Close Reading Lesson

Close Reading Practice

By Chelsea Craig

• multi-read a passage (at least twice)

• provide text evidence to support your answer

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Definition of Close Reading

​What is it?

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• Poetry

• Excerpts

• Short Stories

• Assessments! ​

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When Should I do this?

Let's Practice!

Excerpt taken from Going to School as a Refugee:

Which statement best identifies the central idea of the text?

A. Having to learn a new language is challenging and can often discourage refugee students from making friends, interacting with teachers, and focusing on schoolwork.

B. Although attending school in the U.S. presents a variety of challenges, refugee children are finding support in communities that include people from different cultures.

C. Going to school can feel like an uphill battle for refugee students, but they are grateful to have found a new home in the U.S. because it offers them a high chance of success.

D. Because the U.S. government does not provide adequate support for refugees, it must prevent further cuts to services like the Refugee School Impact Program.​

Draw

True or False: Central Idea & Theme are the same.

Let's Practice!

Excerpt taken from Going to School as a Refugee:

PART B: Which TWO of the following quotes best support the answer to Part A?

1. "'In Malaysia, Burmese kids couldn't play for school soccer teams, and I wanted to play now that I was in America.'" (Paragraph 12)

2. "Schools have tried to combat this alienation with programs like the Refugee School Impact Program in Dallas. The program coordinator, Zeljka Ravlija, provides educational support services for refugee students." (Paragraph 15)

3. "'When I need help, I go to other refugees,' SB said. 'They have been in the United States longer and they know what I am going through.'" (Paragraph 18)

4. "'Salomon came to my home and told me that if he could do it as a baby, I could do it as an adult. He took me to his Spanish class with him and showed me how slow everyone was talking.'" (Paragraph 20)

5. "It's not just because there are so many different countries represented, but because they all form one supportive, unified community." (Paragraph 21)

6. "In the face of budget cuts that limit the abilities of the Refugee School Impact Program, as well as increasingly fearful and hateful citizenry" (Paragraph 22)

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Open Ended

Define Central Idea:

Multiple Select

When I am close reading in nonfiction, I should do WHAT after each paragraph?

• Write a 1-sentence summary of the main idea.

• Skim it a second time.

• Notice what vocabulary I need help with & use context clues.

• Review previous paragraphs to check for similarities.

Multiple Choice

I am expected to read a short piece more than once.

• False

• True