The document provides instructions for practicing critical reading skills. It guides the reader through several tasks to analyze a short passage about the origins of Facebook. The tasks include reading the passage multiple times, defining unfamiliar words, identifying the main ideas and supporting details of each paragraph, and writing a summary. The goal is to help readers break down and comprehend a text through close examination and re-reading.

1. Critical Reading
By Maria Topliff

2. Critical Reading
• Critical Reading: is a way to break down a
story or text so that you can read it simply.
• We will demonstrate how to do that in this
presentation, and then you can practice on
your own.
• You will be asked to read a text several times,
but don’t worry…. Good readers always RE-
READ!!
• Go to the next slide to review your first task.

3. Reading Task
• Task 1- Read the story
• Note: it is okay if you don’t know all the words,
are you don’t understand the text. You are not
supposed to at this point, but you still need to
read it fully.

4. Task 1: Read
Facebook: How it began
Facebook is a social networking service launched in February 2004, owned
and operated by Facebook. It was founded by Mark Zuckerberg with his college
roommates and fellow Harvard University students Eduardo Saverin, Andrew
McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes. The website's membership was initially
limited by the founders to Harvard students, but was expanded to other colleges in
the Boston area, the Ivy League, and gradually most universities in Canada and the
United States, corporations, and by September 2006, to everyone of age 13 and older
with a valid email address.
Facemash, the Facebook’s predecessor, opened on October 28, 2003.[8]
Initially, the website was invented by a Harvard student, Mark Zuckerberg, and three
of his classmates – Andrew McCollum, Chris Hughes and Dustin Moskovitz. Zuckerberg
wrote the software for the Facemash website when he was in his second year of
college. The website was set up as a type of “hot or not” game for Harvard students.
The website allowed visitors to compare two student pictures side-by-side and let
them choose who was “hot” and who was “not”.
Location: Wikipedia.com

5. Task 1 Questions:
• What did you notice about the story?
– Is there a heading?
– Bold Words?
• What do you think it is about?

6. Task 2- Mark the Story
• Pay attention to headings.
– Why are the headings important to this story?
– Draw a line from the heading and write your
answer on the page.
• Mark the number of paragraphs, with a
number next to each paragraph.
• Read the story again.
– Circle or highlight any words that you do not know

7. Task 2: Mark the Story
Facebook: How it began
Facebook is a social networking service launched in February 2004, owned
and operated by Facebook. It was founded by Mark Zuckerberg with his college
roommates and fellow Harvard University students Eduardo Saverin, Andrew
McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes. The website's membership was
initially limited by the founders to Harvard students, but was expanded to other
colleges in the Boston area, the Ivy League, and gradually most universities in Canada
and the United States, corporations, and by September 2006, to everyone of age 13
and older with a valid email address.
Facemash, the Facebook’s predecessor, opened on October 28, 2003.
Initially, the website was invented by a Harvard student, Mark Zuckerberg, and three
of his classmates – Andrew McCollum, Chris Hughes and Dustin Moskovitz. Zuckerberg
wrote the software for the Facemash website when he was in his second year of
college. The website was set up as a type of “hot or not” game for Harvard students.
The website allowed visitors to compare two student pictures side-by-side and let
them choose who was “hot” and who was “not”.
This shows me that the story will be
about how Facebook started
Location: Wikipedia.com

8. Task 3: Mark the Story Some More
• You will need to look up the definitions for all of your
highlighted words.
– Dictionary
– Internet
• After you have looked up the definition, make sure it makes
sense for that particular word in that specific sentence.
• Some words have multiple meanings, these words are
called homonym.
• That is why the definition should make sense in the context
of the sentence.
• Draw a line from each word and write the definition in the
margin of the page.

9. Task 3: Vocab Words and Paragraph
#
Facebook: How it began
Facebook is a social networking service launched in February 2004, owned
and operated by Facebook. It was founded by Mark Zuckerberg with his college
roommates and fellow Harvard University students Eduardo Saverin, Andrew
McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes. The website's membership was
initially limited by the founders to Harvard students, but was expanded to other
colleges in the Boston area, the Ivy League, and gradually most universities in Canada
and the United States, corporations, and by September 2006, to everyone of age 13
and older with a valid email address.
This shows me that the story will be
about how facebook started
To connect with
other people,
connecting
To begin or began
To be a part of a
group, to be a member
of
Controlled
Only allowed a few Became bigger
colleges
slowly
businesses
real
1
Location: Wikipedia.com

10. Task 3: Vocab Words and Paragraph #
Facemash, the Facebook’s predecessor, opened on October 28, 2003.
Initially, the website was invented by a Harvard student, Mark Zuckerberg, and
three of his classmates – Andrew McCollum, Chris Hughes and Dustin Moskovitz.
Zuckerberg wrote the software for the Facemash website when he was in his
second year of college. The website was set up as a type of “hot or not” game for
Harvard students. The website allowed visitors to compare two student pictures
side-by-side and let them choose who was “hot” and who was “not”.
2
When it first started, or began
To come before
created
Programs used by a computer like power point,
microsoft word, instagram, or facebook
To give permission to
To measure two people or things
against each other
Location: Wikipedia.com

11. Task 4: Re-read the passage
• Re-read the passage with the new meanings
of your unfamiliar words.

12. Task 4: Re-read the passage
Facebook: How it began
Facebook is a social networking service launched in February 2004, owned
and operated by Facebook. It was founded by Mark Zuckerberg with his college
roommates and fellow Harvard University students Eduardo Saverin, Andrew
McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes. The website's membership was
initially limited by the founders to Harvard students, but was expanded to other
colleges in the Boston area, the Ivy League, and gradually most universities in Canada
and the United States, corporations, and by September 2006, to everyone of age 13
and older with a valid email address.
This shows me that the story will be
about how facebook started
To connect with
other people,
connecting
To begin or began
To be a part of a
group, to be a member
of
Controlled
Only allowed a few Became bigger
colleges
slowly
businesses
real
1
Location: Wikipedia.com

13. Task 4: Re-read the passage
Facemash, the Facebook’s predecessor, opened on October 28, 2003.
Initially, the website was invented by a Harvard student, Mark Zuckerberg, and
three of his classmates – Andrew McCollum, Chris Hughes and Dustin Moskovitz.
Zuckerberg wrote the software for the Facemash website when he was in his
second year of college. The website was set up as a type of “hot or not” game for
Harvard students. The website allowed visitors to compare two student pictures
side-by-side and let them choose who was “hot” and who was “not”.
2
When it first started, or began
To come before
created
Programs used by a computer like power point,
microsoft word, instagram, or facebook
To give permission to
To measure two people or things
against each other
Location: Wikipedia.com

14. Task 4: Questions
• Does the passage make more sense to you?
• What have learned from this second reading?

15. Task 5: Underline the main idea of the paragraphs
and find a sentence that supports the main idea.
• Now it is time to re-read the passage again
• While you are reading underline the main idea
in one color
– The main idea of a paragraph tells you what the
paragraph is about.
• Then underline a sentence that supports it in
another color.
– The supporting detail, supports or helps to prove
the main idea.

16. Task 5:Main Idea and Supporting Detail
Facebook: How it began
Facebook is a social networking service launched in February 2004, owned
and operated by Facebook. It was founded by Mark Zuckerberg with his college
roommates and fellow Harvard University students Eduardo Saverin, Andrew
McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes. The website's membership was
initially limited by the founders to Harvard students, but was expanded to other
colleges in the Boston area, the Ivy League, and gradually most universities in Canada
and the United States, corporations, and by September 2006, to everyone of age 13
and older with a valid email address.
This shows me that the story will be
about how facebook started
To connect with
other people,
connecting
To begin or began
To be a part of a
group, to be a member
of
Controlled
Only allowed a few Became bigger
colleges
slowly
businesses
real
1
Main Idea
Supporting
Detail
Location: Wikipedia.com

17. Task 5:Main Idea and Supporting Detail
Facemash, the Facebook’s predecessor, opened on October 28, 2003.
Initially, the website was invented by a Harvard student, Mark Zuckerberg, and
three of his classmates – Andrew McCollum, Chris Hughes and Dustin Moskovitz.
Zuckerberg wrote the software for the Facemash website when he was in his
second year of college. The website was set up as a type of “hot or not” game for
Harvard students. The website allowed visitors to compare two student pictures
side-by-side and let them choose who was “hot” and who was “not”.
2
When it first started, or began
To come before
created
Programs used by a computer like power point,
microsoft word, instagram, or facebook
To give permission to
To measure two people or things
against each other
Main Idea
Supporting Detail
Location: Wikipedia.com

18. Task 5: Questions
• The main idea of a paragraph tells you what the
paragraph is about.
– What is the 1st paragraph about? Use your own words.
– What is the 2nd paragraph about? Use your own words.
• The supporting detail, supports or helps to prove the
main idea.
– How does the supporting detail in the first paragraph
support or help to prove the main idea?
– How does the supporting detail in the second paragraph
support or help to prove the main idea?
– Are there any other sentences or details in the paragraphs
that help support the main idea?

19. Task 6: Write a Summary or Draw a
Picture
• Write a summary or draw a picture of what
this story is about.

20. Task 7: Reflection
• Write a reflection about how the topic has
affected your life.
• Turn to your neighbor, or reflect with the class
on how the topic has affected your life.
• If there are comprehension questions please
go ahead and answer them, now you are
prepared!
• Remember GOOD readers ALWAYS re-read!!!

21. Task 8: Vocabulary Notebook
• Keep a notebook or journal with your new
vocabulary terms.
• You never know, you may need to use them in
the future!