A study investigated whether comprehension of a text could be enhanced by careful structuring of the lesson elements surrounding it. One group of ten second grade children received a reading lesson as prescribed in a basal series that directed attention to irrelevant content while failing to highlight consistently important story elements. A second group of ten second grade children received a revised lesson that consistently directed attention to important story elements. Children reading the revised lesson recalled more central content than did children reading the original lesson. Poor readers recalled more central content, while good readers exhibited greater retention and elaboration of central content in the revised lesson condition. (Author/FL)