TAMING THE TEXT:

Engaging and Supporting Students in

Social Studies Readings
Edgar P. Aladeza
School assigned readings-
bane of students’ academic
careers
LACK OF INTEREST Students
vs.
POOR reading in
COMPREHENSION content
areas
Textbook reading not the
central focus but…
 active and authentic learning
experiences do not lessen the need
for knowledge from print sources
Skilled reading can be
facilitated by the teachers
Reading proficiency and
engagement with the text
do not happen by accident
rather the result of
consistent, knowledgeable
instruction
by the teachers, thereby
maximizing interest and
comprehension in the
variety of texts
The teachers can use the selected
strategies to help students tame
the difficulties they encounter in
Social Studies texts
For Social Studies and
Expository Materials
Strategy No. 1
Structured Overview/Advance
Organizer
FIGURE 1- Structured Overview

A NATION DIVIDED
The Debate
Compromises
Over Slavery

Uncle Tom’s Missouri Kansas-

Abolitionists
Cabin Compromise Nebraska Act

Free or Fugitive
Slave State? Slave Act
Growing Conflict

Dred Scott Lincoln’s

John Brown’s
Decision Raid Election

Secession

Confederacy

Civil War

UNION VS CONFEDERACY
Strategy No. 2
Herringbone Activity
Using Six Interrogatives
FIGURE 2-Herringbone Activity
Partner #1________________________________ Partner #2________________________________

1. After reading the selection, fill in the outline below:

1. 1. 1.

2. 2. 2.

1. 1. 1.

2. 2. 2.

2. Write your summary in the space below:

____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Strategy No. 3
Retelling (teacher first models
the procedure)
FIGURE 3- Retelling Checklist for Nonfiction
Your Name___________________________________ Date_________________
I listened to___________________________________________________________
Place a checkmark by those things your partner did well:
My partner:
_______Identified the topic. (It was about_________________________________.)
_______Accurately related the main idea which was: _________________________
_______Included important supporting details that are listed below (use phrases):
1.
2.
3.
4.
With the help of your partner, retell the selection in your own words in the space below:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
The four macro skills are integrated
and reinforced in this strategy.
For Fiction
Strategy No. 1
Concept of a Definition/Word Map
FIGURE 4- Concept of a Definition/Word Map

What is it?
someone who ravages and
steals from someone’s home

Opposite What is it like?

protector someone who invades your home

marauder someone who steals

someone who is mean and selfish

burglar robber thief

What are some examples?

Strategy No.2
Character List of Similarities
and Web of Differences
FIGURE 5-Character List of Similarities and Web of Differences

SIMILARITIES Home is DIFFERENCES

Georgia Fought
with the
48th Brave
Union Soldiers Colored

Their moms made Pink

baking powder
biscuits
&
Both raised on farms
Home is
Captured by Say Ohio
confederate soldiers
Fought
with the
Deserter Ohio 24th
Strategy No.3
Story Pyramid
FIGURE 6- Story Pyramid

Pink and Say

Pink___
brave literate__
Battlefield Georgia Andersonville
Say___ ____shot in ____leg_____
__Marauders shoot Moe Moe Bay__
___Pink __and__ ___Say captured by Confederates____
Confederate soldiers take boys to Andersonville Prison
Say retells story so Pink will be remembered

1. Name of character
2. Two words describing main character
3. Three words stating setting
4. Four words stating problem
5. Five words stating first event
6. Six words stating second event
7. Seven words stating third event
8. Eight words stating solution
 For Children’s Literature and
Informational Books

Strategy No.1
Timeline
 FIGURE 7- Timeline of Abraham Lincoln’s Life

Abe becomes
Postmaster
Father marries
Sarah Johnston
Abe leaves home to work
for 37 cents a day
Family moves to
Indiana
Abe runs a Whig party
Family moves to candidate, loses election
Knob creek
“and”
Mother Nancy dies
Abe Lincoln
of “Milk Sick” Becomes partners
born
with Berry in store

1808 1810 1812 1814 1816 1818 1820 1822 1824 1826 1828 1830 1832 1834
Strategy No. 2
Biopoem
FIGURE 8-BIOPOEM

Line 1. First Name

Line 2. Four traits that describe the character
Line 3. Relative (“brother,” “sister,” “daughter,” etc.) of
Line 4. Lover of_____________________________________(list 3things or people)
Line 5. Who feels ___________________________________ (three items)
Line 6. Who needs___________________________________ (three items)
Line 7. Who fears____________________________________ (three items)
Line 8. Who gives____________________________________ (three items)
Line 9. Who would like to see __________________________ (three items)
Line 10. Resident of___________________________________________________
Line 11. Last Name____________________________________________________
FIGURE 9-Biopoem of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham

Honest, intelligent, caring

and persistent
Husband of Mary Todd Lincoln

Lover of Robert, Eddie,

William and Tad,

Who feels passionately about—

Maintaining the Union,
playing with his sons, and
fulfilling his duty at all costs

Who needs “learning,” unity,

and lasting peace

Who fears secession of states, loss of another son, and

Leaving Illinois to become
President

Who gives speeches, speeches,

And more speeches

Who would like to see “malice

toward none,””charity for
all,” and “firmness in the right”

Resident of Iilinois

Lincoln
Strategy No. 3
ABC Book
FIGURE 10-ABC of Abraham Lincoln

Austin Gollaher Abraham Austin Gollaher

Beard “blab school”
Civil War
Dry Goods
Elizabeth, Kentucky
Ford’s Theater February
Grief
Honest Abe Hodgenville, Kentucky
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
 The teaching of reading
does not solely rely on the
Language Arts teacher
 If students can be taught
to tame the text, teachers
can also be taught to tame
their students who are
‘negative’ about reading.
Thank you.