Reading: A Comparison
Struggling Readers
Good Readers
Fix-Up Strategies:
Teach your students how to get “unstuck” when they come across text that they do
not understand.
1. Make a __________________ between the text and your life, your knowledge of
the world, or another text.
2. Make a __________________.
3. Ask a __________________ and try to answer it.
4. __________________.
5. __________________ what you’ve read.
6. __________________ .
7. ________ down (when confused) or ________ up (when familiar or boring)
8. Read _______________.
9. Draw a _____________________ or diagram of the information.
10. Other: ______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
1
Graphic Organizer for Today’s Workshop on
Reading Strategies for Social Studies ~
Strategy
ABC
Brainstorm
RIVET
BR_ _ _ _ _
Word
Sorts
Anticipation
Guide
Page
#
2
3
4
5
Fan
N
Pick
6
Cubing
7
Graphic
Organizers
8
Why use it?
How can I use it?
~
Before 
X
During 
ABC Brainstorm
After 
•At the beginning of a lesson, write a topic on the
chalkboard and then tell students to write as many words or phrases
(beginning with each letter of the alphabet) that are connected to the
topic as they can.
•After individuals try, you may want to allow them to “give one, get
one” from other classmates.
2
Before 
X
During 
RIVET
•Choose 3-4 key terms from the reading.
•In a “hang-man” fashion, write the word using dashes.
•One by one, add a letter until the students
guess the word.
BR_ _
•Discuss its meaning.
•Continue until all key words are revealed.
•Students read to find these words in the passage.
After 
___
•RIVET Example:
_____ ______
__________
______ __ _____ ______
3
Before 
X
X
During 
Word Sorts
After 
X
•The teacher provides a list of words, phrases, and/or pictures
from a text.
•Students work alone or in partners to arrange the words in an
order that makes sense.
•Ask a few students “read” their “story” aloud.
•Students or the teacher read the text, stopping mid-point to rearrange the words
according to how they have been used up to that point in the text.
•After reading the entire text, partners scramble the words and rearrange them
in the order according to the author’s version of the story (as a summary).
•Word Sorts Example
equal
rights
citizenship
ballot
Democracy
Wyoming
suffragist
justice
League of
Women
Voters
political
freedom
4
4a
Before 
X
X
During 
Anticipation Guide
After 
•The teacher prepares a list of predictions for a passage and asks the students to
respond to the predictions based on what they learn from the title, headers,
and/or pictures. (Some of the predictions should be accurate, some highly
probable, and others somewhat less probable.)
•Students may work alone or in partners to answer “yes,” “no,” or “maybe” to
the predictions. Tell the students to be prepared to give reasons for their choices.
•Students read the text and check regularly for the accuracy of their guesses.
•NOTE: Stress to the students that it is okay to guess incorrectly…good readers
do it all the time.
•Anticipation Guide Example
Langston Hughes Biography
Langston Hughes was born in Missouri.
Hughes was an less-than-average student,
but excelled in language arts.
Hughes became a sailor to earn money
because his writing wasn’t supporting him.
His experiences in Africa and in nightclubs
encouraged him to experiment with jazz and
blues rhythms in his writing.
His work during the Harlem Renaissance
made him rich and famous.
5
5a
Anticipation Guide
5b
Before 
During 
Fan N Pick
After 
X
In a team of four:
•Student “One” fans out the question cards.
•Student “Two” picks a card and reads it out loud to
the team.
•After 5+ seconds of think-time, Student “Three” answers the question.
•After another 5+ seconds of think-time, Student “Four” paraphrases,
praises, or adds to the answer given.
•Students rotate roles after each round.
•Higher-Level Thinking Questions Social Studies from Kagan:
Table of Contents
1. Bill of Rights
9. Family
2. Careers & Work
10. Government Issues
3. Community
11. Historical Characters
4. Cultural Geography
12. Historical Event
5. Culture
13. Holidays
6. Current Events
14. Native Americans
7. Economic Geography
15. Physical Geography
8. Explorers
16. Religion
6
Historical Character Question Cards
1
2
3
If the person was
alive now, what
might he or she
accomplish
today? Why?
This person has
How is this
come back to visit
person like or
the President of
unlike you? Why?
the U.S. What
advice might the
character give
him? Why?
4
5
6
How might the
world be different
today if this
person never
lived? Why?
One’s values are
revealed by one’s
actions. What is the
most important
value reflected by
the actions of this
person? Why?
Consider the
accomplishments of
this person. If you
were this character,
of what
accomplishment
would you be most
proud? Why?
7
8
9
If you could ask
If there were one
This person has
this person two been granted three
action of this
questions, what
wishes to change person you could
would they be?
change, what
today’s world.
Why do you want What might they
would it be?
to ask them?
Why?
be? Why?
6a
Historical Character Question Cards
10
11
12
Describe the
physical
characteristics of
this person. If you
could change one,
which one would
you change? Why?
You have been
If the person took
granted one day
a two-week
to go back in
vacation today,
history to become
where might he or
this person. What
she choose to go
would you do
and why?
differently? Why?
13
14
This person sits at
home alone writing
in a diary. He or she
starts to write, “The
one thing that
bothers me the
most…” Finish the
idea and tell why.
Suppose this
person were
transported to the
middle of World
War II. What role
might he/she
play? Why?
You’ve been granted
special powers that
make you invisible
and let you travel
through time. What
event in the life of the
person would you
choose to observe?
Why?
16
17
18
15
You have opened a
letter written to this
person’s best friend.
It says, “My
greatest regret is…”
Finish this sentence
and tell why.
6b
Historical Character
Journal Writing Question
Write your response to the question below. Be ready to share your response.
Question:__________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
6c
Before 
During 
Cubing
After 
X
•Players take turn rolling the cube.
•The player who rolls the cube begins by discussing the thinking
question (TQ) that is face up.
•While the TQ is discussed by all members of the group, the person
who rolled the dice acts as the facilitator & summarizes the conversation before
the next player rolls the cube.
•Tip: To ensure individual accountability, each student works with a different
colored pencil/marker to add to a group “web” of the concept being discussed.
The web can be presented at the end of the discussion.
•Variation: Use Fan N Pick rules.
Cubing Template:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Cubing Examples:
Levels of Thinking
1
2
Describe it:
What does it
look like?
4
Analyze it:
How is it
made or what
is it
composed
of?
3
Compare it:
What other
things is it
like?
5
Apply it:
What can
you do with
it?
Associate it:
What does it
make you
think of?
6
Argue for or
against:
Take a stand
and list
reasons why.
Cause & Effect
1
4
What might
be the
author’s
purpose in
writing the
selection?
2
What has
been done
already to
solve the
problem?
5
What major
problem are
those
involved
experiencing
?
What have
been the
effects of any
action taken
so far?
3
What are the
causes of the
problem?
6
What might
you suggest
as a more
effective
solution to
the problem?
7a
Cubing Examples:
Previewing Cube
1
4
As a whole
group, list as
many
questions as
possible about
this topic.
Time limit: 3
minutes.
2
Each player
in the group
must list one
thing they
already know
about this
topic.
5
Invent two
difficult
questions
about this
topic.
3 What might be
the most
interesting
thing to learn
about this
topic? What
might be the
most boring?
6
Give a few
reasons why
it is
important to
learn about
this topic?
2 Each player in
3
Make a
connection
between this
topic and
something
else you
know.
5
6
Compare
learning about
this topic to
learning about
something else
(in or out of
school.)
What
interesting
steps could you
take to learn
about this
topic? List at
least three
ideas.
Connection Cube
1
List new
ideas you
have about
this topic that
you didn’t
have before
studying it.
4 Think
of four
things you
could do to
learn more
about this
topic.
the group
names one
activity or job
in which
knowing about
this topic could
be important.
Imagine that this
topic doesn’t
exist or never
existed. Describe
two ways that the
world might be
different.
7b
Cubing Examples:
The Whyzit Cube
1 What are the
2
What is an
unusual
purpose of this
topic? How
could this topic
be applied or
used in an
unusual way?
3
5 How well does
this topic work?
List two reasons
why this topic
works well and
two reasons why
this topic might
need
improvement.
6
main purposes
of this topic?
What are the
most important
things it is
supposed to do
or be used for?
4 Brainstorm at
least 4 ways to
change this
topic to make it
better, more
interesting, or
more effective.
Be
imaginative!
When would it
be wrong to
use this topic?
When would it
be misapplied
or out of place?
Explain.
Identify two
examples of this
topic in action.
Think of
situations,
instances, or
places where
people use or
apply this topic.
Make Your Own Cube
1
2
3
4
5
6
7c
Before 
X
X
During 
Graphic Organizers
After 
X
•Graphic organizers…
are simple ways to organize information visually
are nearly always appropriate because most people think in visual
terms
come in many forms; they are never right or wrong, only better or
worse: some do a better job of presenting the same information than
others.
are not communicative, but conceptual: focus on using them as a way
for students to learn, not as a way to express what they’ve learned to you
are concept-driven: the form of the graphic organizer should follow its
function, not vice versa.
A Lesson Cycle for Using Individual Graphic Organizers:
Following a few simple steps will help your students get the most out of
graphic organizers.
1. Familiarize yourself with the graphic organizer and the teacher notes (if
any) for it.
2. Explain or review what graphic organizers are and why they’re worthwhile.
Emphasize the importance of organizing information.
3. Present the specific graphic organizer. Point out its subject, its organizational
framework, and the introduction, direction line, and questions.
4. Model using the graphic organizer. If the graphic organizer calls for them to
choose its topic, provide them with options.
5. Assign the graphic organizer as an individual, paired, or group activity.
6. Review students’ work. Generate classroom discussion to extend individual
student learning.
8
Graphic Organizers for
Reading Comprehension
Before 
X
X
During 
Concept Definition Map
After 
X
What is it?
What is it like?
(category)
(property)
Synonym
(property)
Antonym
(property)
(concept)
What are some examples?
(property)
(illustration)
(illustration)
(illustration)
New Definition:____________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Before 
X
X
During 
Vocabulary Word Maps
After 
X
Before 
X
During 
X
After 
X
Before 
X
X
During 
Inquiry Chart
After 
X
Before 
Semantic Feature Map
Item/Person
Crite ria #1
Crite ria #2
Crite ria #3
Crite ria #4
X
During 
After 
X
Crite ria #5
Before 
X
During 
Modified K W L
After 
X
Before 
X
During 
Character Diamonte
After 
X
Before 
X
During 
Character Sketch
After 
X
Before 
X
During 
Circle Organizer
After 
Before 
X
During 
Compare Chart
After 
Before 
X
During 
Connections & Reflections
After 
X
Before 
X
During 
Final Reduction
After 
X
Before 
X
During 
Historical Character Map
After 
Before 
X
During 
Making Movies
After 
X
Before 
X
During 
Picture Perfect
After 
X
Before 
X
During 
Power of Point of View
After 
X
Before 
X
During 
Puzzling
After 
X
Before 
X
During 
Sense Chart
After 
Before 
X
During 
Setting, Events, & Character Actions After X
Before 
X
During 
Supporting Similarities
After 
X
Before 
During 
Visualizing Views
After 
X
Before 
X
During 
What is the Message
After 
X
Before 
X
X
During 
What It’s All About
After 
Before 
X
X
During 
What’s In A Name?
After 
X
Before 
X
During 
Writing About What Happened
After 
X
Before 
X
X
During 
SQ3R
Survey: Record important titles and subtitles from work.
_________________________________________________
____________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Question: Write "Who, What, When, Where, and Why" questions from main
top
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Read: Write answers to questions from above.
_________________________________________________
____________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Recite: Record key facts and phrases as needed for each question.
_________________________________________________
____________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Review: Create a summary paragraph for each question.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
After 
X
Before 
X
X
During 
Prediction Chart
After 
X
Before 
X
X
During 
Column Notes
After 
X
Before 
X
During 
Fact or Opinion?
After 
Before 
X
During 
Problem/Solution
After 
X
Before 
X
During 
QAR:
Question/Answer Relationships
After 
X
Before 
X
X
During 
Thesis-Proof
After 
X
Before 
X
Thesis-Proof-Refute
X
During 
After 
X
Before 
X
During 
Compare & Contrast Diagram
After 
X
Before 
X
During 
Event Pyramid
After 
X
Before 
History Frame
X
During 
After 
X
Before 
X
During 
Who, What, When, Where, How
Event Map
After 
X
Before 
X
During 
Who, What, When, Where, How
Chart
After 
X
Before 
X
During 
Main Idea & Details
After 
X
Before 
X
During 
Cause & Effect
After 
X
Before 
X
X
During 
Capturing Context Clues
After 
X
Before 
X
During 
Perspectives in Contrast
After 
X
Before 
X
During 
Perspectives, Events, & Support
After 
X
Before 
X
During 
Triple Venn Diagram
After 
Before 
Modified Venn Diagram
X
During 
After 
Before 
X
During 
Venn Diagram
with Summary Paragraph
After 
X
Before 
During 
Sum It Up
After 
X
Before 
X
During 
Two Word Strategy
Name: __________________________
Text: ______________________________________________
Word 1
Word 2
I chose these words because...
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
After 
X
Graphic Organizers for
the Social Studies
Comparing & Contrasting
Then & Now
Major Periods in History
Major Events in History
What is Culture?
Locating a Place
Characteristics of a Place or Region
The Family
Major Steps in the Fight
for Civil Rights
Representative Democracy in the U.S.
Who, What, When, Where, How
Historical Period Map
An Ethnography
Biographical Profile
Amending the Constitution
Checks & Balances
in the Federal Government
An Invention: Causes & Effects
Organization of the United Nations
Understanding Citizenship
Rights of Citizenship
Resources
Barnekow, Daniel. Graphic Organizers for Social Studies. J.
Weston Walch: Portland, ME. 1998.
Billmeyer, Rachel & Barton, Mary Lee. Teaching Reading in the
Content Areas: If Not Me, Then Who? McRel: Aurora, CO.
1998.
Jones, Raymond. ReadingQuest: Making Sense in Social Studies.
Online at http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/readquest.
Kagan, Miguel, Chapman, Christine, & Kagan, Laurie. Higher
Level Thinking Questions Social Studies. Kagan: San
Clemente, CA. 1999.
Teach-nology.com
Tovani, Chris. I Read It, But I Don’t Get It: Comprehension
Strategies for Adolescent Readers. Stenhouse Publishers:
Portland, ME. 2000.
Witherall, Nancy & McMackin, Mary. Graphic Organizers and
Activities for Differentiated Instruction.
9