If one or more don't fit, then they need to choose another topic sentence. To assess students' progress, note whether students can categorize. In prepublication tryouts of these materials, a number of students demonstrated mastery of this skill, but a smaller number showed a definite need for it. Provide added instruction and practice for those who need it.

Extension: Provide added practice if needed. If students have grasped the concept of the inclusive topic sentence, go to Lesson 2. However, continue to have students classify and categorize as the occasion arises. In math they might classify numbers; in geography, places or landforms; in science, rocks or metals or animals.

Student Pages The Wonderful World of Animals

The articles in this section will take you into the world of animals. They will tell you about an animal that kills snakes, a two-headed snake, how animals help each other, and how animals keep themselves safe. At the same time, you will be learning how to understand main ideas and their supporting details.

Lesson 1: Identifying Topic Sentences

The main idea is what a paragraph or longer piece of writing is all about. Some paragraphs have main idea sentences. The main idea sentence is also known as the topic sentence. The topic sentence can be thought of as a box in which all the other sentences in the paragraph can be placed.

To show you how topic sentences work, a paragraph has been broken up. Its sentences are listed below. See if you can find the topic sentence. Keep in mind that it will be the sentence that includes all the other sentences. Underline the topic sentence. Then look at the other sentences to make sure that the main idea sentence tells about them:

Birds sing to tell other birds where they are.

Birds sing for a number of reasons.

Birds sing to find mates.

Birds sing to warn other birds to stay away from their homes.

The topic sentence is, "Birds sing for a number of reasons." It includes all the other sentences. The other sentences explain that birds sing to tell us where they are, to find mates, and to warn other birds to stay away from their homes. All of these sentences help support the main idea: birds sing for a number of reasons.

Now underline the topic sentence in each of the following lists of sentences:

The way a bird sings depends on where it is. Birds that are low to the ground sing in low sounds. Birds in bushes sing in medium sounds. Birds in the treetops sing in high sounds.

Many birds know just one song. Chipping sparrows and black-capped chickadees sing two or three songs. The brown thrasher can sing 2,000 or more songs. Some birds can sing more songs than others. The pygmy marmoset is so small that it could fit in your hand. At birth, a pygmy marmoset weighs only about half an ounce (15 grams). The pygmy marmoset is the smallest monkey in the world. Grown-up pygmy marmosets are only about 5 inches (13 centimeters) long, but they have an 8-inch (20-centimeter) tail. The pygmy marmoset weighs just 4 to 7 ounces (113 to 199 grams). Pouch rats grow to be 13 to 17 inches (33 to 43 centimeters) from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail. The pouch rat's tail is as long as its body. African Gambian pouch rats are the largest rats in the world. Pouch rats can weigh 6 or more pounds (2.7 kilograms). The cheetah is built to go fast. The cheetah has large nostrils and lungs so it can pull in more air. With its large heart, the cheetah pumps blood faster. The cheetah has a long, thin body so that it can cut through the wind. The cheetah has long, powerful legs. The cheetah has special paw pads and claws that keep it from slipping.

Lesson 2 Nile Crocodiles

Objectives: Students apply their concept of main idea by choosing from the sentences in a paragraph the one that includes all the others. Students verify their choice by underlining supporting details.

Introduction: One strategy for deriving the main idea of a paragraph is to seek out the topic sentence, which is generally, but not always, the first sentence. Of course, the reader can't tell if a particular sentence is the topic sentence until she or he has read all or most of the paragraph. Explain to students that now they will be choosing the topic sentence in a paragraph rather than from a list as they did in Lesson 1.

Model how you determine whether the first sentence seems to be stating a main idea and how, if it does seem to be, you note as you read the paragraph whether the details are supporting the hypothesized main idea. If some sentences are not supporting the main idea, then you seek another main idea sentence. Show how the main idea might be presented in a middle or even the final sentence. Also explain that not all paragraphs have topic sentences. Use the following paragraph or one of your choosing to model the process. As you read the paragraph, tell students what is going on in your mind so that they gain insight into the thinking processes for this lesson.

Your think-aloud might go something like this:

Reading the first sentence: "It looks like this might be the main idea. Let's see if the rest of the sentences tell how Indians gave birds names that fit."

Reading the second sentence: "Okay. It tells how the woodpecker got its name. This fits in with the idea of how the Indians gave birds names that fit."

Reading the third and fourth sentences: "Yes, these sentences also tell how Indians gave birds names that fit."

Reading the last sentence: "All of these sentences are telling about how the Indians gave birds names that fit, so that's the main idea of the paragraph."

Help students determine the main idea of the following paragraphs. Discuss students' responses. Ask them to explain their responses by showing how the topic sentence they chose includes all the others.

Guided and independent practice: Have students complete the first item in the Student Pages for Lesson 2 and compare their responses with that provided. Then have students complete the remaining items. When they have finished, discuss their responses. Ask them to explain their responses by showing how the topic sentence they chose includes all the others. To assess students' progress, note whether students can select the correct topic sentence and explain their choice.

Extension: Provide additional practice materials. Cut up brief paragraphs that contain a topic sentence. Have students place the topic sentence at the top of a column and the supporting details under the topic sentence. This manipulative activity helps students better see the relationship between the main idea and its supporting details. After students achieve proficiency classifying sentences in a list, have them select the main idea in brief, well-constructed paragraphs. As students are reading in their content-area texts or are reading informational trade books, have them identify topic sentences. Explain and show them how they can use the topic sentence to help them comprehend what they are reading. The topic sentence will enable them to organize the information that they are reading. Also have them compose or develop topic sentences in their writing.

Student Pages

Lesson 2: Nile Crocodiles

Now see if you can find the topic sentence when it is in a paragraph. Not all paragraphs have a topic sentence, but this one does. Often the topic sentence is found first, but it can come anywhere in the paragraph. As you read, notice the details that support the main idea.

What is the topic sentence for this paragraph? Write the topic sentence on the line below. Remember that the topic sentence tells the main idea of a paragraph. It tells what the paragraph is all about. The other sentences in the paragraph support the topic sentence.

______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

The topic sentence is, "Nile crocodiles are good parents." The paragraph mainly tells why Nile crocodiles are good parents. It tells how the mother and father guard the nest and how the mother crocodile uncovers the nest when it is time for the babies to hatch. It tells how the mother helps the babies get to the water. All of these details tell why Nile crocodiles are good parents.

Now find the topic sentence in the next paragraph. Write the topic sentence on the lines after it.

The topic sentence is, "Should an enemy appear, the mother crocodile has an unusual way of keeping her babies safe." The paragraph then explains how the mother crocodile puts the eggs in her mouth if an enemy appears, and this frightens the hungry animal.

Find the topic sentence in the following paragraph. Write the topic sentence on the lines.

Underline two details from the paragraph that support your answer.

Find the topic sentence in the next paragraph. Write the topic sentence on the lines following it.

Underline two details from the paragraph that support your answer.

Lesson 3 Snake Killer

Objectives: Students use titles to help predict main ideas and information from the title and article to identify the main idea.

Introduction: Titles, especially those of nonfiction articles, are one of the most useful sources for predicting or creating a hypothesis as to what the main idea might be, but students don't automatically use them. Discuss with students titles of nonfiction books and how those titles announce what the book is about. Explain that titles of articles are also helpful in predicting what the main idea of an article is. Explain to students that the way to see if their prediction about the main idea is right is to see what all or most of the sentences in the paragraph are talking about. Model the process using the following or a similar paragraph.

This paragraph is mainly about

a. where insects live.

b. why some insects make their homes in trees.

c. how insects use disguises to hide from birds.

d. the kinds of insects that birds eat.

Discuss students' responses. Stress that the answer is what all or most of the sentences are talking about.

Guided and independent practice: After discussing titles and how they help the reader think about what the main idea for an article might be, have students read the title "Snake Killer" in the Student Pages for this lesson and predict what they think the article might be about and what they think the author might tell them about snake killers. For English learners, discuss the expression italicized in the following sentence: "Flying up above the mongoose, the hornbill can spot the mongoose's enemies."

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Reading Comprehension Boostersby Thomas G. Gunning Copyright © 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Edition details

• Publisher: Jossey-Bass
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0470399929
• ISBN 13: 9780470399927
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 480