Grades 6–8 Reading Activities

The first step in understanding what we read is to make sure we are straight about the facts. Sometimes just understanding the basic facts or following the events in a story’s plot can be challenging, particularly when there are many details.

Every day we come across written materials such as newspapers, recipes, street signs, advertisements, and magazines that provide opportunities for exploring stated information. When you and your child encounter these materials, ask him about some of their details. For example, when looking at a recipe together, ask your child to read each ingredient and help you make sure that you are clear about what it is, how much you need, and whether you need to prepare it in a particular way (chopped, diced, sifted).

	Newspaper articles (news stories may work best)

Help your child understand stated information by using the 5 W’s. Just as reporters open articles with the 5 W’s — who is involved, what happened, when the event occurred, where it took place, and why it happened — so too might your child use the 5 W’s to locate and list important information in what she reads.

Work on this strategy by reading articles in the newspaper together and asking your child to summarize using the 5 W’s. For example:

	Who? Michael Jordan.

	What? He sank the winning three-pointer.

	When? February 4.

	Where? Seattle, Washington.

	Why? He was able to slip past the defender.

You might make the 5 W’s a part of family conversations. For example, after a family member tells a story about her day, have your child list the 5 W’s of the story. Problem-solving at home presents another opportunity for using the 5 W’s. The next time your child has a disagreement with her younger sister, ask her to explain the situation by using the 5 W’s. Outlining the 5 W’s in such a heated moment might let everyone step back and consider each other’s version of what happened.

While the 5 W’s give readers a strategy for finding essential information, other tactics can be used to ensure that your child understands the basics of what she reads. Help your child understand what she reads by asking her questions about it. For example, ask your child to describe the most important things that happened in a story. Call attention to important descriptive words by showing her how much adjectives can tell us: the tall man, the intelligent woman, the mischievous dog. Follow up by asking, “What kind of a dog was it?” “What does it mean to be mischievous?” “How would a mischievous dog behave?”

 Grades 6–8 Reading Activities