Text-to-World Connections

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

Building Bridges Between Stories and the World

Good readers don’t just read the words—they look for how the story connects to the bigger picture! This is called making a text-to-world connection.

These connections help you do the following.

Understand characters and their feelings. Relating them to real people or events makes them more real.

Visualize events. Linking what you read to historical or current events helps you picture the action.

Think deeply about the story. You can see how stories relate to real-life challenges, ideas, or lessons.

How to Make a Text-to-World Connection

1. Use what you know. Think about what you’ve learned from history, current events, or your own experiences in the world.

2. Ask questions while you read.

• Does this remind me of something I’ve seen in the news or learned in school?
• How is this like or unlike events happening in the world?
• What lessons can we learn from this story that apply to the real world?

3. Take notes. Jot down your thoughts as you read to keep track of your connections.

Watch the video below for an example of a text-to-world connection in action. Afterward, think about how this example could help you with your own reading.

Head to the Got It? section to start making text-to-world connections!