43 Thematic Chapter Example: Learning about China
In this chapter, you are pretending to be in a class where you’re learning about China. You’ll be using the essential questions and strategies to complete several literacy tasks common in college classrooms.
Let’s begin!
Directions for this Chapter
- Use the Applicable Strategies to read the following two articles on China and listen to the lectures.
- Compare the ideas presented in each of the readings and the lectures. Evaluate the claims made by each author or lecturer.
- Write a Summary/Response Journal. Use at least three other sources in your response.
- Click on the link to the Textbook Chapter on China. Create a list of the most important vocabulary to study for a test. Take notes on the chapter to study for a test. (You won’t actually be taking a test in this chapter, but you will read and take notes as if you were going to be taking a test.)
Applicable Strategy: Evaluating Types of Reading Materials
There are three readings in this chapter. Using this strategy to describe the types of readings.
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Applicable Strategy: Asking Questions before Reading
Before you begin reading the two articles in this chapter, use the following strategies.
- What is my purpose for reading?
- What will I need to know when I finish?
- What will I be expected to do with the information, such as write a response, summarize, take a quiz, etc.?
- What is the topic of the material?
- What does the title suggest?
- What do the subheading, italics and summaries suggest?
- What do I already know?
- What do I already know about this topic or a related topic?
- Is this new topic a small part of a larger idea or issue that I have thought about before?
- How is the material organized?
- What is the general outline or framework of the material?
- Is the author listing reason, explaining a process, or comparing a trend?
- What will be my plan of attack?
- What parts of the textbook seem most important?
- Do I need to read everything with equal care?
- Can I skim some parts?
- Can I skip some sections completely?
- Turn the headings into questions so you have a plan for finding the main ideas.
- Make sure you have room to annotate for either finding vocabulary or developing a response.
Applicable Strategy: Reading Actively
As you read the two articles use the following strategies.
- Read to find the main ideas and support. Use your purpose to read actively.
- Find the answers to your questions.
- Find definitions for vocabulary.
- Make connections between the text and your experience, between parts of the text, and between the text and other lectures or text by annotating.
- Use headings and transition words to identify relationships in the text
Take a look back at now to read actively by annotating.
- Look for the big ideas such as the titles and headings.
- Write down the big idea of the article in your own words.
- Underline or highlight topic sentences.