Before After Reading Activities Before Reading Building Academic Vocabulary and Background Knowledge Before reading a book it is important to tap into what your child or students already know about the topic This will help them develop their vocabulary increase their reading comprehension and make connections across the curriculum be about in the book’s chapters you might learn about it from this book Why or why not 1 Look at the cover of the book What will this book 2 What do you already know about the topic 3 Let’s study the Table of Contents What will you learn about 4 What would you like to learn about this topic Do you think 5 Use a reading journal to write about your knowledge of this 6 Read the book 7 8 After reading the book complete the activities below In your reading journal record what you learned about the topic and your response to the book topic Record what you already know about the topic and what you hope to learn about the topic Content Area Vocabulary Read the list What do these words mean fi brous roots nutrients primary root root cap root hairs root tip secondary roots seedling taproots After Reading Comprehension and Extension Activity After reading the book work on the following questions with your child or students in order to check their level of reading comprehension and content mastery 1 What are the main jobs that roots do for plants Summarize 2 Can plants survive without roots Infer 3 How are taproots different from fi brous roots Asking Questions 4 Would you like to eat any roots Which ones Text to Self Connection 5 What conditions do plants need for their roots to grow Asking Questions Extension Activity After reading the book grow your own plants from seeds In a sunny spot place four seeds in a container with soil Try to plant two seeds at each end of the container Add water to the soil until it is moist When the seedlings are about an inch 2 5 centimeters tall pull one seedling out from each end Look at their roots Continue to water the seedling at one end of the container labeled A but not at the other labeled B What happens to the plants
Plants Are All Around Us Picture a maple tree in a city park Or a patch of colorful fl owers in your backyard Plants are all around us Plants come in different colors shapes and sizes Giant redwood trees stand hundreds of feet tall But the watermeal plant is only the size of a candy sprinkle Whatever their size plants usually have the same main parts including roots a stem and leaves leaves stem roots 4
