University of North Carolina
Reading Aloud
Warning: reading your paper aloud may cause bystanders to think you're talking to yourself. However, as the 14th installment of 24 in the Writing the Paper series from UNC explains, it is one of the best strategies for revision. Through...
University of North Carolina
Reading to Write
Silly journal and essay prompts may be fun to write, but they don't model the kind of writing needed for college papers and standardized tests. The 15th part in a series of 24 covers the concept of reading to write—during and after...
University of North Carolina
Figures and Charts
Sometimes words aren't the best way to get information across to the reader. The eighth handout in the 24-part Writing the Paper series describes different type of figures and charts to display complex information in a paper....
University of North Carolina
Religious Studies
What is the difference between religion and religious studies? Readers find out after reading an online handout. It outlines common assignments in religious studies classes, such as critically evaluating religious texts and writing...
University of North Carolina
Poetry Explications
Explication may sound like a fancy word, but it's just a fancy way to say analysis. Using a handout on poetry explications, part of a larger series on specific writing assignments, writers learn how to break down and analyze a poem. The...
University of North Carolina
Literature (Fiction)
An informative installment of the Writing for Specific Fields series helps readers learn how to interpret and write about fiction. The website details nine easy steps for writing a literary analysis—a useful method for all readers!
American Museum of Natural History
The Milky Way Galaxy
Just how big is the galaxy? Learners read information about the size of the Milky Way galaxy to better comprehend its size. Pupils develop an understanding of the number of stars in the galaxy by finding just how big a billion is and...
University of North Carolina
Modals
If you could have any job in the world, what would it be? Modal verbs such as could and would express possibility, as the installment of a compilation of informational handouts describes. A series of tables help explain the strength,...
University of North Carolina
Abstracts
Some of the best information to include when writing a research paper doesn't come from books, magazine articles, or informational websites—it comes from dissertations. However, reading an entire dissertation is often a daunting task....
University of North Carolina
Passive Voice
Why was the road crossed by the chicken? Because the writer forgot to write in active voice. Many myths surround the use of passive voice. Thankfully, an informative handout explains how to recognize passive voice and when it's okay to...
Judicial Learning Center
The Ratification Debate
Most Americans profess their love for the US Constitution, but this was not always the case. An informative lesson overviews the debate between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists by summarizing the main arguments of each side. It...
PBS
Sherpas on Everest
Every successful climb of Mount Everest can be attributed to the assistance of the local Sherpas. A short, informative article explains the history behind the Sherpa's involvement in Mount Everest expeditions, the physiological reasons...
American Museum of Natural History
A Closer Look at Mars
A website looks at how we know so much about Mars—telescopes, robots, and spacecraft—and the search for martian life. Following the informational text are three questions that quiz pupils about possible life on Mars.
University of North Carolina
Summary: Using it Wisely
Sometimes summarizing keeps a writer from going deeper into their analysis—don't fall into that trap. Learn the difference between summarizing and analyzing using an insightful resource. Focusing on introductions, the lesson shares...
American Museum of Natural History
Trip Up Your Brain
Sometimes different parts of the brain disagree. See what this disagreement looks like using a remote learning resource to experience how brains often take shortcuts. Pupils complete the activity, observe their results, and then read...
University of North Carolina
Statistics
Let's see you back it up! As shown in the 18th handout in the Writing the Paper series of 24 lessons from UNC, statistics help form an effective argument. The handout discusses how to analyze a source and break down the data to ensure it...
American Museum of Natural History
The Tree of Life
Groups of species can have more in common than meets the eye. An interactive cladogram shows some of the connections between important groups of species. Learners click on sections of the diagram to learn more about the connections or on...
University of North Carolina
Application Essays
There's a lot riding on good writing! Often, an application essay is the difference between acceptance and rejection. As part of a series on specific writing assignments and contexts, a handout helps scholars craft the perfect personal...
Other
English Companion: Reading Expository Text
Taken from "Reading Reminders: Tools, Tips, and Techmiques," the information on this website provides advice on how to read, understand, analyze, and write expository texts.
BBC
Bbc: Ks2 Bitesize English: Reading
This site provides activities, games, tests, and worksheets in reading areas: deduction, dictionaries, poetry, and non-fiction.
Free Reading
Free Reading: Vocabulary Activities Find Activities
A fantastic reading skills site emphasizing vocabulary activities. This site contains 54 individual vocabulary activities to click on, and provides teaching tips as well. It is still in the building phase, and more activities, tips, and...
Palomar Community College District
Palomar College: Reading an Informational Text
Glenn Foss, an instructor at Palomar College, discusses some possible reasons why students have problems reading and recalling textbook material. Provides an outline for seven steps of effectively reading assigned material.
Curated OER
Mc Graw Hill: Part 2: Reading Informational Text: Ask and Answer Questions
Learn about questions to ask while reading a text on this site. Also, review where to look for the answers to the questions that you asked.
Other
Reading Quest: Strategies for Reading Comprehension: Power Thinking
Looking for an alternative to formal outline instruction? Power Thinking teaches the concept of outlining but on a somewhat simplified level. The site is good for basic note-taking from a text.