Scott Foresman Reading Street

Social Studies
in Reading

Examine features of a textbook.
Practice a test-taking strategy.
Compare and contrast across texts.

PREVIEW/USE TEXT FEATURES

Have students locate and read the title. Ask:

Based on the title, what will the main idea of this textbook section be? (Communities celebrate different cultural holidays.)

Link to Social Studies

Have students research an unfamiliar holiday.

TEXTBOOK

Use the sidebar on p. 192 to guide discussion.

A textbook provides information or instruction in a particular subject area.
Textbooks often include summaries of the important points presented in a section. Discuss when such a summary might be useful.

AudioText

Whole Group Discuss the Question of the Day.

Group Time
Differentiated Instruction

"Communities Celebrate Cultures." See pp. 170f–170g
for the small group lesson plan.

Reading

Language Arts
Use pp. 193e–193h and
193k–193m.

Whole Group Use pp. 193a
and 193j.

Grouping Options

GUIDED PRACTICE Have students discuss how they would use the strategy to answer the following question.

What is the main idea of this section?

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE After students answer the following test question, discuss the process they used.

What other title could be used?

Use the Strategy

Read the test question. If it asks about the main idea of a selection, look at the selection's head, or title.
Read the head. Then restate it in a sentence. Write your sentence.
Use what you have written to help you answer the question.

USE TITLES Explain that students may be asked to read and answer questions about nonfiction selections—for example, in textbooks, on standardized tests. Point out how the title on p. 192 can help them.

Strategies
for Textbook

This text contains mostly facts.

CONNECT TEXT TO TEXT

Reading Across Texts

Remind students that the world is made up of many different cultures. Then have them answer the question.

Writing Across Texts Encourage students to use bullets or numbers to organize their lists.

Today, many people in Mexico and
other countries celebrate Cinco de Mayo. In
the United States people dance in colorful
clothes. They play music on guitars and eat
traditional Mexican food. They show that
they are proud to be Mexican Americans.

For many people, the holiday is a symbol.
It shows that the people of Mexico could
become free of rulers from other countries.

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in many
communities around the United States and
the world. The holiday started as a religious
holiday in Ireland, a country in Europe.

Summarize
the Lesson

Families celebrate
religious and nonreligious
holidays.

People follow
traditions when they celebrate holidays.

Communities celebrate
to honor ethnic groups
who helped build their
community.

The title tells the main
idea of a section or
chapter.

Text Features

Textbook passages
include many facts.

Textbooks provide
information about a
specific subject.

Genre

Textbook

Cinco de Mayo (SIN ko day MY oh)
means the fifth of May. It is a Mexican
holiday that celebrates the victory of the
Mexican people over the French who
invaded their country. After a battle on
May 5, 1862, the French left Mexico.

Many communities have
celebrations that started in other
countries. The celebrations honor the
ethnic groups who helped build the
community. These celebrations are
sometimes called ethnic celebrations.

In what ways are Cinco de Mayo and
St. Patrick’s Day alike? How are they different?

On St. Patrick’s Day both Irish and
non-Irish people celebrate Irish culture.
Some people honor Irish culture by wearing
green clothing, watching parades, and
eating food that is dyed green.

Use the library to
research Cinco de Mayo
and St. Patrick’s Day.
Make a poster advertising
a community celebration
for one of these holidays.

Link to Social
Studies

In this selection, a
summary of the lesson
reviews the main points
from the text.

Writing Across Texts Make a
list of the many celebrations and
traditions you learned about.

The children in How My Family Lives
in America tell about cultural traditions
different from those mentioned in this
textbook article. Why do you think
this is so?

Reading Across Texts

Is this text mostly facts or opinions?

Fact and Opinion