The following strategies are used in the fourth grade to help students gain a deeper understanding of what they read. They are taken from the text:

Constructing Meaning through Kid Friendly Comprehension Strategies
by Nancy Boyles  c. 2004 Maupin House

Connecting
Finding something that is connected:
*to my life
*to another book
*to things in the world

Picturing
If I close my eyes,
*I can see...
*I can hear...
*I can feel...
*I can smell...
*I can taste...

Wondering
What questions pop into my mind, such as:
*What may happen next?
*How will the story end?
*Why did the author write this?
*What else do I want to know?

Guessing/Predicting
*What might happen next?
*How will the story end?
*What is the author trying to tell me?

Noticing
*What are the important clues?
*Have I guessed right or wrong?
*Is there something I don't understand?
*Has the author done something crafty?

Figuring Out
*How do all the clues fit together?
*When did that "little light bulb" go on in my head?
*What do I understand better after this reading?