Under the headings described by Master, Mori, & Mori (1993), the
learning activities will be outlined and elaborated upon.
1. Establish a purpose for reading.
Have student view the book, think about, and discuss why
they would read such a book. When he/she has determined
that the reason why one would read this book would be to
find out why Humphrey the Whale was lost and what
happened, the teacher will point out that the writer of this
and every book wants to pass on new information through the
book.
2. Skim the material.
Teach the student to look for information about the book's
content without actually reading it in the beginning. There
are two strategies for skimming, but one is more appropriate
here:
-Look for chapter headings. (None for this book)
-Look for all subheadings. (None for this book)
-Look for all boldfaced type.(None)
-Look for words in italics.(None)
-Examine photos, charts, maps, and graphs.
Looking at the various pictures and maps, a student can
get an idea of what the story may be about.
3. Make a prediction.
The student will make a prediction based on the skimming
exercise just completed. If necessary the predicting can be
modeled for the student.
4. Read.
The reader reads through the story either silently or out
loud to obtain information and to test the accuracy of the
prediction.
5. Alter/Verify.
The student, after reading the story, asks him/herself if
the prediction made was correct. What aspects of the
prediction could be changed to make it right?
6. Clarify.
The reader clarifies the information in the story. The
teacher may need to model ways to clarify the
information. (for example, rereading sections of the
story).
7. Compose questions.
The reader makes up questions about the story that will
test his/her understanding. Again, questions may have to
be modeled or included on a quiz in the beginning.
Questions could be asked such as: Why did Humphrey the
Whale get into trouble in San Francisco Bay? What kind
of whale was Humphrey? How did Humphrey get into
trouble in the first place? Who tried to help him? How
did they eventually save Humphrey's life?
8. Paraphrase.
The student completes the comprehension strategy
process by paraphrasing the story either verbally or
by writing.
Using this Reading Comprehension Strategy, the student will have
predicted the content, read to determine if he/she was right,
verified the prediction, composed comprehension questions, and
paraphrased the story. Here the student will have constructed
meaning various ways.