What step would be most essential for preparing students to integrate information across texts in a science lesson?

The most essential step for preparing students to integrate information across texts in a science lesson is providing explicit instruction on identifying important points and key details. This helps students develop critical reading skills that are vital for understanding and synthesizing information from multiple sources. By learning how to differentiate between main ideas and supporting details, students can better navigate the complexity of scientific texts, which often present varying viewpoints, methodologies, and conclusions.

Explicit instruction in this area enables students to focus their attention on the most relevant information as they read, facilitating the process of making connections between different texts. This integration is particularly important in science, where students are often required to build larger conceptual frameworks based on information gathered from various studies, articles, or reports. Thus, teaching students to identify key points equips them with necessary strategies to manage and synthesize the information effectively, leading to a deeper understanding of the subject matter.