- The Primary Comprehension Toolkit
- The Comprehension Toolkit: Grades 3–6
- Comprehension Intervention: Grades K–2
- Comprehension Intervention: Grades 3–6
- Toolkit Texts: Grades PreK–1
- Toolkit Texts: Grades 2–3
- Toolkit Texts: Grades 4–5
- Toolkit Texts: Grades 6–7
Strategy Book
- Lesson 8: View and Read to Learn and Wonder: Use images and words to gain understanding
- Lesson 14: Make Sense of New Information: Infer from features, pictures, and words
- Introduction
- Teaching Comprehension with the Primary Toolkit
- The Primary Toolkit and your reading program
- Teaching and Assessing with the Primary Toolkit
- Science and Social Studies instruction with the Primary Toolkit
Strategy Book
- Lesson 1: Follow Your Inner Conversation (from Strategy Cluster 1: Monitor Comprehension)
- Lesson 4: Follow the Text Signposts (from Strategy Cluster 2: Activate and Connect)
The Adobe Flash Player is required to view the following samples, click here to download it. Speakers recommended.
- View a Lesson Walkthrough narrated by Steph and Anne
- View an Excerpt from the Active Literacy Classroom
- Contents and Introduction
- Sample Text – "Insects and Arachnids"
- Sample Text – "Ants Can"
- Sample Text – "Our Garden Helpers"
Learn about the differences between insects and arachnids through clear explanations, labeled photographs, and a comparison chart. A follow-up page challenges children to identify various bugs.
This rhythmic poem describes what leafcutter ants can—and can’t—do.
Meet the wet and wiggly worm and learn why it makes our garden grow. Cross-section diagrams of a worm and worm tunnels depict this garden helper and its world.
- Contents and Overview of Texts
- Correlation Chart to Strategies from The Comprehension Toolkit
- Sample Text — "Animal Ears: Adaptations for Hearing"
Ears vary greatly in size, shape, and ability, and have a range of uses including finding food, beating the heat, and warning of danger. - Sample Text — "Riding the Rails"
Close-up photographs with labels and sharp detail illustrate this informative article on trains. The factual captions and small chunks of information are as exciting as the pictures. - Sample Text — "Flying High"
Learn about how the Japanese celebrate Children's Day, the holiday honoring kids.
- Contents and Overview of Texts
- Correlation Chart to Strategies from The Comprehension Toolkit
- Sample Text — "Amazing Antartica"
Students can practice their map-reading skills as, they learn about the coldest, windiest place on Earth. - Sample Text — "A Magical Pen"
This play whisks us to Monticello, where an elderly Thomas Jefferson is telling the story of the Declaration of Independence to his grandchildren. - Sample Text — "Rain Forest Hero"
Janine Licare is helping save the rain forest. And she has a web site where readers can learn more and maybe even make a difference themselves.
- Contents and Overview of Texts
- Correlation Chart to Strategies from The Comprehension Toolkit
- Sample Text — "All Wrapped Up: The Many Tasks of Mummy Makers"
You probably know that mummies are preserved dead bodies wrapped in cloth. But you might not know how many steps and how many people were involved in making mummies. - Sample Text — "How Do We Taste"
From the five basic tastes—sweet, salty, sour, savory, bitter—come all the flavors we humans know and love. But how do we taste them? Find out! - Sample Text — "Tornado!"
This article explains the science behind tornadoes, how to stay safe, and strange-but-true tales from real twisters.
