Comprehension

C.011 Expository Text Structure

Book Look
Objective
The student will identify parts of a book.

Materials
Expository books
Choose content area books used in the curriculum.
Student sheet (Activity Master C.011.SS)
Pencil

Activity
Students identify parts of a book by completing an activity sheet.
1. Place books at the center. Provide the student with a student sheet.
2. The student reads the questions on the student sheet.
3. Locates information in book and records on student sheet.
4. Teacher evaluation

Extensions and Adaptations

Look through book and create own questions to exchange with partner.
Label parts of the book using sticky notes or bookmarks (Activity Master C.011.AM1).

2-3 Student Center Activities: Comprehension 2006 The Florida Center for Reading Research (Revised July, 2007)
Name
Book Look C.011.SS

Title and Author

Found in
Book Parts book? If yes, search and find.
Yes or No

Describe a diagram and record the page number.

Diagram

How many chapters are in the book? What is one of the titles?

Chapter

Where is the index located in the book?

Index

Locate and record a topic in the index and the page number.

Index

Write a word found in the glossary. Write the guide words found
on the page of the word.
Glossary

Where is the table of contents located in the book?

Table of
Contents

Use the table of contents to record a chapter title, its number, and
Table of beginning page.
Contents

Write the caption and the page number.

Picture with
caption

2006 The Florida Center for Reading Research (Revised July, 2007) 2-3 Student Center Activities: Comprehension
 Comprehension
C.011.AM1 Book Look

Diagram Chapter Glossary Index Table of Picture

Contents with a
caption

2-3 Student Center Activities: Comprehension 2006 The Florida Center for Reading Research (Revised July, 2007)
Comprehension
Expository Text Structure C.012
Just the Facts
Objective
The student will identify details and facts in text.

Materials
Expository text
Choose text within students’ instructional-independent reading level range.
Student sheet (Activity Master C.012.SS1)
Pencil

Activity
Students identify details and facts in expository text by completing a graphic organizer.
1. Place text at the center. Provide each student with a student sheet.
2. The student reads the text.
3. Writes the topic in the square on the student sheet.
4. Writes details and facts from the text in the rectangles.
5. Teacher evaluation

Extensions and Adaptations

Use a graphic organizer to record facts and details (Activity Master C.012.SS2).
Compare similarities and differences between two different topics by using a graphic
organizer (e.g., tigers and lions). (Activity Master C.021.SS2).

2006 The Florida Center for Reading Research (Revised July, 2007) 2-3 Student Center Activities: Comprehension
Name
C.012.SS1 Just the Facts

Topic
Detail or Fact

Detail or Fact

Detail or Fact

Detail or Fact

2-3 Student Center Activities: Comprehension 2006 The Florida Center for Reading Research (Revised July, 2007)
Name
Just the Facts C.012.SS2

Topic:
Facts or Details

2006 The Florida Center for Reading Research (Revised July, 2007) 2-3 Student Center Activities: Comprehension
 Comprehension
C.013 Expository Text Structure
Keys to the Main Idea
Objective
The student will identify details and main idea in text.

Materials
Expository text
Choose text within students’ instructional-independent reading level range.
Sticky notes
Place sticky notes strategically throughout the text in places where it is appropriate to identify
supporting details and main idea.
Student sheet (Activity Master C.013.SS1)
Provide multiple copies corresponding to the number of designated paragraphs or passages to be
read. Can be copied double-sided.
Pencils

Activity
Students write main ideas by identifying supporting details and facts in expository text.
1. Place text at the center. Provide each student with a student sheet.
2. Taking turns, student one reads the text aloud until designated stopping point.
3. Brainstorm and discuss the main idea and its supporting details and facts with student two.
4. Writes the supporting details and a one sentence main idea on student sheet.
5. Reverse roles and continue until the text is read and each student has recorded at least
two main ideas with supporting details.
6. Teacher evaluation

Supporting Details
1.

Ma
2. in
Id
ea

3.

Supporting Details
1.

Ma
2. in
Id
ea

3.

Extensions and Adaptations

Use other graphic organizer (Activity Master C.013.SS2). May cut details and main
ideas apart and exchange with a partner to match together.

2-3 Student Center Activities: Comprehension 2006 The Florida Center for Reading Research (Revised July, 2007)
Name
Keys to the Main Idea C.013.SS1

Supporting Details
1.

Ma
2. in
Ide
a

3.

Supporting Details
1.

Ma
2. in
Ide
a

3.

2006 The Florida Center for Reading Research (Revised July, 2007) 2-3 Student Center Activities: Comprehension
 Name
C.013.SS2 Keys to the Main Idea

Supporting Details

Main Idea

Supporting Details

Main Idea

2-3 Student Center Activities: Comprehension 2006 The Florida Center for Reading Research (Revised July, 2007)
Comprehension
Expository Text Structure C.014
Expository Exploration
Objective
The student will identify details and main idea in text.

Materials
Expository text
Choose text within students’ instructional-independent reading level range.
Select text or passage that contains at least three main ideas.
Student sheet (Activity Master C.014.SS1)
Pencil

Activity
Students record information in expository text by completing a graphic organizer.
1. Place text at the center. Provide the student with a student sheet.
2. Student writes the topic or concept on the student sheet and reads the text.
3. Thinks about what was read, identifies details, and main ideas based on those details.
Writes the supporting details and main idea in the corresponding boxes.
4. Completes student sheet.
5. Teacher evaluation
2006 The Florida Center for Reading Research
2-3 Student Center Activities: Comprehension
Name

Extensions and Adaptations

Write a summary statement about the topic based on the text read on
back of the student sheet.
Use other graphic organizers (Activity Master C.014.SS2).

2006 The Florida Center for Reading Research (Revised July, 2007) 2-3 Student Center Activities: Comprehension
Name
C.014.SS1 Expository Exploration

Topic or Concept
3.

2.

1.

Details:

3.

2.

1.

Details:

3.

2.

1.

Details:
Main Idea:

Main Idea:

Main Idea:

2-3 Student Center Activities: Comprehension 2006 The Florida Center for Reading Research (Revised July, 2007)
Name
Expository Exploration C.014.SS2

Title or Concept
3.
2.
1.
Details:

Important Words:

Main Idea:

3.
2.
1.
Details:

Important Words:

Main Idea:

3.
2.
1.
Details:

Important Words:

Main Idea:

2006 The Florida Center for Reading Research (Revised July, 2007) 2-3 Student Center Activities: Comprehension
 Comprehension
C.015 Expository Text Structure
Main Idea Highlights
Objective
The student will identify details and main idea in text.

Materials
Expository text
Choose a one-page passage within students’ instructional-independent reading level range.
Note: It should be emphasized that highlighting is strategic and specific. Only important
words should be highlighted.
Highlighter
Pencil

Activity
Students identify the main idea and details by highlighting words and phrases that pertain
to a specific topic.
1. Place highlighter at the center. Provide the student with a copy of the text.
2. Student reads the entire text.
3. Rereads and decides which words and phrases are important for understanding the text.
4. Uses highlighter to mark important words and phrases.
5. Continues until all important words are highlighted.
6. Writes a main idea sentence for each paragraph based on the highlighted words on the
back of the page.
7. Teacher evaluation

Mammals are a class of animals that share many

Extensions and Adaptations

Write a summary for the text based on the main idea sentences.
Use different colored highlighters to mark words or phrases (e.g., blue for main idea words
or phrases, green for important details, yellow for examples).

2-3 Student Center Activities: Comprehension 2006 The Florida Center for Reading Research (Revised July, 2007)
Comprehension
Expository Text Structure C.016
Classic Classifying
Objective
The student will classify information in text.

Materials
Expository text
Choose text within students’ instructional-independent reading level range.
Student sheet (Activity Master C.016.SS)
Write the topic in the center of the organizer and the categories relating to
the topic on the line in the squares around the circle and copy.
Pencil

Activity
Students write words that relate to and describe a category.
1. Place text at the center. Provide the student with a student sheet.
2. The student reads the text.
3. Writes words that describe or relate to the categories in each box.
4. Writes main idea sentences based on information in boxes on the back of
the student sheet.
5. Teacher evaluation

Uses Parts Type

food leaf shrubs
decoration stem trees
flowers

Plants

Florida Plants Plants We Eat Favorite Plants

palm trees corn roses
sunflowers potatoes peanuts

Extensions and Adaptations

Generate topics, research, and write categories with descriptors relating to the topic.
Use student sheet to classify narrative text.

2006 The Florida Center for Reading Research (Revised July, 2007) 2-3 Student Center Activities: Comprehension
Name
C.016.SS Classic Classifying

2-3 Student Center Activities: Comprehension 2006 The Florida Center for Reading Research (Revised July, 2007)
Comprehension
Expository Text Structure C.017
Reading the Research
Objective
The student will use resources to identify information about a topic.

Materials
Reference materials (e.g., textbooks, information books, encyclopedias, dictionaries, thesaurus)
Reading the Research student sheet (Activity Master C.017.SS1)
Write the target word or concept in the topic box. Write questions in the column headings.
Write the references in the vertical columns on the left.
Pencil

Activity
Students answer questions by using different resources.
1. Place reference materials at the center. Provide the student with a student sheet.
2. The student reads each question.
3. Reviews references to locate answers. If answer is found record answer in corresponding box.
If not found, writes "not found" in corresponding box.
4. Continues until all questions are answered and boxes are filled.
5. Teacher evaluation

Dictionary

Science

Encyclopedia

Extensions and Adaptations

Write a summary statement for each question on the back of the student sheet.
Write facts using multiple sources and a summary (Activity Master C.017.SS2).

2006 The Florida Center for Reading Research (Revised July, 2007) 2-3 Student Center Activities: Comprehension
Name
C.017.SS1 Reading the Research

materials:
Reference

Topic:
Question #1
Question #2
Question #3

2-3 Student Center Activities: Comprehension 2006 The Florida Center for Reading Research (Revised July, 2007)
 2006 The Florida Center for Reading Research (Revised July, 2007)
Topic: ___________________________ Question:_____________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
C.017.SS2

Source: Source: Source: Source:

Fact: Fact: Fact: Fact:

2-3 Student Center Activities: Comprehension

Reading the Research
Name
Summary: