Procedure

1. Provide students with an article or literary reading.

2. Have students skim through the reading and circle any new vocabulary and write these words in the margin of the reading. Students should then look up a definition of each word and use each in a sentence written in the margin.

3. Next, students should read the article, using their knowledge of the new vocabulary.

4. While reading, students should underline the vocabulary they already know.

5. While reading, students should star the main ideas throughout the reading.

6. After reading, students should highlight evidence that supports the main idea. (This does not mean highlighting every line after the main idea. It means selectively picking out the key points that support the main ideas.)

7. Finally, students should summarize and condense (smush) the article into their own words. Each summary should include all starred main ideas and evidence.