North Carolina Department of Public Instruction English Language Arts Department

1
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
English Language Arts Department

• Close Reading

2
What is Close Reading?
Close Reading of a text involves an
investigation of a short piece of text, with
multiple readings done over multiple
instructional lessons. (Brown and Kappes
2012)
3

• According to Alder and Van Doren, close reading
  is described as x-raying the bookfor the
  skeleton hidden between the covers.

4
Objectives of Close Reading

1. To afford students with the opportunity to
   assimilate new textual information with their
   existing background knowledge and prior
   experiences to expand their schema.
2. To build the necessary habits of readers when
   they engage with a complex piece of text.

5
How To Do a Close Read

• Close reading brings the text and the reader
  close together.
• Read with a pencil in hand, and annotate the
  text. Mark the big ideas and skills.
• Look for patterns in the things youve noticed
  about the text repetitions, contradictions,
  similarities.
• Ask questions about the patterns that youve
  noticed especially how and why.

6
(No Transcript)
7
Make Your Mark

• Use the following symbols to help your students
  annotate a piece of text
• I knew that.
• X That contradicts my expectations.
• This is important.
• ? I have a question.
• ?? I am confused or puzzled.
• ! This is surprising or exciting to me.
• L I learned something new.

-Stephanie Harvey and Smokey Daniels
8
Instructional Practices of Close Reading

• Close reading must be accompanied by other
  essential instructional practices that are vital
  to reading development.
• Interactive read alouds and shared readings
• Teacher modeling and think alouds
• Collaborative reading and discussion
• Independent reading and writing

9
When Not To Do a Close Read

• Not all text texts warrants this type of
  attention. There is no reason to do a close
  reading of
• Easily understood and simply organized piece of
  text
• When skimming
• Whole novels

10
Attributes of Close Reading Lessons

• Selection of a brief, high-quality complex text
  with limited front loading
• Individual reading of the text
• Group reading aloud
• Text-based questions discussion that focus on
  discrete elements of the text
• Discussion among students
• Annotating the text and writing about the text

11
Comprehension Strategies During Close Reading

• Making Connections
• Visualizing
• Questioning
• Predicting
• Inferring
• Synthesizing and Summarizing
• Monitoring
• (Fisher, Fry, Lapp 2012)

12
Close ReadingDemonstration Lesson

• Words We Live By Your Annotated Guide to the
  Constitution by Linda R. Monk

Originally published in New York Hyperion,
2003.
13

• What is (and isnt) the meaning of popular
  sovereignty? Why does Monk claim that this is
  the form of government in America?
• Standards RI.6-8.4-6

14
Is Lucy Stone confused when she asks Which We
the People? Why does Monk say this question
has troubled the nation?Standards
RI.6-8.5-6
15

• What evidence is there in this paragraph
  regarding Marshalls claim about the evolving
  nature of the constitution?
• Standard RI.6-8.1

16

• The Focusing Question for Writing
• Explain how the notion of who the people were
  has changed over time in America? Use evidence
  from the text to support your explanation.
• Anchor Standards R.CCR.3-6 and W.CCR.2,
  4, 5, 9

17
One Composition for Lesson Design

1. Briefly introduce lesson
2. Read
3. Reread
4. Ask text-dependent questions
5. Provide opportunities for text-based writing

18
This lesson

• allows the mystery and the adventure of the text
  to unfold,
• chunks the text in a meaningful way,
• includes scaffolding that doesnt simplify the
  text and asks questions that require evidence,
• and provides keen focus on paragraphs, sentences,
  and words.

19
Attributes of Close Reading Lessons

• Selection of a brief, high-quality complex text
  with limited front loading
• Individual reading of the text
• Group reading aloud
• Text-based questions discussion that focus on
  discrete elements of the text
• Discussion among students
• Annotating the text and writing about the text

20
Fostering Routines for Close Reading

• Look Out For Lightning
• Chapter 9, A Warrior Rescue

21
Second Pass

• This time we are going to read the text and look
  for figurative language. Look for how and why
  the author uses it.

22

• Wow, lightning struck that tree! Dennis yelled.
• Wendy had only seen the lightning flash from
  the corner of her eye, but she could see the
  black streak along the side of the big oak tree
  behind the school fence. It looked like someone
  had just pulled off the bark with a giant potato
  peeler.
• Mrs. Stuard grabbed the microphone. The
  game is postponed. Everyone, leave the field and
  go inside the school until the storm passes.
• Mr. Holmes was already leading the two
  soccer teams across the field. He unlocked the
  back door of the school.
• People climbed down from the bleachers and
  walked away from the sidelines as more thunder
  rumbled.

23
Stock Taking

• In this approach, we are going to stop at key
  points to take stock of developments and new
  information.

24

• Wendy waved at her parents and Denniss
  father as they followed the crowd into the
  school.
• Get inside, Wendy, her father said.
• Wendy nodded. She turned to follow Dennis
  and Jessica. Then, she saw Austin and his parents
  hurrying toward the parking lot.
• Wait! Wendy shouted.
• Come on, she said to Dennis and Jessica.
  They had to stop Austins family from getting
  into their car. Sometimes Austin could be weird,
  but Wendy didnt want him or his family to get
  hurt.
• Stop! she shouted again as more thunder
  echoed.
• But Austins parents kept walking. Dennis
  ran past Wendy and Jessica. He stopped in front
  of Austins parents.
• Mr. and Mrs. Scott, you have to get into
  the school until the lightning stops, Dennis
  said, gasping to catch his breath.

What is going on in this first part? Who can
summarize it for us?
Whats new in this part of the story?
25
Story Questions

• As you read, think about these questions
• What is the setting of the story and whats going
  on? How that shape the action?
• What problem did Wendy recognize?
• How did Wendy and Dennis solve the problem?
• What changed Mr. Scotts mind about leaving in
  the car?

26
Notice Note
27
Other Resources
28
List Serve

• http//elaccss.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/listjoin

29
Have you seen.
ELA Common Core State Standards Self-Study LiveBinder http//www.livebinders.com/play/play/262077
ELA Resources LiveBinder http//www.livebinders.com/play/play/297779 ELA Wiki http//elaccss.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/home
30
Contact Information
Julie Joslin, Ed.D. Section Chief English Language Arts 919-807-3935 Julie.Joslin_at_dpi.nc.gov Anna Lea Frost, M.Ed. 6-8 English Language Arts Consultant 919-807-3952 Anna.Frost_at_dpi.nc.gov
Lisa McIntosh, MSA K-5 English Language Arts Consultant 919-807-3895 Lisa.Llewellyn_at_dpi.nc.gov Angie Stephenson 9-12 English Language Arts 919-807-3833 Angela.Stephenson_at_dpi.nc.gov Kristi Day, M.Ed. K-5 English Language Arts 919-807-3928 Kristi.Day_at_dpi.nc.gov