I really like doing the same thing with movies. Kids watch so much more than they read and I want them to think about what they are watching too. We have lots of fun when we do that. First I explain that we are watching this video or movie in school for educational purposes so I will be stopping the movie at certain times. I tell them I know it can be annoying to watch a video or movie this way and I would be happy to lend them the movie after so they can see without stopping. When I explain it this way, the kids seem cool with it and don’t really explain. They have to complete three sentence stems and can share them if they wish. I get them to write about the movie in their little notebook. As the semester progresses, the kids can”t believe how much writing they have done about their reading and viewing.

My school adopted several levels of the McDougal Littell textbook. Because of that, we get their InterActive reader every year. I think I’m just about the only teacher who uses them. It asks students questions at appropriate “Pause & Reflect” moments, like those you suggest here. The students own the book so they can actually write on the text (it’s a consumable). I love having that book as an addition to the course. It’s really important for students to slow down and consider what they’ve just ran their eyes past. Students often think that if all their gaze meets all the words on the page, they are done with that assignment.