Reading Skills
Lesson Plan: Recognizing Supporting Details
Student Resource: "Feeling
Sleepy?"
Media Type: Expository Article
Objectives
After completing this lesson, students will be able to:
- Describe problems in all areas of health that can arise
when teens get insufficient sleep.
- Identify strategies for getting adequate rest during the
teen years.
- Apply the reading skill of recognizing supporting details
to an article on teens' need for adequate rest.
Introducing the Lesson
Conduct a survey among students in the class regarding average
hours of sleep. Instruct each to write down his or her average
bedtime on school nights, as well as the time they get up
in the morning. Have students use these two figures to compute
their average total number of hours of sleep. Ask a volunteer
to come to the board, and note by a show of hands how many
class members get seven or less hours of sleep a night, how
many get seven and a half, and so on in increments of half
an hour. The volunteer is to record these data on the board,
stopping at nine hours of sleep.
After all data have been recorded, ask students to estimate
how many hours of sleep per night health authorities advise
teenagers to get on average. Entertain several guesses. Then
reveal that the correct answer is nine. Refer to the data
on the board showing how many class members get adequate rest.
Teaching Strategies
Distribute copies of the article to students, or have them
log on to the Web site containing the article. Have them locate
the first subhead-"Zombie Zone"-and instruct them
to follow along silently as you read the first sentence in
the second paragraph of that section (beginning "Scientists
aren't exactly sure. . ."). Then ask students to identify
reasons why scientists do find sleep important. (It helps
muscles repair themselves, gives our brains time to store
"data," and may help fight disease.)
Note that when reading factual material such as an article,
it is important to look for and note supporting details
like these for all claims made. Add that by isolating details
that back up a main point, readers have a better chance of
remembering this information later. Suggest that when taking
notes during reading, students might think about indenting
supporting details or making them stand out in some other
way for easy recognition later. Note that details are often
set off by transitional words, such as first, next,
and another, or by sectional headings.
After students have completed the reading, you may either
use the following as class discussion questions or assign
them as individual or group work.
Follow Up
- Summarizing. The opening section of the article
refers to a survey of young people. What were the findings
of that survey? How did the teens in that survey compare
in their sleep habits with those of your class?
- Analyzing. The article quotes Dr. Mary Carskadon,
a sleep authority, who states, "Not getting enough
sleep affects every part of your life." What supporting
details can you find that back up this claim? What area
of health is affected by each detail noted?
- Critical Thinking. What problem related to insufficient
sleep can be serious for teens who drive? Explain your answer.
- Comparing and Contrasting. What reasons did teens
in the survey give to support the claim that getting enough
sleep isn't easy? How do these reasons compare with the
findings of Dr. Carskadon?
- Analyzing. What does the statement in the article
mean that "all sleep is not equal"?
- Synthesizing. What strategies are outlined in the
article for ensuring that you get adequate rest? What techniques
of your own have you found that work when you are having
difficulty sleeping?
Writing a Paragraph with Supporting Details
Work with a partner. Each of you is to explore a health topic
that is of personal interest. Possibilities might include:
- Sports that help build different fitness skills.
- Foods that are low in fat and/or calories and are fun
to eat.
- Ways of making your community a friendlier place to live.
- Rules for successfully asking someone out on a date.
Write a one-paragraph article on your topic in which you
back up your topic with at least three supporting details.
Do not put the details in a numbered or bulleted list. Rather,
state them within the paragraph. Exchange papers with your
partner. Each of you is to find and number each supporting
detail in the other's paragraph.
