Holt Elements of Language
English 7
Chapter 24:
Finding and Reporting
Information
Name: ________________________
Class Period: ___________
Unit Learning Goal: _____________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
READING WORKSHOP,
PAGES
642-653
Textbook Features
DIRECTIONS Complete the chart below about textbook features.
Types of Features
Features within the
_______
______________
Examples
 titles, subtitles,
_______________,
and ____________
 boldface and
___________ type
 charts,
_____________,
and ____________
What They Do




Features in the
_____________
Features _________ the
main reading
 definitions
 _____________
 reference
__________
 end-of-selection
_______________



break information into chunks
to make it _____________
point to important ideas or
add ______________
present information found in
the text in a __________ way
provide meanings of
______________ words
give readers __________ to
important information
tell reader where to find more
____________________ on a
topic
______________ information
from the main text
57
for YOUR TURN 2 page 650
Due Date: ______________________
DIRECTIONS Complete the study guide below with information about the second and
third sections of “The Body’s Defenses.” Refer to the chart on page 649.
Heading two:
Subheading one:
Relationship of heading to subheading:
Boldface or italicized words with definitions:
Explanation of graphic:
Heading three:
Subheading one:
Relationship of heading to subheading:
Boldface or italicized words with definitions:
Explanation of graphic:
58
for YOUR TURN 3 page 651
Due Date: ______________________
Summarizing Information
DIRECTIONS Use the following organizer to summarize sections 2 and 3 of “The
Body’s Defenses” by stating their main ideas and most important details.
The Second Line of Defense
Main Ideas
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 4
Summary
Most Important Details:
The Third Line of Defense
Main Ideas
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 3
Summary
Most Important Details:
59
for VOCABULARY MINI-LESSON page 652
ADDITIONAL PRACTICE
Prefixes and Suffixes
Due Date: ______________________
DIRECTIONS Use the prefixes and suffixes listed in the first chart, and follow the steps
in the second chart to define the italicized words.
Prefix
Meaning
Prefix Meaning
Suffix Meaning
con–
with,
together
in–,im– not
–ary
Suffix
relating to –ist
Meaning
one who
specializes in
STEP 1:
STEP 2:
STEP 3:
STEP 4:
Separate word parts. Find the meaning of Combine the
Adjust the definition
each part.
meanings to
to fit context.
define the word.
1. The Greek gods were considered immortal.
2. The scientists will be in Antarctica for an indefinite period.
3. Their ideas conform to the evidence.
4. The naturalist was able to identify the rare plant.
5. Planetary exploration is just one part of the space program.
6. The puppies’ immature behavior delighted the children and worried the adults.
60
Due Date: ______________________
for TEST-TAKING MINI-LESSON page 653
PRACTICE
Answering Questions That Include Graphs
DIRECTIONS Study each graph carefully, and then answer the questions. Use the
steps in Thinking It Through on page 653.
PASSAGE A
GUIDED PRACTICE
What’s on Their Minds?
The local health department wants to educate people about staying healthy. It plans to
publish booklets and create public-service advertisements. As a first step, it developed a survey,
and volunteers telephoned 600 people, asking them to identify one area of healthy living they
would like to know more about. There were 500 responses to the survey. The health department
had expected that diet would be the primary concern. To their surprise, people were most
concerned with issues of stress. The results of the health department’s survey are shown in the
bar graph.
ANALYZE
According to the graph, about which area of
healthy living do most people want to know
more?
A exercise
B stress management
C medical checkups
D sleep needs
1 In this graph, the word nutrition means —
A nourishment for the body
B weight-loss plan
C health-care professional
D vitamins
2 People care least about —
F nutrition
G exercise
H sleep needs
J medical checkups
61
for YOUR TURN 2 page 650 ADDITIONAL PRACTICE
Textbook Features
Due Date: ______________________
DIRECTIONS Complete the study guide below with information about the following
section from a chapter on World War I. Use the textbook features to help you.
After the War
A Deadly Virus
The majority of American deaths during World War I
resulted from influenza, not battle wounds. Caused by a virus,
influenza could be a deadly illness. Unlike similar illnesses,
which were usually fatal only to the very old or very young, this
form of influenza had the power to kill healthy young people.
When peace came in 1918, the returning troops brought the
virus home with them. It spread rapidly, infecting people across
the United States. In the ten months after the war, more than half
a million Americans died of influenza. The populations of other
countries around the world fared as badly or worse. The graph at
right shows influenza’s worldwide toll in 1918–1919.
Heading:
Subheading:
Relationship of heading to subheading:
Boldface or italicized words with definitions:
Explanation of graphic:
62
WRITING WORKSHOP,
PAGES
654-674
for CHAPTER 24: PREVIEW page 643
Journal Warm-up: Informative Article
Quick, name an animal that builds towns! Native to the
western United States, prairie dogs live underground in
elaborate networks of burrows called towns. These towns
house thousands of residents, have numerous entrances,
and can cover an area of 160 acres.
“There was absolutely nothing to excite ambition for
education,” Abraham Lincoln said of growing up on the
Indiana frontier. Yet with less than a year of formal
education, Lincoln determined to educate himself. He
walked long distances to borrow books, including law
books. Eventually he joined a law practice in
Springfield, Illinois.
Each spring millions of people lose an hour as Daylight
Saving Time goes into effect. Each spring the question
“why are we doing this?” has to be answered again.
JOURNAL STARTERS
Write for five minutes, using one of the prompts below.
About what scientific invention would you like more information?
What historical event interests you? What do you already know about it?
What would you like to know about meteors or some other celestial body?
Write about a holiday tradition with which you are familiar.
Write about a famous person you find fascinating.
63
for REPORT OF INFORMATION page 664
Writing: Writing Prompts
DIRECTIONS Choose your own topic for your report of information, or use one of the
following prompts.
CAREERS
Think of a career that interests you, and make a list of what you know about it and what you
would like to know about it. Gather information about the career, using a variety of sources, such
as Web sites, library resources, and interviews. Write a report about the career, and keep it in
your personal portfolio for future reference.
SCHOOL
Your school mascot is everywhere—on team uniforms, at games, and in school publications.
You are curious about how it was chosen. Research the mascot’s history—when it was chosen,
who chose it, and what it represents. Talk to the principal, teachers, coaches, and the librarian at
your school. Also check other sources to find the meaning of the person, animal, or thing that
represents your school. Then, write a report about the mascot for your school newspaper.
HEALTH
Vegetarian, high fiber, low fat, high protein—how can a person decide what eating plan to
follow? Research one of these plans and write a report of information to present to your health
class.
SCIENCE
You have recently visited, in person or online, a museum dedicated to scientific discoveries.
Select a discovery that intrigues you, such as the development of the computer chip. Research
the topic, and write a report of information to share with your science class.
SOCIAL STUDIES
On the calendar, you notice a number of holidays you have never observed. How and why are
Flag Day and Arbor Day celebrated, for instance? Research the origins of some less familiar
holidays, and write a report on your findings for your social studies class.
64
Due Date: ______________________
for CHAPTER 24: YOUR TURN 4 page 655
Prewriting: Choosing and Focusing a Subject
DIRECTIONS Use the conceptual map below to choose a subject and focus.
 Write a subject in the center circle.
 Write specific topics related to the subject in the connecting circles.
 Make a check mark in the circle of the specific topic that is most interesting to you.
65
for CHAPTER 24: YOUR TURN 5 page 657
Due Date: ______________________
Prewriting: Audience, Purpose, Asking Questions
DIRECTIONS Use the charts below to identify your audience and purpose.
 Answer the questions in the first chart to identify your audience’s needs.
 In the second chart, list the information you already know about your topic and
questions you still have about it. These questions are your research questions.
Question
Explanation
What do my readers
already know about my
topic?
What do my readers need
to know about my topic?
What can they do with the
information?
What do I already know?
Research Questions
Who:
What:
Where:
When:
Why:
How:
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for CHAPTER 24: YOUR TURN 6 page 658
Due Date: ______________________
Prewriting: Find Sources and Make a Source List
DIRECTIONS Use this worksheet to help you create a source list.
 Check the different types of sources you have found for your report of information.
Make sure you have at least three different types of sources.
 Make a source list in the space provided.
Types of Sources
____ Books
____ Electronic Sources
____ Encyclopedia Articles
____ Interviews
____ Magazine or Newspaper Articles
____ Movie or DVD Recordings
____ Television or Radio Programs
Source List
1. ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
5. ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
6. ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
7. ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
8. ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
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for CRITICAL THINKING MINI-LESSON page 659
Evaluating Sources
ADDITIONAL PRACTICE
Due Date: ______________________
DIRECTIONS Below are ten descriptions of sources for a research paper on the effects of
diabetes. Identify each description as either a preferred source or a less reliable source.
 If the source is preferred, write P in the space to the left of the number. If the source
is less reliable, write LR.
 Explain your answer on the line provided.
_____ 1. an entry in a medical dictionary published in 1973
____________________________________________________________________
_____ 2. an article published this year in a medical journal
____________________________________________________________________
_____ 3. a recent magazine article titled “Helping Young People Deal with Diabetes,” written
by a doctor
___________________________________________________________________
_____ 4. a Web page prepared by the American Diabetes Association
____________________________________________________________________
_____ 5. an autobiography by a celebrity who has diabetes
____________________________________________________________________
_____ 6. a 1985 encyclopedia article on the causes of diabetes
____________________________________________________________________
_____ 7. an American Medical Association pamphlet called Living with Diabetes displayed in
your doctor’s office
____________________________________________________________________
_____ 8. an online chat room discussion for people who have diabetes
____________________________________________________________________
_____ 9. an interview with a doctor, published in a national newspaper this year, about
diabetes treatments
____________________________________________________________________
_____ 10. an interview, published in a national newspaper this year, with a woman whose
grandmother died from undiagnosed diabetes
____________________________________________________________________
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for CHAPTER 24: YOUR TURN 7 page 660
Due Date: ______________________
Prewriting: Taking Notes
DIRECTIONS Read your sources to find answers to the research questions you
identified in Your Turn 5.
 Take notes on useful information on the sample notecards below.
 Use the same format for taking notes on other useful information.
69
for CHAPTER 24: YOUR TURN 8 page 661
Due Date: ______________________
Prewriting: Making an Early Plan
DIRECTIONS Use the following organizer to help you plan your report.
 Group your notes into sets that contain similar information. Write a heading for each
set of notes.
 Number the sets to show the order in which you will discuss the information in your
report.
70
for CHAPTER 24: YOUR TURN 9 page 663
Due Date: ______________________
Prewriting: Outlining Your Report
DIRECTIONS In the space provided, create an outline for your report based on your
notes and on the headings you created in Your Turn 8.
 Write your main headings next to the Roman numerals in the order you want to
discuss them.
 Write your subheadings next to the capital letters under each main heading.
 Under each subheading, write details that explain the subheading.
 Add or delete numbers and letters as necessary for your outline.
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Due Date: ______________________
for CHAPTER 24: YOUR TURN 10 page 663
Prewriting: Writing Your Main Idea Statement
DIRECTIONS Use the organizer below to help you write your main idea statement.
 Remember that this statement should serve as an umbrella for the Roman numeral
headings of your outline.
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for CHAPTER 24: YOUR TURN 11 page 667
Due Date: ______________________
Writing: Drafting Your Report of Information
DIRECTIONS Complete the organizer below, and use it to help you write your first draft.
INTRODUCTION
How will you grab your readers’ attention?
What will be your main idea statement?
BODY
What is your first heading?
What is your second
heading?
What is your third
heading?
Supporting details:
Supporting details:
Supporting details:
CONCLUSION
How can you restate your main idea?
WORKS CITED
What sources did you use?
73
Due Date: ______________________
for CHAPTER 24: YOUR TURN 12 page 671
Revising: Report of Information
DIRECTIONS Use this chart to help you improve your report of information.
QUESTIONS
DO THIS
1. Does the main idea
statement cover all the
important ideas?
 Match each part of the
statement with a section
of the report.
2. Does the information in
each paragraph support
the paragraph’s main
idea?
 Write an N next to
information that does not
support the paragraph’s
main idea.
3. Is the information in your
own words?
 Circle sentences that
sound as if someone else
wrote them.
4. Does the conclusion
restate the report’s main
idea?
 Put a check next to the
restatement of the main
idea.
5. Does a list of sources in
the correct form end the
report?
 Check the format and
punctuation by referring
to the guide on page 172.
6. Does the list of sources
contain at least three
types of sources?
 Count the different types
of sources.
CHANGES YOU MADE
74
for CHAPTER 24: YOUR TURN 12 page 671
Due Date: ______________________
Revising Practice: Report of Information
DIRECTIONS Below is an early draft of a report of information.
 Revise the paper to make it more effective, using the guidelines on page 669.
Despite its harsh climate, the Arctic is home to various animals with interesting
characteristics and habits. Animals of the Arctic are specially matched to the region’s extreme
conditions. Brown or gray in the summer, the arctic fox turns white in the winter and so blends in
with its surroundings year-round. The beluga whale is an expert at maneuvering around ice
sheets floating in the Arctic Ocean. Sea otters, polar bears, and other animals endure the Arctic
cold by eating a lot of food, which increases their internal heat production. Flowers are also
found in the Arctic.
That concludes this report about the Arctic.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
75
for CHAPTER 24: YOUR TURN 12 page 671
Due Date: ______________________
Revising: Evaluating Reports of Information
DIRECTIONS Use the following questions to evaluate your report of information or that
of one of your classmates.
 Answer the questions.
 Rate the parts of the report. The lowest score is 1, and the highest is 4.
 Make at least three suggestions for improving the report.
1. What important ideas are covered in the main idea Rating 1 2 3 4
statement?
Suggestion:
2. What supporting information is provided for each
paragraph’s main idea?
Rating 1 2 3 4
Suggestion:
3. What information in each paragraph needs to be
rewritten in the writer’s own words?
Rating 1 2 3 4
Suggestion:
4. How does the conclusion restate the main idea?
Rating 1 2 3 4
Suggestion:
5. Has the writer included a list of sources in the
correct format at the end of the report? Which
sources are not in the correct format?
Rating 1 2 3 4
Suggestion:
6. What types of sources are contained in the list of
sources? Are there at least three sources?
Rating 1 2 3 4
Suggestion:
Editor’s Name: _______________________________________________
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for FOCUS ON SENTENCES page 671
PRACTICE
Due Date: ______________________
Varying Sentence Beginnings
DIRECTIONS Revise the following passages by varying sentence beginnings.
 Look for sentences that begin the same way.
 Change one or more of these sentences by moving a phrase from the end of the
sentence to the beginning. Add a comma after the phrase if necessary. Make your
revisions on the passage.
 After you have completed this exercise, revise your report of information to vary
sentence beginnings as directed in Your Turn 12 on page 671.
PASSAGE A
Dolphins are actually mammals, although they look like fish. Dolphins have a breathing
hole on top of their skulls. Dolphins must breathe air and stay warm like all mammals. Dolphins
make noises such as whistles and clicks to communicate and navigate under water. Dolphins
whistle when they are excited or afraid. Dolphins use clicking sounds to catch fish for food. The
clicks frighten fish and make them easy prey.
PASSAGE B
Marie Curie won the Nobel prize twice during her lifetime. She won the Nobel prize for
the first time in 1903. She shared the prize with her husband and another scientist for their
discovery of radioactivity. Curie and her husband attempted to isolate certain radioactive
elements after their original study of radioactivity. They wanted to determine the chemical
properties of these elements. Curie and her husband needed to isolate the elements to do so.
Curie’s isolation of pure radium earned her a second Nobel prize. Curie focused on the
development and use of X-rays for medical purposes in her later life.
77
Due Date: ______________________
for GRAMMAR LINK page 672
Proofreading: Formatting Sources
DIRECTIONS Proofread the following sources.
 Revise the citations below, using correct punctuation and format.
 After you have completed this exercise, proofread your report of information to
correct grammar, usage, and mechanics errors as directed in Your Turn 13.
Works Cited
(TV program):
The Big Dig, The History Channel HIST, New York 1 Mar.
1999.
(Online source):
Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area ParkNet. Dec.
1999. National Park Service. 15 Dec. 1999.
<http://www.nps.gov/boha/>
(Magazine article):
Calonius, Erik. 60 Fathoms Under the Sea Fortune 15 Apr.
1996: 128.
(Newspaper article):
Goldberg, Carey. Stinking Heap in Boston Harbor Is Well on
Its Way to Revival. The New York Times 27 June 1999: 12.
(CD-ROM):
Gonsalves, Daniel, “Boston,” The New Grolier Multimedia
Encyclopedia. CD-ROM. Danbury: Grolier Interactive, Inc.,
1993.
(Interview):
Jacobson, Bruce, Telephone interview, 15 Dec. 1999.
(Book):
Sullivan, Robert F. Shipwrecks and Nautical Lore of Boston
Harbor. Chester: Globe Pequot Press, 1990.
(Encyclopedia article):
Turner, Robert L., “Boston” The World Book Encyclopedia.
1997 ed.
78
for TEST-TAKING MINI-LESSON page 674
Writing to Explain
PRACTICE
Due Date: ______________________
DIRECTIONS Use the questions in the graphic organizer below to trigger ideas about
your answer to one of the following prompts.
PROMPTS
 Think about an activity in which you compete. Why do you compete? What supporting
reasons can you give?
 Think about how you use a computer. Why is it important to you? What supporting reasons
can you give?
 Think about a favorite place you have visited—a museum, historic site, or amusement park.
Why did you like the place? What supporting reasons can you give?
Questions
Reasons and Support
STEP 1:
What is the prompt asking me to do?
STEP 2:
What is my answer to the prompt?
STEP 3:
Why did I choose this answer?
Reason 1:
Reason 2:
Reason 3:
STEP 4:
What support can I give for each of my
reasons?
Support for Reason 1:
Support for Reason 2:
Support for Reason 3:
79
INTERPRETING GRAPHICS
AND
WEB SITES,
PAGES
681-684
for INTERPRETING GRAPHICS AND WEB SITES, CHAPTER 24 page 680
Reading a Time Line
Due Date: ______________________
DIRECTIONS Use the time line below to answer the following questions.
Poets Laureate of the United States to 1997
1. In what year did the United States first choose a poet laureate?
2. Who was named poet laureate first, Joseph Brodsky or Mark Strand?
3. Who was the first woman to be named poet laureate? In what year was she chosen?
4. Which poets served as poet laureate for two years?
5. How many years after Howard Nemerov was chosen was Rita Dove named poet laureate?
80
for INTERPRETING GRAPHICS AND WEB SITES, CHAPTER 24 page 680
Reading a Map
Due Date: ______________________
DIRECTIONS You are planning a trip from Richmond, Virginia, to Sacramento,
California. Use the map below to answer the following questions.
Capital Cities of the United States Mainland
1. In what direction will you travel?
2. What state will you be in when you are about halfway there?
3. You want to travel through as many state capitals as you can without going much out of your
way. Which state capitals will you pass through?
4. When you get to Topeka, Kansas, you decide to visit your aunt in Bismarck, North Dakota.
In what direction will you travel?
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for INTERPRETING GRAPHICS AND WEB SITES, CHAPTER 24 page 680
Guide to Interpreting Web Sites
Due Date:____________________
DIRECTIONS Use the information in the sample Web site on page 197 of the Pupil’s
Edition to answer the following questions.
List four hyperlinks from the index in the lines below. After each one, write the sort of
information you would expect to find if you clicked the hyperlink.
1. Hyperlink: ________________________________________________________________
Expected information: ______________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
2. Hyperlink: ________________________________________________________________
Expected information: ______________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
3. Hyperlink: ________________________________________________________________
Expected information: ______________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
4. Hyperlink: ________________________________________________________________
Expected information: ______________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
5. The home page contains a hyperlink to another Web site. What is the address?
__________________________________________________________________________
6. Does the home page have a hyperlink that allows you to write to the page’s producer? If so,
where is it?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
82
Surfing Log
Due Date: ______________________
DIRECTIONS
 Choose a topic that interests you.
 Visit a few Web sites about this topic.
 For each site you visit, complete the table below.
Address of Web site:
HYPERLINK
INFORMATION FOUND
WAS IT USEFUL?
Overall usefulness of site (5 = most useful;1 = least useful) _____
83