Reading Challenges

Getting kids to read informational text is always a challenge. Why not turn the challenge back on them? I have recently started writing a series of lessons that includes reading challenges – basically puzzles embedded into the readings that can only be solved with the key content of the informational text.  These reading challenges will keep students engaged as they solve a series of puzzles to complete a map with images and summaries.

 

So how do reading challenges work? First you need your “supplies” – informational text, a map, clip art, and puzzles.

You can use any type of informational text, even your textbook!

 

Use a map that will reinforce the content for your reading challenge. Place distractor numbers as well as the correct answers on your map.

 

You can find fun clip art on TPT and stock media sites.

Examine your reading and pull out the key ideas you want your students to understand and remember.  Create a series of puzzle-like questions for the reading.  For each puzzle, a number will be revealed that will indicate where to glue on a specific piece of clip art on a map.  They can include true / false questions where the correct answer will reveal a word:

Can you solve this puzzle? Circle the letters that are true and then unscramble the letters to reveal a word.

Or you can do puzzles that focus on specific Social Studies skills as well as content. With these, the answer choices reveal a specific letter, building up to unscrambling the letters to reveal a word.  The word is again a number directing where to glue the clip art.

This is actually my favorite type of puzzle. It allows you to focus on a variety of primary sources as well as key Social Studies skills.

 

Some of your puzzles can be multiple choice questions.

These are easy to make – you can just adapt questions you already have to the puzzle format.

 

Or you can use fill in the blank questions with a variety of answer choices.

Students unscramble the letters to reveal a word after they answer these questions.

 

 

Once the map is complete, add a layer of complexity by requiring students to find the best summaries to glue on their maps.

Students will have to read each summary to determine the best statement to glue on their map.

 

When students are finished with the reading challenges, their map should look something like this!

This is the final result of the reading challenge they turn into you!

You can find reading challenges in my new partnership with lead4ward here.

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