1. Get 2 highlighters – different colors!
IRP examples
“The Wife’s Story”

2. A Close Reading of “The Wife’s Story”
By Ursula Le Guin
Day 1
Today we will read a very good story with unexpected twist! I think you will be surprised at how the author crafted this story to trick her readers into thinking one way until the very end.

3. “The Wife’s Story”
Write your heading in the top left corner of your story.
With a black pen or pencil number the paragraphs. There are 19.
Write “STOP” after these paragraphs:
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 19
Day 1

4. Closely Read “The Wife’s Story”
Take out a highlighter and highlight in that color “describes the husband” (found at Question 1- page 1)
Let’s visit the text and highlight, in the same color, anything that “describes the husband”.

5. Closely Read “The Wife’s Story”
Take out a second highlighter and highlight “a hint that something bad is going to happen” (found at Question 1- page 1)
As we read together, highlight, in the 2nd color, “a hint that something bad is going to happen”
Day 1

6. A Close Reading of “The Wife’s Story”
By Ursula Le Guin
The Story Continues…
Day 1
Today we will read a very good story with unexpected twist! I think you will be surprised at how the author crafted this story to trick her readers into thinking one way until the very end.

7. Closely Read “The Wife’s Story”
With your partner, write in the margin each event you encountered as you read the story.
Be ready to share what you and your partner wrote in the margins.

8. “The Wife’s Story” As you write your answers support them with textual evidence.
After Paragraph 1
What words does the narrator use to describe her husband?
What did you learn about her character?
After Paragraph 5
How has the narrator’s relationship with her husband changed?
After Paragraph 8
What happens between the father and the child? Why does the narrator scold her child?
After Paragraph 16
What transformation has taken place?
What assumptions had you made about the characters that had to be changed?
After Paragraph 19
How has the narrator’s feelings changed toward her husband?
Pair students. Both students read up to the paragraph listed above then stop to discuss and then write their answers to the questions. Stress that they must include textual evidence to support their answer.