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Close Reading in the Classroom

What is a Close Read?

Last year our district focused on Close Reads as an integral part of our ELA program.  In my district, we have been encouraged to do a non-fiction close read once a month.  The New York State Education Department has encouraged us to use Close Reads as part of our ELA instruction as a means to dive deeper into the text to gain a richer understanding of its meaning.  The complexity of the text is a key component.  Students should be reading texts that are difficult for them during the initial read.  Vocabulary within the text should be challenging as well.  Students need to do multiple readings of the text to uncover a deeper understanding and gain richer meaning from it.  Non-fiction close reads have been at the forefront of the training that I have received.  This year, I am hoping to gain more knowledge about how to do a Close Read with a fictional story.  Once you understand the theory behind the Close Read and the format to do a Close Read, you will feel more
prepared to use them with your students. 

“Essentially, close reading means reading to uncover layers of meaning that lead to deep comprehension.”    Nancy Boyles,  Educational Leadership January 2013

A Close read is…

Engaging

Has a defined purpose

Sees connections within text

Provides a reason to learn

Teaches students to dig deeper

A process to learning more

Close reading.. Is not a change to what you teach 

– just how you teach it.

Check out the Close Read steps that I follow to complete a Non-fiction
Close Read with my second grade students!   

What is the format for a Close Read?

When doing a CLOSE Read with your students, make sure the content you are using is of high interest.   I like to start with animals ~ but you can also use any topic you feel is good for your level.

Highlighting vocabulary is KEY when starting a close read. 

I always have extra highlighters on hand

and the vocabulary organizers to choose from.  The organizer showcasing the "Tricky Words" from the passage could be done together in whole group or with partners. 

In order for our students to truly understand higher level text - we must engage them in the process of understanding what they are reading.  To do this students should be highlighting KEY words and important information in the text to provide evidence.  The "Prove It" page is an important piece in helping your kiddos look back and find their answers. 

Assessing what our students know is easy to do with these easy to read multiple choice question pages.  Earlier in the week, the students were digging deeper and writing more detailed descriptions of what they learned.  At the end of Day 3 you want to get a quick idea of what they know.  The "Show What You Know" pages will allow you to look quickly and determine who "got it" and who didn't. 

Jump right in and do a close read with  your class!  Here is one you can use for FREE!

FREE Sharks and Whales Close Read!

 

Check out other products in our TPT store - Kennedy's Korner!

Find us on Facebook and stop by every Friday for Flash Freebie Fridays! 

Meet the Teacher Linky

 

What a fun way to meet other bloggers! 

You probably spend a great deal of time reading up on your favorite blogs and following bloggers across all the social media platforms. It's always fun to find new teacher friends to follow, especially at the start of the school year when everyone is sharing all these big A-HA ideas left and right!

I am joining Falling into First because Stephanie had a 

great idea to start a

"Meet the Teacher Blogger" linky party! 

 

 

Just so you can tell us apart - Karen is wearing the  gray dress,  

and my sister Kelly is on the right in the black dress.

 

My sister and I started Kennedy's Korner two years ago and love working together. 

I will start with a few things about me - then Kelly will share her Q & A in another post.

 

 

This man is the love of my life!  My boyfriend Chris and I have been together now for 3 years.  He's not only the funniest guy I know, but caring and kind in so many ways.  He has two beautiful daughters who are in their 20's and on their own. We also love our furry kitty cats - Kato and Kody!

 

.

I have been teaching now for 21 years.  Most of my career has been in Grade 3, one year in grade 4, and now I teach 2nd grade.  My father was a principal in the district we grew up in.  When I graduated from Fredonia State - I started as a teaching assistant and was fortunate to work with my former Grade 3 teacher for one year.  She retired the following year and I took over  her classroom. 

It was so fun working with all of my former teachers and my old principal.  I even went on to coach for six years in my old high school which was a great experience.   

 

So my summer has been busy traveling with Chris for his job.  We also took some time to go our house in Key West, FL and I went paddle boarding for the first time!   Fishing in the Keys is something we do often.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS...

I love working out, golfing, traveling, reading, fishing, and spending time with my family and friends!

 

 IF YOU WEREN'T A TEACHER, WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO BE?

 

I always say if I weren't a teacher - I would love to be a professional tambourine player.

My other dream job would've  been to be a professional golfer.

THREE LITTLE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE YOU.

Honest

Hardworking

Fun

 

FINISH THE SENTENCE, "________,  SAID NO TEACHER EVER!!"

"I love when summer ends, said no teacher ever!"

 

 

Q: IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY AND YOU CAN INVITE ANYONE {DEAD OR ALIVE} TO THE PARTY. WHO ARE YOU INVITING?

Matthew McConaughey and Shemar Moore

Q: IF SOMEONE WROTE A BOOK ABOUT YOUR LIFE, WHAT WOULD BE THE TITLE?

 Live Each Day Like it's Your Last ~ Love everyone!

 

Q: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE OR SAYING?
 

The harder I work, the luckier I get - Thomas Jefferson

When educating the minds of our youth, we must not forget to educate their hearts -  Dalai Lama

Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today. - James Dean
 

 

Q: IF YOU HAD TO SING ONE SONG ON AMERICAN IDOL, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

any song by Stevie Nicks

 

 Q: ARE YOU A MORNING PERSON OR A NIGHT OWL?
 

 Night owl

 

Q: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE RESOURCE THAT YOU'VE CREATED IN YOUR TPT SHOP?

My favorite resource that I created so far is my Writing Workshop Posters - Lucy Calkins inspired product. 

My other favorite though is one Kelly and I worked on together - our Animal Close Read Pack.  The picture below is one FREE sample that we have taken out of the BUNDLE. 

 

I also can't wait to finish our new Football Themed Math Centers they should be coming out very soon!

 

Q: SHARE SOMETHING WE MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU! 

 

      I love to listen to live music and secretly want to be in a band..

 

Tiny Topics Notebooks and Reading Buddies

I am joining a WHOLE bunch of wonderful bloggers in this Bright Ideas Link Up!

We are all discussing some great ideas we use in our classrooms.

Our Bright Idea will hopefully help you with our Back to School Gift and also encourage your little learners to get excited about Writing! 

We started Lucy Calkins a few years ago in my district.  It takes a little time to get used to teaching Writing the "Lucy" way - but once you do you will see that there are so many lessons that you'll love!  I have also noticed the more I use her manuals and really try to teach like her, the more I see how independent my little ones can be during

Writer's Workshop. 

One of the COOL ideas Lucy talks about in her book is having kids keep Tiny Topic notebook / notepads with them at all times.  Her thought is that if every child carries around this notepad they will be able to record ideas for their writing.  Lucy allows students to write about whatever they want to.  The kids generate the topic within the genre of writing you are working on.   This was new for me!  Over the years I would give my students a topic and they all wrote about the same thing.  For example, I would have them all write a persuasive piece on the "Perfect Pet".  Lucy argues that kids will write more and be better writers when they take full ownership of their piece of writing.   This leads us to the Tiny Topics Notepad and our Bright Idea.

At first I tried to make my own Tiny Topic Notepads and I liked them, but they were only made out of paper.  We needed something more durable, so then I found these little tiny notebooks at Office Max.  They were 3 for $1.00 so I bought enough for two years and to share with some of my colleagues.  So the tiny topic notepad isn't exactly my own idea, the credit must be given to Lucy of course.. 

BUT how I presented it to the kids was my idea!  

The week before Open House is our first week back to school in my district.. so the kids are learning routines, procedures and getting ready to learn.  That first week back we talked about IDEAS in Writing and how authors come up with ideas.  I read aloud My Rotten Red - Headed Older Brother by Patricia Polacco and we talked about our own siblings.  I read a mentor text that Lucy uses in her Reading and Writing units - Owl Moon by Jan Yolen and we talked about both stories and how we could make connections.  I also would come to school that first week and WRITE in my very own Tiny Topics notepad - waiting anxiously for any one of my students to just ask me what I was doing.  Finally after two days of "secretly" modeling my own "jotting down of ideas," Drew asked what I was doing.  He said out loud that my notebook was cool because it was so tiny.   I shared with him that  I write important ideas, thoughts and events in my tiny notebook.  I explained that I use these ideas to write journal entries,

lessons, and stories.  Other kids were listening to our conversation and they

started asking questions and sharing about a journal they have at home.  

VOILA ~ just like Lucy said - the interest was there!  

SO the next week at OPEN HOUSE all of my students were surprised when they walked in and found their VERY OWN tiny topics notebook in a little bag on their desk.  I also included a cute ocean themed stuffed animal - to go along with our beach themed classroom.   That was their new Reading Buddy that they could keep and take home or leave in class for whenever they were reading.  The Reading buddies were also a hit and they treated them with extra special care throughout the year. 

 After Open House the kids were toting around their Tiny Topics notepads in the little bright bag I gave them or in their READING book bag.  I saw kids jotting ideas and really getting excited about writing!  Parents shared with me that these

notebooks were a big hit!

Last year I also purchased these book bags which were a splurge  but I wanted a safe place for my books to be kept for their journey home each night.  The kids all took very good care of the bags and they were able to put their books and Reading buddy in the bag. 

At times my students would keep their Tiny Topics notepad in their big book bags just in case they were reading a book that triggered an idea for them to write about. 

If you enjoyed this Bright Ideas Blog Post please consider joining us at Kennedy's Korner TPT, on Facebook and Instagram.

 For more Bright Ideas from over 100 different bloggers, please browse through the link up below and chose a topic / grade level that interests you!   Thanks for visiting!

An InLinkz Link-up

GIVEAWAY ~ There is still time to enter the Diggin in Series Giveaway!

Click here to enter this amazing giveaway!

 

 

Mark August 16th on your calendar!  You won't want to miss all of the BRIGHT IDEAS that 150 teachers have teamed up to share with you!  We are so happy to be a part of the Bright Ideas group. 

 

So be sure to follow us and save some time  because The BRIGHT IDEAS link up is back just in time for Back to School!  You are going to love it!

 

 

SHARK WEEK FREEBIE

 

All teachers know that kids learn more when they’re excited and engaged. Today a team of bloggers come together to help your students take a BITE out of learning with a theme your students are sure to love!

 

The quickest way for my little learners to be involved in the lesson is when I start it off by asking a question or asking them to share their own experiences. Making real life connections with kids really helps them focus on what it is I will be teaching.

For example for my lesson on CLOSE READING using the SHARK FREEBIE below, I may say something like "How many of you have ever seen a real shark before?" or   "Turn and tell a friend one fact your know about sharks."  

Another way I help my students get excited about learning is to add their names into my lesson examples.   In math this lends itself nicely when we work on word problems.    This easy strategy helps spark their interest and sometimes I can show something I know about them (for instance, if I know Danny plays soccer, I can do a math problem about his minutes of soccer practice).

Of course, picking topics the students are interested in always helps, too!   The best way to teach your kiddos the more challenging curriculum is to USE material they are excited about.  ANIMALS are often a favorite topic for my students.  If you are teaching CLOSE READING and need a topic - animals might be your best bet. 

My Shark Week freebie is a shark-themed close reading passage from my Animal Close Read product. If you haven’t tried these out before, they give kids an easy, non-intimidating way to begin close reading.  Here are some sample pages you will find in this FINTASTIC FREEBIE!

 

 

 

You can read more about how to do a CLOSE READ with your class in our post from a few weeks ago.  Click here!

If you like our Freebie - you can find more of these engaging ANIMAL articles in our CLOSE READ packet. 

                      




Be sure to go for a swim in the linky party below. Every blog in the Shark Week Blog Hop features a fishy freebie for you and your students- but hurry!

Shark Week only lasts until Sunday, August 17th

 

You can grab more SHARK WEEK Freebies HERE!

     Don't miss out on our Diggin' In Series Giveaway- that is going on all week too!   ENTER HERE and win some great prizes!

Diggin Series Giveaway!!!

Are you ready?

 We could hardly wait to end our Diggin’ Series with the BEST giveaway of the season!

Just in case you didn't hear these are our awesome prizes:

Come and join us, as  this is our way to THANK YOU for all your support and friendship!

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