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Author's Clues and Style (Learning New Information)

Uses an introductory or thesis paragraph (the first paragraph which introduces what the reading section will be about).

Places main ideas in the form of questions (usually in bold print and beginning the paragraph or reading selection).

Author answers these questions in the first sentence (referring to author clue above).

Uses bold print.

Pictures and charts are used to explain the vocabulary.

Uses italicized words.

Important vocabulary words are in bold print.

The author uses transition words (first, second, and third) to write clearly.

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Highlighting (Taking Notes and Studying)

Highlighting is used to organize what you have read. Some people using highlighting will use different colored highlighters to represent different information.

Example:

Orange represents all main ideas. Yellow represents Supporting Details to that Main Idea.

Steps to being a good Highlighter:

1. Read through the selection first.

2. Reread and begin to highlight main ideas and their supporting details.

3. Do NOT highlight the entire sentence. Try to only highlight the facts which are important.

4. In the margins, write down related topics or ideas you have as you read.

When you study pay attention to the highlighted information and perhaps information you wrote down within the margins.

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Power Notes with Underlining (Taking Notes, Studying, Pre writing)

Power Notes with Underlining is another way to organize information you are rereading. As you reread, underline the important details or notes. As you underline, assign the appropriate Power Number (1, 2, 3, or 4) to indicate the Power of this detail or note. Main Ideas are labeled P1, supporting details are labeled P2, etc. This structure can be further organized into a Power Outline used for studying this information.

Power notes with underlining use what is called a Power I, Power 2, and Power 3 format or structure.

• Power 1 = Main Idea of the information.
  • Power 2 = Detail or supportive information for Power 1 above.
    • Power 3 = Detail or supportive information for Power 2 above.
      • Power 4 = Detail or supportive information for Power 3 above.

EXAMPLE, using a very simplistic piece of writing

There are many different types of (P1)animals on this earth with us. Dogs, so called "Man's Best Friend," and cats, are only two domestic animals found in homes today.

Of the (P2)dogs of the USA, two favorite breeds are the (P3)Collie and the (P3)German Shepherd. These two breeds of dog are found all over the country.

The following is the power outline of the information above and can be utilized for study.

• Power 1 Animals
  • Power 2 Dog
    • Power 3 Collie
    • Power 3 German Shepherd
  • Power 2 Cat
    • Power 3 Siamese
    • Power 3 Calico

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Power Notes (Taking Notes, Studying, Pre writing)

Power Notes help you know the differences between main ideas and detail notes or supportive information. They are used in organizing your reading (note taking), writing (prewriting), and studying.

Power notes are written using a Power I, Power 2, and Power 3 format.

• Power 1 = Main Idea of the information.
  • Power 2 = Detail or supportive information for Power 1 above.
    • Power 3 = Detail or supportive information for Power 2 above.
      • Power 4 = Detail or supportive information for Power 3 above.

EXAMPLE, using a very simplistic piece of writing:

PREWRITING POWER OUTLINE

•Power 1 Animals

• Power 2 Dog
  • Power 3 Collie
  • Power 3 German Shepherd
• Power 2 Cat
  • Power 3 Siamese
  • Power 3 Calic

USE THE OUTLINE ABOVE TO WRITE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

There are many different types of animals on Earth with us. Dogs, so called "Man's Best Friend," and cats, are only two domestic animals found in homes today.

Of the dogs of the USA, two favorite breeds are the Collie and the German Shepherd. These two breeds ofdog are found all over the country.

Cats are also popular in many households. Two of the most popular breeds of cat are the Siamese and the Calico.

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Power Paragraphs from Power Outlines (Pre writing)

Information

Power Outlines are used to develop simple paragraphs or to organize your ideas before you begin writing. Below is an example of a Power Outline.

Power Outline

Topic Sentence - Introduces the paragraph

• Power 1 My three favorite sports

• Power 2 Skiing - winter
  • Power 3 Gliding through the snow
• Power 2 Roller Blading
  • Power 3 Balance and Strong muscles
  • Power 3 Skating around town
• Power 2 Tennis
  • Power 3 Running around the court
  • Power 3 Clean shot over the net

Concluding Sentence

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Authentic Questions (Reading)

Authentic or genuine Questions are used to help all readers monitor their own comprehension of a reading selection.

STEPS:

1. Students read a selection and come up with questions they may have about: vocabulary, why a person did something, how a situation evolved or unfolded, what a paragraph was discussiong, etc.

2. Students write down their questions on the following chart. This information could be used during a class discussion of the reading selection.

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Concept Mapping (Pre reading, Reading, Post Reading)

Concept Mapping is the way of showing the relationships between ideas. It can be used before, during, and after reading to organize information.

Use Concept Mapping to show what you know about a topic.

OR

Use concept Mapping to take notes as you reread a selecion.

OR

Use concept Mapping to organize the reading selection after you have read.

OR

Use concept Mapping to organize your thoughts before writing a paragraph or essay.

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Know-What to know-Learned - KWL (Pre reading, Post reading)

Know-What to know-Learned strategy is used to help you build connections between the material you know and unknown material when you read information about new topics. The chart below is a good graphic organizer for this strategy.

STEPS:

1. Brainstorm what you KNOW (K) about the topic to be read.

2. Record this information under the column titled, What I Know.

3. Think about what you WANT (W) to know about the topic to be read. What are you curious about?

4. Record this information under the column titled, What I Want I Know.

5. After reading the selection, list what you have LEARNED (L) about the topic.

6. Record this information under the column titled, What I've Learned.

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Read - and - Say Something (Pre reading)

Read-and-say Something works very well when students are working with difficult reading materials. Students work together as they read.

STEPS:1. Students read the assignment silently first. This may be done paragraph by paragraph, or page by page. For longer s

elections, have students use another strategy called, "Sticky- Notes".

2. After students have finished the assigned reading they turn to their partner and say something which relates to the reading. They react to ideas, description, images, and sections that were confusing.

3. Students conclude by writing down questions they would like to have answered by the entire class.

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Sticky - Note Discussions (Reading, Post reading)

Sticky - Note Discussions works very well when students are working in lecture groups or when they are reading a long or difficult selection.

STEPS:

1. As students read, or after they have read a selection, they will place a sticky note to mark passages they want to talk about. These might be things they; question, find humorous, find interesting, or descriptions they really enjoy. On this note they write the reason for marking this section.

2. Once students have this idea, suggest they mark about one or two sections per chapter.

3. Begin the class discussion by having students talk about the places they have marked and their reasons for marking those passages.

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Study Cards (Studying, Pre writing-Organizing Information)

Study Cards strategy is a great way to study information you are trying to learn for a quiz or test. This strategy is sometimes called flash cards.

STEPS:

1. Using index cards, copy down the important Main Idea or Power 1 note on one side of the card. Some examples are: vocabulary words, dates, names of important people, names of theories or theorems, etc.

2. On the opposite side, write down the supporting detail or Power 2 information for the Main Idea or Power I note.

3. Use these study cards to quiz yourself or a partner. Sometimes being the teacher can actually teach you the material.

NOTE: This strategy is very similar to the Two Column Notes and Study Strategy.

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Think - Pair - Share (Pre reading)

Think - Pair - Share is a prereading strategy which helps students become active participants in the topic they are studying. This strategy may also be helpful to students when preparing for a writing assignment.

STEPS:

1. A topic or question is given to the individual or group.

2. Students are to think about what they know or have learned about the topic.

(Write down this information.)

3. After this information is written down, have students pair up and share their ideas.

4. Next, have the whole class share a discussion.

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Two Column Notes (Note Taking and Studying)

Two Column Notes help you organize your notes from subject area reading assignments or lectures into Main Ideas and Supporting Details.

Divide your paper into two columns. Label the left hand column Main Ideas and the right had column Supporting Details.

As you take notes place all Main Ideas to the left, and their Supporting Details to the right.

Example Using an article titled "Oceans Zones".

By folding the paper in between the Main Ideas and the Supporting Details, you now have Main ideas on one side of the fold and Supporting Details on the other. This is used as a study aid for quizzes and tests.

While looking at the Main Ideas side, try to recall the supporting details to these. The Main Ideas are the items many teachers will be asking information about during tests and quizes.

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Story Plan--Problem Resolution (Pre writing, Post reading)

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Venn Diagrams (Shows what you've learned)

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Comparison Maps (Venn Diagrams) (Shows what you've learned)

Comparison Maps (Venn Diagrams) untangle similarities and differences among concepts, characters, and events.

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Character Mapping (Shows what you've learned)

Character Mapping is a way to illustrate your opinion about a character in a book or about this characters personality. You can use pictures and/or words.

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Free - Form Mapping (Shows what you've learned)