Exploring Nonfiction Secondary Level: More Information

Why are educators selecting the Exploring Nonfiction reading program?

It includes all five essential components of effective reading instruction as outlined in the Reading First legislation. Phonemic awareness and phonics are addressed throughout the Start Exploring kit. Vocabulary development, reading fluency, and reading comprehension are key elements in the kits at all levels.

The lessons and activities help students develop the skills they need for success. Students are better prepared for the reading comprehension and vocabulary portions of standardized tests. Once students learn how to read effectively in the content areas, they are more likely to achieve success in all academic areas.

Exploring Nonfiction is research-based and standards-based. The authors based their work on a rich array of reading research and instructional practices. The program reflects the ideas stated in the National Reading Panel's "Teaching Children to Read." All of the lessons and activity cards are correlated to a scope and sequence of nonfiction reading standards, objectives, and benchmarks.

The high-interest articles motivate students to read. This creates a positive learning environment for ELL and other at-risk students. The cross-curricular content allows teachers to cover social studies, science, and math concepts while teaching reading skills.

Contents

Content Areas:

Instead of covering all subject areas for one grade level, each secondary level kit covers one subject area for all secondary grades. The 60 Activity Cards in each kit are grouped under headings as outlined below.

Twelve Nonfiction Skills and Strategies

• Main Ideas and Supporting Details
• Summarizing and Paraphrasing
• Developing Vocabulary
• Prior Knowledge and Making Connections
• Author's Point of View
• Structural Patterns
• Using Text Organizers
• Using Parts of the Book
• Making Inferences
• Setting the Purpose
• Questioning
• Visualizing

Components of Exploring Nonfiction

Teacher Resource Notebook

• Background information for 12 distinct nonfiction reading skills and strategies.
• Creative teaching ideas, including ways for explaining, modeling, scaffolding, and practicing specific reading skills so students can learn the skills and apply them to their independent reading.
• A scope and sequence of nonfiction reading standards, objectives, and benchmarks for Grades K-8.
• A correlation chart that links the scope and sequence to the program's lessons and activity cards.
• Assessment strategies for each of the 12 nonfiction skills and strategies.
• Parent support materials, with information about how to reinforce nonfiction reading skills at home.
• Practical management tips to help teachers use the program effectively.
• A culminating activity that allows students to demonstrate their mastery of the nonfiction reading skills and strategies.

CD-ROM

The CD-ROM contains PDFs (printable files) for all of the activity cards. It also has templates for the graphic organizers and worksheets as well as parent support materials in English and Spanish.

Lesson Plan Notebook

A detailed lesson plan is provided for every activity card. Each lesson plan is presented in three formats: large group, small group, and individual. Each lesson contains the following components:

• Lesson Objective: A brief statement links the lesson to one or more objectives and benchmarks in the standards-based scope and sequence.
• Skills: The skills to be taught are clearly identified.
• Materials: Everything needed to present the lesson is listed.
• Procedure: Step-by-step directions guide teachers in presenting the lesson.
• Technology Connection: Each lesson provides opportunities for using technology.
• Home-School Connection: Family members are encouraged to become involved in the development of students' nonfiction reading.
• Assessment: Assessment strategies are suggested according to the content and goal of each lesson.
• Vocabulary: Selected words from the corresponding activity card are listed, along with their definitions.
• Reading List: Related nonfiction books are recommended.
• Answer Key: Answers are provided for the questions on the back of the activity card.
• Creative Adventure: An extension activity gives students the chance to express their new knowledge in a creative manner.

Colorful Activity Cards

Every kit has 60 activity cards, 15 each for science, social studies, language arts, and mathematics. The content of the cards comes from TIME For Kids authors.

Front: The activity cards feature high-interest reading materials that are similar to what students encounter in science, social studies, language arts, and mathematics textbooks and lessons. Some of the cards present real-world information such as menus, bus schedules, or book reviews.

Back: The learning activities are in three sections. The Comprehension Connection asks "before, during, and after reading" questions that help students focus their attention and improve their comprehension. The Skill Focus section explains one specific skill that can be taught using the text on the front of the card. The Writer's World section provides a link between reading and writing, encouraging students to create a writing project that relates to what they have read.

Overhead Transparencies

Every kit has 60 overhead transparencies, one for the front of each activity card. They can be used for large group reading lessons and for modeling various reading strategies.

This program, published by Teacher Created Materials, contains content and photographs from TIME For Kids and TIME Learning Ventures. To subscribe to TIME For Kids magazine, call 800-777-8600 or visit http://www.timeforkids.com/partners.