Uses four children's explanations to illustrate their use of assimilation and inference in a butterfly life-cycle activity. Describes how interviewing young children about their understanding, and recording and reflecting upon their answers, can allow teachers to better understand how students process information and construct knowledge, and…

The R.I.T.E. method is described, an activity that enables gifted students to use a multifaceted approach to develop the kinds of critical reading skills necessary for constructing meaning as they read an informational text. The steps of the R.I.T.E. method (Read, Interrogate, Tell, and Explore) are outlined. (Contains 6 references.) (CR)