Close Reading in the Social Studies Classroom

District Learning DayLocation goes here

Session time goes hereAugust 5, 2015

Do Now

Please begin to silently read the text you were provided

Norms

• Be present and engaged.• Be respectful of differences in perspective

while challenging each other productively and respectively.

• Monitor “air time.”• Make the most of the time we have.• Stay focused on students.

ObjectivesKnow – The types of text that are appropriate for deeper reading activities with students (e.g., close reading)

Understand – The important points/steps of leading an effective text-based lesson and The elements of creating text dependent questions for both multiple choice and extended response types of items

Do – Create similar text-based lessons for the students you teach

Close Reading“Close reading highlights the central role the text

should play in understanding what it means.” Source: Close Reading and the CCSS, The Colorado Education Initiative

In other words, we need to teach a student to wrestle with a text to squeeze its meaning from the words, phrases and imagery on the page and not from the teacher telling the student what it means.

Students must be challenged to arrive at their own understanding. By doing so, they own their understanding.

Benjamin Banneker’s Letter to Thomas Jefferson

Please finish reading and annotating the text marking the following:

• words to look up and define• important terms• key words or words used multiple times• important facts• thoughts that connect you to another fact or idea not

mentioned in this text

In order to teach with text a teacher needs to:

• have a good understanding of the text• know of its origin and the events surrounding its

creation• recognize key language features of the text• compel students to draw out their own

interpretation of the writing through responding to meaningful questions that require citing evidence from the text

Conducting a Close ReadFirst read – Origins & Content – read only information about the text to determine time, place, author, etc…

Second read – Meaning – entire passage, seek the main idea of the text, don’t spend time on difficult words

Third read – Argument – identify and examine the argument and its strengths and weaknesses

Fourth read – Evaluate – using notes from previous reads come to conclusions about the significance of the text, its value in its place in history and today

Source: http://teachinghistory.org/teaching-materials/teaching-guides/25690

Creating text dependent multiple choice questions for this document

Please take the next 4-5 minutes and create a text dependent, multiple choice question on the question document you received at the start of the session.

Creating text dependent written response questions for this document

Please take the next 4-5 minutes and create a text dependent, written response question on the question document you received at the start of the session.

Reflection:Application

• What activity in this session was easiest for you?– leading a close read– creating a text dependent multiple choice question or– creating a text dependent written response question

• Which was most difficult? Why?• What else do you need to learn/do prior to applying

to your classroom?

My personal experience with using a close read in class

Revisiting Our ObjectivesKnow – The types of text that are appropriate for deeper reading activities with students (e.g., close reading)

Understand – The important points/steps of leading an effective text-based lesson and The elements of creating text dependent questions for both multiple choice and extended response types of items

Do – Create similar text-based lessons for the students you teach

Next steps and activities for follow up- Take the text you have worked with and try this activity with your students

- Please check your e-mail regularly for professional development similar sessions to attend throughout the school year and let the Social Studies department know of texts you would suggest for use.

Reflection: One minute paper on a post-it

• Jot down your “Take-Aways” • Consider what you need to know and be able to

do to successfully implement what you have learned in this session.–What is still unclear?–What professional development or additional

resources do you need?