• Practice for every day of the school year • Help students prepare for standardized testing

good way to make sure we understand what we read is to stop after each paragraph and think 
about what the paragraph is mostly about. Have students read the passage. When students have 
finished, direct them to complete the skill practice activity. Review the answers together. For the 
strategy practice activity, pair students or complete it as a group.
DAY
2
Remind students that the main idea is what a passage is mostly about and that important details 
support the main idea. Then remind students of the 
Determine Important Information 
strategy, 
which was taught during Week 4. Say: When you read something, think about what you would tell 
another person about what you read. You would be likely to tell that person the most important 
parts, or details. Write 
I went to the zoo 
on the board. Then say: If I told you that I went to the zoo, 
would it be better for me to tell you about the animals I saw or what I wore? (the animals you saw) 
Telling you about the animals I saw is an important detail of the main idea. Read the instructions 
at the top of the page aloud. Then have students read the passage. When students have finished, 
direct them to complete the skill practice activity. Review the answers together. For the strategy 
practice activity, pair students or complete it as a group.
DAY
3
Explain to students that when they use the 
Sequence 
skill, they find the order of events or steps in a 
process. Brainstorm with students some things that rely on sequence to make sense (recipes; how-to 
projects; timelines; etc.). Read the instructions at the top of the page aloud. Then have students read 
the passage. When students have finished, remind them of the 
Monitor Comprehension 
strategy. Say: 
A good way to monitor your comprehension is to write notes on the page. Read the instructions 
for the strategy practice activity aloud and decide as a group which sentences should be numbered. 
Then direct students to complete the skill practice activity. Review the answers together.