Integrating Reading and Technology Into the Content Area

After students read chapters 1-3 today of their novel and checked out the author bio online, they went to Social Studies for Kids: http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/13colonies1.htm
At this website they read about the 13 colonies. Students opened an inspiration document and completed the concept map template while reading. Students had to compare the upper, middle, and lower colonies in the areas of food, school, church, and farming. This activity took forty five minutes. Students spent a total of two hours and thirty minutes today reading. One hour and thirty minutes of that time was spent online between reading the author bio and the Social Studies for Kids website. They were totally engaged!