Text Highlight Implementation Strategies

The Text Highlight Challenge task asks students to highlight specific information in a text, such as a main idea or supporting evidence. Here are some ideas for making the most of this activity:

• Assess prior knowledge. Have students complete the Challenge before watching the movie to assess prior knowledge of the topic. Observe as they complete the Challenge, and adjust your teaching to their needs accordingly.
• Watch the movie first. Students watch the BrainPOP movie before completing the associated Challenge. In this way, the Challenge can serve as an assessment of what they learned about the topic.
• Use as a springboard for discussion. Invite students to consider why they are being asked to highlight certain text. Have a class discussion using these prompts: Why are you highlighting this information? How does identifying this text help you understand the topic more deeply? What other information might you want to highlight in this text and why? What is most challenging about highlighting text?
• Use as a cooperative learning activity. Invite students to work collaboratively with a partner or group and explain to each other their thinking as they select what text to highlight.
• Analyze Primary Sources. For Primary Source activities that require reviewing a document, have students print out and highlight important points in the text, or give instruction on what you want them to identify in the text.
• Create an Related Reading Text Highlight Challenge Task. Have students create a Challenge Task using the Related Readings for the topic. Students can review an Related Reading and challenge a partner to highlight something specific in the text, such as a main idea or details that supports an idea.