strategy-retelling/sequence
- Read the passage.
- Read the question.
- Underline the word "before" or "after" in the question.
- Locate the detail from the question in the passage and underline it.
- Read the first answer choice. Find and underline it in the passage.
- Check the answer choice to determine whether it happened before or after the detail in the question.
- If it happened before, write "before" behind the answer choice.
- If it happens after, write "after" behind the answer choice.
- If it did not happen at all eliminate it with an "X."
- Follow this procedure for all the answer choices.
- For questions that ask "What happened before..." the "before" answer choice is the correct one. For questions that ask "What happened after..." the "after" choice is the correct one.
strategy-main idea
- Read the question.
- If the question asks about the main idea of a paragraph, you will read each of the sentences to determine the answer. If the question asks the main idea of a whole selection, you should read each of the paragraphs to determine the answer.
- Read the first answer choice. Return to the paragraph or passage. For each sentence/paragraph ask: "Does this support my answer choice?" Is this sentence/paragraph telling about this answer choice?"
- If it does support it, place a tally mark after the answer choice.
- Repeat process for each answer choice.
- The choice with the most tally marks is the main idea.
Strategy-Summarization
- Read the question.
- If the question asks you to "complete the summary," read the statement in the box before you read each of the answer choices.
- If the question asks you to "complete the summary," read the statement in the box before you read each of the answer choices.
- Begin with the first answer choice.
- Look for the main character (C)
- Look for the character's goal, problem, desire, or wish (G)
- Look for goal reached or problem solved (S)
- Label these items with the letters, C, G, and S
- If you find information in the answer choice that is not in the selection, put an "X" by that choice.
- Repeat this process with each of the answer choices.
- Don't forget to use the sentence given in the box if the question asks you to complete the summary.
- If you find an answer choice that contains, character, goal, and solution, place a check mark beside it. It is the best summary of the selection.
- If you do not have characters, or if there is no problem, goal, or solution in the answer choices, go back to choice A.
- Label the events given in the answer choice as the beginning (B), middle (M), or end (E), depending on where they occur in the selection. After each of the letters, write the paragraph numbers where you find the information.
- If you find events in an answer choice that do not match the information in the selection, put an "X"beside that answer choice.
- The answer choice with information from the beginning, middle, and end of the selection is the correct response. Place a check mark by that answer choice.
strategy- Character/setting strategy
If the question asks about character's feelings or setting use this strategy:
- Read the selection.
- Read the question.
- Reach each answer choice.
- Ask "Are there clues in the story that prove or support this answer?"
- If there are no clues in the story, place an "X"beside the answer choice.
- If you find clues in the story that support the answer choice, underline them.
- Write "yes" and the paragraph number where you found the clues after the answer choice.
- The choice with the strongest evidence to support it (yes) is the correct answer. (You can have students count the clues)
Strategy- Character/sequence (time)
If the question states a specific time in the story. Example (before, after, first, end) for the character's feelings or attitude, use this strategy:
- Read the question.
- Locate the question time in the story or paragraph.
- Then read each answer choice. Ask: "Are there clues that prove this feeling or attitude was true at the time the question states?"
- If there is no evidence, write "no" and place an "X" after the choice.
- If there are clues, write "yes" and the paragraph number after the answer choice.
- The choice with clues is the answer.