Engage children in books and other texts with multiple layers of meaning.

Model, teach, and have students practice strategies for understanding big ideas.

Have children synthesize big ideas from related fiction and nonfiction texts.

• Engage children in books and other texts with multiple layers of meaning

• read to children books that have multiple layers of meaning (e.g., "Chrysanthemum," "Where the Wild Things Are," "Leo the Late Bloomer," etc.)

• in a shared reading, focus children's attention on the big ideas (e.g., make reference to big ideas before, during and after the reading; lead children into the big ideas through questions and discussion)

• encourage children to share and explain their own understandings of big ideas in the books

• make available books and other material with multiple layers of meaning for children to read on their own (e.g., Will's Mammoth)

• read to children books that have multiple layers of meaning (e.g., "The Lorax ," "The Magic Schoolbus,")

• in a shared reading, focus children's attention on the big ideas (e.g., make reference to big ideas before, during and after the reading; lead children into the big ideas through questions and discussion)
• encourage children to share and explain their own understandings of big ideas in the books
• make available books and other material with multiple layers of meaning for children to read on their own (e.g., Title here)