Section 8, Unit 4: Sample Student Book Activities for Teaching Reading

I. ACTIVITIES TO PRACTICE DECODING

1. Letter Discrimination

This is an activity for primary school students. It could be done as a pre-reading activity or a post-reading activity to practice recognizing specific letters and sounds.

2. Word Discrimination with a Word FindThis is an activity for upper primary students. It could be done as a pre-reading activity or a post-reading activity to practice recognizing groups of letters as words. Students review known vocabulary.

A. Write the missing letter on the line.

Line drawing of nose

outh ose en ed

esk en eg ing

10m

1. Find the names of five colors and write them on the lines. The words can go up, down, or backwards.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

A R E D P Z T XK C A L B M H FE B R O W N V IU P N E E R G JL O I D Y W Q BB S F N C X R OS I Y P D K E H

red

II. ACTIVITIES TO PRACTICE MEANING

3. Identifying Text Type and Predicting ContentThis is an activity for upper primary school students. It is done before reading. It asks students to identify the type of text and predict content.

II. ACTIVITIES TO PRACTICE MEANING

4. Scanning for Specific InformationThis is an activity for lower secondary school students. Students usually scan for specific information after they have read a text once.

Dear Hana,We’re having a great time at the beach. The weather is wonderful. I swim every day. Yesterday we went sailing. Tonight we’re going to an amusement park. I wish you were here.

Miss you.Ji Eun

Hana Nadim44 South Main St.Ann Arbor, MI

BEFORE YOU READ

1. Look quickly at the picture and the writing. What is it?

a vacation postcard an ad for a vacation an email

2. Which activities do you think will be talked about?

skiing swimming playing basketball sailing

READ

1. Read the article.

The ancient Olympic Games took place in Greece. The first record of the Games was

nearly three thousand years ago. The ancient Games stopped near the end of the 4th century. But in 1896, the first modern Olympic Games were held in Greece with athletes from 14 countries. Since then, the Olympics have been held every four years. For a long time the Winter Games and the Summer Games were held in the same year. Since 1994, they alternate every two years.

AFTER YOU READ

2. Now, scan the article to find the following information. Underline the sentences that give the answers.

1. What country do the Olympics come from?

2. When were the first modern Olympic Games?

3. How often are the Olympic games held?

READ

1. Read the article.

The ancient Olympic Games took place in Greece. The first record of the Games was

nearly three thousand years ago. The ancient Games stopped near the end of the 4th century. But in 1896, the first modern Olympic Games were held in Greece with athletes from 14 countries. Since then, the Olympics have been held every four years. For a long time the Winter Games and the Summer Games were held in the same year. Since 1994, they alternate every two years.

AFTER YOU READ

2. Now, scan the article to find the following information. Underline the sentences that give the answers.

1. What country do the Olympics come from?

2. When were the first modern Olympic Games?

3. How often are the Olympic games held?

1. Read the letter. Then answer the questions.

Hi!

My name is Victor and I’m twelve. I’m from Guadalajara in Mexico. This is a photo of my family. My mother, Rosa, is 35 and she’s a lawyer. My father, Nelson, is 38 and he owns a store. My sister, Luisa, is nine. She goes to school.

1. How old is Victor?

2. Where does he live?

3. What is his mother’s job?

4. What is his father’s name?

5. How old is his sister?

5. Answer Comprehension QuestionsThis is an activity for upper primary school students. Comprehension questions are usually a post-reading activity. They help students to see if they have understood the meaning of a text.

III. ACTIVITIES TO PRACTICE USING INFORMATION

6. Graphic OrganizersThis is an activity for primary school students. The chart could be done while students read or as a post-reading activity. If done while students read, it helps them to organize and compare the information. If done post-reading, it helps students use, or apply, the information in the text. A good follow-up activity would be to ask the students which student they are most similar to.

A. Read the text and complete the chart.

Inna from Russia: I want to be an inventor. I especially want to build robots. I like science, and I like to do things with my hands.

Nora from Mexico: I like science too, but I want to help people. I want to become a doctor, and cure diseases.

Wenyi from China: I love music. I play the piano and the guitar. I listen to it all the time. I want to compose music. Maybe I can write music for movies.

COUNTRY GOAL THINGS HE/SHE LIKES

Inna

Nora

Wenyi

7. FormsThis is an activity for middle school students. The completion activity is a post-reading activity. Students practice applying information they have read, in this case to complete a brochure.

8. PersonalizationThis is an activity for secondary school students. The questions provide a post-reading activity. Students read a text and discuss it in terms of their own lives and personal preferences.

1. Read the text. Then complete the brochure for the Lake Activity Club.

THE LAKE ACTIVITY CLUB OPENED last month at 1920 Countryside Road, in Lakeville. About 200 people showed up on the opening day to try sailing, take a walk along the water, or have a picnic.

The Lake Activity Club has a variety of activities for the whole family. They offer sailing and rowing lessons for all age groups. Individual one-time lessons start at $20, but

you can join for $250 a year. Members can reserve a boat and take it out for two hours at a time. There are also sailing and rowing teams. The teams practice together and compete at local races and regattas.

Mark Sanders, the president of the club, said: “We hope people find out about us. It’s an inexpensive way to meet people and learn a new skill.”

Lake Activity Club at

Countryside Road, .

Come try or

lesson for just $ .

Better yet, become a member for just $

a year.

We also have that compete in

races.

Whatever your level of interest, we have something for you!

1. Read the descriptions of three places to stay.

Ice Hotel, Sweden

Do you want to stay in a hotel made out of ice? Sounds a little chilly, but they give you a very good sleeping bag to keep you warm. There are 58 bedrooms in this hotel, and they are all below freezing.

Jules Undersea Lodge, USA

At this hotel, you have to scuba dive just to get in the front door. Every bedroom has a large round window looking right into the sea. It used to be an underwater research lab. You can scuba dive every day. The fish are beautiful.

Lake Titicaca, Peru

You can arrange to stay with a family on an island in the middle of Lake Titicaca. There is no electricity or running water, but the family will welcome you. See what it’s like to live in a remote place.

1. Which of these three places do you want to visit? Rate them from 1 - 3 with 1 being your first choice.

2. Work in groups. Compare your rating with your group. Give reasons for your answers.

3. With your group, invent a special hotel. Use the hotel descriptions above to help you write about your hotel.