Real-World Reading Explorers: Enhancing Reading Comprehension Part 2

In this 5-week class, students will learn important reading skills all while discovering the world around them through text, images, and videos. They will be reading to create a personal connection to science and social studies which will motivate them to be independent explorers. At the same time, they will be learning reading skills, understanding new vocabulary, and learning critical thinking skills to enhance reader comprehension.

        In class, students will read a selection from articles or reading passages and use graphic organizing pages to create a notebook that will record their learning while working on skills such as:
•	Understanding Vocabulary
•	Applying Ideas
•	Identifying Parts of a Passage
•	Creating Time Lines 
•	Understanding Cause and Effect
•	Identifying the Main Idea
•	Personalizing and Reflecting on the Passage

          Our lesson will start with a warm-up discussion while looking at pictures that relate to the lesson's theme. Students will read the articles/Passages I provide from the interactive PowerPoint (I will also include a copy in the interactive notebook). We will work through the lesson's focuses while using graphic organizers. We will work in groups/partners at times (when applicable) to expand upon ideas and to collaborate with peers.  At times there will be short writing/drawing assignments to complete at the end of the lesson or after class that will complement the theme of the lesson. 

Week		Theme		Article/Passage		     Focus
Week 1:	Pioneers---“Traveling West”--- New Vocabulary, Sequencing, and Summarizing
Week 2:	Energy---“Saving Your Family’s Energy Dollar”---New Vocabulary, Supporting the Main Idea, and Reflecting 
Week 3:	Innovation---“The First Flyers”---New Vocabulary, Scanning, and Personalizing
Week 4: 	Presidency---“Pigeon Creek”---New Vocabulary, Skimming, Summarizing, and Synthesizing Information
Week 5: 	Seasons of the Land---“Potawatomi Profile ”---New Vocabulary, Categorizing, and Creating a Summary