Close Reading

“Every book has a skeleton hidden between its covers “Every book has a skeleton hidden between its covers. Your job as an analytic reader is to find it.” —Adler & Van Doren, How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading (1940, 1972)

X-Ray the Book

Creating a Close Reading

Creating a Close Reading Use a short passage. Creating a Close Reading

Creating a Close Reading Use a short passage. “Read with a pencil.” Creating a Close Reading

Creating a Close Reading Use a short passage. “Read with a pencil.” Note what’s confusing. Creating a Close Reading

Creating a Close Reading Use a short passage. “Read with a pencil.” Note what’s confusing. Pay attention to patterns. Creating a Close Reading

Creating a Close Reading Use a short passage. “Read with a pencil.” Note what’s confusing. Pay attention to patterns. Give students the chance to struggle a bit. Creating a Close Reading

“Read like a detective. Write like a reporter.” —David Coleman

Journey, by Patricia MacLachlan A Close Reading of an excerpt from Journey, by Patricia MacLachlan (Cisneros,and Other Stories, 1991)

Our Purpose How does the passage help us learn more about family, memories, and what’s important in life?

First Reading: Students Read and Write Independently Read with a pencil to take notes about the text. What powerful words or phrases affect you? Circle. What confuses you? Underline. Quick-write What are your impressions of Journey and the people in his life?

Discussion: Partner Talk to Check Meaning Describe your impressions of Journey and the people in his life.

Second Reading: Teacher Modeling Read the entire passage aloud, without interruption. Students should follow along in the text.

Text-Dependent Questions What does Journey realize? What words and phrases does the author use for each? Right There Question

Text-Dependent Questions How does MacLachan use photographs as a symbol of memories? To what effect? Think and Search Question

Text-Dependent Questions How does MacLachlan use photography words? To what effect? Think and Search Question

Text-Dependent Question What does the author want us to know about Journey? Author and You Question

Text-Dependent Questions Would a title change to Once They Loved Me change your perspective? Why? How would this story differ if was written by Journey’s mother? Cat? On My Own Question

Journal Writing Using your notes from the reading, “How does the passage help us learn more about family, memories, and what’s important in life?” For this journal entry, write an entry explaining what we now know about Journey using evidence from the text.