Activating Strategies: Choosing the “Just Right” Focus

Carol Brewer
Mar 15, 2010

Activating Strategies are the "hook and link" for the Acquisition Lesson. They "hook" to motivate and "link" to prior knowledge. Many times Activating Strategies are focused on the story students are reading instead of the reading comprehension strategy they are being taught. For example, the story the students are reading is: "My Grandfather" and the reading comprehension strategy being taught is main idea and detail. Prior knowledge is often activated by asking questions such as, "Tell me about your grandfather," or, "Name some of your favorite things to do with your grandfather," instead of asking questions that focus on main idea and details, for example, "What is a detail?" or "What is a main idea?". How students answer these questions will determine the level at which the comprehension strategy should be taught.

Reading comprehension activities can make a great Activating Strategy. If students are active during the Activating Strategy, they seem to be more motivated to learn what is being taught. For example, when teaching main idea and details use, "The Main Idea and Detail Envelope Please." This game consists of several sets of 4 envelopes with a related topic, main idea and 2 details written on the outside of each of the envelopes. On the inside of the envelope is an index card with the correct word "topic," "main idea," or "detail."

For example:

Topic: Dolphins

Main Idea: Dolphins are interesting animals

Details: Dolphins are fun to watch on one envelope and Dolphins are fun to read about on another envelope.

Each student is given an envelope. Students group themselves according to the topic. Students talk about their envelope and predict if they have the topic, main idea or detail. When the teacher calls out, "And the Envelope Please," the students open their envelope to see if their prediction is correct. This game is easy to use and very motivating for the students. The most important thing is that it allows you to determine the level of student understanding. If students make correct predictions, then you can apply this understanding to the lesson. If students have problems with their predictions, then use more time to model the main idea and details.

Refer to the Reading Comprehension Strategies notebooks in the Literacy Collection for this activating strategy and many more!Activating Strategies are the "hook and link" for the Acquisition Lesson. They "hook" to motivate and "link" to prior knowledge. Many times Activating Strategies are focused on the story students are reading instead of the reading comprehension strategy they are being taught. For example, the story the students are reading is: "My Grandfather" and the reading comprehension strategy being taught is main idea and detail. Prior knowledge is often activated by asking questions such as, "Tell me about your grandfather," or, "Name some of your favorite things to do with your grandfather," instead of asking questions that focus on main idea and details, for example, "What is a detail?" or "What is a main idea?". How students answer these questions will determine the level at which the comprehension strategy should be taught.

Reading comprehension activities can make a great Activating Strategy. If students are active during the Activating Strategy, they seem to be more motivated to learn what is being taught. For example, when teaching main idea and details use, "The Main Idea and Detail Envelope Please." This game consists of several sets of 4 envelopes with a related topic, main idea and 2 details written on the outside of each of the envelopes. On the inside of the envelope is an index card with the correct word "topic," "main idea," or "detail."

For example:

Topic: Dolphins

Main Idea: Dolphins are interesting animals

Details: Dolphins are fun to watch on one envelope and Dolphins are fun to read about on another envelope.

Each student is given an envelope. Students group themselves according to the topic. Students talk about their envelope and predict if they have the topic, main idea or detail. When the teacher calls out, "And the Envelope Please," the students open their envelope to see if their prediction is correct. This game is easy to use and very motivating for the students. The most important thing is that it allows you to determine the level of student understanding. If students make correct predictions, then you can apply this understanding to the lesson. If students have problems with their predictions, then use more time to model the main idea and details.

Refer to the Reading Comprehension Strategies notebooks in the Literacy Strategies for this activating strategy and many more!