This lesson uses information about the history of measles in order to bring data into a reading and writing lesson, while sharing information about the efficacy of vaccines.

This lesson is structured with a before, during, and after model of thinking about reading instruction:

• What will the class do before reading a text? 
• What will the class do while reading a text? 
• What will the class do after reading a text?

Using this frame has helped me plan lessons and think about how to use a text I want to read with students. 

Before I give students a text:

I want to prepare students for the text by generating predictions and curiosity about the topic. I also want to connect to students’ personal experiences and background knowledge. I might also want to preteach any language or content that students won’t get just from reading the text, but will need in order to understand. 

While students are reading a text:

I want to help students develop awareness of their reading process: What do you notice? What do you want to know? What do you think will happen next? What is confusing? I want to help them gain awareness of their own understanding and share information with each other that will help all students access the reading and make sense of it. 

After we read a text:

I want students to reflect on the experience. What did they learn? What questions did they answer? What is important? What is still confusing? How does this new information fit into what they already knew? What do they want to learn more about?

The activities in the lesson fit into this idea of teaching reading. Some of the activities are intended to generate predictions or questions. Some are asking students to look closely and analyze a text. Others serve as support for reflecting on the reading.

The lesson may take multiple class periods, depending on how many of the supplemental activities you use.

An outline of before, during, and after reading activities in this lesson:

• Before reading activities
  • Chart from class data
  • Vocabulary
  • Prediction guide
  • Slow reveal graph: Number of Measles Cases Reported in the U.S. (1950-2021)
• During reading
  • Independent reading
  • Additional readings of the same text while annotating
  • Reading aloud
• After reading activities
  • Write a dialogue
  • Math practice with ratios
  • Return to the prediction guide
  • HSE practice questions

Please share feedback or suggestions here or with my email: eric.appleton@cuny.edu