My screen plan: reading for details
A personal text tells us what happened to the writer and what he or she learned. To find details, read the question and look for the key words and numbers, then read the sentence around them. Numbers need care: the text may give a total (four hours) and a part (one and a half hours), so you must calculate the rest. Notice also the modal verbs in the text: must for a rule that the writer gives himself, shouldn’t for advice, don’t have to for something not needed. Look at the connectors: Although it was difficult at first shows a contrast, and the pair On one hand … / On the other hand … shows both sides of the writer’s feelings. At the end, ask what the writer learned and whether you agree. Your book has a personal text about a screen-time plan on page 64: read it after this lesson and find two details and one opinion. Remember that the best plan depends on your age and needs, so talk about it with a parent.
| Question | What to do |
|---|---|
| What does the report show? | Find the numbers: total time and parts. |
| What is the plan? | List the rules with must, shouldn’t, don’t have to. |
| What changed? | Find the result after two weeks. |
| What did the writer learn? | Read the last sentence. |
Last Sunday my phone showed me a report: on a school day I used screens for about four hours. One and a half hours were for homework, and the rest were for games and videos. I was surprised, so I made a plan. I must finish my homework before I play, I shouldn’t use my phone after nine o’clock, and on Fridays I don’t have to follow the plan, because it is a rest day. Although it was difficult at first, after two weeks my eyes feel less tired. On one hand I miss some games; on the other hand I have more time to read and to walk with my dad. I think a plan works best when you make the rules yourself.
My own plan. Check how much time you use a screen on a school day (ask a grown-up to help you estimate). Write a plan of three rules with must, shouldn’t and don’t have to, and one sentence with although. Try it for one week and tell a grown-up on which day the plan was hardest.