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Reading Comprehension Strategies.org

Improve student reading comprehension

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  • Reading Comprehension Strategy PDF
    • Asking Questions
    • Making Connections
    • Inferring
    • Evaluating
    • Finding the Main Idea
    • Repairing Comprehension
    • Active Reading
  • 6Cs Articles
    • 1. Axe Body Spray (Critical Thinking)
    • 2. Utility Bills (Citizenship)
    • 3. Pork Roast (Creativity)
    • 4. Airplane Wheel (Character)
    • 5. Rosa Parks (Communication)
    • 6. Building Bridges (Citizenship)
    • 7. California Surfer (Character)
    • 8. Green Leader (Collaboration)
    • 9. Service Dog (Critical Thinking)
    • 10. Devious Sips (Citizenship)
    • 11. Online Shopping / Fraud (Critical Thinking)
  • SEL Stories
    • 1. US fighter pilot terrified of flying
    • 2. Change The Game – Earn Your Leisure
    • 3. This App Can Close The Gap
    • 4. Ballet, Beauty, and Being Girly
    • 5. Born Here. Failed Six Years!
    • 6. Dwayne Johnson – Hardest Worker
    • 7. What if I took it off for you?
  • SHOP

FREE Reading Comprehension Articles for your next English Language Arts class

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What teachers are saying

Great topics – high-interest level for students. Well prepared and great to use both in class and as a distance learning package.
Tanya H
Reading Mega Bundle
(October 19, 2020)
It’s a great resource. It provides me with a lot of strategies to help my students.
Jennifer S
Reading Mega Bundle
(Aug 31, 2021)
These were great! Very rigorous!
Lynn F
Reading Mega Bundle
(July 29, 2021)
Found all the files and just started on a lesson with my Year 10s today. Work is getting to me lately and you’ve relieved so much of my preparation load? Thank you so much again! Will be using these resources for many years I know!
Felicia N.
Asking Questions
(April 7, 2021)

Reading Strategies

Reading Comprehension Strategy Bundles for Upper Elementary, Middle School and High School

How to Make (Deeper) Connections - 4 PRO TIPS: 1. Connect with things you’ve read (text to text), things you’ve experienced (text to self), or things people know (text to world) 2. Avoid simple connections. Find things that are same-same but different. 3. Use one of these thought patterns: "This is like that, but… so…" or "A is like B, and B is _ so A is probably _" 4. Stop after every heading or paragraph and make a connection

Making Connections Reading Strategy Lesson Plan: How to make deeper Text-to-Self, Text-to-Text, and Text-to-World connections

Making Connections is more than simply finding something that the text reminds you of.

Use this lesson to help your students develop deeper connections instead of thin connections like “this book has a dog and I have a dog…”

How to Make (Deeper) Connections – 4 PRO TIPS:

1. Connect with things you’ve read (text to text), things you’ve experienced (text to self), or things people know (text to world)

2. Avoid simple connections. Find things that are same-same but different.

3. Use one of these thought patterns: “This is like that, but… so…” or “A is like B, and B is _ so A is probably _”

4. Stop after every heading or paragraph and make a connection

LEARN MORE Making Connections Reading Strategy Lesson Plan: How to make deeper Text-to-Self, Text-to-Text, and Text-to-World connectionsContinue

Evaluating Reading Strategy: Lesson, video, handouts (that work with any text)

Evaluating Reading Strategy Lesson Plan

Teach students CRITICAL THINKING strategies to help students EVALUATE ideas when reading.

Evaluating is more than just forming an opinion. It’s about making an informed opinion or decision.

Use this lesson to give students a process to help them think critically about the information they read.

4 PRO TIPS to use the Evaluating Reading Strategy:

1. Restate part of a sentence from the text as a question that includes… a modal verb (Should… Could … Would… …might…) or a value word (better/worst, more/less, etc…)

2. Clarify the criteria for evaluating. Define the underlying concept word. Make a checklist. Narrow down the list. Identify deal breakers.

3. Play with the words to find other ideas. Ask a similar question, opposite question, or simpler question.

4. Start with the other side. Try to be open-minded. How might the other side be correct?

LEARN MORE Evaluating Reading Strategy Lesson PlanContinue

Asking Questions Reading Comprehension Strategy - 4 PRO TIPS 1. Don't ask a question you already know the answer to. 2. Try to answer your own question. Use evidence from the text. 3. Ask lots of questions. Include higher-order thinking questions (why or how / would or might) 4. Stop after every heading or paragraph and ask a question.

Asking Questions Reading Strategy

Teach 4 PRO TIPS to help students ask the BEST questions when reading to improve comprehension.

High-interest video / slideshow lesson – perfect for your next English Language Arts class.

Students learn how to ask better questions, so they stay engaged while they read.

Active reading strategies can show students how to gain a deeper understanding of the text they’re reading.

How to Ask (Better) Questions – 4 PRO TIPS

1. Don’t ask a question you already know the answer to.

2. Try to answer your own question. Use evidence from the text.

3. Ask lots of questions. Include higher-order thinking questions (why or how / would or might)

4. Stop after every heading or paragraph and ask a question.

LEARN MORE Asking Questions Reading StrategyContinue

Active Reading Strategies Lesson and Handouts: Works with any text!

Active Reading Strategies Lesson – Power Up Tool Kit

The Active Reading Strategies Lesson includes strategies and handouts that work with any text! UPDATE: Dec 19, 2022 Improve reading comprehension with just the click of a button! (No, obviously not. But, Evaluating is one of the reading strategies explored in the “Say Something” handout.) FREE until Dec 19, 2022 at 11:59 PM Part 1. […]

LEARN MORE Active Reading Strategies Lesson – Power Up Tool KitContinue

FIND THE MAIN IDEA 4 PRO TIPS: 1. Focus on the BIG PICTURE (the entire article). Summarize the entire article in a word or phrase. What general point is the author trying to make? 2. Look for clues in key spots. (How is the text organized?) 3. Think about each paragraph. What is this paragraph about? (Where is the main idea in the paragraph? Beginning? Middle? End?) What role does this paragraph play?  4. Find the “best” main idea. The main idea is NOT always directly stated. The best idea has strong support from the beginning, middle, and end of the entire article.

Finding the Main Idea – Reading Comprehension Strategy Lesson Plan

Finding the Main Idea is more than just figuring out what general point the author is trying to make.

It’s about recognizing that we can come up with several main ideas, but the “best” main idea has strong support from the entire article.

How to EVALUATE and FIND THE BEST MAIN IDEA (4 PRO TIPS):

1. Focus on the BIG PICTURE (the entire article). Summarize the entire article in a word or phrase. What general point is the author trying to make?

2. Look for clues in key spots. (How is the text organized?)

3. Think about each paragraph. What is this paragraph about? (Where is the main idea in the paragraph? Beginning? Middle? End?) What role does this paragraph play? 

4. Find the “best” main idea. The main idea is NOT always directly stated. The best idea has strong support from the beginning, middle, and end of the entire article.

LEARN MORE Finding the Main Idea – Reading Comprehension Strategy Lesson PlanContinue

4 PRO TIPS to the Repairing Comprehension Reading Strategy 1. Read a paragraph and SAY SOMETHING: Ask a question, Make a connection, Make an inference, Form an opinion 2. Does your SAY SOMETHING make sense with stuff you know about the world? If not, re-read the paragraph. Use PEEP to clarify your thinking. 3. Does your SAY SOMETHING make sense with stuff you already read in this text? If not, re-read the paragraph. Re-read the other stuff you already read.Use PEEP to figure out why it doesn’t make sense. 4. PEEP: Point, Evidence, Explanation, Point

Repairing Comprehension Reading Strategy Lesson Plan

Teach students HOW to monitor understanding and clarify thinking when reading.

There’s more to figuring out what’s going on in a text than just simply re-reading.

4 PRO TIPS: How to Monitor and Repair Comprehension

1. Read a paragraph and SAY SOMETHING: Ask a question, Make a connection, Make an inference, Form an opinion

2. Does your SAY SOMETHING make sense with stuff you know about the world? If not, re-read the paragraph. Use PEEP to clarify your thinking.

3. Does your SAY SOMETHING make sense with stuff you already read in this text? If not, re-read the paragraph. Re-read the other stuff you already read.Use PEEP to figure out why it doesn’t make sense.

4. Use PEEP: Point, Evidence, Explanation, Point

LEARN MORE Repairing Comprehension Reading Strategy Lesson PlanContinue


6Cs Reading Articles

Reading Comprehension Articles focusing on the 6Cs of Education

Differentiated Reading Text: Online Shopping and Fraud - SEL Critical Thinking

Online Shopping and Fraud – Critical Thinking – Article 011

Reading comprehension article handout (differentiated Gr 5, 7, 9, 11) about COLLABORATION and how diverse leadership can help.

Annamie Paul was the first Black person to be the leader of a federal political party in Canada. She won the leadership race for the Green Party of Canada in October 2020.   

The take-away message is that collaboration happens when you have a group of people working together towards a common goal or objective, and they create something new:

it could be a new solution to a problem, a new understanding of an issue, or a new plan to reach a goal.

LEARN MORE Online Shopping and Fraud – Critical Thinking – Article 011Continue

Differentiated Reading Text: New TikTok challenge Devious Sips dares kids to take action - SEL Character

Devious Sips, TikTok trends, and Active Citizenship

Reading comprehension article handout (differentiated Gr 5, 7, 9, 11) about COLLABORATION and how diverse leadership can help.

Annamie Paul was the first Black person to be the leader of a federal political party in Canada. She won the leadership race for the Green Party of Canada in October 2020.   

The take-away message is that collaboration happens when you have a group of people working together towards a common goal or objective, and they create something new:

it could be a new solution to a problem, a new understanding of an issue, or a new plan to reach a goal.

LEARN MORE Devious Sips, TikTok trends, and Active CitizenshipContinue

Product Cover: Differentiated Reading Text - Service Dog Not Allowed in Class to Help Boy with Autism; SEL: Critical Thinking

Service Dog – Is this Discrimination? (Critical Thinking)

Reading comprehension article handout (differentiated Gr 5, 7, 9, 11) about COLLABORATION and how diverse leadership can help.

Annamie Paul was the first Black person to be the leader of a federal political party in Canada. She won the leadership race for the Green Party of Canada in October 2020.   

The take-away message is that collaboration happens when you have a group of people working together towards a common goal or objective, and they create something new:

it could be a new solution to a problem, a new understanding of an issue, or a new plan to reach a goal.

LEARN MORE Service Dog – Is this Discrimination? (Critical Thinking)Continue

Differentiated Reading Text - Green Leader says it shouldn't have taken this long: SEL: Collaboration

Green Leader Says It Shouldn’t Have Taken This Long – Collaboration

Reading comprehension article handout (differentiated Gr 5, 7, 9, 11) about COLLABORATION and how diverse leadership can help.

Annamie Paul was the first Black person to be the leader of a federal political party in Canada. She won the leadership race for the Green Party of Canada in October 2020.   

The take-away message is that collaboration happens when you have a group of people working together towards a common goal or objective, and they create something new:

it could be a new solution to a problem, a new understanding of an issue, or a new plan to reach a goal.

LEARN MORE Green Leader Says It Shouldn’t Have Taken This Long – CollaborationContinue

Differentiated Reading Text: California Surfer Breaks Stereotypes - Social-Emotional Learning: Character

California Surfer Breaks Stereotypes – Character Education

This article is about CHARACTER and how a California surfer breaks stereotypes just by being herself.

Mary Mills is a local California surfer who has written over 1,305 blog posts chronicling everything from her daily thoughts, her surf sessions, and her titanium knee replacement.  

LEARN MORE California Surfer Breaks Stereotypes – Character EducationContinue

Differentiated Reading Text: Building Bridges between Police and Disadvantaged Youth - Social-Emotional Learning: Citizenship

Building Bridges between Police and Youth

Reading response article about CITIZENSHIP and building bridges between police officers and disadvantaged youth.

PK Subban is a professional hockey player. He has been using his position of power to help build bridges between police officers and disadvantaged youth by creating opportunities for the two groups to hang out with each other in positive ways.

The take-away message is that active citizenship means making a positive difference in your community.

We all belong to different communities – our school community, our local community, our country, the world, etc. But, citizenship also means making a positive difference to other groups based on aspects of our identity – gender, race, religion, etc.

LEARN MORE Building Bridges between Police and YouthContinue


Social Emotional Learning
Non-Fiction Stories

Reading Comprehension Articles focusing on Social Emotional Learning using SEOT.

SEL Story 007 - What if I took it off for you - Inferring Reading Strategy

What if I took it off for you? Reading Response Passage

This singer / songwriter wonders if she took it off for you, would people like her better?

What are we talking about?

Can your Middle School and High School students infer based on clues from the text?

LEARN MORE What if I took it off for you? Reading Response PassageContinue

SEL Story 006 - Hardest Worker - Inferring Reading Strategy

Dwayne Johnson The Rock

He was supposed to be playing in the NFL.

So, why was his dad driving him back home? All he had was seven bucks in his pocket.

How does the Rock go from ZERO to HERO?

By working harder than everyone else in the room.

LEARN MORE Dwayne Johnson The RockContinue

SEL Story 005 - Born Here - Inferring Reading Strategy

Born Here. Failed Six Years!

This person was asked by a stranger if she was born in this country.

Although immediately offended, the conversation she had with the stranger would change her life forever.

Have your students ever been offended by somebody? What happened next?

LEARN MORE Born Here. Failed Six Years!Continue

SEL Story 004 - Being Girly - Inferring Reading Strategy

Ballet, Beauty, and Being Girly

This ballerina and beauty pageant contestant gave a speech about Why Women Should NOT Be Engineers.

And that makes her an epic ambassador for STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

Will your students disagree?

LEARN MORE Ballet, Beauty, and Being GirlyContinue

SEL Story 003 - Close the Gap - Inferring Reading Strategy

This App Can Help Close The Gap

This innovative app used by 500 million people helps close the gap between rich and poor.

Can your students guess which app this is?

This reading comprehension article goes well with the Inferring reading strategy.

LEARN MORE This App Can Help Close The GapContinue

SEL Story 002 - Earn Your Leisure - Making Connections Reading Strategy

Change The Game And Earn Your Leisure

Do any of your students want to be pro athletes or celebrities one day?

Who can afford to sit courtside at a game? NBA players, rappers, drug dealers, and these two guys…

This reading comprehension article goes great with the Making Connections reading strategy.

LEARN MORE Change The Game And Earn Your LeisureContinue

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