- Do Now
- Entry Title: Introduction to Unit on CLOSE READING
- Close reading is a set of skills used develop excellent reading habits. There are 5. Today, you will learn about using questions to examine a text's topic, information and structure.
- Learning Targets: 1) To develop an analogy between Close Reading and Crime Scene Investigation to better understand how to use Guiding Questions. 2) To introduce the different documents we will use as "text investigators".
- Mini-Lesson: Comparing the process of Close Reading to Crime Scene investigation by showing this video CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Virtual Lab Tour. Effective readers use guiding questions like those used by CS Investigators to help them look for evidence(clues) in a text.
- Guided Practice: Close reading is like... worksheet.
- Connection: Reading Closely for Details Guiding Questions Handout. This handout is a like a set of CSI tools (see above worksheet) that help you "investigate" texts.
- The texts we will be investigating are on the Reading Closely Unit Texts Handout. There are many connections between these texts that we will explore in this unit.
- Previewing the Checklists: Reading Closely for Details Checklist and Text-Centered Discussions Checklist
- Assessment: Ticket out the Door: On a half sheet of paper, answer the following question...
- How is Close Reading like Crime Scene Investigating?
- Second Period
- Do Now - Think
- Entry Title: What Do You Notice?
- Directions: List as many objects as you can notice in the picture below. You may come up to the SB in order to see more details.
- Get Out the Guiding Questions Handout (GQH) from yesterday for the next activity...
- Today's Learning Target: How well can you notice details?
- Mini-Lesson: Examining details is the basis for good criminal investigation and the basis for Close Reading. Today we will start improving our skills of noticing details by using pictures.
- The Procedure is as follows....
- Start a New Entry Titled: Classroom Pictures
- Mr. DeGrandis will display two pics one at a time.
- In groups or alone, examine each image (there are 2), noticing all the details.
- Have one person write down all your group's observations.
- Stuck? Use the GQH to ask yourself questions that will help you notice more details.
- Discuss the details your group notices and write down any new questions you may have as result of your discussion.
- Answer the following guiding questions:
- - What is this text (photo) mainly about?
- - What stands out to me as I examine this text?
- Answer the following text-specific questions:
- - What are some things you notice about the people in each picture?
- - What is significant about the way the students are dressed?
- Be ready to share out what you or your group discussed.
- Class Discussion
- What did you notice? Each group or individual shares their responses.
- List three details you think are "key" for understanding something that is going on in one of the images.
- Note: Questions such as these can lead to a greater understanding of the image.
- Assessment: Ticket out the door: What are some things you learned today about noticing details.
WEDNESDAY - SINGLE PERIOD
- Do Now - Copy
- Entry Title: Vocabulary List VI
- Note to students: Please be sure to set aside three blank pages for new vocabulary words.
- 1. Yonder (no word family) - a place only a small distance away.
- 2. Fleecy (fleece, fleeced) - the wool obtained from a sheep.
- 3. Luminous (illuminate, luminously) - shining brightly or reflecting light.
- 4. Placid - (placidly) - pleasantly calm or peaceful; undisturbed waters.
- 5. Innate (innately) - a natural ability, skill or process.
- Learning Target: Introduce the first five words of Vocabulary List VI.
- Using index cards, create Vocabulary Flash Cards for your first 5 words of List VI.
- HW - On a separate sheet of loose leaf paper, write a sentence for each word. Be sure to refer to your composition book for tips on how to write good vocabulary sentences. This is a homework grade due tomorrow.
THURSDAY - DOUBLE PERIOD
- Do Now - THINK
- Entry Title: Why Independent Reading is Important
- While you hear this article being read, think about some of the ways you might like to improve your reading skills!
- After article is read: How do you feel about independent reading in class?
- Think About Question During Reading: What information or ideas does this text present?
- Independently read your novel for 10 minutes.
- Answer Reader Response - 5 minutes
- Select one of the following reading strategies and respond...
- - Make a connection (text to text, text to self, text to world)
- - Visualize a part of your novel and describe using imagery.
- - Ask a question to clarify your understanding of a part of your novel.
- - Determine/Explain why a part of your novel is important.
- - Make an Inference (logical conclusion) or a Prediction about your novel.
- - Synthesize (put it together)several ideas to create an original idea about your novel.
- Be prepared to share you reader response for a ticket for the next raffle and a participation grade.
- Second Period
- Do Now - THINK
- Entry Title: Teachers from My Past
- What are some things you have appreciated about the any teacher(s) you have ever had?
- Note: Get out your Guided Questions Handout from yesterday.
- Learning Target: Practice Using Guiding Questions for Close Reading
- Mini-Lesson: Review of the purpose and focus of the GQH and highlight Topic, Information and Idea section.
- What is is like to be deaf? What is it like to blind?
- RA/TA - The Story of My Life by Helen Keller
- What are some of the ideas or information that this text presents? (record your answers in today's Do Now)
- Look at the GQH under "Language". What words or phrases stand out to you as I read?
- Re-read the text independently and highlight any details you notice.
- Class Discussion
- - What details did you notice?
- - What do these details suggest to you? (Think synthesis.)
- Quick Review: What is paraphrasing? (Putting something into your own words.)
- You Try: In your composition book, paraphrase one of the details that stands out to you and be prepared to share it with the class.
- Assessment: Ticket out the door: What does Keller mean by, "When she came, everything about me breathed of love and joy and was full of meaning"? What details help you understand this?
FRIDAY - SINGLE PERIOD
- No Do Now - Gather all class materials as usual. That's all.
- Learning Target: You will use the GQH to look closely for details in a multi-media text.
- View the Video, Changing Paradigms by Ken Robinson.
- While viewing keep the following question in mind:
- What ideas are presented in this text?
- Class Discussion
- - What are your initial observations?
- Craft a Question: Let's create a new guiding question as we review the video a second time.
- New Entry Titled: Changing Paradigms
- Review the video a second time, filling in your table.
- Small Groups: Discuss the details you selected with your group.
- 1. Write one thing you learned from the video.
- 2. Volunteers from each group read their sentences to the class.
- Assessment: The Reading Closely Checklist
- Using the checklist, reflect on your experience of watching the video. Ask yourself: 1) How good am I at knowing how to Read Closely. 2) Where might you need to improve as a reader?