CLOSE READING

Morgan Booth
 DEFINITION
Thoughtful, critical analysis of a text that focuses on
significant details or patterns in order to develop a
deep, precise understanding of the text’s form, craft,
meanings, etc. 1. What does the text say?
(Main Idea & Key Details)
2. How does the text say it?
(Author’s Craft & Structure)
3. What does it mean?
(Integrating Knowledge & Ideas)
Goal: Integration of standards
from each of the strands
 Close Reading Includes::
-Short passages/ excerpts
**study of words and phrases in the text, answering
text-dependent questions, and discussions that often
lead to written analysis**
-examining: word choice, figurative language,and
structures of sentences paragraphs or sections
-Cite evidence for conclusions (gr 5)
 Close Reading Includes::Cont.
-Limited pre-reading activities, do not give away the
meaning of the text
-Rereading deliberately (with clear purpose)
-Noticing things that are confusing
-Academic Discourse-- small/whole group
-Questionsing::Text dependent questions
 BIG IDEAS
Human Experiences

Engaging Characters

Expressive Use of Language (F)

Important Concepts: Accurate info/precise language (NF)

 All Texts Are NOT Created Equal!- Morgan Booth
Selecting a Text:: We Need Complex Texts!

Vocabulary
Text Structure

Syntax
Text Features
 “Seeking and finding relationships
among texts [is important and falls under
DOK 4] ...Young readers learn that
words and illustrations in picture books
often convey slightly different messages
that compliment, enhance or sometimes
even contradict one another.”
- Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education: June 2017
 FIRST READ
Independently, read aloud/ think aloud, paired/shared reading
(vary above approach based on text and student need)

Main Idea, Story Elements, Key details from the author

End of read one:: discuss and assess(observational) what they

were able to understand; make adjustment to second read as
needed
 SECOND READ
Reread a complex section of the text or the whole text
METACOGNITION:
a. Author’s Craft:
word choice, structure, point of view TEACHER PROVIDES TEXT
DEPENDENT QUESTIONS-
b. Vocabulary Evidence comes from the text
- Unknown words Turn and Talk to Discuss
- Words worth remembering

c. Confusing Part::Ask a question to get clarification

d. Important part and why??

 THIRD READ
Record answers and ideas
Synthesize and analyze: be clear on skill to focus on

Include other texts and media

Record answers to text dependent question from second read

 SCAFFOLDING
Think Aloud

Reading the text to the students

Teach Concept Mapping

Provide/Model a parallel exemplar

Model your thinking as you answer text dependent questions

**GRADUAL RELEASE OF RESPONSIBILITY**
TEACHER: Grade: Date:

Text: Independent, shared, paired reading, read aloud, think aloud

STEPS:
Focus Chunk/portion for close read: 1. FIRST READ (Key IDeas and Details)
Students read text (Do NOT activate prior knowledge or use
pre-reading activities)
Complex Ideas that require close reading:
Think Pair Share (Used to focus close reading)
- Vocabulary - Text structure - Coherence
2. SECOND READ (Craft and Structure)
Reread text or selected chunk focusing on text dependent
- Syntax - Text Features - Audience Appropriateness
question and metacognition
Text-Dependent Questions: Student read with a pencil and annotate text based on
focus(through questioning) and Metacognitive (vocabulary,
1.Standard 1
important parts/why, confusing part/ask a question, author’s
craft)
2. Standard 2
3. THIRD READ (Integration of Knowledge and Ideas)
3. Standard 3 Reread text/ selected chunk focusing on recording answers
for text dependent question
 Text Dependent Questions: Overview
-Require students to dig deeply into the text to answer (cannot be
answered without the text)

-Read and understand text thoroughly

-What do you want students to be able to know and do as a result

of this lesson?

-Use stems to help creating questions, organized by domain

 Text Dependent Questions: CUES
- Use textual evidence to support your ideas
-Use words and phrases from the text to prove your answer
-Use specific evidence from the text to support your ideas
-Use specific words and details from the text to support your
opinion
-Use specific words or details from the text or illustrations to
support your ideas
-Inferences should be supported by text (gr 4 and 5)
-What in the text helped you to know?
-What words and phrases did the author use that led you to
your answer?
Text Dependent Questions: Key Ideas and Details
Text Dependent Questions: Craft and Structure
Text Dependent Questions: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
 Resources Used::

A Close Look at Close Reading

by BETH BURKE, NBCT

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and

Secondary Education