1. Reading Nonfiction Notice & Note Stances, Signposts, and Strategies
By Kylene Beers & Robert E. Probst

2. “We want kids as readers of nonfiction to be active, to challenge the text, and to invite the text to challenge and change them. When students recognize that nonfiction ought to challenge us, slow us down, and make us think, then they’re more likely to become close readers.” – Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst
3 BIG QUESTIONS that develop the stance needed for attentive reading
5 SIGNPOSTS that help readers analyze and evaluate the author’s craft
7 STRATEGIES that develop relevance and fix up confusions.

3. To Develop Understanding
Adopt a Questioning Stance
What surprised you?
What did the author think you already knew?
What changed, challenged, or confirmed what you already knew?
Notice & Note These Signposts
Contrasts and Contradictions
Extreme or Absolute Language
Numbers & Stats
Quoted Words
Word Gaps
Use These Fix-Up Strategies
Possible Sentences
KWL 2.0
Somebody Wanted But So
Syntax Surgery
Sketch to Stretch
Genre Reformulation
Poster

4. Big Question #1 What surprised me? I was shocked about…
I was surprised when…
I never thought…
I could not believe…
Really? Why does this surprise me? What does it suggest?

5. Four Categories of Surprise
New Information (“I didn’t know that!”)
Suspicious Information (“Really? Is that true?”)
Clarifying Information (“Oh! Now I get it!”)
A different perspective (“I hadn’t thought of it that way.” or “How could anyone think that way?” or “This surprises me. Is there another way to see this?”)

6. read with the expectation for surprise. Remember, if
So when you read
nonfiction, you should
read with the expectation
for surprise. Remember, if
you want to find a surprise,
you actually must look for one!

7. We Try It:
Pilgrims brought the first honeybees to America. By the 1850s, honeybees had flown to California.
What surprised you?
Why was that?

8. You Try It: What Surprises Me?
It’s your turn to read Vampires Prey on Panama with this question in mind. As you read it, mark those passages you find surprising. Perhaps you want to put an exclamation point beside those statements, or you might want to underline them. Then, think about what surprised you and jot that down in the margin. You may find you are writing questions. When you are finished reading, take another look to make sure you’ve marked 3 or 4 parts that surprised you. Turn and talk to your shoulder partner. Share what each of you found surprising.

9. How did this question affect your thinking?
Reflection Time
How did this question affect your thinking?
Reflect on this in your journal. Share out.
Teacher Resources
Notice and Note Resources
Newsela article about Jupiter
Really?? Template
“Classroom Close-Up”