1. Early Release November, 2014
Close Reading
Early Release
November, 2014
Participants Should Have:
Text Dependent Question Stems (Handout provided during October’s Early Release)
Participants Should Have Copies:
Close Reading Reflection Handout
Road Map to Close Reading Handout
Close Reading Collaboration Activity Handout
Selecting Text for a Close Reading Cheat Sheet Handout
Article, Bring back the grizzly to California? That’s too scary, some say (Grades K-1)
Note: An optional article has been provided for Grades 2-3 (an extended version of the article- Bring back the grizzly to California? That’s too scary, some say) to use instead of Group wants to bring back the grizzly to California, some shocked by idea. All articles provided are of varying Lexile complexity so schools should select text to use for this presentation which is most reflective of the needs of their staff.
Article, Group wants to bring back the grizzly to California, some shocked by idea (Grades 2-5)
Handout of PowerPoint

2. Reflecting on October’s Close Reading
Using the Reflecting on a Close Reading Lesson Handout, take a few moments and personally reflect on the Repeated Reading section. Did your repeated readings prepare students for the culminating activity?
Collaboratively reflect on this element of close reading.
How do you feel your knowledge of close reading has changed your instruction?
How have your students’ learning changed as a result of close reading?
Presenter Note:
Reflection Activity (roughly 10 minutes):
Provide participants roughly 2-3 minutes to independently reflect on their October close reading lesson
In grade level groups, provide roughly 5 minutes for participants to collaboratively reflect on their close reading lessons
Allow several participants to share their close reading reflection

3. Objectives: Success Criteria:
Participants will increase accuracy in selecting appropriately complex text for a close reading lesson.
Participants will increase their knowledge of the close reading protocol.
Success Criteria:
Click and read contents of slide
Participants will create a close reading sequence focusing on selecting appropriately complex text.

4. Elements of Close Reading
Appropriately Complex Text
Careful, Purposeful Reading
Short Passages
Limited Frontloading
Repeated Readings
Annotation
Text-Dependent Questioning
Student Talk
Writing From Reading
Keeping in mind that Close Reading is an interactive learning process, what role should the teacher play during each read of a Close Read?
During Early Release, we have discussed the elements of a close reading lesson.
Click for animation
Table Talk (roughly 5 minutes):
Table groups will discuss question posed on slide
Example of possible responses:
Teacher modeling (ex: showing how to text mark)
Individual teacher/student conversation (ex: as students are participating in student talk activities, the teacher would individual question/probe students for understanding and/or clarify misconceptions)
During the whole group share out, clarify misconceptions as they arise (example):
Close Reading is not a packet to be completed independently
Close Reading is a collaborative learning sequence allowing students to develop a deep level of understanding of a text through teacher modeling, class discussions, student collaboration, and independent practice.
Adapted from:
Fisher, D. & Frey, N (2014). Close Reading and Writing From Sources. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

5. Gearing Up For a Close Reading
Today we will be collaboratively creating a Close Reading sequence. The Road Map to Close Reading (Handout) provides a format as you are creating a Close Read. It is not a lesson plan, rather a tool to guide you in creating a close read which contains the elements of a Close Read in a purposeful way.
Not all Close Reads will require 3 reads. Some Close Reads will require fewer or more reads. The number of reads in a Close Reads depends on the text and students.
Direct participants to Road Map to Close Reading Handout
This handout is a “user friendly” way to view a close reading sequence

6. As we gear up for our Close Read…..
The potential standards covered in this Close Read are LAFS.RI.1.1, LAFS.RI.1.2, LAFS.RI.2.4, LAFS.W.1.2
Evaluate the text for the appropriate complexity
Direct participants to the Close Reading Collaboration Activity Handout. This handout mirrors the Road Map to Close Reading Handout. We will use this handout as we collaboratively create our Close Reading sequence.
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Presenter Note: The reason for the phrase “potential standards covered in this Close Read are..” is due to the fact that participants collaborate throughout this training (ex: creating text dependent questions) additional standards may be brought into the lesson or previously identified standards are not covered in their totality.

7. How do I know if a text is complex?
Evaluating the Text…
How do I know if a text is complex?
Selecting the text can be the most daunting part in preparing for a Close Read.
While developing our Close Reading sequence today, K-1 teachers will have a separate text than grades 2-5.
The text for K-1 requires instruction through shared reading lessons.
There are many considerations that should be taken into account when selecting a text. The Selecting Text for Close Reading Cheat Sheet (Handout) is a simple “Yes” or “No” checklist to consider while selecting text. As you are considering text for a Close Read, if you answer “No” to more than one of the questions, then the text would probably be better suited for a lesson other than Close Reading.
An example of “No” might be the Lexile is not above my students’ independent level, but is still complex because of its content.
Allow participants an adequate amount of time to evaluate the text provided (Grizzly Article Handout) which we will use to create our Close Reading sequence.
Note: The Lexile for the provided articles are 600 (K-1) and 790 (2-5). A Lexile of 790 is on the 4th grade level band.
Note: Participants can reference their Close Reading Collaboration Activity Handout to view the culminating task.

8. As we gear up for our Close Read…..
The potential standards covered in this Close Read are LAFS.RI.1.1, LAFS.RI.1.2, LAFS.RI.2.4, LAFS.W.1.2
We have evaluated the text for complexity
The culminating activity for this Close Read is:
(K-2): Using information from the text, create a poster telling why the grizzly bear should not return to California. Use information from the passage while creating your poster.
(Grades 3-5): Write an informational essay explaining why the grizzly should not return to California. Use information from the passage in your essay.
As we gear up for our Close Read, we have already identified the standards and evaluated the text for complexity. Now we are going to review the culminating activity. During the culminating activity, students will apply their knowledge of the identified standards.
For assessment purposes regarding the culminating activity:
K-2 may want to consider creating a rubric (based on standards and success criteria)
3-5 could use their FSA Informational Writing Rubric

9. Each read of a Close Read is Purposeful!
Since we have identified our standards, selected the text, and created a culminating activity, we are now going to create an instructional sequence which will prepare students for the culminating activity (reflects the expectations of the standards).
Each purposeful read of a Close Read increases in the complexity of the standards in order to prepare students for the culminating activity. This requires us to look at a text for a Close Read through a new “lens.” We are no longer looking at a text for a surface level understanding, but expecting students to understanding text at a deeper level.
Looking at our Road Map to Close Reading, we are now going to focus on the 1st read of a Close Read.

10. 1st Purposeful Read of a Close Read
Looking at the Road Map, there are five potential items occurring during the first read of a Close Read.
Purpose: Reading for the Main Idea
Text Dependent Questions: What is the main idea of the text?
Annotation: The 1st Read of a Close Read typically contains a shallow text code.
Underline the major points.
Circle keywords or phrases that are confusing or unknown to you.
Use a question mark (?) for questions that you have during the reading. Be sure to write your question.
Writing Through Reading Strategy: In one sentence, tell what the text is mostly about.
Student Talk Activity: “Tell Plus One”: Share your one sentence main idea with a partner. Each partner should add one piece of text evidence to tell about the main idea.
As a grade level group, create at least one additional text dependent question focusing on Key Ideas and Details.
Close Reading is not a formulaic instructional sequence. It is dependent upon the students, the text, and the culminating task (reflective of the standards). This Road Map provides one way to create an instructional sequence which contains all elements of Close Reading.
The purpose for this reading has already been determined- Reading for the main idea
Note: Instruction pertaining to main idea would have to occur prior to this lesson. Knowledge of a concept, such as main idea, is not frontloading.
A text dependent question has been provided. During the first read of a Close Read, questions will typically be created focusing on the Key Ideas and Details Standards.
Working in table groups, reference your Question Stems Handout from October’s Early Release to create one additional text dependent question focusing on Key Ideas and Details. Remember to keep the culminating task in mind as you are creating your question. Participants will write their text dependent question on their Close Reading Collaboration Activity Handout.
Allow participants to share out their text dependent question
Note: As the number of reads in a Close Read increases, the number of questions typically decreases. There is no set number of text-dependent questions to ask during each read of a close reading lesson sequence.
The Annotation (which is created based on the purpose for reading and text dependent questions) for the first read, is typically a shallow text code. Three different shallow text codes have been provided on the slide.
Allow participants to decide which shallow text code would be most beneficial to achieve the purpose of this reading. Participants should share their selected coding and explain why they selected the coding. Participants should write their annotation selection on their Close Reading Collaboration Activity Handout.
The student talk and writing through reading strategy has been provided for this read of a Close Read. Notice both of these activities support the purpose and is not an added element, rather they enhance the required instruction. Purposefully planned student talk and writing through reading can also be utilized as formative assessments.
Depending on the grade/ability level of the students, a sentence stem could be provided to scaffold them in writing the main idea.
Example: The main idea of the article is _________.
Which shallow text code do you think would be most beneficial to reach the goal of reading for the Main Idea on this 1st read?

11. 2nd Purposeful Read of a Close Read
Purpose for Reading: Vocabulary
Annotation: Put an “S” next to the words the author uses to tell why people think grizzly bears are scary.
Text Dependent Questions (Craft & Structure):
Try one on your own!
Additional Text Dependent Question: How does the author feel about grizzly bears? Use evidence from the text to explain your answer.
Student Talk Activity: “Back-to-Back, Face-to-Face”: Students will respond to the additional Text Dependent Question using this activity.
Writing Through Reading Strategy: ….
As we progress on the Road Map, the purpose for reading becomes more complex, which causes the text dependent questions and annotations to increase in complexity as well.
Table Group Activity:
Keeping the Purpose for Reading, Annotation, and Text Dependent Questions in mind, create a Writing Through Reading activity which will prepare students for the Culminating Task.
Think about the given annotation. Create a Text Dependent Question leading students to annotate the text in this manner.
All learning in a Close Read is preparing the student for the culminating activity!
While the same elements from the 1st reading are present in the 2nd and 3rd reading, the complexity of the instruction (questioning, annotation, writing through reading, etc.) increase which allow students to develop a deeper understanding of the text.
Note: Not all Close Reads will require 3 reads. Some Close Reads will require fewer or more reads. The number of reads in a Close Reads depends on the text and students.
The purpose for this particular reading is vocabulary. All instruction during this reading will focus on students developing an understanding of vocabulary.
Note: If this lesson was taught in a classroom, it would have to be differentiated based on the students (ex: grade and/or ability level).
The Annotation has been provided- Put an “S” next to the words the author uses to tell why people think grizzle bears are scary. This purposeful annotation causes students to focus on the author’s word choice, specifically the choice of adjectives.
Text Dependent Question: Keeping the annotation (“S”) in mind, what text dependent question could be created to lead students to annotate in this manner? Allow participants time to collaborate to create their question and share out whole group. Participants will write their text dependent question on their Close Reading Collaboration Activity Handout.
Click and read additional text dependent question
The Student Talk Activity, “Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face,” was introduced during prior Early Release presentations. This student talk activity will be incorporated after the 2nd text dependent question.
Note: Student Talk and Writing Through Reading Strategies can be incorporated at any point during a Close Reading Sequence.
Click for animation to appear. Allow participants and adequate amount of time to create a Writing Through Reading strategy related to the purpose of this reading (could be used as formative assessment). Participants should write their Writing Through Reading strategy on their Close Reading Collaboration Activity Handout.
Example: Write a word that the author uses to tell why people think grizzly bears are scary. In your own words tell what this word means and use it in a sentence.

12. 3rd Purposeful Read of a Close Read
Purpose for Reading: Why grizzly bears have a fearsome reputation
Table Group Activity:
In your group, discuss the culminating activity, prior readings, and the purpose of this read
Create at least 2 Text Dependent Questions (Integration of Knowledge & Ideas)
Create at least 1 purposeful Annotation related to 1 of your Text Dependent Questions
Create either a Student Talk Activity or Writing Through Reading Strategy
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Allow participants an adequate amount of time to collaborate and share out. Participants should write their items on their Close Reading Collaboration Activity Handout.
Note: Text Dependent Questions should be reflective of Integration of Knowledge and Ideas cluster
As participants are creating their purposeful annotation, the purpose and culminating activity should be considered.

13. Keeping the End in Mind…
To ensure the Close Reading sequence is complete, we are going to review the culminating activity….
Does each read of the close read prepare students for the culminating activity?
Does the culminating activity cause students to demonstrate a deep understanding of the text?
Does the culminating activity reflect the complexity of the standards selected?
We have now planned for a Close Reading sequence!
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Direct participants to collaboratively review their Close Read sequence keeping the three questions posed on slide in mind. Are any revisions needed? (Allow an adequate amount of time for participants to complete this activity).

14. Implementation Plan: Create a Close Reading Lesson
Elements of Close Reading
Appropriately Complex Text
Careful, Purposeful Reading
Short Passages
Limited Frontloading
Repeated Readings
Annotation
Text-Dependent Questioning
Student Talk
Writing From Reading
Create a Close Reading lesson utilizing all elements Close Reading (focusing on selecting appropriately complex text)
Create a Close Reading lesson sequence utilizing all elements of Close Reading

15. Reference
Fisher, D. & Frey, N. (2014). Close Reading and Writing From Sources. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Newsela (2014). Bring back the grizzly to California? That’ s too scary, some say. Retrieved from
Sisson, D. & Sisson, B. (2014). Close Reading in Elementary School. New York, NY: Routledge.