Content Literacy Primary Sample

Stephanie Harvey | Anne Goudvis The Comprehension
Toolkit
PRIMARY
Content Literacy
Lessons and Texts for Comprehension Across the Curriculum
For sample use only, please visit http://www.heinemann.com/comprehensiontoolkit for more information
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Table of Contents
GENRE Fable
Stone
Read to find out
how to make stone
soup.
Soup Retold by Michael

Murphy
Illustrated by Colin
Jack
) T
Mr. Fox was a trav
eler. He planned
NH: Heinema
to find his supper
in a nearby villa
ge.
Some other traveler
s warned, “Do
Toolkit (Portsmouth
not go. These villa
gers quarrel.
And they do not
share. You will
Primary Comprehension
have no luck ther
e.”
Goudvis from The

ie Harvey and Anne
© 2016 by Stephan
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .viii
1 Distinguish Nonfiction from Fiction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Note the characteristics of genre
2 Explain a Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Arrange information in a sequence
3 Collaborate on Focus Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Explain concepts in words and diagrams
4 Interpret Text and Pictures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Engage in a written conversation
5 Explore Important Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Draw and write about big ideas
6 Read to Answer a Question. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Record notes and thinking
7 Synthesize Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Create a mind map
8 Discover Why . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Create cause-and-effect books
Table of Contents iii
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Saving Sea Turtles
for classroom use only.

This page may be reproduced
(Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann).
t (Portsm
Primary Comprehension Toolkit
© SuperStock
and Anne Goudvis from The

Sea turtles are marine reptilethere
s that
live only in the oceans. Once,

living in the
were millions of sea turtles
species of sea Marine reptile: a cold-blo
oded
world’s oceans. Sadly, all
© 2016 by Stephanie Harvey

An animal is animal that lives near water
turtles are now endangered.
are so few left Species: types
endangered when there
animals
s may vanish Endangered: describes
alive that the entire specie
is completely that might die out in their
forever. When a species natural habitat
gone, it is extinct. Extinct: describes an animal
tely
that has died out comple
in its natural habitat
9 Compare and Contrast. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Investigate differences and similarities
10 Infer Similar Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Annotate biographies
11 Analyze Biography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

Determine how people think, study, and make a difference
12 Infer to Get the Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

Delve into the meaning of language
Works Cited. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

Resources Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Resources begin on page 160
Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
iv For sample use only, please visit http://www.heinemann.com/comprehensiontoolkit for more information
Table of Contents
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Content Literacy: Lesson Titles and Lesson Texts
LESSON TEXT ALTERNATIVE TEXTS
1. Distinguish Nonfiction “Stone Soup,” pages 10–19 When launching a lesson that teaches young kids to distinguish
from Fiction: Note the “Community Gardens Make between fiction and nonfiction, choose text that
characteristics of genre a Difference,” pages 20–23, • includes both fiction selections and nonfiction selections for
from Make a Difference comparison
(National Geographic • features classic characteristics of each genre, i.e., nonfiction
Ladders series) selections that are rife with text and visual features, such as
photographs, charts, graphs, labels, etc., and fiction text that tells a
story with text and matching illustrations
2. Explain a Process: Plants Eat Insects by Elaine This lesson requires kids to merge their thinking with new information,
Arrange information in Pascoe, a How & Why book summarize the steps in a process, and organize the steps in time order.
a sequence (Creative Teaching Press, An effective text should
Inc., 2000) • include clear explanations of how a scientific process or sequence of
events works
• be short and concise enough for kids to summarize in their own
words
• be illustrated with clear photographs or illustrations that
complement the text and make it accessible to emergent readers
3. Collaborate on Focus Plants Eat Insects by Elaine This lesson guides kids to ask focus questions—questions that require
Questions: Explain Pascoe, a How & Why book an explanation to answer rather than simply one word or yes/no
concepts in words and (Creative Teaching Press, responses—so appropriate text should
diagrams Inc., 2000) • deal with a topic complex enough to require explanation
• stimulate kids’ curiosity and questions
4. Interpret Text and “Going to School in India” When launching a lesson teaching kids to engage in a written
Pictures: Engage in a by Heather Anderson conversation, find short texts
written conversation (Heinemann, 2016) • about compelling topics that evoke reactions
• with visuals that prompt inferences and questions
• that have clear photos and pictures that kids can read and respond to
easily
5. Explore Important The Peace Book by Todd Parr Any texts that bring up issues and big ideas work with this lesson. For
Concepts: Draw and (Little, Brown and Company, young children, look especially for engaging picture books that
write about big ideas 2004) • illustrate abstract ideas in concrete, recognizable ways
• can be understood through illustrations as well as text
• are about ideas kids can think about and relate to
6. Read to Answer a “Saving Sea Turtles” A text on any topic about which we can pose important questions works
Question: Record notes by Heather Anderson for this lesson. The ideal text should
and thinking (Heinemann, 2016) • be clearly organized with headings that break up the content and
allow kids to navigate easily
• contain photographs that complement the text and allow more
emergent readers to access the information
• (optional) have navigation features like a table of contents, index, or
chapter titles that help locate information
7. Synthesize “Saving Sea Turtles” When launching mind maps, use a text and topic
Information: Create a by Heather Anderson • kids have worked with before and are curious about
mind map (Heinemann, 2016) • with text features that make the information easy to navigate
• with photographs that complement the text and allow even emergent
readers access to the information
8. Discover Why: What Do You Do When When launching a lesson that teaches kids to think about cause and
Create cause-and-effect Something Wants to Eat You? effect, choose text that
books by Steve Jenkins (Houghton • has obvious causes and effects
Mifflin Harcourt, 1997) • engages kids with compelling images and interesting content
vi ForLesson
Content Literacy: sampleTitles
use only, pleaseTexts
and Lesson visit http://www.heinemann.com/comprehensiontoolkit for more information
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LESSON TEXT ALTERNATIVE TEXTS
9. Compare and Frog or Toad? How Do You When launching a lesson that teaches kids to recognize differences
Contrast: Investigate Know? by Melissa Stewart and similarities, find text that
differences and (Enslow Publishers, Inc., • engages kids with interesting photos and information
similarities 2011) • compares and contrasts two or more things or ideas
• highlights visual similarities and differences with clear illustrations
10. Infer Similar Themes: “Amelia Earhart: When launching a lesson that teaches kids to infer themes in
Annotate biographies Courageous and Ahead biographies and then recognize and compare similar themes across
of Her Time” by Heather different texts, look for texts that
Anderson (Heinemann, • have similar themes and/or feature similar content
2016) • engage kids with interesting facts as well as important information
about the person in the biography
“Brave Bessie Coleman,” • feature under-represented and under-served populations as well as
“Sally Ride,” “Tammy more conventional ones
Duckworth” by Heather • include people with quirky, individualistic personalities
Anderson (Heinemann,
2016)
11. Analyze Biography: Snowflake Bentley by Texts that work for this lesson describe
Determine how people Jacqueline Briggs Martin • the significant contributions of people
think, study, and make a (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, • how people with different passions and expertise enrich our world
difference 1998)
12. Infer to Get the Martin’s Big Words: The Life Any text that lends itself to readers inferring from and elaborating on
Message: Delve into of Dr. Martin Luther King, the meaning of language works for this lesson. Particularly effective are
the meaning of language Jr. by Doreen Rappaport • poems
(Disney Book Group, 2007) • books with salient quotes
• narratives that encourage the reader to delve deeper into the words
and stories of others
Content Literacy: Lesson Titles and Lesson Texts vii
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Introduction
E. B. White reminds us to “always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder.”

The truth is you can’t help but ask questions and wonder in a room that is filled
to bursting with great text, stirring images, engaging artifacts, magnifying glasses,
Legos, art supplies and so forth. Content-rich classrooms make wondering
irresistible. Stimulating environments fuel kids’ natural curiosity. Teachers
who create classrooms like this instill in their students a disposition to explore,
investigate, read on, and learn more about the real world. The real world is rich,
fascinating, and compelling. Because this is the world our kids live in, let’s replicate
it in the content literacy classroom.
David Pearson suggests a simple motto that says it all when it comes to content
literacy: READ IT, WRITE IT, TALK IT, DO IT (Pearson, Moje, and Greenleaf
2010)! And he’s talking about across the day, across the curriculum, and across
the year. This active process is a hallmark of effective, engaging content teaching
and learning. In content-rich classrooms, kids are asking questions, inferring,
discussing, exploring, making things, and generating new ideas every day.
Content literacy practices must be thinking- and learning-intensive, so say none
other than the President and Fellows of Harvard College (2007). To build intrigue,
knowledge, and understanding, students read, learn about, and interact with the
questions, mysteries, controversies, discoveries, events, issues, and drama that are
the real stuff of content learning.
In this twenty-first-century information age, researchers highlight the
importance of content literacy—reading and understanding in a variety of
disciplines. Pearson et al. (2010) go so far as to say the following:
Without systematic attention to reading and writing in subjects like science and
history, students will leave schools with an impoverished sense of what it means to use
the tools of literacy for learning or even to reason within various disciplines.
In recent years, content has taken a back seat on the curricular bandwagon in
many classrooms. But not in literacy rich classrooms, where reading and writing
are not about reading and writing in general but rather about reading and writing
viii Introduction For sample use only, please visit http://www.heinemann.com/comprehensiontoolkit for more information
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to build knowledge. We don’t read simply to amass information or, as teachers, to
cram information into kids’ heads. Instead, we read to tackle real problems, explore
authentic issues, and puzzle through ideas to make sense of the world. Gina
Cervetti, Carolyn Jaynes, and Elfrieda Hiebert (2009) say simply, “Kids should be
learning real things for real reasons as they read.”
Comprehension at the Core

We don’t save teaching comprehension just for the literacy block. We teach
comprehension strategies across the curriculum so kids can learn, understand,
and remember the content. In fact, content literacy is about laying down a
foundation of thinking strategies and then merging the content with them in
science, social studies, and any other subject areas. In primary grades, we generally
follow a workshop model for teaching content as well as teaching reading and
writing. Researcher’s workshop, where our kids investigate topics in science and
social studies, is the perfect vehicle for exploring the real world. (See our inquiry
framework and ideas for researcher’s workshop in Tools for Teaching Comprehension,
pages 41–46.)
We live in the information age, but we are not sure that kids understand
the difference between information and knowledge. If we don’t think about
information, it is merely information in, information out—or garbage in, garbage
out. However, if we do think about it, we have good shot at turning information
into knowledge. And no one can do the thinking for us; we have to construct
meaning ourselves. This is especially true for young children because, as Art Costa
reminds us, we can’t teach kids to think because humans pop out of the womb
already thinking (Costa 2008). But to prepare them for living in the twenty-first
century, we can and must teach them to
• Be aware of their thinking

• Think strategically
• Recognize the power of their own thinking
From Scaffolding the Comprehension

Toolkit for English Language Learners by
Anne Goudvis, Stephanie Harvey, Brad
Buhrow, and Ann Upczak-Garcia, 2012,
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Introduction ix
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We’d like to see this graphic shared with kids in classrooms around the world
because it sends the message that the power of learning and understanding resides
between their ears. Kids need to do the thinking, but it is our responsibility to
share a repertoire of strategies so kids’ curiosity, wonder, and engagement drive
their learning.
Years ago, reading researchers identified a collection of strategies that proficient
readers use to construct meaning when they read, listen, and view (Dole et al.
1991). Much of our work, including the lessons and practices in this book, are
grounded in and build on this body of research. Readers need to
• Monitor comprehension
• Activate and connect to background knowledge
• Ask questions
• Infer and visualize meaning
• Determine importance
• Summarize and synthesize
Once students have had explicit instruction in these thinking strategies and
have learned how to use them independently and flexibly, we engage them in
lessons that rely on a repertoire of strategies for understanding. For instance,
once students learn something new and exciting, a question is not far behind. Kids
summarize and synthesize learning in developmentally appropriate ways: they
create self-published and digital books, posters, mind maps, buildings, and other
projects that incorporate drawing, writing and making.
In this book, the content literacy lessons integrate a variety of strategies and
provide for a more robust experience across disciplines. For example, when kids
read biographies, they annotate, infer, and compare themes. When they learn about
endangered species, they ask questions, use nonfiction features to find answers,
surface the big ideas, and often come to care enough about the topic to take action.
In classrooms that foster a strategic spirit, reading, writing, and thinking occur
in an environment rich with text talk, discussion, and purposeful collaboration.
Reading, drawing, and writing are not ends in themselves. They truly are a
means to an end, so students can acquire and actively use knowledge to build
understanding and gain insight in all content areas.
Building Knowledge Across the Curriculum

Too often in primary classrooms content literacy, or “reading in the content areas,”
is an afterthought. Science and social studies, if they appear at all, are relegated to
the afternoon after the important business of reading, writing, and math are done.
How unfortunate! We believe it is the content that is seductive. What better way
is there to motivate kids to read than to engage them in a study of a fascinating
person, place, event, creature, phenomenon, etc.? We have never met a student
we can’t engage in something in the real world. We’ve watched as kids marvel at
x Introduction For sample use only, please visit http://www.heinemann.com/comprehensiontoolkit for more information
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a video of a Venus flytrap closing on an insect, wonder about how young Ruby
Bridges felt when integrating an all white school, or are moved to take action to
solve a problem or address an issue. In classrooms where content learning is the
centerpiece, voluminous reading and writing happen all day, every day.
In reviews of the research, Cervetti and colleagues (Cervetti and Hiebert 2009;
Cervetti, Jaynes, and Hiebert 2015) argue persuasively that “knowledge building
is the next frontier in reading education . . .” because “evidence is beginning to
demonstrate that reading instruction is more potent when it builds and then
capitalizes upon the development of content knowledge.” This is a reciprocal
process. As students build their knowledge through reading—and, by the way,
through viewing, listening, talking, making, and working together—they create a
foundation that in turn supports ongoing thinking, learning and understanding.
Knowledge
Activating Building
Knowledge Knowledge
Comprehension
Researchers emphasize the knowledge-building side of this figure, which

underscores the idea that when we comprehend, we add to and enhance our store
of knowledge. So above all, comprehension is a knowledge building activity
(Cervetti et al. 2009). In turn, as we continue to learn about and comprehend the
world, our comprehension is strengthened by existing and new knowledge. The
more content knowledge we have, the more likely we are to grow it.
The Comprehension Continuum

We have long advocated for explicit comprehension instruction—in Strategies
That Work (Harvey and Goudvis 2007), in our Primary Comprehension Toolkit
(Harvey and Goudvis 2008, 2016b), and in our Intermediate Comprehension
Toolkit (Harvey and Goudvis 2005, 2016a). Acquiring and actively using
knowledge is of paramount importance, particularly in this era of twenty-first-
century learning. But as Costa (2008) says, the acquisition of knowledge is
only the beginning. “The deeper [the] knowledge one has, the more analytical,
experimental and creative one’s thought processes” (23).
Acquiring knowledge is a powerful jumping-off point. As Costa suggests,
content literacy is all about what kids do with their new knowledge—how they
Introduction xi
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make sense of it and use it in their daily lives. To explore the multiple ways
that knowledge and experience interact, it is helpful to think about the many
different purposes of comprehension—and the spectrum of understanding that
runs the gamut from answering literal questions to actively using knowledge.
This comprehension continuum, which first appeared in Comprehension and
Collaboration, includes five comprehension processes and the teaching language
that matches each (Harvey and Daniels 2011, 2015).
The five comprehension processes are the following:
Answering Literal Questions Answering literal questions is the least

sophisticated practice of comprehension. If we read a text out loud and follow
up by asking, “What color was the wagon?” kids may be able to answer with the
correct color. However, this response does not demonstrate that they understood
the bigger ideas in the story. It goes without saying that literal understanding is an
important foundation of knowledge acquisition and use, but practices that begin
and end with literal questions do little to promote real comprehension and are
unlikely to lead readers to a deep understanding.
Retelling Retelling is too often the sole measure of comprehension for young
children. We agree that being able to retell the events in a narrative is an important
skill. It involves short-term recall and sequential thinking. But in and of itself,
retelling does not demonstrate understanding.
Merging Thinking with Content True comprehension begins when we

merge thinking with content. Here’s where kids use thinking strategies so that
understanding takes root—connecting, questioning, inferring, visualizing,
determining importance, and synthesizing information. These strategies facilitate
kids’ active engagement with their reading and provide them with an arsenal of
tactics to construct meaning.
Acquiring Knowledge Once readers begin to consciously merge their

thinking with the content, they are able to turn that information into knowledge.
Integrating content with comprehension instruction means that “strategies . . .
help students make sense of the content, and the content gives meaning and
purpose to the strategies” (Wilkinson and Son 2011).
Actively Using Knowledge Understanding strategies and having the disposition

to use them encourages students to take an active rather than a passive stance
toward learning. We can integrate our knowledge and actively apply it to
experiences, situations, and circumstances in our daily lives. In this way, we come
to realize the power of our own thinking. We may come to care about what we
learn and apply that knowledge in practical, authentic ways. Knowledge undergirds
informed decisions about how to behave, persuade, and act in the real world.
xii Introduction For sample use only, please visit http://www.heinemann.com/comprehensiontoolkit for more information
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PTK_CL_FM.indd xiii
Comprehension Continuum
Answers Literal Retells Merges Thinking Acquires Actively Uses
Questions with Content Knowledge Knowledge
Answering literal ques- Retelling shows that Real understanding takes Once learners have With new insights and
tions shows that learners learners can organize root when learners merge merged their thinking with understandings, learners
can skim and scan for thoughts sequentially and their thinking with the the content, they can can actively use knowl-
answers, pick one out that put them into their own content by connecting, begin to acquire knowledge and apply what they
matches the question, and words. Shows short-term inferring, visualizing, edge and insight. They have learned to the expe-
have short-term recall. recall of events in a narra- questioning, determining can learn, understand, riences, situations, and
Only demonstrates tive and bits of information importance, synthesizing, and remember. circumstances at hand
surface understanding. in nonfiction. and reacting to informa- Shows more learning and to expand understanding
Does not, in and of tion. robust understanding. and even take action.
itself, demonstrate Understanding begins Understanding used for
understanding. here. problem solving and
acting.
Teacher Language Teacher Language Teacher Language Teacher Language Teacher Language
What is...? Tell me what happened. What do you think? What did you learn that What do you want to do
Where did...? What was the story What did you learn? you think is important to about this?
about? remember? Why do you want to take
Who was...? What does this remind
Retell what you read. you of? Why does it matter? action?
How did...?
What comes first, second, What do you wonder? What do you think the How might you take action?
How many...? author most wants you
third? What do you visualize? Is there a way you can get
to get out of this? involved?
When did...? What do you infer? What evidence can you How do you think you can
What is this mostly about? cite to make your claim? help?
What makes you say/think What do you think are How would you convince
that? some big ideas here? others of your point of
How did you come up with What difference does it view?
that? make? What is your plan?
Introduction
What, if anything, confuses How would you evaluate How might you engage
xiii
you? this information? the help of others?
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Content Matters
Too often young children spend their first years in school learning to read
through repeated practice with phonics and decoding skills. Suddenly, when they
hit third grade, a textbook is plopped in front of them and they are expected to
read to learn. For us this is inside out and backward; we believe that we should
put comprehension first. Immersing kids in all manner of nonfiction—images,
artifacts, charts, photos, videos, etc.—allows them to gain information and build
background before they ever decode a word. Research (Anderson and Pearson
1984) has long supported the strong relationship between background knowledge
and school learning. Nothing colors our learning and understanding more than
what we bring to it, especially in content reading. One of the main reasons we
teach strategies is to hurdle the background knowledge gap.
The lessons and practices in this book were created to give kids the tools
they need to construct meaning when they encounter unfamiliar or complex
information. We hear a lot about complexity these days, particularly complex text.
Complexity is not merely about dense text, Lexile level, or technical vocabulary.
Complexity is about ideas, not merely words. Complexity resides in issues and
problems with multiple perspectives that can be presented in myriad ways. The
reader’s background knowledge—prior knowledge and experience—is the greatest
factor in determining whether a text is complex or not. In fact, complexity is in the
eye (or mind) of the beholder.
The more complex the text, the more strategic the reader needs to be. In
content reading, we are apt to encounter unfamiliar information and new ideas,
so inferring, activating background knowledge, and questioning all help readers
overcome the background knowledge gap. As David Pearson (2006) so aptly says,
“Today’s new knowledge is tomorrow’s background knowledge.”
We’ve said it before and we will say it again. We don’t teach strategies for
strategies’ sake. Comprehension strategies serve as tools for understanding,
learning and remembering information. We teach comprehension strategies so
learners can turn information into knowledge and use it in their lives every day.
Reading, writing, and thinking across disciplines promotes literacy in the broadest
sense of the term. Kids are never too young to read, listen, and view with a critical
eye and a questioning stance. Learners mustn’t swallow whole everything they
read, view, and hear. Eleanor Roosevelt punctuates the point: “Every effort must
be made to teach the young to use their own minds. For one thing is certain, if
they don’t make up their own minds, someone will do it for them” (Roosevelt, in
Beane 2005).
xiv Introduction For sample use only, please visit http://www.heinemann.com/comprehensiontoolkit for more information
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About This Resource
The lessons in this Content Literacy resource are designed to build on the original
lessons in The Primary Comprehension Toolkit. Each of the original Toolkit lessons
zeroed in on one of six proficient reader strategies listed in this introduction
(page x). We designed several lessons for each strategy to help kids fully understand
how to use the strategy in their reading and learning. Although kids were asking
questions during inferring lessons and making connections during synthesizing
lessons, the purpose of the lessons was to give kids a clear and in-depth
understanding of each individual strategy.
The lessons and practices in Content Literacy are designed to teach kids both
to use a repertoire of strategies to further their thinking and to actively use their
knowledge. It is our belief that kids are more able to read and think flexibly
and recursively when they have an in-depth understanding of the foundational
comprehension strategies we teach in the six strategy books in The Primary
Comprehension Toolkit. When kids have had time to practice and use comprehension
strategies extensively in their own reading, the strategies become tools that work
together to further understanding. Kids internalize these comprehension strategies
to the point where they exhibit a strategic disposition using “thinking strategies in
response to thinking and learning challenges” (Tishman, Perkins, and Jay 1994).
Comprehension Across the Curriculum

Content Literacy lessons are not defined by strategy, but instead integrate several
strategies. For example, kids notice new learning, infer information, and ask
questions about text and photographs while studying schooling in India. They
gather, synthesize, and organize information sequentially when examining the
science of carnivorous plants. They make connections, determine important
information, and summarize to create mind maps and cause-and-effect books.
All of these lessons and practices are grounded in science and social studies and
reflect some of the varied ways we think in different content areas. So even though
you may not be studying endangered species or Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the
thinking routines and processes that we teach are applicable to any of your science
or social studies topics and units. These lessons are content literacy lessons; that
is, they are designed to teach our kids ways to get the most out of their nonfiction
reading so they can build content knowledge and actively use it.
Comprehension Across Various Texts

We have tapped a wide variety of nonfiction articles and books to go along with
this resource. The articles are included in this book. The trade books are available
from Heinemann in the Toolkit Trade Book Pack, from your school or local
library, or wherever you ordinarily order books. We selected these texts for their
compelling content and diversity. They highlight bigger ideas, central concepts,
and key understandings in science and social studies. Texts about social studies
focus on inferring and elaborating on ideas and themes, analyzing accounts of
Introduction xv
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people and places, etc. Science articles focus on cause-and-effect relationships,
comparisons, sequencing, etc.
All of the content literacy lessons work with many different kinds of content-
related texts. Feel free to use the texts we chose to launch the practices if you like.
But know this: You can use any nonfiction text you choose to teach these lessons.
As a matter of fact, the most effective way to teach these content literacy lessons
is with your own texts, topics, and units. The “Lesson Frame” at the beginning
of each lesson includes only the lesson moves and some teaching language; the
topic-specific content has been stripped away. These frames are “cheat sheets”
of sorts to serve as a scaffold for you to create your own lessons with your choice
of text and topic. In the Text Matters section in the Overview that opens every
lesson, we share suggestions for choosing alternative texts that work well with that
particular lesson.
Collaborative Discussion for Content Learning

Throughout The Primary Comprehension Toolkit lessons—the original lessons as well
as these content literacy lessons—our explicit instruction encourages collaborative
discussions for building community and constructing meaning. Reading and
thinking strategies support effective discussion and facilitate learning from text.
They provide a variety of entry points into the text and its ideas, leading to
richer conversations about it. Our discussions and conversations with the kids are
springboards to their independent thinking, learning, and decision-making.
In the Content Literacy lessons, you will notice extensive conversations between
teachers and kids and among the kids themselves. At every point in the lesson, our
teaching is responsive to what kids are thinking and saying. We’ve included these
dialogues to illustrate how kids internalize a common language of comprehension
to express their learning and understanding. Some of this common language
relates to the processes that kids use to engage with new information, make sense
of unfamiliar concepts, and work out their thinking with each other. Other aspects
of their language reflect their deep interest and insight into the content under
discussion.
We actively model our own curiosity about these topics, talking and thinking
aloud about them, so our kids adopt and adapt our teaching language as their
learning language. We have a purpose and plan in mind as we teach the lessons,
but it is the new insights and original perspectives kids bring that take our
conversations in important and unanticipated directions. The conversations you
facilitate with your kids will reflect the texts and content you are teaching at the
time. Our conversations in this resource are examples of how we engage kids in
discussion and weave their thinking into our lessons.
As we create and plan for content rich classrooms, we keep the following
hallmarks in mind.
xvi Introduction For sample use only, please visit http://www.heinemann.com/comprehensiontoolkit for more information
PTK_CL_FM.indd xvi 6/29/16 4:03 PM

Lesson
f
6
Read to
Answer a
Text Matters Resources&Materials

A text on any topic about which we can pose important Lesson Text
questions works for this lesson. The ideal text should “Saving Sea Turtles” by Heather Anderson.
(two versions, 2016) [See the back of this book
■ be clearly organized with headings that break up the or downloadable resources.]
content and allow kids to navigate it easily
Classroom Supplies
■ contain photographs that complement the text ■ Document camera or other means of projecting
and allow more emergent readers to access the the lesson text
information
■ Anchor Chart with two columns labeled
Important Information and Thinking
We can also use books with a table of contents, an index,
Student Supplies
chapter or section headings, and lots of visual features ■ A copy of “Saving Sea Turtles”
that make the text engaging and accessible. ■ A copy of the Important Information/Thinking
Thinksheet [See the back of this book or the
downloadable resources.]
■ Post-its
■ Marker, pen, or pencil
For sample use only,

64 The Primary Comprehension please
Toolkit: visit http://www.heinemann.com/comprehensiontoolkit
Content for more
Literacy: Lessons and Texts for Comprehension Across information
the Curriculum
PTK_CL_Lessons.indd 64 6/29/16 4:30 PM

LESSON OVERVIEW
Record notes and thin

thinking
Question G l &
Goals& How
H gr
gradual release
of responsibility
Assessment Connect & Engage
■ Introduce the topic and define key terms.
We want students to:
Model & Guide
■ read to record facts and
■ Establish an important question to investigate.
thinking about an important
question. ■ Model how to read, paraphrase, and record important
information and thinking on Post-its.
■ take notes in their own ■ Place Post-its in the appropriate Important Information
words. or Thinking column on a chart.
■ Read aloud and ask kids to write important information
■ summarize information and
think about it. and their thinking on Post-its.
Collaborate or Practice Independently
■ Prepare kids to go off and read on their own or with a
partner.
■ Confer with kids to help them clarify their thinking.
Share the Learning
■ Invite kids to share their Post-its.
Why&What
In this lesson we introduce a simple note-taking
format to help kids learn new information and
make it their own. Then they actively use the
information to create mind maps and posters in
a subsequent lesson. When kids learn new infor-
mation, express it in original ways, and take it
public to share it, they become teachers as well
as learners.
The Important Information/Thinking note-taking

approach works with any social studies or science
question. Science introduces kids to complex con-
cepts (such as adaptation and life cycles) as well
as critical issues (such as endangered animals
and air pollution).
Related lesson: The notes from this lesson are
used in the next lesson.
Lesson 6: Read to Answer a Question 65

Frame
f 6 Use this Lesson Frame with any text to help kids learn by reading for a
purpose, taking notes, and recording their thinking.
Read to Answer a Question

Record notes and thinking
TEACHING MOVES TEACHING LANGUAGE
Connect & Engage

Introduce the topic and define key ■ Today we’ll be reading an article called “_____” and talking about
terms. _____.
■ We can see right up here that there is a definition of the word
_____.
■ What do think you already know about _____? Turn and talk.
Model & Guide

Establish an important question to ■ We can ask an important question as we read today: _____? I’ll
investigate. post it here on the wall so we can keep it in mind as we read and
talk.
Model how to read, paraphrase, ■ On my Post-it, I’ll write _____ and draw a sketch. I’ll put it in the
and record important information Important Information column because it is information I learned.
and thinking on Post-its.
■ That’s a great question, _____. Let’s jot it down on a Post-it.
Place Post-its in the appropriate ■ We’ll put _____’s Post-it in the Thinking column of our chart
Important Information or Thinking because her question is her thinking.
column on a chart.
■ Now we are going to read the next section of the article together,
and it’s your turn to write down the facts and your thinking on
Post-its. But before we continue, what did you see me doing as I
read and stopped to think? (Kids respond.)
Read aloud and ask kids to write ■ Now I’m going to read this section called “_____.” Go ahead and
important information and their write or draw what’s important and your thinking on Post-its.
thinking on Post-its.
66 For sample use only,

The Primary Comprehension please
Toolkit: visit http://www.heinemann.com/comprehensiontoolkit
Content for more
Literacy: Lessons and Texts for Comprehension Across information
the Curriculum

LESSON FRAME
TEACHING LANGUAGE TEACHING MOVES

■ You can continue reading and taking notes on your own or with a Prepare kids to go off and read on
partner. There are a few more sections in this part of the article. their own or with a partner.
Let’s read to see what we can find out.
■ _____, I just noticed your notes about _____. Tell me more about Confer with kids to help them
that. clarify their thinking.
■ Explain what you wrote in the Important Information column here.

■ Such a thoughtful set of notes! What will you do next?
■ I’ll be interested in seeing what else you write and draw.
Share the Learning

■ So, let’s get together and talk about what we learned. Who wants Invite kids to share their Post-its.
to share something they wrote on their Post-its?
Reflect& Did your students:

Assess ■ read to record facts and thinking about an important question?
■ take notes in their own words?
■ summarize information and think about it?

Lesson Text
Saving Sea Turtles There are two versions of “Saving Sea Turtles”(easier and
classroom use only.

harder), an article about endangered sea turtles that builds
This page may be reproduced for

kids’ curiosity about why these animals are endangered. We
model and guide with whichever one is most accessible to
Toolkit (Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann).

most of our kids, and when kids go off to work independently,
they can use whichever version is most appropriate.
Photographs are full of information and engaging so that
Anne Goudvis from The Primary Comprehension

© SuperStock
emergent readers learn from them. Sections of each article

Sea turtles are marine reptiles that
live only in the oceans. Once,
there
in the
have clear headings, which support kids in taking notes and
were millions of sea turtles living
of sea
© 2016 by Stephanie Harvey and

world’s oceans. Sadly, all species Marine reptile: a cold-blooded
turtles are now endangered. An
animal is animal that lives near water writing the facts they learn in their own words. Each brief,
red when there are so few left Species: types
endange
alive that the entire species may
forever. When a species is complet
vanish
ely
Endangered: describes animals
that might die out in their
labeled section explains a different reason why sea turtles are
natural habitat
gone, it is extinct.
Extinct: describes an animal
that has died out completely
endangered or what people are doing to protect them. This
clear organization is another aid to good note taking.

Sea Turtles” *** (1 of 4)
200 Content Literacy Lesson 6: “Saving
TEACHING MOVES TEACHING LANGUAGE
Connect & Engage

Introduce the topic and Today we’ll be reading an article called “Saving Sea Turtles” and talking
define key terms. about a big idea that is very important when we study and learn about animals.
[I project the first page of the article.] Sea turtles are endangered. Right up here
on the article [I point out the glossary box] is a definition of the word endangered.
It means that an animal could die out in its habitat. What do you think you
already know about endangered animals? Turn and talk. [Kids turn and talk and
then share their background knowledge.]
Gina: I think they are disappearing. There are not many left. Maybe they don’t
have enough food.
Cooper: Like elephants are endangered. Lots of people are hunting them for their
tusks and so there aren’t many left.
Yes, hunting animals and the lack of food in an animal’s habitat are both
good reasons why animals become endangered.
Joshua: I visited Yellowstone, and wolves there used to be endangered. There were
too many people living around there and they didn’t like the wolves living there and
the wolves died out. Now they are back.
So interesting! So when an animal, like the wolf, is endangered, it isn’t
gone forever. It can come back. But when an animal is gone forever, we say
the animal is extinct. The title of the article, “Saving Sea Turtles,” makes me
wonder if we will learn some ways to save, or help, endangered sea turtles.
68 The Primary Comprehension Toolkit: Content Literacy: Lessons and Texts for Comprehension Across the Curriculum

IN ACTION
Model & Guide

Today we’ll investigate the sea turtle, one animal that is endangered according Establish an important
to our article, “Saving Sea Turtles.” [I make sure kids have a copy of the article and question to investigate.
read the beginning to the point where it claims that sea turtles are endangered.] Turn
and talk. What do you know about sea turtles and why they are endangered?
[Kids turn and talk and we share out their background knowledge and ideas.]
We will ask an important question as we read today: Why are sea turtles
endangered? I’ll post it here so we can keep it in mind as we read and talk. [I
post this question where all can see it.]
When we read to investigate a question like Why are sea turtles endan-
gered?, we are reading to understand why this is happening. We really want to
know what is causing sea turtles to become endangered. We want to read and
record the information, or facts, in our own words to answer our question.
And we want to be sure to think about the information, so we can record our
thinking, too. Remember, your thinking can be questions, reactions, even
background knowledge.
I’m going to ask you to notice what I do as I read. In a few minutes, I’ll
ask you to share out what you noticed me doing.
[I read the first and continue onto the second pages: “Most people love animals,
but a lot of things we do as humans are not good for other species. There are a few
reasons why sea turtles are in trouble.”]
I learned that there are some reasons why turtles are in trouble, and it
has to do with what we do as humans. Hmm, it sounds like the article will tell
us about some of the reasons. Now I know that people are a big problem for
these animals, and I think the article will tell us why. I’ll keep going.
[I read the “Fishing Gear” section.] Whoa, I never knew turtles get stuck Model how to paraphrase
in fishing nets and can’t get to the surface to breathe. The article says “This and record important
information and thinking
is the biggest threat to sea turtles,” so this means getting caught in nets is the on Post-its.
biggest danger for sea turtles.
This is important information. On my Post-it, I’ll write Turtles get stuck
in fishing nets and draw a sketch of a turtle stuck in a net. Notice that I used
just a few of my own words to tell about this idea. I’ll put it in the Important
Information column.
What are you thinking and learning? Turn and talk.
Jerome: Turtles died in one of those nets! It said they drown.
Brenda: That’s terrible! What can we do about this?

Place Post-its in the That’s a great question, Brenda. We’ll put Brenda’s Post-it in the
appropriate Important Thinking column of our chart because her question is her thinking.
Information or Thinking
column on a chart. Delia: I wonder if other animals get stuck in the fishing nets. Are they endangered,
too? That sounds like a big danger in the ocean.
That’s a really thoughtful question, Delia. We might have to do more
research to answer it. Jot down your question on a Post-it, Delia, and I’ll put
it in the Thinking column. [I put Delia’s question in the Thinking column.]
Jason: This is bad. What can we do about this?
We are going to read the next section of the article together, and now
it’s your turn to write down the facts and your thinking on Post-its. Before
we continue, what did you see me doing as I read and took notes on Post-its?
Javier: You wrote what you learned and drew a picture on a Post-it.
Yes, it is a good idea to both write and draw what you are learning. What
else?
Malia: You put your Post-it under Important Information on the chart because
that’s what you learned.
Exactly. And then Brenda and Delia had questions. Questions show
our thinking and we put them under Thinking. Remember, as you read, your
questions are the most important questions!
Important Thinking
Information
Turtles get
What can we do
stuck in fishing about this?
nets.
Do other animals
get stuck in fishing
nets?

IN ACTION
Now I’m going to read this section called “Illegal Hunting.” [I read the Read aloud and ask
section on page 2.] kids to write important
information and their
Whoa, this section is about sea turtles being hunted, even though it says thinking on Post-its.
they are a protected species. Being a protected species means that they are
supposedly protected from hunters or people who want to catch them because
there are laws to keep sea turtles safe. So let’s think about what is going on
here. Turn and talk about something you think is important or wonder about
this section.
Kenny: What are poachers?
Good question, who can help?
John-Paul: They are people who hunt them but aren’t supposed to hunt them. Like,
I know that in Africa people sometimes kill animals that live in a wildlife park. It
said what poachers are right here [points to glossary], and it reminded me of what
I know about African animals.
Exactly. John-Paul showed us where to find out what poachers are, in
the glossary. They are people who hunt animals even when it is against the
law to hunt those animals. This little box tells us what the word means. Then
John-Paul added some of his background knowledge about animals in Africa
that are also killed by illegal hunters, or poachers. Go ahead and jot your
background knowledge on a Post-it and put it in the Thinking column on your
chart.
Now it is your turn to write and draw some of the information you
learned from this section and also your thinking and responses. Write the
information and what you think about it on Post-its. Then we’ll share out
some of these. [Kids draw, write, and share.]

Now you can continue reading and taking notes on your own or with a Prepare kids to go off and
partner. [Kids can read either the easier or the more challenging version of the read on their own or with
a partner.
article.] There are a few more sections in this part of the article: one heading
is “Pollution” and another is “Habitat Destruction.” These tell more about
what is endangering sea turtles. And the last page [I hold up page 4] talks about
protecting sea turtles and keeping them safe. It sounds like you are all really
interested in that. Let’s read to see what we can find out. I’ll come around and
confer with you as you work. I’m eager to see what you find out!
Malia, I just noticed your notes in your science notebook with the head- Confer with kids to
ing “Sea turtles in trouble.” Tell me more about that. help them clarify their
thinking.
Malia: I had a question. I wondered, Why are sea turtles in trouble?

TIP: Some children are ready That’s an interesting why to phrase your question. They are in trouble,
to take notes in their science
because they are endangered. That’s the message of this whole article. Explain
journal, rather than on Post-
its. We support kids to use the what you wrote in the Important Information column here.
response format that is most
appropriate.
Malia: I wrote about them getting caught in nets and not being able to breathe
and also that poachers hunt them and sell their body parts like their shells and
skin. That’s terrible.
Such a thoughtful set of notes! What will you do next?
Malia: I’m going to write about pollution. I learned that chemicals get into the
ocean and make the water bad. The turtles’ food gets poisoned so they will die, and
there won’t be any sea turtles.
Yes, contaminated is what happens to the water that when people dump
oil or other chemicals into it. As you said, the turtles can die because of this
contamination. I’ll be interested in seeing what else you write and draw. I
hope you’ll share your notes with the class during share time.
Share the Learning

Invite kids to share their So, let’s get together and talk about what we learned. Who wants to share
Post-its. something they wrote on their Post-its? [As I had asked, Malia shares her notes.]
Anyone else? Brenda, I remember you had a question about what we
could do about sea turtles being endangered. What did you find out?
Brenda: I learned form Annabelle that sea turtles lay their eggs on the beach. But
people walk on them and break them.
Annabelle: There are lots of people and restaurants and stuff on the beaches
where turtles lay their eggs. So maybe they die.
Tell us more about why that is a problem.
Annabelle: I drew it right here--I said “no turtle eggs = no turtles.”
That’s a really good points, Annabelle. Thanks for teaching us that.

REFLECT & ASSESS
Did your students:

■ read to record facts
and thinking about an
important question?
■ take notes in their own

words?
■ summarize information
and think about it?
Reflect& I examine the kids’ work with the following questions in mind: Have they
Assess ■ focused on the important question?
■ tied their thinking about the different reasons back to the main question?
■ worked together in some fashion—discussing the information as they take
notes?
■ sorted Post-its into important information and thinking?
The distinction between information and thinking may take a while for kids,
particularly younger ones, to grasp. We know that younger children may still be
making approximations, but we want them to begin to differentiate information
in the text from their thinking and questions.
Second graders may use their science notebooks to take notes. While Post-its
work well as kids get started with this process, we want to move them into their
journals to give more extensive note taking a go.
Adapt& This lesson presents an opportunity to work with small groups who need assis-
Differentiate tance with note taking and then sorting their Post-its into Information and
Thinking categories on two-column charts on Thinksheets or in notebooks.
Drawing is a great note-taking strategy. For example, a child who was new to
the classroom and just beginning to learn English drew a sea turtle entangled
in a net—a perfect example of note taking by using a drawing to explain a
concept.
Another student drew sea turtle eggs with an X over them and explained that
the eggs didn’t survive.. We want to encourage children’s independence so that
each child uses the most developmentally appropriate means to record infor-
mation and his or her thinking.

Second grader Annabelle’s journal entries on sea turtles are extensive.
She takes thoughtful notes on the text in her own words. She begins with
a question, Why are sea turtles in trouble? in the Thinking column and
proceeds to find and record information to answer that question. Her
passion is clearly for helping to save the sea turtles, and we applaud
kids who are interested in taking action. Annabelle wanted to read more
about sea turtles. She used the Information/Thinking note-taking scaf-
folding to take notes in her science notebook.

REFLECT & ASSESS
Joshua connects his thinking across columns as he takes notes in his

science notebook. He summarizes the information he learns, writing
about poachers taking the sea turtle eggs and making medicine. When
kids begin the note-taking process we focus more on the ideas and
information rather than that every fact or thought is in the “correct”
column. I would confer with Joshua to make sure that he understands
the difference between information from the text and his thinking.

Saving Sea Turtles
© 2016 by Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis from The Primary Comprehension Toolkit (Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann). This page may be reproduced for classroom use only.
© SuperStock
Sea turtles are marine reptiles that

live only in the oceans. Once, there
were millions of sea turtles living in the
world’s oceans. Sadly, all species of sea
Marine reptile: a cold-blooded
turtles are now endangered. An animal is animal that lives near water
endangered when there are so few left Species: types
alive that the entire species may vanish Endangered: describes animals
forever. When a species is completely that might die out in their
gone, it is extinct. natural habitat
For sample
200 Content Literacy Lessonuse
6: only, please
“Saving Seavisit http://www.heinemann.com/comprehensiontoolkit
Turtles” *** (1 of 4) for more information
PTK_CL_Resources_bw_FINAL.indd 200 6/29/16 5:04 PM

Most people love animals, but a
lot of things we do as humans are
not good for other species. There
are a few reasons why sea turtles
are in trouble.
Fishing Gear
© Volga2012/iStockphoto/Getty Images
Sea turtles travel thousands of
ocean miles during their lives.
During this journey, many sea
turtles get stuck in fishing nets or
hooks that are set for other fish.
They cannot swim to the surface
to breathe and therefore drown.
This is a big threat to sea turtles.
Illegal Hunting Poachers: people who

hunt animals, even if it is
Sea turtles are a protected species, against the law
but poachers still hunt and kill them illegally.
Poachers kill sea turtles for their shells and meat.
Their beautiful shells and skin are used to make
jewelry, sunglasses, and souvenirs. Sea turtles
are used to make medicine in some countries.
Poachers also collect sea turtle eggs for
souvenirs and food.
Pollution
Sea turtles are harmed by pollution in the
ocean. Oil and other chemicals spilled in
the ocean or near the shore cause diseases
that harm and kill sea turtles. Other sea turtles
die after eating food contaminated by oil.
For sample use only, please visit http://www.heinemann.com/comprehensiontoolkit

Content Literacy Lesson 6:for more information
“Saving Sea Turtles” *** (2 of 4) 201

Habitat Destruction Habitat: the natural
area in which an animal
Habitat destruction is the biggest reason that
lives, feeds, or nests
sea turtles are endangered. A species can only
live in one type of habitat. When we take away
or damage an animal’s habitat, it can’t just
move somewhere else.
Sea turtle habitats are the world’s oceans
and beaches. They have been damaged by
pollution. Many of the beaches where turtles lay
their eggs have been taken over by restaurants,
hotels, homes, and roads, too. This makes it
difficult for females to get to shore and create
nests safely. Eggs laid on shore are often crushed
by cars and tourists on the beach. Also, sea
turtles find a lot of their food in coral reefs, Did You Know?
but this underwater habitat is vanishing. Sea turtle hatchlings
and adults are guided to
the ocean at night by natural
light on the ocean horizon.
Lights from buildings confuse
sea turtles and lead them
away from the water and
toward roads and buildings.
When sea turtles go
the wrong direction,
they often die.
© Paul Souders/Digital Vision/Getty Images
For sample
6: only, please
Turtles” *** (3 of 4) for more information

Advocate: a person
Protecting Sea Turtles
who speaks up or helps
Sea turtles need as many advocates as they
to solve a problem
can get. Many people around the world are
Conservationists:
people who work to helping to save sea turtles and their habitats.
protect a species
Safe Beaches
Sea turtles need clean, safe beaches to make
nests and lay eggs. Conservationists dig up the
eggs and move them to protected areas of
beach. After the eggs hatch and the hatchings
are large enough, they release them into the
© Getty Images/Flickr Open
wild. Other people are cleaning litter and

chemicals from the ocean beaches.
Safe from Fishing Gear and Poaching

Fishers are starting to use fishing hooks that
do not harm sea turtles. Laws have also been
passed to require fishers to use special nets that
let sea turtles escape. These turtle-excluding
devices, or TEDs, let sea turtles swim out of a net
if they are caught accidently.
Others are working to educate people on
the value of sea turtles. They hope to end the
poaching of sea turtles and their eggs. Rangers
also patrol beaches to stop illegal poaching.
Safe from Tourism

Hotels on beaches are teaching people how to
keep sea turtles and their nests safe. There are
laws in some places that require hotels to turn
off lights during nesting seasons so sea turtles
can return safely to the ocean.

Content Literacy Lesson 6:for more information
“Saving Sea Turtles” *** (4 of 4) 203

Saving Sea Turtles
© SuperStock
Sea turtles are marine reptiles

that live only in the oceans.
Sadly, all species of sea turtles
are endangered. Marine reptile: a cold-blooded
animal that lives near water
Species: types
Endangered: describes animals
that might die out in their
natural habitat
For sample
6: only, please
Turtles” * (1 of 4) for more information

Most people love animals,
but a lot of things we do
as humans are not good
for other species. There

are a few reasons why
sea turtles are in trouble.
© Volga2012/iStockphoto/Getty Images
Fishing Gear
Many sea turtles get
stuck in fishing nets or
hooks that are set for other
fish. They cannot swim to the
surface to breathe and die.
Illegal Hunting Poachers: people who

hunt animals, even if it is
Poachers hunt and kill them against the law
illegally. They kill sea turtles for their

shells and meat. Poachers collect
sea turtle eggs, too.
Pollution
Sea turtles are hurt by pollution.
Oil and other chemicals in the
ocean or near the beach kill
sea turtles.

Content Literacy Lesson 6: for“Saving
more information
Sea Turtles” * (2 of 4) 205

© Paul Souders/Digital Vision/Getty Images
Habitat Destruction Habitat: the natural

area in which an animal
Sea turtles live in the world’s lives, feeds, or nests
oceans and beaches. They

have been damaged by
pollution. People have built
restaurants, hotels, homes,
and roads on the beaches.
This makes it hard for females
to create nests safely. Eggs on
shore are crushed by cars and
tourists on the beach.
For sample
6: only, please
Turtles” * (3 of 4) for more information

Protecting Sea Turtles
Many people around the world help
to save sea turtles and their habitats.
Safe Beaches Conservationists: people

who work to protect a
Sea turtles need clean, safe species
beaches to make nests and lay

eggs. Conservationists dig up
the eggs and move them to
protected areas of beach. Then
they release them into the wild.
Others are cleaning the
ocean beaches.
Safe from Fishing Gear and Poaching

Fishers are starting to use fishing hooks that
do not harm sea turtles. Some people are
teaching others about the value of sea turtles.
They hope to stop the poaching of
sea turtles and their eggs.
Safe from Tourism

© Getty Images/Flickr Open
Hotels on beaches are teaching

people how to keep sea turtles and
their nests safe.

Content Literacy Lesson 6: for“Saving
more information
Sea Turtles” * (4 of 4) 207

Thinking
Date
Important Information
Name
For sample
6: only, please Information/Thinking
Important visit http://www.heinemann.com/comprehensiontoolkit
Thinksheet (1 of 1) for more information

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Stephanie Harvey | Anne Goudvis The Comprehension

PTK_CL_FM.indd i 6/29/16 4:11 PM

Soup Retold by Michael

Goudvis from The

1 Distinguish Nonﬁction from Fiction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

3 Collaborate on Focus Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

4 Interpret Text and Pictures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

5 Explore Important Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

6 Read to Answer a Question. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

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for classroom use only.

and Anne Goudvis from The

live only in the oceans. Once,

© 2016 by Stephanie Harvey

9 Compare and Contrast. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

10 Infer Similar Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

11 Analyze Biography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

12 Infer to Get the Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

Works Cited. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

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E. B. White reminds us to “always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder.”

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Comprehension at the Core

• Be aware of their thinking

From Scaffolding the Comprehension

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Building Knowledge Across the Curriculum

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Researchers emphasize the knowledge-building side of this ﬁgure, which

The Comprehension Continuum

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Answering Literal Questions Answering literal questions is the least

Merging Thinking with Content True comprehension begins when we

Acquiring Knowledge Once readers begin to consciously merge their

Actively Using Knowledge Understanding strategies and having the disposition

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Comprehension Across the Curriculum

Comprehension Across Various Texts

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Collaborative Discussion for Content Learning

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Text Matters Resources&Materials

For sample use only,

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Record notes and thin

The Important Information/Thinking note-taking

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Read to Answer a Question

TEACHING MOVES TEACHING LANGUAGE

Connect & Engage

Model & Guide

66 For sample use only,

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TEACHING LANGUAGE TEACHING MOVES

Collaborate or Practice Independently

■ Explain what you wrote in the Important Information column here.

Share the Learning

Reflect& Did your students:

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classroom use only.