Before Reading
Establish a Purpose
Read the Prereading page carefully and think about the name of this document. With a partner, discuss why the Declaration of Independence was written and why it is important to you.
During Reading
Keep the Purpose in Mind
1. Listen as your teacher reads the first two paragraphs aloud. Then with your partner, list important ideas found in these paragraphs. How do these ideas relate to the purpose of the document?
2. Continue reading on your own, keeping track of the main ideas. The middle section of the document contains many short paragraphs. Don't try to note the idea of each, but see how the ideas relate to one another.
Fix-Up Idea: Use Guided Reading Questions
If you are having trouble recognizing important ideas and their connections to the purpose, go back and answer the Guided Reading Questions. These questions will help you identify key ideas in the selection. Use these ideas to help you understand other sections of the selection.
After Reading
Share Your Connections
Share the main ideas you identified with your partner, and discuss how these points are related to the purpose. Write a summary of the Declaration of Independence.