Understanding What You Read


ELAR-Grade-5 Non-fiction Texts Understanding What You Read
Students make inferences using their existing knowledge to increase their reading comprehension. They monitor their own understanding of what they are reading and learn techniques to use when they have trouble understanding. Then they identify key points in a text and compare information in multiple sources.

This learning experience is designed for device-enabled classrooms. The teacher guides the lesson, and students use embedded resources, social media skills, and critical thinking skills to actively participate. To get access to a free version of the complete lesson, sign up for an exploros account.

1:1 Devices
Teacher Pack

The Pack contains associated resources for the learning experience, typically in the form of articles and videos. There is a teacher Pack (with only teacher information) and a student Pack (which contains only student information). As a teacher, you can toggle between both to see everything.

Here are the teacher pack items for Understanding What You Read:

Preview - Scene 1
Exploros Learnign Experience Scene Navigation


Engage


Overview

In this experience, students make inferences using their existing knowledge to increase their reading comprehension. They monitor their own understanding of what they are reading and learn techniques to use when they have trouble understanding. Then they identify key points in a text and compare information in multiple sources.

Objectives

  • Develop understanding while reading.
  • Understand how to make inferences.
  • Use evidence and details from a text to determine key ideas.

Duration

One class period.

ELL Support

This experience uses basic and academic vocabulary that students will meet routinely in the classroom. Ensure that ELL students recognize key vocabulary while reading and in discussion.

If your ELL students have difficulty reading the text of this (or any) experience, which provides important reading strategies, here’s a tip. Use the Chrome browser with Google Translate extension. Students can set the browser to translate the experience to any of the dozens of languages supported by Google Translate.

Vocabulary Words Used in “Water Conservation”

  • scarcity: being in short supply
  • saltwater: salty water
  • freshwater: water that is not salty
  • inaccessible: not reachable
  • groundwater: water found beneath the Earth's surface
  • wastewater: water that has been used in homes or businesses
  • desalination: the process of removing salt from seawater
  • agriculture: farming
  • drought: a long period without rainfall resulting in a shortage of water


When you read, you become a detective, searching for evidence. What is the text trying to tell you? How does what it says relate to information you already know? In this experience, you will learn some strategies for understanding what you read.

Objectives

  • Develop understanding while reading.
  • Understand how to make inferences.
  • Use evidence and details from a text to determine key ideas.


students reading in class

As you read the following passage, evaluate the evidence so you can solve the mystery.


Karen’s Bakery (KB) had the most delicious donuts in town, but everyone knew Karen was not sweet like her pastries. In fact, Karen was a tough boss who yelled at her employees in front of customers. Many employees quit, and many others were fired. The ones who stayed gave each other pep talks and tried to make each other feel better.

Karen’s behavior made the customers uncomfortable, but they loved the donuts so much that they continued to shop at KB.

One day, customers lined up outside as usual, waiting for KB to open at 8:00 a.m. The time came and went, but the door was not unlocked. The customers left. They didn’t even want to go to another donut store since nothing could compare to KB. “Let’s hope she’s back tomorrow,” one said, as she drove off. “I can’t last long without KB’s Raspberry Delight!”

When KB opened the next morning, there were fewer customers lined up. Karen let them in silently. She took orders, packaged them up, and ran the cash register. She was the only one in the store. And she wasn’t yelling, she was quiet. When a few customers talked to her, she tried to smile, but she didn’t know how.

“What happened yesterday?” asked one customer. “Where are your employees?” Karen didn’t answer, she just kept working.


What do you think happened to Karen’s employees? Use the evidence in the story to develop a theory.

Post your answer

Sample answers include:

  • Karen fired everyone.
  • Everyone quit.
  • The employees banded together with a list of demands and when Karen wouldn’t meet them, they quit.
  • Former and current employees created an anti-KB social media campaign; employees quit together and some customers decided not to shop at KB.
Share and discuss student responses and the evidence that led to their conclusions. Note that students brought their own knowledge and experience to the situation, enabling them to make predictions and inferences about what happened.


When everyone is ready to continue, unlock the next scene.

End of Preview
The Complete List of Learning Experiences in Non-fiction Texts Unit.
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