Lesson Plan
Reading Comprehension Strategies
Students will define reading comprehension and apply four key strategies—visualizing, summarizing, questioning, and making connections—to a grade-level text, demonstrating understanding through guided practice and an exit ticket.
Strong comprehension skills empower students to tackle complex texts across subjects, boosting critical thinking, retention, and confidence in both academic and real-world reading tasks.
Audience
7th Grade
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Introduce strategies, model think-alouds, guide paired practice, then assess understanding.
Prep
Teacher Preparation
10 minutes
- Review Reading Strategies Infographic and note talking points
- Print or display Comprehension Strategy Posters
- Make copies of Sample Text Passage: Excerpt from "The Giver" for each student
- Prepare enough Strategy Practice Worksheet for paired work
- Familiarize yourself with the four strategies: visualizing, summarizing, questioning, connecting
Step 1
Introduction
5 minutes
- Pose the question: What does it mean to truly understand what you read?
- Activate prior knowledge: ask students to recall a time they struggled with a text
- Share lesson objective and review the four strategies on the Reading Strategies Infographic
- Display the Comprehension Strategy Posters as visual anchors
Step 2
Modeling Strategies
10 minutes
- Project the first paragraph of the Sample Text Passage: Excerpt from "The Giver"
- Think aloud as you visualize key details and describe the mental image
- Summarize the paragraph in one or two sentences on the board
- Model generating a question about character motivation and making a personal connection
- Refer students to the matching summary, question, and connection examples on the posters
Step 3
Guided Practice
10 minutes
- Students partner up and read the next section of the Sample Text Passage: Excerpt from "The Giver"
- Each pair fills out the Strategy Practice Worksheet, applying all four strategies
- Circulate to prompt deeper thinking with guiding questions and check worksheet progress
- Encourage use of posters for definitions and examples
Step 4
Wrap-Up and Assessment
5 minutes
- Invite pairs to share one summary and one question or connection aloud
- Administer a quick exit ticket: write either a visualization description, a one-sentence summary, a comprehension question, or a text-to-self connection
- Collect exit tickets to assess individual understanding and plan follow-up support
Slide Deck
Crack the Code: Reading Mastery
7th Grade | Tier 1 Classroom | 30 Minutes
Welcome students and introduce today’s lesson. Explain that we will “Crack the Code” of reading mastery by exploring comprehension and strategies to boost understanding.
Lesson Objectives
• Define reading comprehension
• Identify four key strategies
• Apply strategies to a text passage
• Demonstrate understanding in an exit ticket
Read each objective aloud. Point to the Reading Strategies Infographic as you go through them.
What Is Reading Comprehension?
Reading comprehension is the ability to understand, interpret, and analyze text. It involves:
• Constructing meaning from words and sentences
• Making inferences and drawing conclusions
• Connecting ideas within and beyond the text
Ask: “What happens in your head when you read?” Then display definition and discuss.
The Four Strategies
Visualizing – Create mental images of the text
Summarizing – Condense main ideas into your own words
Questioning – Ask and answer questions about the text
Connecting – Relate the text to yourself, the world, or other works
Point to each poster on the wall or on screen as you describe. Encourage students to use these terms.
Strategy in Action
Excerpt (first paragraph):
“…[Insert first paragraph from ‘The Giver’ here]…”
Watch as I:
- Visualize key details
- Summarize main idea
- Generate a question
- Make a text-to-self connection
Project the first paragraph of Sample Text Passage: Excerpt from “The Giver”. Think aloud: describe your mental image, summarize in 1–2 sentences, pose a comprehension question, and make a personal connection.
Guided Practice
In pairs, read the next section of the excerpt. Use your Strategy Practice Worksheet to:
• Visualize key moments
• Write a one-sentence summary
• Formulate a comprehension question
• Make a text-to-self or text-to-world connection
Explain partner roles: one reads aloud, one records strategies on the worksheet. Circulate and prompt deeper thinking.
Exit Ticket
Choose one of the four strategies and write:
• A vivid mental image description, or
• A one-sentence summary, or
• A comprehension question, or
• A text-to-self connection
Collect exit tickets as students leave. Use responses to plan follow-up support.
Worksheet
Strategy Practice Worksheet
Read the next section of the Sample Text Passage: Excerpt from "The Giver". Then complete each strategy below using evidence from the text.
1. Visualizing
Describe the mental images or scenes you form while reading this passage. Be as vivid and detailed as possible.
2. Summarizing
Write a one-sentence summary of this section that captures its main idea or event.
3. Questioning
a. Pose a thoughtful question about the text’s content, characters, or events.
b. Provide a possible answer or explanation based on clues in the text.
4. Connecting
Make a connection between this passage and your own life (text-to-self), something in the world (text-to-world), or another text (text-to-text). Explain how and why it relates.
Reading
Sample Community Passage
In the heart of our Community, every morning begins exactly at six o’clock. A gentle chime echoes through the tidy streets, signaling neighbors to step outside. Rows of identical homes stand silent, their doors opening at the same moment. Residents exchange polite greetings before heading to their assigned tasks. There is a rule for everything: how to plant the gardens, how to repair broken tools, and even how to share stories at dusk. These rules were created long ago to keep order and ensure that everyone belongs.
At lunchtime, families gather in the central courtyard. The benches form a perfect circle, reminding everyone that each voice matters. When someone speaks, others listen quietly, nodding in agreement or politely raising their hands to offer suggestions. No one wanders off or starts new conversations; staying focused on the speaker is one of the most important rules. After the meal, children and elders work together to clean the tables, sweep the floor, and plant new seeds for the next harvest. By following these shared guidelines, the Community moves forward as one—a place where cooperation and respect grow side by side.
Reading
Reading Strategies Infographic
1. Visualizing
- Create vivid mental images of characters, settings, or events.
- Picture scenes like a movie: imagine colors, sounds, and movement.
- Ask yourself: What do I see? What details stand out?
2. Summarizing
- Condense the main ideas into your own words in 1–2 sentences.
- Answer the questions: Who? What? When? Where? Why?
- Keep it brief but complete: focus on key points.
3. Questioning
- Generate questions before, during, and after reading.
- Examples:
- Why did the character act this way?
- What might happen next?
- How does this part connect to the rest?
- Look back in the text to find answers.
4. Connecting
- Link the text to your own life, the world, or other texts.
- Text-to-Self: Does this remind me of something I’ve experienced?
- Text-to-World: How does this relate to current events or history?
- Text-to-Text: Have I read something similar?
Use these four strategies together to "crack the code" of any text. Happy reading!
Activity
Comprehension Strategy Posters
Visualizing 🎥
What It Means:
- Creating vivid “mental movies” of characters, settings, or events.
How to Do It:
- Picture the scene as if you’re watching a film: include colors, sounds, smells, and movements.
- Close your eyes for a moment and describe what you “see.”
Why It Helps:
- Makes details memorable
- Deepens immersion and understanding
Example:
“I imagine the courtyard’s stone benches glowing in the afternoon sun, and I can almost hear the gentle wind rustling the leaves.”
Summarizing ✂️
What It Means:
- Condensing large chunks of text into a clear, one- to two-sentence overview.
How to Do It:
- Answer Who? What? When? Where? Why?
- Use your own words—focus on main ideas, not every detail.
Why It Helps:
- Ensures you capture the core message
- Strengthens retention and clarity
Example:
"The Community starts each day at exactly six with a chime, and residents follow detailed rules to maintain harmony and shared responsibility."
Questioning ❓
What It Means:
- Generating and answering thoughtful questions about the text.
How to Do It:
- Ask before, during, and after reading: Why did this happen? What might come next? How does this connect?
- Look back in the text to find evidence for your answers.
Why It Helps:
- Drives deeper inquiry and critical thinking
- Uncovers hidden meanings and motives
Example:
“Why do you think every family member listens in silence before speaking? Could this rule prevent conflicts?”
Connecting 🔗
What It Means:
- Relating the text to yourself, the world, or other texts.
How to Do It:
- Text-to-Self: Does this remind you of something in your life?
- Text-to-World: How does this echo real-world events or issues?
- Text-to-Text: Have you read something with a similar theme?
Why It Helps:
- Builds personal relevance and engagement
- Links new learning to existing knowledge
Example:
"The Community’s circle gathering reminds me of our classroom discussions, where everyone’s voice matters and we listen respectfully."