Description
Infuse reading comprehension skills, informational text, and geography with a FULL MONTH of Strange Geography Tidbits and Bellringers. Each informational, non-fiction reading comprehension passage has students reading the passage several times, practicing close reading skills, and searching for text-evidence while making logical inferences.
This is a great cross-curricular reading comprehension and reading response activity full of high-interest topics that your students will LOVE that fill in the knowledge gaps! With each ‘Article of the Day,” they will learn some of the most interesting but lesser-known facts about Strange Geography
INCLUDES: 21 Strange Geography reading comprehension passages, questions, annotations, and graphic organizers (DIGITAL AND PRINT)
Use the “Geography Tidbits” as bellringers, sub plans or enrichment with the reading response graphic organizers as a mini-lesson to practice literacy skills and close reading. Utilize the activity in your classroom to facilitate cooperative learning or independent learning. With passages from the only sea without a shore to the supervolcano of Yellowstone, there’s something appealing for ALL of your students! There are 21 passages included, giving you bellringers, station work or exit slip ideas for a full month! Passages are both rigorous and common core aligned.
Use the bite-size geography comprehension passages and questions as a bellringer/morning work activity or take a deep-dive into the topic and choose a graphic organizer to complete as well. This resource is a unique way to fill in the gaps and tie the unit together while incorporating ELA standards, vocabulary practice, and comprehension skills.
Use the bite-size history comprehension passages and questions as a bellringer/morning work activity or take a deep-dive into the topic and choose a graphic organizer to complete as well. This resource is a unique way to fill in the gaps and tie the unit together while incorporating ELA standards, vocabulary practice, and comprehension skills.
There are 21 passages included, giving you bellringers, station work or exit slip ideas for a full month! Passages are both rigorous and common core aligned.
Use the bite-size history comprehension passages and questions as a bellringer/morning work activity or take a deep-dive into the topic and choose a graphic organizer to complete as well. This resource is a unique way to fill in the gaps and tie the unit together while incorporating ELA standards, vocabulary practice, and comprehension skills.
The nonfiction PRINT AND GO activities are engaging for students and NO PREP for teachers and also come in a digital Google Slides version!
Students will read a “History Tidbits” non-fiction passage, mark the text accordingly, and fill in a graphic organizer of your choice (multiple versions included). Students will need to use deductive reasoning and context clues to define the higher-level vocabulary words (2 per passage). Students may complete these pages independently, in pairs, in small groups, or as a whole class.
Use the one-page history topics to establish routine and allow students to complete each day as bellringers when they walk into your classroom. Topics focus on U.S. History odds & ends with “modern” additions and discoveries. You could also use this resource to set up reading centers, gallery walks or prompt a whole class discussion. SO MANY POSSIBILITIES!
Fill the Knowledge Gaps: So much to cover and so little time! I get it, that’s why I created these tidbits of lesser-known historical events to piece together missing information, to help make your unit more cohesive, to inspire that “AHA” moment, and to rekindle your enthusiasm for the subject. Each passage is full of lesser-known facts that aren’t commonly found in textbooks. Frontload with the passages or provide background information to deepen their understanding of the topic. The provided graphic organizers give the students a chance to make connections to the text, develop a stance and reflect.
What’s included?
- 21 Reading Passages (FULL MONTH)
- 9 Ready to Use Graphic Organizers
- Teacher Directions
- Printable AND Digital Versions
- ‘Quick Jot’ worksheet to save paper
What do students need?
- Highlighters, colored pencils, or markers
- Blue, green, yellow, pink
- If you prefer to underline instead of
- color code, that works too
- Google accounts (if using digital version)
Non-fiction skills covered:
- Context clues
- Reading informational text
- Identifying text evidence
- Examining relationships, connections, and interactions
- Evaluating main ideas and supporting details
- Text Structure: Chronological Order
- Text Structure: Cause and Effect
- Summarizing
- Reflection
- Annotation
Use the article of the day as:
- Bell ringers
- Morning work
- Exit slips
- Early finishers
- Extension or enrichment
- Sub plans
- Group work
- Stations work or centers
- Homework
- Guided reading lessons
- Whole class discussion
- Think-Pair-Share
- Read aloud
- Jigsaw
- Gallery walk
- Quick jot – no colors, no problem!
- Close Reading
- Strike a debate
- Reading Response
- Conversation starters
*****Answer key NOT provided. Text marking answers can often be found in multiple areas of the passage and definitions will vary.*****
**Please note: This resource is NOT editable**
Click HERE to grab a F-R-E-E Color by Number Activity!
»»» Thinktivity™ Reading Passages : Click HERE
»»» Comprehension Challenge and Spy Mystery: Click HERE
»»» Printable ESCAPE ROOMS: Click HERE
»»» Interactive Google Slides™: Click HERE
»»» Digital Secret Message Activities: Click HERE
»»» Digital ESCAPE ROOMS: Click HERE
»»» Color by Number – Text Marking: Click HERE
»»» Digital Reading Passages: Click HERE
»»» Interactive Game Boards: Click HERE
»»» Reading Passages and Text Marking: Click HERE
»»» Back to School: Click HERE
»»» Collaborative Posters: Click HERE
»»» Scavenger Hunts: Click HERE
Copyright Information :
© Think Tank Teacher LLC. Please note – all material included in this resource belongs to Think Tank Teacher LLC. By purchasing, you have a license to use the material but you do not own the material. You may not upload any portion of this resource to the internet in any format, including school/personal websites or network drives unless the site is password protected and can only be accessed by students, not other teachers or anyone else on the internet.
Lee B. –
Ready to go and easy to use in my social studies class
Cherokee H. –
These readings have been great for my students to practice text marking and referring back to the text to find answers. The readings have also been really interesting! My students like learning the strange geography facts.
Heather H. –
I used these in my Special Education World Studies class, students really enjoyed them.
Lynn W. –
These are perfect if you need a filler for geography or a daily warm-up.
Megan B. –
These are great for early finishers or days when you are trying to get others caught up, but do not want to waste a day. Highly intriguing, informative, and engaging! Absolutely recommend.
Valerie K. –
This reinforces AVID strategies for my science students. Even though it is geography based, I use this resource so they can practice these strategies on short days.
Carmichaelfa321 –
My students and I have loved this! It was a great addition to my unit.
Amy A. –
We love a good bell ringer and these are great for students!
Andrea A. –
My son has enjoyed this resource. He’s not super interested in Geography so this resource has helped to get him engaged!
Julia C. –
I use these once a week for a quick reading check in. I especially like that where the students read for context and create their own definitions with context clues.
Jennifer S. –
Already great for daily intro work. Easy to implement and get into class procedures!
Katie A. –
Great resource that keeps students engaged! Great for morning work/ bell ringer.
kelly M. –
Very engaging to use with my guided reading groups!
Jennifer Cole –
Very high interest articles related to geography. Thank you!
Menet M. –
I love geography and don’t feel that I get to spend as much time on it as I do science so I use this resource to introduce my students to different parts of the world and interesting facts about them.
Nicole G. –
My students are really enjoying this resource. We are currently studying world geography, therefore it’s a great connection. Students are working on their comprehension skills and are learning some very cool facts.
Kathryn M. –
This was a great supplement to my curriculum. Very engaging and interesting material.
Angela P. –
This is a great bell ringer activity that I use daily in my class. I have my students only highlight one answer a day because this sheet takes my 7th graders longer than the normal 3 mins for bell ringers. This way it gives them a whole week to do one sheet and I save on paper not having to give them a new one each day.
Brady B. –
Students loved reading these thought provoking articles. These are great bellringers for my students and made for some great classroom discussions.
Shannon S. –
These are great and my kids really liked doing them