In this activity, students develop questions to deepen their understanding of the relationships between the literal interpretation of the text, the authors’ message and their own personal connections and experiences.
Strategies/Skills Used
Reading Strategy 6: Connect what you read with what you already know.
Reading Strategy 11: Make inferences and draw conclusions.
(1) Have students reflect on the kinds of questions they ask themselves while they are reading to help with meaning-making and understanding text. Explain that there are at least three ways to categorize these questions:
- “Right There” questions – those that are literal interpretations of the text (answers can be found in the text)
- “Think and Search” questions – inferential (answers are inferred based on evidence form text)
- “In My Head” questions – those questions related to but not answered by the text
(2) Model (think aloud) using the three types of questions while reading a previously read text aloud. Have students categorize the questions you are asking and compare their decisions for identifying the types of questions. Bring the group to consensus to clarify understandings.
(3) Read an unfamiliar text aloud or have students read a common text (consider student reading levels). Have students generate questions in the three categories: “Right There,” “Think and Search,” and “In My Head.”
Question Stems examples:
- “Right There”
What did … ? Who did … ? How many … ? What was … ? Who are … ? Define … What kind of … ? - “Think and Search”
How do you know … ? What happened when/to … ? How did … ? What shows … ? Where did … ? - “On My Own”
I wonder … ? What if … ? In your opinion … ? What do you think of … ? How do you feel about … ? What would you … ?
Primary
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