This activity will help older students see that setting a purpose for reading makes a difference in how we read.  Give students a copy of The House and tell them to read it.  They should record what they feel is important about the text on a sheet of paper.  Divide the class in half and have half of them reread the text as real estate agents and the other half reread as burglars.  Have them highlight what would be important to them in the text.  Compare the two readings and how setting the purpose made a difference in what they determined was important.

The House