1. Reading Comprehension, Week 3
Content DR-TA, VSS, and Semantic Mapping

2. Content DR-TA: Pre-Reading
Ask students: How many of you are on Facebook? How often do you go on Facebook?
Who doesn’t use Facebook? Why? (Note reasons for why some students use Fbk and some do not.)
On ONE SHEET of paper shared by two students (pair them up), have students write down everything they know about Facebook.

3. Pre-Reading, Contd.
What do you know about the history of Facebook? Does anyone know who Mark Zuckerberg is?
Did you know there was a movie about Facebook’s beginnings made?
Show the Trailer to “The Social Network.”
Ask students: What’s this story about? Try to compile some facts from the trailer.
Mark Zuckerberg was a student at Harvard when he created Facebook
He was sued by other students who said he stole their idea, and by his best friend, who also accused him of stealing.
Watch the Today Show interview; ask, Do you believe them?
Watch the interview with Zuckerberg; ask, Do you believe him?

4. Six Facts about Facebook
NOW, again write down everything you’ve learned about Facebook from the videos.
Here are six more facts about Facebook (distribute the reading).
Have students read silently, and put a + next to everything they read that they wrote on the list.
Have students also write down what they learned that was new.

5. Summary Discussion What did you learn that was new?
What do you think of Facebook now that you’ve watched the videos and read about it?
Whose opinion has improved? Why?
Whose opinion has worsened? Why?

6. Vocabulary Self-Selection
Place students in groups of four.
Have each group reread the “Six Facts about Facebook” handout and select ONE word that is new to them and one alternate.
Each group should try to write its own definition of the word and then prepare a presentation in which they explain why they think that word is important.
Have the groups present; write the word and its definition on the board and discuss. Some groups will have the same word; ask those groups to add ideas about the word instead of fully present.

7. Semantic mapping
Either give students large sheets of paper and markers or on a regular sheet of paper, give each group of 4 one word and have them draw this map:
Word
Synonym
(Similar meaning)
Reminds me of
(Associations)
Antonym
(Opposite meaning)

8. An Example Prevaricate; prevarication
(To lie in a sneaky way; a lie told in a sneaky way)
Synonym
(half-truth; lie; misrepresentation)
Reminds me of
(legal cases; Bill Clinton)
Antonym
(the whole truth; all the facts)

9. Follow Up
Discuss each word, providing uses and discussing when and how the word could be used.
Record all students’ words and ideas for posting on Facebook site and class blog.