1. Close Reading

2. OUTCOMES/AGENDA: Gain an understanding of the steps to Close Reading Determine which standard addresses Reading Closely and how other standards can be taught through this instruction Gain and understanding of annotating text Recognize the use of scaffolding during Close Reading Gain an understanding of where text dependent questions fit into Close Reading Participate in walking through the steps of a Close Reading lesson (using Charlotte’s Webb) familiarize ourselves with the three steps

3. Close Readi Close Reading intensive analysis what how means “Close Reading – an intensive analysis of a text in order to come to terms with what it says, how it says it, and what it means.” Tim Shanahan

4. Close Readi Close Reading “Focused, sustained reading and rereading of a text for the purpose of understanding key points, gathering evidence, and building knowledge. Pearson, page 48

5. Read with a pencil in hand – annotate the text Look for patterns in the things you’ve noticed about the text – repetitions, contradictions, similarities This is whatever you, the teacher, want the students to look for: key ideas & details, central message or theme, character traits, etc Ask questions about the patterns you’ve noticed – especially how and why

6. Where does Close Reading appear in the College and Career Ready Standards? Anchor Standards for Reading R.1: Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

8. Close Reading of Charlotte’s Web Read Charlotte’s Web Chapter 1 to get the flow and general understanding of the story.  Read with a pencil to annotate the text

9. Close Reading of Charlotte’s Web Turn to your “elbow partner” and recount what has taken place in the story so far? Be sure to use/cite specific textual evidence in your answer.

10. Literal This is a story about a little girl who lives on a farm with her mother, father, and brother. Her name is Fern. The story begins with Fern’s father, Mr. Arable, setting out with an ax, and Fern asking: (Where’s papa going with that ax?) The story goes on to show that Fern is terribly upset that her father is going to kill a piglet because it is a runt and, as he says, “A weakling makes trouble.” Fern calls this event a terrible injustice and persuades her father to give her the piglet instead.

11. Close Reading of Charlotte’s Web Reread  Look for key details that might help you determine a central message or theme beginning to emerge. Ask and/or answer questions about  the details you’ve noticed  how and why are these important to the overall text?

12. Close Reading of Charlotte’s Web Turn to your “elbow partner” and answer the following questions: 1. What’s the story beginning to be about? 2. Be sure to include details from the story.

13. The story is starting to be about a struggle for justice. Fern says “It’s unfair” a couple of times. She also says it’s the most terrible case of injustice she’s ever heard of. Fern tries to wrestle the ax from her father’s hand. Did your conversation look like this?

14. Close Reading of Charlotte’s Web How did Fern react to her father getting ready to kill the pig? What were Fern’s characteristics and/or feelings? What in the story makes you say that?

15. Fern reacted to her father getting ready to kill the pig by becoming extremely upset. She is yelling and sobbing. Fern calls it, “A matter of life and death.” She even compares killing the piglet to her parents killing her if she had been born very small.

16. CCR Anchor Standard 1 "Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.“ CCR Anchor Standard 2 “Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas. CCR Anchor Standard 3 "Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.“

17. A final thought…. comprehending, inferring, synthesizing “If young readers do the work of the first three anchor standards well— comprehending, inferring, synthesizing —then they’ll move rapidly up levels to the kinds of stories where paying attention to craft, structure, and language will become an essential part of their everyday reading work.” -Calkins, Ehrenworth, & Lehman, 2012