Or download our app "Guided Lessons by Education.com" on your device's app store.
Paying attention to headers and subheaders is a great way to orient your child to the text they're tackling. Here's a great way to practice this reading comprehension skill with your child at home.
What You Need:
- A social science magazine such as National Geographic Kids or a non-fiction book of your child’s choice.
- A piece of paper and a pencil
What You Do:
- Ask your child to pick an article from the magazine or open up the book. Explain to your child that non-fiction works are organized with a certain structure, with lots of information that comes in different forms-- from the body of writing, to the pictures and graphs, to the headings and subheadings. Identify for your child the titles, headings and subheadings within the book or article.
- Discuss how headings lay out the big ideas in the story, while subheadings break down those big ideas into smaller, more detailed pieces. Other features, such as the table of contents, glossary, and index, can also be pointed out.
- Challenge your child to figure out what the article or book is about before reading it! (This will prove a very cool trick to show off to friends!) On a blank sheet of paper, have your child create a skeleton outline based on the headings and subheadings:
- First, write the title of the book or article. Next have her write down a summary for each of the headings and subheadings, leaving a blank line or two between each point. What is this story about? After reading the entire article, your child can compare her outline with the full article. Did she sum up all the essential information? Encourage your child to use the blank spaces to add further information from the story that helped her understand the subject better. Discuss with your child how just the headings and subheadings unlocked the main point.
- Though your child doesn't know it yet, this important skill will help her understand what she reads well into the future!
Related Guided Lesson
Based on your interest in Understanding Headers and Subheaders.
Informational Text 1
4 online games
2 interactive stories
5 printable worksheets
Grade
Second grade
Subject
Reading and writing
Details in Non-Fiction Texts
Related learning resources
Glossary: Understanding Line Plots
Worksheet
Glossary: Understanding Line Plots
Use this glossary with the EL Support Lesson Plan: Understanding Line Plots.
2nd grade
Math
Worksheet
Glossary: Understanding Place Value
Worksheet
Glossary: Understanding Place Value
Use this glossary with the EL Support Lesson Plan: Understanding Place Value.
2nd grade
Math
Worksheet
Vocabulary Cards: Understanding Line Plots
Worksheet
Vocabulary Cards: Understanding Line Plots
Use these vocabulary cards with the EL Support Lesson Plan: Understanding Line Plots.
2nd grade
Math
Worksheet
Vocabulary Cards: Understanding Place Value
Worksheet
Vocabulary Cards: Understanding Place Value
Use these vocabulary cards with the EL Support Lesson Plan: Understanding Place Value.
2nd grade
Math
Worksheet
Understanding Personification
Worksheet
Understanding Personification
Use this worksheet to help students identify personified nouns and their respective verbs.
3rd grade
Reading & Writing
Worksheet
Understanding Time
Worksheet
Understanding Time
Help the concept of time sink in for your second grader with this worksheet that asks her to answer a few questions about Nina's busy schedule.
2nd grade
Math
Worksheet
Understanding Place Value
Lesson plan
Understanding Place Value
...understanding decimals....
2nd grade
Math
Lesson plan
Understanding Line Plots
Lesson plan
Understanding Line Plots
...Read through the student-friendly definitions, referring to the visuals on the vocabulary cards to support student understanding....
2nd grade
Math
Lesson plan
Understanding Word Problems: Money
Worksheet
Understanding Word Problems: Money
They will read word problems and identify the important information. With this skill, they are sure to gain a better grasp on how to solve word problems!
2nd grade
Math
Worksheet
Aw and Au Crossword Puzzle
Worksheet
Aw and Au Crossword Puzzle
This crossword puzzle challenges kids' understanding of the vowel digraphs "aw" and "au."
2nd grade
Worksheet
Wheel and Axle
Worksheet
Wheel and Axle
Crank out a better understanding of simple machines with this worksheet all about the wheel and axle!
2nd grade
Science
Worksheet
Aw and Au Word Play
Worksheet
Aw and Au Word Play
This aw and au word scramble helps kids to practice their understanding of this common vowel digraph.
2nd grade
Worksheet