Close Reading

This year I was exposed to Close Reading.  Close reading is using a passage or an article that is curriculum based and reading it for multiple purposes.  Then using text based evidence to use answer questions, make inferences, and prove their points.  At first it seemed daunting for first graders, but we created steps to the process and used them consistently.  The power of a highlighter should not be underestimated.  Learning to dissect a text that is out of your reading level is especially important with the Smarter Balanced test implementation coming and text-based evidence in Common Core. 

 

Our Steps
1. Set a Purpose
2. Cold read with perseverance
3. Highlight/underline important details

Next year I am moving back to third grade and plan on collaborating with my colleagues to develop steps that we will use consistently across the curriculum.
 

Big Paper

A few years ago, I was super fortunate to be apart of a team who worked with the University of Northern Iowa on literacy for special education students.  One of the take-aways from the our time together was Big Paper.  The idea behind Big Paper is that all kids can participate no matter their abilities.  I used the over arching Essential Question for our American Symbols unit as the introductory lesson for the unit.

Students can draw pictures or write what the answer to the question.

For this Big Paper activity, students worked in table groups.