SkillsTutor
Reading
Classroom Guide
Table of Contents
Getting Started ............................................................................................................................................ 1
Basic Skills Lessons ............................................................................................................................ 2
Quizzes ..................................................................................................................................................2
Thinking Skills Lessons ........................................................................................................................2
Tests ......................................................................................................................................................3
Reproducible Worksheets ......................................................................................................................3
Basic Skills Lesson Summaries .................................................................................................................. 5
Vocabulary Building ..............................................................................................................................7
Word Knowledge ..................................................................................................................................8
Reading Comprehension........................................................................................................................9
Thinking Skills Lesson Summaries............................................................................................................11
About Thinking Skills..........................................................................................................................11
Lesson Content ....................................................................................................................................11
Lesson Summaries ..............................................................................................................................12
Thinking Skills Worksheets........................................................................................................................15
Assignment Sheet...................................................................................................................................... 23
© 2001 Achievement Technologies, Inc.
All rights reserved.
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Getting Started
This product is a comprehensive resource for diagnosing and remediating students’ basic
Reading skills.
The SkillsTutor management system (OTS) provides several important features:
•
Tests students’ skills, providing both pretests and posttests to make initial assessments and
gauge student progress
•
Makes assignments, based on students’ pretest results
•
Monitors student scores and completion of activities
•
Produces reports for individual students
•
Provides online documentation
This guide outlines the content and activities of Reading. Information on the management system (OTS) is provided under separate cover in the SkillsTutor User’s Guide.
6 1 6
Basic Skills Lessons
Each lesson begins with one or more screens that review a concept. Lessons continue with a
number of multiple-choice questions to reinforce the student’s understanding of the topic, as
illustrated below.
These instructions will help the student take full advantage of the features of SkillsTutor lessons:
•
Use the mouse to answer questions: click on the correct answer.
•
Click Hint for help in answering a question.
•
If a question is missed, the student will be told why the answer is wrong. The student
should read the response carefully, and try again. The student cannot move to the next question until the current question is answered correctly, so reading and answering carefully will
save time.
•
The student may review the instructional material at any time during the lesson by clicking
Review. After going through the review screens, the student returns to the question that was
being answered before the review. The student may return to the question before completing
the review by clicking Resume.
•
There may be times when the student needs to exit the program before completing an activity.
To end an activity, close the activity window.
•
When the student finishes answering all of the questions in an activity, a score is displayed.
The score, expressed as a percent, is the number of questions answered correctly out of all
the questions attempted.
Quizzes
Quizzes operate similarly to lessons. However, quizzes have no introductory instructional material, and they do not require you to answer each question correctly before moving to the next
question. Detailed feedback is provided for all questions.
Thinking Skills Lessons
Each Thinking Skills lesson begins with a scenario or story that presents a problem to solve.
This is the theme that is carried through the entire lesson, and the problem is solved as the
lesson progresses.
The opening scenario or story is followed by a discussion of the thinking skill needed to solve the
problem. Step-by-step instructions and examples for using the thinking skill are provided on screen.
The problem is solved through a series of questions which require the student to use the steps
6 2 6
involved in the thinking skill. Some of the questions have only one right answer. Other
questions have more than one correct answer.
For a question of this type, read carefully and select as many of the answers as seem appropriate. To select an answer, click the box next to it to place an X in the box. If a box is marked by
mistake, click again to remove the X. Click the Hint button for help in answering a question.
Click the Check button to see feedback for answers.
At the conclusion of the lesson, a summary screen highlights the thinking skill that was used
and the problem that was solved in the lesson. Then the score for the lesson is presented. The
score is based on points accumulated, rather than the number of questions answered.
Tests
SkillsTutor offers content-area pretests and posttests modeled on standardized tests. Pretests and
posttests have no introductory instructional material. Like the questions for quizzes, the test
questions are presented in multiple-choice format to give students practice in answering
standardized-test questions. After each test, students have the opportunity to review the questions they missed. Feedback is provided for each missed question.
Reproducible Worksheets
SkillsTutor contains reproducible worksheets for each Thinking Skills lesson. The worksheets
may be used to extend the computer activity or as a homework assignment. They are provided
in this documentation and may be printed from the online version of the documentation, or photocopied from the printed version.
6 3 6
6 4 6
Basic Skills
Lesson Summaries
Reading contains 45 lessons, 8 quizzes, and 6 tests in a hierarchical arrangement designed to
continually reinforce the concepts presented. On the following pages, there is a description and
example for each basic skills lesson. The lessons are arranged in the following content areas:
•
Vocabulary Building
•
Word Knowledge
•
Reading Comprehension
6 5 6
6 6 6
Basic Skills Lesson Summaries
Lesson
#
Lesson
Title
Lesson Description
Example
Reading: Vocabulary Building
2–2
1
Introduction to
Compound Words
Students learn methods for building and identifying compound words.
top + soil = topsoil
topsoil = The top layer of soil.
2
Compound Words II
Students divide words into component parts
and determine their meanings.
suit + case = suitcase
suitcase = clothes container
3
Introduction to Greek
Word Elements
Students use Greek origins to identify the
meanings of English words.
arch = chief or leader
archenemy = chief enemy
4
Greek Word Elements II
Students use a table of Greek elements to identify the meanings of English words.
phil = loving, soph = wisdom
philosopher = lover of wisdom
5
Greek Word Elements III
Students use a table of Greek elements to identify the meanings of English words.
biblio = book, phil = love
bibliophile = book lover
6
Identifying the Roots of Words
Students use Latin origins to identify the meanings of English words.
scrip = write
transcript = a written copy
7
Latin Roots
Representing Feeling
Students use a table of Latin roots that show
condition and feeling, to identify the meanings
of English words.
bene = good
benevolent = generous
8
Latin Roots
Representing Motion
Students use a table of Latin roots that represent motion, to identify the meanings of English
words.
mob = move
mobile = capable of moving
9
Identifying Prefixes
Students use definitions of prefixes to determine the meanings of words.
intro = into
introduce = lead into
10
Prefixes Showing Direction and
Relationship
Students use a table of prefixes showing direction and relationship, to determine the meanings of words.
ante = before
antecede = go before
11
Prefixes Indicating Number or
Quantity
Students use a table of prefixes that indicate
number or quantity, to determine the meanings
of words.
tri = three
trio = three players
12
Additional Prefixes
Students use a table of prefixes to determine
the meanings of words.
post = after
postpone = place after
13
Identifying Suffixes
Students review suffixes and the parts of
speech that the suffixes create, to determine
the meanings of words.
gardener
imitator
14
Suffixes That Form Nouns
Students identify suffixes that form nouns, and
determine the meanings of words with nounforming suffixes.
department
diversion
15
Suffixes That Form Adjectives
and Adverbs
Students identify suffixes that form adjectives
and adverbs, and determine the meanings of
words with adjective-forming and adverbforming suffixes.
helpful
finally
Basic Skills Lesson Summaries
Lesson
#
Lesson
Title
Lesson Description
Example
Reading: Word Knowledge
1
Introduction to Words
with Multiple Meanings
Students learn that a word may have one
meaning, or it may have several meanings.
They learn to figure out the meaning of a word
by looking at the words or sentences that surround the word.
“Guard” has several meanings:
1. shield (v)
2. watch (v)
3. take precautions (v)
4. person standing watch (n)
5. team position (n)
2
Words with
Multiple Meanings II
Students build on what they learned in the previous lesson. In most cases, the questions
show an uncommon definition for a commonly
used word.
“Bait” has several meanings:
1. food on a hook for fish (n)
2. to place food on a hook (v)
3. an enticement (n)
4. to lure (v)
5. to tease (v)
3
Introduction to Homonyms
Students learn that homonyms are words that
sound the same when spoken but have different meanings and, often, different spellings.
heal, heel
symbol, cymbal
great, grate
4
Homonyms II
Students are presented with three sentences
containing homonyms. They must select the
sentence with the homonym that matches a
given definition.
Which underlined word has the same
meaning as “made tired”?
The board covered the opening.
They bored through the wall.
The long speech bored me.
5
Introduction to Synonyms
Students learn that two words are synonyms if
they have the same meaning in a particular
phrase or sentence.
ignored, neglected
checked, blocked
6
Choosing Precise Synonyms
Students learn to use precise synonyms. In
some cases, two words have the same meaning. But, usually, there is a slight difference in
their meanings.
I have a big problem.
Several words can be used as synonyms
for “big” in the sentence above: tough, complex, major, irritating, overwhelming
7
Synonyms with
Similar Emotional Intensity
Students practice choosing synonyms with similar levels of emotional intensity.
The word “low” is most similar to
“depressed” in the phrase “feeling low.”
8
Connotative Meanings in
Synonyms
Students practice dealing with connotative
meanings of words.
The denotative meaning of “grab” is “take
quickly.” But the connotative or suggestive
meaning of “grab” is more than “take
quickly.” “Grab” connotes greed and rudeness. “Take quickly” does not.
9
Introduction to Antonyms
Students learn that antonyms are words with
opposite meanings.
“Fast” is an antonym for “slow,” and “up” is
an antonym for “down.”
10
Antonyms II
Students learn how careful attention to what
appear to be unimportant items can help them
find antonyms.
I will make the display.
1. destroy (verb)
2. destruction (noun)
“Make” is a verb, so the antonym must also
be a verb. The correct antonym for “make”
is “destroy.”
11
Introduction to Idioms
Students learn to interpret idioms. Idioms are
words, phrases, or sentences that mean something other than what they appear to mean.
It only happens once in a blue moon.
It's a secret, so keep it under your hat.
Hannah won the contest, and now she is
walking on air.
SkillsTutor
2–3
Lesson
#
Lesson
Title
Lesson Description
Example
12
Idioms II
Students review that idioms do not mean
exactly what they appear to mean. They
try to find a way to link each idiom to its meaning.
It's raining cats and dogs!
Mrs. Bjorek has a heart of gold.
Michael told a joke to break the ice.
13
Idioms III
Students review that idioms do not mean
exactly what they appear to mean. They are
taught to start their analyses by thinking of the
exact, or literal, translation of the words.
I couldn't keep a straight face.
David sent his sister on a wild-goose chase.
We had a bird's eye view at the stadium last
night.
Reading: Reading Comprehension
2–4
1
Identifying People, Places, and
Things
Students read passages and answer questions
about people, places, and things.
In this passage, which countries are listed
as having fish farming as an industry?
2
Identifying Events and
Sequences
Students read passages and answer questions
about events and sequences.
According to the passage, scientists in the
past thought __________.
3
Main Ideas
Students find the main idea of a paragraph or
story.
Which is the main idea in this paragraph?
South Americans are cultured. Craftsmen
create beautiful things. The culture of the
Incas was remarkable. The Inca Empire
was known as the Land of Four Quarters.
4
Causes and Effects
Students read passages and identify causeand-effect relationships.
I’m crying because I miss them.
I’m late; therefore, I must hurry.
5
Character Analysis
Students read passages and identify character
traits through explicit and implicit character
statements.
Explicit: Judy has a great desire to make an
“A” in all subjects.
Implicit: Jim tutors children who need help
in math. [Jim is a caring person.]
6
Author Bias/Viewpoint
Students read passages and identify techniques that show author bias/viewpoint, such as
emotionally laden language, omitting details,
and exaggeration.
Emotion: The boisterous mob of students
was bellowing.
Omission of Details: After John ate, there
was no food left.
Exaggeration: Everyone my age gets to
stay up late.
7
Techniques of Persuasion
Students read passages written to persuade
readers through techniques such as testimonials, appeals to join a group, and lofty purpose.
Testimonial: The national champion said,
“This product is the best!”
Appeal to Join: All the kids are voting for
Billy. Aren’t you?
Lofty Goal: Your contribution of just $10 a
week will feed a hungry child.
8
Similes and Metaphors
Students learn to identify similes (comparisons
of unlike things using “like” or “as”) and metaphors (comparisons by stating that one thing is
another).
Simile: She is as quiet as a mouse.
Metaphor: Tony is a fox.
9
Hyperbole and Personification
Students learn to recognize hyperbole (obvious
exaggeration) and personification (language
which attributes human characteristics to ideas,
animals, and other things which are not
human).
Hyperbole: The ice cream cone was a mile
high.
Personification: The wind whispered softly.
Basic Skills Lesson Summaries
6 10 6
Thinking Skills
Lesson Summaries
About Thinking Skills
To complement the efforts of teachers and programs focused on incorporating thinking skills (or
skills labeled as “higher order thinking,” “critical thinking,” “creative thinking,” “reasoning,” or
“problem-solving”), Reading includes thinking skills lessons as an integral part of its instruction. Each Thinking Skills lesson provides students with direct instruction in a specific thinking
skill. Several different thinking skills are addressed and are repeated across different content
areas. The lessons instruct students in a step-by-step thinking process they can use each time
they are faced with a problem that requires them to use that thinking skill. We have chosen to
group the Reading thinking skills in two broad categories:
1. Extending Knowledge
Analogies
Classification
2. Drawing Conclusions
Abstracting
Prediction
Deduction
Error Analysis
Lesson Content
Each lesson begins by placing one of the thinking skills in the context of a problem or scenario
that ties the lesson together. After instruction in the thinking skill, students answer questions
related to the opening scenario that combine the targeted thinking skill as well as basic skills
learned in previous lessons. By the end of each lesson, students have practiced basic skills content and a thinking skill while solving a “real life” problem.
As you introduce your students to these lessons, you might find it helpful to point out the following features:
1. After the title screen, a problem or scenario is presented. This is the theme of the entire lesson and is solved as the lesson progresses.
2. The opening problem is followed by direct instruction in a specific thinking skill. A step-bystep process is presented to help students focus on the thinking skill that will be used to
respond to the opening problem. If students wish to reread any part of the scenario or steps,
they can return to these screens from any of the questions by selecting Review.
3. A set of questions walks the students through the steps of the thinking process introduced in
6 11 6
the instruction. Through this sequence of questions, students apply their basic skills knowledge to solve the opening problem. Unlike the rest of the SkillsTutor lessons, many of the
questions in these lessons have more than one correct response to a multiple-choice question. Students should read carefully and mark as many of the boxes as seem appropriate to
answer each question.
4. At the conclusion of the questions, a summary screen highlights again the thinking skill that
was used and the problem that was solved in the lesson. Students then see their score for the
lesson, based on points accumulated rather than just the number of questions answered. This
scoring procedure tallies a point for each correct response given to a single question.
Lesson Summaries
On the following pages you will find a lesson summary and strategy or example for each of the
Reading Thinking Skills lessons. For teachers who want to focus on a particular thinking skill
with one or more students, this chart makes it easy to locate related lessons. Group discussion is
always encouraged as a means of improving metacognition, or getting students to think about
their thinking processes.
You will find a reproducible worksheet for each Thinking Skills lesson. The worksheet may be
used by students at the completion of the computer lesson or as a homework assignment. Each
worksheet concludes with a “Write Idea” which is a suggested writing activity that should help
students think through the process learned in the lesson and apply it to a new situation. Answer
keys are not provided for the worksheets since many of the activities are open-ended and do not
lend themselves to single “correct” answers. Encourage students to verbalize the thinking
processes they use on these worksheet questions. You might also have students discuss their
worksheet answers in small groups and correct each other’s papers.
6 12 6
Topic
Lesson Title
Lesson Summary
Analogies
Students compare relationships between pairs of terms.
Word Knowledge
Decoding a Message
Students use analogies to identify the
missing words in a secret message. The
analogies use homonyms ad words with
multiple meanings.
Example/Strategy
Students solve incomplete
analogies focusing on homonyms
and words with multiple
meanings.
“Let’s meet tomorrow.”
Race : horse :: meet : track star
“Meet me at the fair.”
Evil : wicked :: just : fair
Decoding a Note for
a Child
Students decode a message using clues in
the form of analogies. The analogies use
synonyms, antonyms, homonyms, and
idioms.
Students solve incomplete
analogies, such as the one below,
focused on antonyms.
“I love your new 10-speed bike.”
Fragile : sturdy :: hate : love
Classification
Students determine the attributes of items and then group them into categories according to these
attributes.
Vocabulary
Building
Helping Jake with
Vocabulary
Students help a friend who is having
trouble reading long words. They use
classification to determine the meanings of
words.
Students look for common
elements such as Greek origins to
classify words.
Word Knowledge
Choosing the Right
Word
Students revise a mystery story by
identifying effective synonyms for words
in the story.
Students learn how classification
can help organize synonyms in
lists.
Abstracting
Students determine the general pattern underlying some information and then they apply that pattern to a
new situation.
Vocabulary
Building
Teaching a Friend
Vocabulary
Deduction
Students analyze logical arguments or syllogisms. From generalizations, they infer unstated conditions
or consequences.
Vocabulary
Building
Lost in Space
Students use the abstracting process to
help a friend learn new vocabulary words.
Students analyze the parts of a logical
argument to identify which crew member
is the captain of a spaceship.
Students apply their
understanding of prefixes and
suffixes to new vocabulary words.
Students analyze arguments to
practice their deduction skills.
Premise 1: All four-legged
creatures are mammals.
Premise 2: All cows are fourlegged creatures.
Conclusion: Therefore, all cows
are mammals.
Prediction
Students determine patterns in known information and apply those patterns to predict what might happen
in a new situation.
Reading
Comprehension
Predicting a Person’s
Future
Error Analysis
Students identify errors in reasoning in stated information and determine how this information is
misleading. They gather facts to formulate a response.
Reading
Comprehension
The J.P. Flowers
Case
Students make predictions about an
employee’s actions and behaviors based
on information from a reading passage.
Students assume the role of a jury member
and analyze how to find errors in
witnesses’ statements that are a result of
unproven facts, opinion, bias, and faulty
logic.
Students use a chart to add up the
facts and then make predictions
based on their conclusions.
Students scrutinize the testimony
of witnesses to isolate fact from
opinion, bias, unproven facts, and
errors in logic.
6 14 6
Name:
Date:
Vocabulary Building: Thinking Skills Lesson 1
Student Activity
Classification: Helping Jake with Vocabulary
STEPS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Identify the items you want to classify.
Look for common elements, and group items that
are alike.
State the rule that determines membership in the
group.
Place items in the group. If necessary, repeat steps 2
and 3 to form new groups until all items are
classified.
Here is the problem that appeared in the lesson:
Your friend Jake likes school, but he has been having trouble understanding big and unusual words. You
helped Jake break down these words. Using classification, you grouped words together that had similar
parts. This helped Jake figure out the meanings of these unusual words.
Directions: Find words that have Greek elements. Pair words together whose Greek elements are
opposite in meaning. Try to come up with as many pairs as you can. Some examples of Greek elements
are hyper, hypo, micro, and tele.
Here are some words to start your list:
Opposites
microscope -- telescope
microphone -- telephone
hypothermia -- hyperthermia
Write Idea: Write a paragraph about appliances or electronics that you have in your home. Try to use at
least five Greek or Latin word elements or compound words in the paragraph. Write a definition for each
compound word and words containing Greek or Latin elements.
Portions of this product are based on materials copyrighted by Mattel, Inc.
Vocabulary Building Lessons 1-5
Name:
Date:
Vocabulary Building: Thinking Skills Lesson 2
Student Activity
Deduction: Lost in Space
STEPS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Find the premises and the conclusion of the
argument.
Find the key words in each premise.
Determine what is claimed by each premise.
See if the conclusion follows logically from the
premises.
Here is the problem that appeared in the lesson:
A Boolean spaceship has been found adrift in space. One of the four crew members is the captain. You
don't know which one. You use deduction to discover which crew member is the captain.
Directions: Use the same steps you used in the lesson to determine the validity of the three arguments
listed below. Review the steps at the top of this page before beginning.
Argument 1: Some food additives should be illegal. Some food additives are dangerous to
human health. All substances dangerous to human health should be illegal.
Argument 2: All cheese cakes are high in fat. Some things that are high in fat are sweet.
Therefore, all cheese cakes are sweet.
Argument 3: Some insects are bees. Therefore, some insects can sting, since all bees can
sting.
Write Idea: Select an editorial from your local newspaper. Identify the premises and the conclusions to
one or two of the arguments you find. Write a paragraph explaining why you think the argument is valid
or invalid.
Portions of this product are based on materials copyrighted by Mattel, Inc.
Vocabulary Building Lessons 6-10
Name:
Date:
Vocabulary Building: Thinking Skills Lesson 3
Student Activity
Abstracting: Teaching a Friend Vocabulary
STEPS:
1.
2.
3.
Identify a situation and see what information is
important in the situation.
Write a general statement to describe the basic
information.
Apply the general information to a new situation.
Here is the problem that appeared in the lesson:
At your job in a pet store you have met a girl named Sung. She and her family have just moved to your
town from South Korea. You and Sung practice improving her vocabulary as you work in the store.
Directions: You look at the pet product containers to find words with the prefixes and suffixes you have
been studying. You find the following phrases and underline the words you will review.
“antidote for poison”
“triple strength”
“downy duckling”
“unscented flea powder”
“new and more flavorful”
1.
Identify the prefix or suffix in each underlined word.
Example: “anti”
2.
Write out the meaning for each prefix or suffix.
Example: “Anti” is a prefix that means against.
3.
Give another word that uses the prefix or suffix and suggest its meaning.
Example: “antifreeze” -- a fluid that prevents (or works against) freezing
Write Idea: Clip a picture from a magazine. Using steps 1 and 2 of the abstracting process, write a
paragraph describing the picture. Using Step 3, write a second paragraph describing a new situation. Use
words with prefixes and suffixes in your paragraphs.
Example: Picture of a child playing in the mud.
First paragraph: This little girl is overloaded with mud. Her situation is really extraordinary. There
doesn't seem to be a workable solution to this frightful predicament.
Second paragraph describes a similar situation.
Portions of this product are based on materials copyrighted by Mattel, Inc.
Vocabulary Building Lessons 11-15
Name:
Date:
Word Knowledge: Thinking Skills Lesson 1
Student Activity
Analogies: Decoding a Message
STEPS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Read the analogy out loud using the words “is
to” and “just as.”
Determine the relationship in the complete pair of
words.
Apply the relationship from the first pair of words
to the second pair.
Pick the word that completes the relationship for
the second pair.
Here is Leroy’s message and the analogies that served as clues in the lesson:
Analogies:
race : horse :: meet : track star
Let’s meet tomorrow. Meet me at the fair. I
will see you at dawn. Let’s watch my
friends get ready for the big contest. They
will show off their ability to skate. We will
be able to see the kids descend a huge
tunnel. We will not see the contest. We will
see them practice. I can’t wait to get there.
evil : wicked :: just : fair
small : large :: dusk : dawn
movie : watch :: concert : listen
track : run :: rink : skate
river : bridge :: mountain : tunnel
study : test :: practice : game
here : near :: there : far
Directions: You write the following message back to Leroy. You are going to leave out the words in bold
type. Write analogies that will provide clues to the words in bold type.
I will take you to the annual fair. We will
not go as dawn is breaking. I will contact
you about the time. We can take a lunch of
sandwiches and pears. We will have fun.
Analogies:
Example: First, think of a word or phrase with a
relationship to “annual,” such as its definition
“once a year.” Next, think of a word pair with
the same relationship. You choose the definition
“once a week” and the word “weekly.” These
two pairs form your first analogy.
1.
once a week : weekly :: once a year : annual
2.
_______________________________________
3.
_______________________________________
4.
_______________________________________
5.
_______________________________________
Write Idea: Write a secret message to a friend using Leroy’s message as a model. Write at least five
sentences with missing words. Use analogies as clues to the missing words. Share your coded message
with a classmate.
Portions of this product are based on materials copyrighted by Mattel, Inc.
Word Knowledge Lessons 1-4
Name:
Date:
Word Knowledge: Thinking Skills Lesson 2
Student Activity
Classification: Choosing the Right Word
STEPS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Identify the items you want to classify.
Look for common elements, and group items that
are alike.
State the rule that determines membership in the
group.
Place items in the group. If necessary, repeat steps
2 and 3 to form new groups until all items are
classified.
Here is the problem that appeared in the lesson:
You and your friend Pat wrote a short story for a contest for writers. You were very pleased with the plot,
but you felt something was missing. You realized that some words could be replaced by a better word in
order to create the mood you wanted.
You and Pat used classification to create lists of words to replace some of the words in your story. You
had to make sure that the words in your lists had the same meaning and were the same part of speech.
These are called synonyms. After making your lists, you decided which synonyms you wanted to use.
Directions: Another way to classify words is by their opposites. By using opposite word meanings, or
antonyms, you will completely change the meaning of your writing. This may or may not change the
mood. Rewrite the following paragraph by choosing the antonymns for the words in bold. The new words
should be opposite in meaning and create excitement and suspense.
It was a moonlit night. The thief stood in the open near the tiny tree as he began to
study the house. The windows were open. It would be easy to enter the house through
the windows. The thief had a delightful smile on his face as he thought about all the
loot. Slowly he used a razor blade on one of the windows. Two small night lights
were turned on and bells began to chime. Then two police cars leisurely pulled in
front of the house. The thief sat down and waited to be greeted.
Write Idea: Cut out an article from a newspaper. Identify several synonyms for each of ten words in the
article. Choose a specific mood that you want to create. Rewrite the article, using the synonyms that will
create the feeling you want. Share the revised article with two classmates and see if they can guess the
mood you were trying to create.
Portions of this product are based on materials copyrighted by Mattel, Inc.
Word Knowledge Lessons 5-8
Name:
Date:
Word Knowledge: Thinking Skills Lesson 3
Student Activity
Analogies: Decoding a Note for a Child
STEPS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Read the analogy out loud using the words “is to”
and “just as.”
Determine the relationship in the complete pair of
words.
Apply the relationship from the first pair of words to
the second pair.
Pick the word that completes the relationship for the
second pair.
Here is Rita’s message and the analogies that served as clues in the lesson:
I noticed the present your parents bought you. I love your new 10-speed bike. It has a
great finish that makes it look like a million bucks. I would give my right arm to
have one like it. I hope you will permit me to ride it when I visit you. It is
impressive.
destroyed : created :: ignored : noticed
fragile : sturdy :: hate : love
hair : hare :: grate : great
stuck : up a tree :: attractive : look like a million bucks
get your goat : upset you :: give my right arm : be willing to try anything
trail : follow :: allow : permit
incomplete : complete :: unimpressive : impressive
Directions: The following note is so full of idioms that Rita can’t understand it. Write some analogies
that will give clues about the meaning of the idioms in bold type.
You really hit the nail on the head when you said Pete stole the show at the game
Saturday. He was on cloud nine when he hit that homerun. It really gave his team the
upper hand. It was a month of Sundays before they finally won the game. By the
end, we were all bushed.
For example:
made a mistake : hit the nail on the head :: small : large
Write Idea: Choose one of the idioms in the message above and answer the following questions. What
does it mean? How do you think it became a common saying? Write a short story about the origin of the
idiom.
Portions of this product are based on materials copyrighted by Mattel, Inc.
Word Knowledge Lessons 9-13
Name:
Date:
Reading Comprehension: Thinking Skills Lesson 1
Student Activity
Prediction: Predicting a Person’s Future
STEPS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Identify the facts that you know.
Look for patterns in the information.
Make a general statement that explains the
patterns you have observed.
Based on your conclusions, predict what might
happen in a new situation.
Make more observations to see if you predicted
correctly.
Here is the reading passage and the prediction
chart about Shantel that appeared in the
lesson:
You supervise a part-time employee named Shantel
James. She often completes her work early. She has
asked if she can help with any additional tasks. Before
assigning her new tasks, think about what Shantel
might like to do.
Shantel is a nursing student. She likes her job
because it allows her to study regularly. It also leaves
her time to volunteer at a nearby hospital.
From her job application, you also know that Shantel
likes exploring caves, reading mystery novels, and
traveling to new places. You also have noticed her
reading medical journals during her breaks.
Directions: Use this additional information
about Shantel to complete another prediction
chart. Add up the facts in the prediction chart
below. Write a conclusion and prediction about
Shantel’s eating style.
During the next two weeks, you observe that Shantel
brings very interesting lunches to work. Her lunches
have unusual combinations of vegetables and fruits.
She tells you that she loves to take cooking lessons.
Her favorite lessons involve vegetarian meals. Last
Thursday, you noticed that Shantel had a vegetarian
cookbook.
Facts:
Predictions About Shantel
Facts:
Conclusion:
Prediction:
1. She is studying to be a nurse.
2. She volunteers at a hospital.
+ 3. She reads medical journals.
___________________________________
Shantel is interested in the medical
profession.
Shantel will enjoy tasks that include her
interest in the medical profession.
Conclusion:
1.
2.
+ 3.
___________________________________
_______________________________
______________________________________________
Prediction:
What would Shantel eat at a restaurant?
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Write Idea: Choose a favorite character from a story or a famous person from history. Prepare prediction
charts to draw three or more conclusions about the person. Based on that information, predict three things
the person would do if he or she won $1,000,000. Explain your predictions.
Portions of this product are based on materials copyrighted by Mattel, Inc.
Reading Comprehension Lessons 1-5
6 20 6
Assignment Sheet
This appendix contains an assignment sheet for all the activities in Reading. The assignment
sheet lists the available lessons and tests. The SkillsTutor management system will track the lessons and tests your students complete. However, it may be helpful to photocopy an assignment
sheet to help you plan lesson assignments or to help your students keep track of the lessons and
tests they complete.
6 21 6
Assignment Sheets: Reading Series
Activity
Date Assigned
Vocabulary Building
•
Pretest on Vocabulary Building
1
Introduction to Compound Words
2
Compound Words II
3
Introduction to Greek Word Elements
4
Greek Word Elements II
5
Greek Word Element III
Q1
Quiz on Lessons 1 through 5
TS
Classification: Helping Jake with Vocabulary
6
Identifying the Roots of Words
7
Latin Roots Representing Feelings
8
Latin Roots Representing Motion
9
Identifying Prefixes
10
Prefixes Showing Direction and Relationship
Q2
Quiz on Lessons 6 through 10
TS
Deduction: Lost in Space
11
Prefixes Indicating Numbers or Quantity
12
Additional Prefixes
13
Identifying Suffixes
14
Suffixes That Form Nouns
15
Suffixes That Form Adjectives and Adverbs
Q3
Quiz on Lessons 11 through 15
TS
Abstracting: Teaching a Friend Vocabulary
•
Posttest on Vo c a b u l a ryBuilding
Date Completed
Score/Progress
Assignment Sheets: Reading Series
Activity
Date Assigned
Word Knowledge
•
Pretest on Word Knowledge
1
Introduction to Words with Multiple Meanings
2
Words with Multiple Meanings II
3
Introduction to Homonyms
4
Homonyms II
Q1
Quiz on Lessons 1 through 4
TS
Analogies: Decoding a Message
5
Introduction to Synonyms
6
Choosing Precise Synonyms
7
Synonyms with Similar Emotional Intensity
8
Connotative Meanings in Synonyms
Q2
Quiz on Lessons 5 through 8
TS
Classification: Choosing The Right Word
9
Introduction To Antonyms
10
Antonyms II
11
Introduction to Idioms
12
Idioms II
13
Idioms III
Q3
Quiz on Lessons 9 through 13
TS
Analogies: Decoding a Note for a Child
•
Posttest on Word Knowledge
Date Completed
Score/Progress
Assignment Sheets: Reading Series
Activity
Date Assigned
Reading Comprehension
•
Pretest on Reading Comprehension
1
Identifying People, Places, and Things
2
Identifying Events and Sequences
3
Main Ideas
4
Causes and Effects
5
Character Analysis
Q1
Quiz on Lessons 1 through 5
TS
Prediction: Predicting a Person’s Future
6
Author Bias/Viewpoint
7
Techniques of Persuasion
8
Similes and Metaphors
9
Hyperbole and Personification
Q2
Quiz on Lessons 6 through 9
TS
Error Analysis: The J.P. Flowers Case
•
Posttest on Reading Comprehension
Date Completed
Score/Progress