Close and Critical Reading PD Module
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Dr. Elaine Weber and Dr. Cynthia Schofield - Critical Reading Power Point
Anticipatory Set (20 minutes)
Participants read the article, "Cobwebs to Crosshairs."
Write a short response answering, “What does this article mean?”
Have them put aside their responses and go back to the article and answer the question, “What does the text say?”
Write one to two sentences that summarize or restate what the text says.
For the second question, “How does the text say it?" have the participants answer the following questions.
What is the genre?
What is the tone?
How does the author refer to “spider silk”?
What was the author’s purpose?
What does this author believe and how do you know?
Whose perspective is left out of this article?
Based on their analysis of the text and summary answer the following question, “What does it mean?” This questions should surface the theme “Progress equals cheaper” or “Cheaper is better” or one they generate. The final question is how it relates to the individual, “So what does it mean for me?” This encourages them to write about how it specifically affects them.
Definition of Close and Critical Reading
To, With, and By for a Close and Critical Reading Sequence
The “To” of “To, With, and By” is the model of what you want the students to be able to do after instruction. The book summary, Made to Break: Technology and Obsolescence in America by Giles Slade published by Harvard University Press will be the text used to model the four critical reading questions.
Text: Made To Break: Technology and Obsolescence in America
Responses: Made To Break: Technology and Obsolescence in America
In small groups, participants read the “model” response to question 2 and list the questions or prompts that were used to generate the analysis.
The “With” will be done using the picture Apple Beats Microsoft on Greenpeace environmental index. After looking at the picture, respond to the four close and critical reading questions.
Participants, in small groups, list the important ideas from the picture. From the list they come up with a summary (literal) of the picture. “It is a picture of a ….with…. doing….”
Handout: Apple Beats Microsoft on Greenpeace
For question #2: How did the photographer create that summary…lighting, camera angle, perspective, composition, subjects, position of subjects, relationship of subjects, what the photographer believes, purpose of photo, who or what is left out of the picture, etc.
From the summary produced from question #1 and the responses to question #2, the participants will come up with a theme for the picture and a real meaning for the picture to respond to question #3.
Finally, for question #4 participants work individually to come up with a connection to their own lives.
Scaffolding the Lessons
Preparation for Question #1 - What a text says?
Complete the following activity:
- Highlighted Reading, for students who have a difficult time finding what is important in text to develop a restatement or summary.
- Using the article, Closing the Innovation Gap (URL) and the questions (URL) demonstrate a highlighted reading activity.
Preparation for Question # 2 - What a text does?
This involves making sure students understand genre, organization of text, argument and support, figurative language, author/artist/photographer/videographer, purpose and perspective. This may have to be directly taught before applying it to question # 2.
The development of these skills can be done after doing a highlighted reading. Tell the students there are two quotations in the selection, find them and highlight them in a different color highlighter. For genre, mood, tone, organization have the students work in groups and decide what they think the genre or one of the other descriptions of the text is and have them put it on a post-it note and put in on a data wall. This could stimulate discuss of why they thought that and clear the understanding of genre, organization, mood, tone, etc. This would be done one at a time over time.
Preparation for Question # 3 - What does the text mean?
This can be developed overtime through identifying themes of the lesson, themes of the day, themes of the weather, themes of the school year, etc. Ask students everyday to think of the theme for their day. It could be a thesis for the day. “Extra projects can be accomplished within a schedule,” If I get home in time and dinner goes smoothly and there are not interruptions. On the other hand, if there is traffic, dinner is delated, someone needs extra assistance, it won’t get done.
Preparation for Question # 4 – What does this mean to me?
Put a connections data wall (a large sheet of chart paper on the wall) with connections to myself, my world, other texts on three columns. Students as the read, view, or listen put their connections on small post-it notes and put it on the chart under the appropriate column. The students will have the practice making the connections on a regular basis.
Assessment of Close and Critical Reading
Close and Critical Reading: Rubric
This rubric assesses the written responses to each of the four questions. This provides a means to begin monitoring students’ development of the skill of close and critical reading question by question. Since close and critical reading can be developed in any content area, this could be used as a school improvement goal or an NCA goal.
Exploration, Discovery and Practice
Practice close and critical reading:
Choose from the poem Love to you Landfill or the video The Story of Stuff.
Answer Plan: The Story of Stuff
Answer Plan: Love to you Landfill
Reflection and Share
Participants share their findings from the web search. They share their problems or successes with the close and critical reading and the scaffolded exercises.
What you will do to demonstrate your learning?
Create a lesson developing close and critical reading including the development using highlighted reading, think alouds, talking to the text, and marginalia.
Sources for finding texts - The New York Times Learning Network
Anticipatory Set (20 minutes)
Participants read the article, "Cobwebs to Crosshairs."
Write a short response answering, “What does this article mean?”
Have them put aside their responses and go back to the article and answer the question, “What does the text say?”
Write one to two sentences that summarize or restate what the text says.
For the second question, “How does the text say it?" have the participants answer the following questions.
What is the genre?
What is the tone?
How does the author refer to “spider silk”?
What was the author’s purpose?
What does this author believe and how do you know?
Whose perspective is left out of this article?
Based on their analysis of the text and summary answer the following question, “What does it mean?” This questions should surface the theme “Progress equals cheaper” or “Cheaper is better” or one they generate. The final question is how it relates to the individual, “So what does it mean for me?” This encourages them to write about how it specifically affects them.
Definition of Close and Critical Reading
To, With, and By for a Close and Critical Reading Sequence
The “To” of “To, With, and By” is the model of what you want the students to be able to do after instruction. The book summary, Made to Break: Technology and Obsolescence in America by Giles Slade published by Harvard University Press will be the text used to model the four critical reading questions.
Text: Made To Break: Technology and Obsolescence in America
Responses: Made To Break: Technology and Obsolescence in America
In small groups, participants read the “model” response to question 2 and list the questions or prompts that were used to generate the analysis.
- What is the genre of the review?
- What is the organization?
- What is the tone?
- What does the reviewer believe and how do you know this?
- What does the author of the book believe and how do you know this?
- What perspectives are probably not represented in this book?
- What is the argument in the book?
- What is the support?
- What strategy does the reviewer use to get you to buy this book?
The “With” will be done using the picture Apple Beats Microsoft on Greenpeace environmental index. After looking at the picture, respond to the four close and critical reading questions.
Participants, in small groups, list the important ideas from the picture. From the list they come up with a summary (literal) of the picture. “It is a picture of a ….with…. doing….”
Handout: Apple Beats Microsoft on Greenpeace
For question #2: How did the photographer create that summary…lighting, camera angle, perspective, composition, subjects, position of subjects, relationship of subjects, what the photographer believes, purpose of photo, who or what is left out of the picture, etc.
From the summary produced from question #1 and the responses to question #2, the participants will come up with a theme for the picture and a real meaning for the picture to respond to question #3.
Finally, for question #4 participants work individually to come up with a connection to their own lives.
Scaffolding the Lessons
Preparation for Question #1 - What a text says?
Complete the following activity:
- Highlighted Reading, for students who have a difficult time finding what is important in text to develop a restatement or summary.
- Using the article, Closing the Innovation Gap (URL) and the questions (URL) demonstrate a highlighted reading activity.
Preparation for Question # 2 - What a text does?
This involves making sure students understand genre, organization of text, argument and support, figurative language, author/artist/photographer/videographer, purpose and perspective. This may have to be directly taught before applying it to question # 2.
The development of these skills can be done after doing a highlighted reading. Tell the students there are two quotations in the selection, find them and highlight them in a different color highlighter. For genre, mood, tone, organization have the students work in groups and decide what they think the genre or one of the other descriptions of the text is and have them put it on a post-it note and put in on a data wall. This could stimulate discuss of why they thought that and clear the understanding of genre, organization, mood, tone, etc. This would be done one at a time over time.
Preparation for Question # 3 - What does the text mean?
This can be developed overtime through identifying themes of the lesson, themes of the day, themes of the weather, themes of the school year, etc. Ask students everyday to think of the theme for their day. It could be a thesis for the day. “Extra projects can be accomplished within a schedule,” If I get home in time and dinner goes smoothly and there are not interruptions. On the other hand, if there is traffic, dinner is delated, someone needs extra assistance, it won’t get done.
Preparation for Question # 4 – What does this mean to me?
Put a connections data wall (a large sheet of chart paper on the wall) with connections to myself, my world, other texts on three columns. Students as the read, view, or listen put their connections on small post-it notes and put it on the chart under the appropriate column. The students will have the practice making the connections on a regular basis.
Assessment of Close and Critical Reading
Close and Critical Reading: Rubric
This rubric assesses the written responses to each of the four questions. This provides a means to begin monitoring students’ development of the skill of close and critical reading question by question. Since close and critical reading can be developed in any content area, this could be used as a school improvement goal or an NCA goal.
Exploration, Discovery and Practice
Practice close and critical reading:
Choose from the poem Love to you Landfill or the video The Story of Stuff.
Answer Plan: The Story of Stuff
Answer Plan: Love to you Landfill
Reflection and Share
Participants share their findings from the web search. They share their problems or successes with the close and critical reading and the scaffolded exercises.
What you will do to demonstrate your learning?
Create a lesson developing close and critical reading including the development using highlighted reading, think alouds, talking to the text, and marginalia.
Sources for finding texts - The New York Times Learning Network