If you want your child not only to read the words but truly understand what they read, this episode provides the blueprint. Literacy coach and educator Krishna Cart breaks down five simple, research-backed strategies parents can use at home to build real comprehension skills. No worksheets. No overwhelm. Just practical tools that work.

What This Episode Helps You Do

• Support your child’s reading growth with confidence.
• Ask purposeful questions before, during, and after reading.
• Teach the main idea and key details without frustration.
• Help your child infer, think deeply, and stay engaged.
• Turn everyday moments into literacy boosters.

Inside the Episode

Why Comprehension Matters More Than Ever

Reading isn’t just sounding out words. Children need to make sense of things, connect ideas, and think critically. Research indicates that parent involvement and thoughtful conversations during reading can significantly enhance comprehension and motivation.

1. Ask Questions Before, During, and After Reading

Purposeful questions spark thinking and keep your child engaged. Choose two or three questions and rotate them to build a routine.

Sound Bite: “Questions turn reading into thinking. That’s where comprehension really grows.”

2. Clarify Main Idea and Key Details

Children often latch onto fun facts instead of the big picture. Learn a simple way to help them summarize in one or two sentences and support it with evidence.

Sound Bite: “Once a child can name the big idea, everything else starts to make sense.”

3. Model & Encourage Inferencing

Inference is reading between the lines. When you think aloud, you show your child how readers connect clues with background knowledge.

Sound Bite: “Your child learns to infer when you let them hear your thinking.”

4. Make Reading a Conversation, Not a Quiz

Reading time should feel safe and curious, not like a test. Use open-ended sentence starters to encourage more in-depth discussion.

Sound Bite: “Shift the goal from correct answers to honest thinking.”

5. Use Everyday Reading Moments

Comprehension doesn’t only grow during story time. Recipes, signs, instructions, articles, and everyday tasks all offer chances to practice.

Sound Bite: “Real-life reading builds real-life comprehension.”

Who This Episode Is For

• Parents who want simple ways to help at home.
• Kids who decode well but don’t always understand.
• Families building better reading habits.
• Anyone craving practical, research-based tools.

Episode Notes

• Core theme: Meaningful comprehension grows when kids connect new information to what they already know.
• Key research: Parent involvement and purposeful questions have a stronger impact on comprehension than simply reading more.
• Action tools: Question stems, main idea car...

In this episode of Learning by Design, Krishna Cart introduces a new professional development course designed for K-12 educators, focusing on integrating archaeology into teaching. The course, titled 'Unearthing Connections,' emphasizes the importance of hands-on learning and critical thinking, encouraging students to explore biblical texts through archaeological evidence. The discussion covers the course structure, including five modules that provide educators with tools and strategies for effective teaching. The episode highlights the need for engaging, experiential learning in today's classrooms, aiming to inspire educators to bring the Bible to life through the lens of archaeology.

In this special conference edition, Krishna Cart unveils Unearthing Connections—a self-paced professional development course designed to help K–12 educators teach Bible, history, science, and literacy through the hands-on power of archaeology.

Discover how to turn your classroom into a dig site of discovery where students don’t just learn about truth—they unearth it. This episode guides you through the five-module course, featuring ready-to-use tools such as dig simulations, artifact analysis activities, and cross-curricular lesson planners aligned with Common Core and CCRS standards.

Highlights include:

• How archaeology can build critical thinking and biblical literacy
• Hands-on learning tools for every grade band
• Integration strategies for ELA, science, social studies, and math
• A mini-lesson called “What Does the Dirt Say?” using real artifacts
• Tips for designing your dig-based unit

Whether you're a classroom teacher, homeschooler, or instructional coach, this episode offers fresh, tangible strategies to bring scripture to life—layer by layer.

Tune in and start teaching truth with tools they can touch. Learn more about our coaching and PD for schools and districts:

“Want to dig deeper into what we covered today? Read the blog and get the free self-paced PD for educators.

Takeaways

• Kids are wired to discover.
• Archaeology is not just about broken parts.
• Biblical reliability through physical evidence is crucial.
• Students want to experience the Bible, not just be told it's true.
• The course includes classroom-ready dig simulations.
• Module 3 connects real-world discoveries to biblical teachings.
• Cross-disciplinary integration is essential for effective teaching.
• Hands-on learning transforms classrooms into active dig sites.
• Educators can start with one dig or one big question.
• The course provides editable lesson planners and assessments.

Sound Bites

• "Kids are wired to discover."
• "One Dig many Disciplines."

Chapters

00:00. Introduction to Unearthing Connections

02:06. The Importance of Archaeology in Education

03:03. Course Overview: Five Modules for Educators

05:15. Mini Lesson Highlight: What Does the Dirt Say?

06:31. Masterpiece Academy and Course Promotion