Mini-Lesson

Asking Questions

Mini-Lesson: Grades 2-3

Objective: Students will ask questions-and search for answers-as they read.

1. Pass out the latest timeforkids.com news story. Read the headline and subhead. Encourage students to share questions these may have sparked. Explain that asking questions-and searching for answers-helps readers to stay focused and remember information from a story.

2. Demonstrate asking yourself questions based on the first paragraph of the article. For example: Bill Gates said that he wants to initiate a global movement to stop the tobacco epidemic. I wonder: Will the new anti-tobacco programs focus on any parts of the world in particular? What strategies will they use to stop people from smoking? I'm going to jot down these questions and look for answers as I read.

3. Encourage students to write down one of their own questions and then look for the answer as they read the rest of the article.

4. Have students share their questions and answers. Ask: Did anyone find answers to my questions? Did any of your questions have more than one answer?

Extend Learning: Teach students about saying no to cigarettes. Use the worksheets Smoking Can Hurt Your Body and Straight Talk. Then, have students make up skits in which they practice saying no to smoking.