Using Headings and Captions Before Reading
A Grade 6 student has 12 minutes to read a two-page article titled "How Volcanoes Change the Land." The article has three bold headings: "Building New Ground," "Destroying Old Ground," and "Predicting the Next Eruption." Under the first heading is a diagram with the caption "Lava cools into rock, adding layers to the island." A sidebar labeled "Did You Know?" says that some islands are made entirely of cooled lava. The student's assignment asks: "Explain one way volcanoes both build and destroy land." The student plans to read every word from top to bottom and skip the diagram and sidebar because they are "not real text."
1. How should the student use the headings, caption, and sidebar to read more efficiently? Write 50-80 words.
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The student should preview the headings first. "Building New Ground" and "Destroying Old Ground" match the two parts of the assignment, so those sections deserve close reading. "Predicting the Next Eruption" is less relevant and can be read quickly. The caption and sidebar are real information: they explain how lava adds layers of rock, which directly supports the "building" part of the answer.
2. The student says the diagram and sidebar are "not real text" and can be skipped. Evaluate this decision using the assignment. Answer in 40-60 words.
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The decision is weak. The assignment asks for one way volcanoes build land, and the caption states that cooled lava adds layers to an island. The sidebar reinforces this with the fact that some islands are made of cooled lava. Skipping them removes evidence the student needs, so the answer would be less complete.