PPT shown to upper elementary students in 2010. Was used in a blog post discussing good visual design to show bad habits in previous work. Please note that it does not credit authors of images and so is not recommended for use, only as an example of what NOT to do when creating PPTs.

1. When you’re not reading for fun

2. So your teacher tells you to read a
whole bunch of book for your
science project.
You go to the library and find a
whole bunch of books.
Then what? …

3. What kind of reader are you?

4. Do you ATTACK THE BOOK
and read voraciously?

5. Or do you munch it
s…l…o…w…l…y, YUMMY!
one line at a time?

6. Wolf or Worm, it doesn’t matter.
We can
teach you
the:

7. Strategies
…that the world’s best readers use
and
that you can use too!

8. So …
Are you ready to read like a
genius?

9. Reading Strategies for nonfiction
(or) How to get information
from the book
to your brain
with no pain.

10. Strategy #1
Decide the PURPOSE (the reason)
for reading a text.

11. Are you reading…
• to find out more on a topic?
• to write a report?
• to answer questions at the end of a chapter?
• to make a presentation?
… just don’t say: “Because it’s homework or the
teacher said to read it.” That’s not a good reason!

12. When you stop and ask: “Why am I reading this text?” it
helps you decide
what information is the most important…
to pay make notes remember
attention to about and learn

13. Strategy #2
Think about what you ALREADY
know about the topic!

14. Why?
This will activate your brain (switch it on)
and get it ready to learn about a topic.

15. Thinking about what you already know helps your brain…
…to information that
…connect new information you already in your
memory.
from the text

16. Brain cells love to make connections!
That’s how you learn and keep things in your memory.
Drawing of real
brain cells
connecting.

17. Strategy #3
PREVIEW the text.
Pre = before View = look at

18. Before you start
reading the
paragraphs…
… look at
the pictures,
bold words,
title & headings,
captions,
etc…

19. WHY?
Previewing prepares your brain!
It tells your brain
what kind of information
you are about to read.

20. Here is your brain THINKING!
Hmm ok, I see a picture of a woman
holding some science bottles. The title
for this book is Mixtures and solutions.
Ok I get it, I’m going to learn how to mix
stuff? …hmm… Is anything going to
explode?

21. Strategy #4
Break the text into small chunks,
slow down,
re-read.

22. Imagine you
You decide to eat it as fast as possible to get it
mom says: “You
over with. What could happen?
can’t play
computer First, you wouldn’t chew it well so you might … choke!
games till you Second, big pieces in your stomach could give you a …
finish eating stomachache!
your broccoli.” Third, you might even feel sick and … vomit!
Would you get all the nutrition
from this healthy food?

23. Non-fiction books are like a big bowl of broccoli.
They have lots of facts and ideas on a few pages.
They can give your brain a brain-ache. They’re difficult and
discouraging at times.
Breaking up the text,
I get it!
Slowing down,
Re-reading …
will dramatically increase your understanding.

24. Strategy #5
Make sure you…
understand,
and remember what you read.
HOW?

25. The 2nd time you read the
text, take down notes!
You can keep good notes by…
• writing…
• drawing
• making charts

26. Finally:
Don't accept nonsense!
If it doesn’t make sense…
DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!