1. Descriptive Organizer/Main Idea
Topic
Details
Reading SSA Comprehension
Main Idea Sentence

2. Observation Graphic Organizer
Who?
Why?
EVENT
When?
How?
Where?
What?
SSA – comprehension (textbook)
In Conclusion…

3. The Basic Steps of SQ3R SURVEY
This pre-reading activity activates prior knowledge about the topic. It teaches you to look over the entire reading assignment before reading it carefully. Students first survey the text for the following elements:
Titles, Subtitles, Headings, Table of Contents, Introduction, Summary, Pictures, Captions, Marginal Notes, Questions at the end of the selection, Unknown vocabulary
READ
As you read, relate the selection to what you already know, correct any misconceptions about the topic, and find information to answer your questions.
RECITE
After reading the selection, answer your questions to assess what you remember and understand. This process might include:
Self-Talk, Class Discussions, Outlining/Note Taking, Underlining/Highlighting answers in text.
SSA comprehension
QUESTION
Questions help you focus on significant points and monitor their reading. You should generate questions about your topic before you read by turning headings and subheadings into questions.
For example, if the title of the selection is “Events that Led to World War II” readings might ask, “What events led to WWII?”
REVIEW
You can go back over the reading to build retention for a longer period of time. This also provides an opportunity for you to clarify, expand upon, or learn more about the questions you answered unsatisfactorily.

4. Talk to the Text
What is the STRUCTURE? What is the CONTEXT? What is the AUTHOR’S PURPOSE? What are YOUR QUESTIONS? What are YOUR REACTIONS? What are YOUR CONNECTIONS?
SSA – comprehension?

5. How to be a good reader
Preview – Look at the cover and title, look at some of the pictures and read some of the text.
Question – Ask who, what, when, where, why, and how; determine if what you’ve read makes sense.
Predict – Wonder about what will happen next; make guesses and read ahead to find out if your predictions are correct.
Infer – Imagine the details; use what you’ve read to understand what the author means.
Connect – relate what you’ve read to what you know and to your thoughts and feelings; compare what you’ve read to other texts and the world around you.
Summarize – Organize and connect the details; draw your own conclusions.
Evaluate – Think about what you’ve read. What did you learn? Was it important to you? Why or why not? Did you like it? Why or why not?
SSA Comprehension? Historiography?

6. Analyzing a Secondary Source
Title of Document:___________________________________
Author
Title/Date
Topic
(i.e. The Civil War, The Great Depression, etc.)
Question
(What question does the document try to answer?)
Thesis
(What is the author’s answer to the question being asked?)
Reasons
(What specific details does the author use to prove his/her thesis? What evidence/sources did they use/reference?)
Evaluation
(Do you think the author proved his or her thesis? What was strong? What was weak? Explain.)

7. Creating a Cause and Effect Timeline
Historical Event or Development: _______________________
Creating a Cause and Effect Timeline
Year(s)
Event/
Development
Description
Results of the event/
development
Effect on Theme of _______

8. Identifying Continuity and Change over time In reference tot a historical time period, identify three things in history that changed during the time period and three things that did not change. In reference to a single date, identify three things that changed after the date and three that did not change from before to after the date. Time Period or Date:______________________________
Three Things that Changed
Three Things that Did Not Change

9. Identifying Two Elements of Contextualization
First Element – placing individual historical events or documents within their specific circumstances of time, place, and occasion
Second Element – make a connection between historical events and documents that can place them into a broader regional, national, or global theme.
Event/Document #1:_______________ Time: Place: Occasion: Event/Document #2:_______________ Event/Document #3:_______________
Historical Event or Document:______________ Explain how the event and document listed above connects to a broader historical theme. ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________

10. 3, 2, 1…Asking Questions and Making Inferences (source analysis tool)
Title of Document:___________________________________
What information in the document catches your attention? List all that you can…
What question of curiosity are sparked by the document? List all that you can…
What inferences or conclusions can be drawn from the document? List the main ones that come to mind…
What evidence do you find in the document to support your inferences or conclusions? Be specific…

11. Contradiction, Corroboration, and Qualification
The following will help you to answer the questions
Do the documents reveal any contradictions in the historical argument you are making?
Do the documents support or corroborate the historical argument you are making?
Are the document reliable in supporting or qualifying your historical argument?
Which documents had similar points of view? How so?
Which documents had different points of view? How so?
Which kinds of arguments do the documents support and in what way?
Which documents seem to support each other? How so?
Which documents seem to contradict each other? How so?
Which are the most reliable sources? Why?
Which documents have the greatest limitations? How so?