Tips for Reading Science

Reading is like a muscle, if you don’t use it it weakens.

Reading tips Preview the section Read slowly Read illustrations Look for main ideas Understand before you continue Learn the vocabulary

Take notes in your notebook or Foldable Reread Relate new concepts to what you know Keep a positive attitude

Active Reading Strategies Be aware of whether you understand each statement or question When you do not understand, stop and reread Relate what you read to your prior knowledge

Active Reading Strategies Consider how new concepts fit with preceding concepts Predict what concepts might be presented next

How to Read Diagrams and Drawings Look at the whole graphic to get a general idea of its subject Read the caption to learn specifically what is shown Read each label and relate each labeled part to the other parts of the diagram

How to Read Instructions Look at the title or heading to identify the task Recall what you already know about the topic Identify the question that the task will answer

How to Read Instructions Completely read through the instructions to get a general idea of the task Read again, carefully examining any illustrations Check that the materials listed for the task are available

How to Read Instructions At each step in the instructions, pause to visualize what action you will take and what the outcome will likely be Mark any steps that seem difficult or unclear Predict the outcome of the lab or activity

How to Read Instructions If the task involves data collection, visualize what the data will look like