Viking voyagers: Navigating online content area reading
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=919
A lesson plan for grades 6–8 English Language Arts
In this lesson that focuses on Viking culture, students implement before-, during-, and after-reading strategies to support their comprehension while navigating websites and a Viking Quest. The teacher activates prior knowledge by asking students what they already know about the Vikings. After independently completing the pre-reading questionnaire, students work in groups to compare and discuss responses. Then, using the school computer lab, students research three websites, scanning them for information, and recording their information in a graphic organizer that will help them monitor their understanding of what they read, and keep track of the new information they have found. After the teacher models how to complete the inquiry chart using the online resources, students work in groups to search for information. Following the research session, the teacher engages students in discussion about the information they found. Then after completing the post-reading questionnaire, students discuss what they learned from the assignment. When students have finished the survey, they play “Viking Quest,” an online game that tests their knowledge of Viking facts. While playing the game, students assess the decisions they make based on their newly acquired knowledge. This lesson plan provides several options for extension activities and opportunities for reflection. Readwritethink provides a pre-and post-reading questionnaire, an inquiry chart, an assessment rubric, and links to helpful web resources.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
English Language Arts (2004)
Grade 6
- Goal 2: The learner will explore and analyze information from a variety of sources.
- Objective 2.01: Explore informational materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
- monitoring comprehension for understand of what is read, heard, and/or viewed.
- studying the characteristics of informational works.
- restating and summarizing information.
- determining the importance and accuracy of information.
- making connections between works, self and related topics/information.
- comparing and/or contrasting information.
- drawing inferences and/or conclusions.
- generating questions.
- Objective 2.01: Explore informational materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
Grade 7
- Goal 2: The learner will synthesize and use information from a variety of sources.
- Objective 2.01: Respond to informational materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
- monitoring comprehension for understanding of what is read, heard and/or viewed.
- analyzing the characteristics of informational works.
- summarizing information.
- determining the importance of information.
- making connections to related topics/information.
- drawing inferences and/or conclusions.
- generating questions.
- Objective 2.01: Respond to informational materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
Grade 8
- Goal 2: The learner will use and evaluate information from a variety of sources.
- Objective 2.01: Analyze and evaluate informational materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
- monitoring comprehension for understanding of what is read, heard and/or viewed.
- recognizing the characteristics of informational materials.
- summarizing information.
- determining the importance of information.
- making connections to related topics/information.
- drawing inferences.
- generating questions.
- extending ideas.
- Objective 2.01: Analyze and evaluate informational materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
