Reading Informational Texts (AKA textbooks)

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Reading Informational Texts (AKA textbooks) A Guided Tour

+Focus: Chapter 4-”The Aegean World and the Rise of Greece” (95-110)Tell me about your reading experience…1. What were your first thoughts when you read the title of the chapter?

What did you already know, if anything, about the Aegean World and Greece

2. In what environment did you do your reading and did you encounter any distractions?

3. Did you write in and/or highlight in your textbook? Why or why not

4. Did you encounter any word/s that you did not understand, and if so, did you look them up in a dictionary? Why or why not?

5. Did you have any questions while reading? If so, did you write them down or attempt to answer them? Why or why not?

6. What difficulties, if any, do you anticipate with regards to your comprehension of the material in this textbook?

+Let’s start with the cover:

+Preview Textbook Layout

How is the textbook put together and what special features might it have to help me understand the information?

+Key Features:The HumanitiesCulture, Continuity & Change

Thinking AheadThese questions open each chapter and represent its major sections, leading you to think critically and focus on important issues.

Turn to page 95

+Key Features Continued…

Thinking Back These end of chapter reviews follow up on the Thinking Ahead questions, helping you further engage with the material you’ve just read and stimulate thought and discussion.

Turn to page 126


Closer Look This highly visual feature offers an in-depth look at a particular work from one of the disciplines of the humanities. The annotated discussions give you a personal tour of the work – with informative captions and labels – to help you understand its meaning. A new critical thinking question, Something to Think About, prompts students to make connections and further apply this detailed knowledge of the work.

Turn to page 114


Continuity & Change Essays These full-page essays at the end of each chapter illustrate the influence of one cultural period over another and show cultural changes over time.

Turn to page 125


Continuity & Change IconsThese in-text references provide a window into the past. The eye-catching icons enable you to refer to material in other chapters that is relevant to the topics at hand.

Turn to page 117


ContextThese boxes summarize important background information.

Turn to page 112

+ Key Features Continued…

Materials and Techniques This feature explains and illustrates the methods artists and architects use to produce their work.

Turn to page 196


Primary SourcesEach chapter of your Humanities textbook includes Primary Source Readings in two formats. Brief readings from important works are included within the body of the text. Longer readings located at the end of each chapter allow for a more in-depth study of particular works.

REVIEW: primary sources provide first-hand accounts of events, practices, or conditions. In general, these are documents that were created by the witnesses or first recorders of these events at about the time they occurred, and include diaries, letters, reports, photographs, creative works, financial records, memos, and newspaper articles (to name just a few types).

+Key Features Continued…Primary SourcesReading CriticallyAt the end of all longer readings (primary sources) located at the end of each chapter you will discover Reading Critically questions to help deepen your understanding of what you just read.

Turn to page 129


Glossary Not as much a key feature as a standard in most textbooks, this is the page to turn to for definitions of important vocabulary in the chapter.

Turn to page 127

+Introductions, Headings, Subheadings, & Sub-Subheadings—oh my! Each chapter in your humanities chapbook begins with an introduction to the

subject matter. Headings separate chapters into main divisions and indicate or set-up

important concepts. In your Humanities textbook, headings are bold, in a larger font, and in all capitals, for example: THE CYCLADES

Subheadings are secondary headings and contain information relevant to the heading, but with more detail. In your Humanities textbook, they are bold, in a larger font, but not as large as the heading, and title cased, for example: Minoan Painting and Minoan Religion

Sub-subheadings usually take one detail from the subheading and provide an in-depth look at it. They are still bold and title cased, but the font is the same size as the regular text, for example: One Goddess or Many?

Turn to page 96

+Some Common Problems Getting overwhelmed with details—basically losing the forest for

the trees. Confusing what artifacts come from which culture either through

inattention or sloppy reading. Getting stuck on big names or unfamiliar words. Reading, but not understanding. In other words the eyeballs are

passing over the words, but students often can't actually discuss the content or make use of it once they are done reading.

Reading in environments that do not set them up for success. Waiting to the last minute to do the reading.

How can we tackle these problems?

+Becoming a Critical Reader

Metacognition Environment Time

Management Being Realistic

+Have a Game Plan that Includes Previewing Your Reading Assignment

+Steps to Previewing MaterialFocus: Chapter 4-”The Aegean World and the Rise of Greece” Read chapter title and try to remember what you already

know about the topic Read “Thinking Ahead Questions” Read the introduction to the chapter Read “Glossary” at the end of the chapter Skim headings, subheadings, and sub-subheadings Look at pictures, graphs, or charts

Why? improves concentration, memory, and understanding only takes 5 minutes to preview an entire chapter if you don’t have enough time to read before class, previewing may give you enough information to understand what is being discussed

Turn to page 95

+Course Specific PurposeFocus: Chapter 4-”The Aegean World and the Rise of Greece”

What guidance does your instructor give you? While some give you nothing, Dr. Schmidt gives you DISCUSSION QUESTIONS which can be found on his website: http://www.grossmont.edu/

peteschmidt/

+Discussion Question Chapter 4-”The Aegean World and the Rise of Greece” Examine the Minoan and

Mycenaean cultures and the Archaic Greek period (800-480 BCE). For each, determine the significant characteristics of the social and political world, visual arts, and architecture.

What does Dr. Schmidt want you to be able to do and how might you do it?

+Annotate the Text—YES write in your book!

Why annotate? Avoid reading for hours and not

remembering what you’ve read. Stay focused and read with a purpose by

using Discussion Question(s) to help you determine what to underline or annotate.

Keep track of WHY important points are important.

When you discuss the Discussion Question(s) in class, you will have a marked text to help you find information quickly.

+Keep Reading Notes or a Reading Journal

Keeping a record of what you have found important in your reading, guided by the Discussion Question(s), helps you read in sessions—remember: only an hour at a time!

When you return to your reading, you can look over your notes to review the key points you have marked thus far and not feel like you have to start all over again!

When you tackle Discussion Question(s) in class, you will have notes to help you recall relevant information.

Tip: Add to your Reading Notes when your Professor lectures and/or when you do group work.

Your notes or journal will be invaluable when it comes time to study for exams.

Documents

Reading Informational Texts (AKA textbooks)