Mini-Lesson

Asking Questions

Mini-Lesson: Grades 4-6

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

1. Pass out the latest timeforkids.com news story. Have students 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 their own questions and to underline the answers they find 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? Which questions were not answered in the article?

Extend Learning: Teach students about the dangerous chemicals found in cigarettes. Use the worksheet Smoke Alarm.