SECRET SITE
CONTENT-AREA READING
SESSION 2 | Grades K-12 / ELL | Handout
Understand the unique skills of subject-area reading
Reread texts with a different set of purposes or lenses.
GLASSES: Summarize the important concepts and determine the main ideas.
MICROSCOPE: Zoom in to analyze the text and evaluate author decisions.
TELESCOPE: Zoom out and integrate this knowledge with other sources.
Everyone reads (English/Language Arts)
Reading is meant to convey an experience to the reader.
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Understand the individual story elements that compose the work.
Emphasize that readers must infer author ideas and intentions.
Authors play with words using multiple meaning words, idioms, etc.
Eye to Eye
Illustrations provide additional details beyond the print text and beg to be read.
Z is for Zeus
Historians read
See the bigger picture.
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Look for cause-effect relationships among the individuals and events.
Identify those who acted and those who were affected.
Think beyond the individual event to others occurring elsewhere.
Reader must balance fact v. opinion and interpretation.
Often reads like a narrative, with individuals in conflict in various settings.
Infer the author’s perspective on the topic or issue.
Scientists read
Expect a heavy emphasis on vocabulary.
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Vocabulary in science texts is specialized, using a large amount of jargon.
Root-word knowledge is an advantage in mastering science terms.
Emphasize the reading of visual literacy.
Concepts are detailed vividly and descriptively.
Present concepts in multiple forms—written, formulaic, and graphic.
Many science concepts include a strong presence of math.
Read to understand how concepts are interrelated.
“Doers” read
Emphasize accuracy and error detection.
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Requires an understanding of processes.
Integrate comprehension strategies in all subjects
PRIZE: Utilize these cards to remind students to change their reading purposes as they move through the subject areas.
