Creating Text-Dependent Questions for Close Analytic Reading

Selection: Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman Grade: 3 Unit 1

Initial Planning
Identify the Core Understandings and Key Ideas of the Text
As in any good backward mapping process, teachers should start by identifying the key insights they want students to understand from the text. Keeping the major points to be made in mind is crucial for crafting an overarching set of successful questions. This step is also critical for creating a means to check for student understanding.
Identify Lesson Focus: (Review Qualitative Measures)
Knowledge demands:
Moderately Complex (everyday practical knowledge, some abstract ideas or theatrical/historical references, explores a single theme, few cultural references to outside ideas)
Pg. 46 – Raj said “You can’t be Peter – that’s a boy’s name”
Pg. 47 – Natalie said “he isn’t black”
Pg. 48 – Ma said “a girl can be Peter Pan if she wants to”
Organization:
Text Structure: (Briefly describe the structure, organization, and other features of the text)
Slightly complex (sequential, chronological order, no shifts in point of view, illustrations provide support for text)
Language Features: (Briefly describe the conventions and clarity of the language used in the text, including the complexity of the vocabulary and sentence structures.)
Moderately Complex (some of the vocabulary and figurative language might be unfamiliar but generally easy to understand, a few instances of unfamiliar or historical references, sentences are simple and compound)
Pg. 42, 43 – Joan of Arc, Anansi, Troy
Pg. 49 – “another one who don’t know nothing.”
Text features:
Colorful illustrations that add meaning to narrative and provide context for character motivation.
Bold highlighted vocabulary
CCSS Focus Standards:
R.L. 3.3 Describe characters in a story and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events
R.L. 3.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text
R.L. 3.7 Explain how specific aspects of a text’s illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story
Use shorter text or excerpts of longer texts
Supporting Student Needs
Considerations for Reader and Task
To really understand a complex text, the reader will have to read it more than once, to make sense of what the author is saying and to glean the details at both the explicit and implicit levels. First and foremost, close reading demands a willingness to return to the text to read part or even all of it more than once, ultimately instilling habits of mind in approaching text. Planning for multiple reads as well as multiple purposes for reads is essential in order to support all student needs.
Potential Challenges this Text Poses:
Meaning: (Conceptual Understanding Examples, pg. #)
Vocabulary is moderately complex with references to unfamiliar literary/theatrical/historical figures (but not essential to understanding the story) such as Peter Pan pg. 46, Joan of Arc pg. 42, Romeo and Juliet pg. 50, Troy pg. 43, Hiawatha pg. 44
Language: (Syntax, Vocabulary Examples, pg. #)
Understanding of colloquial vs. academic language
Pg. 57 – “I feel as if I could fly all the way home.”
Make an inference between a black Juliet ballerina and a black, female Peter Pan / Strategies/Lessons to access complex text: Pre teach
CCSS Focus Standards: RL 3.3, 3.4, 3.7
Accessing prior knowledge through discussion and picture walk
Pre-teach vocabulary, front-loading, connect prior knowledge, picture walk.
Explicit instruction of the difference between figurative and literal language.
Pre teach / Activity/Lesson
·  Using context clues from illustrations and text to gain meaning
·  Cultural/historical characters Grace plays / ·  Demonstrate understanding of key vocabulary
·  Identify clues provided in text and illustrations
·  Identify character traits and use illustrations to contribute to story
First Read: Read through the story in 1 day, have students create a story map to track important events. Depending on the needs of the students, it can be completed in two days (pgs. 40-49 and pgs. 50-57).
Close Reads
Create Coherent Sequence of Text-Dependent Questions
Create Coherent Sequences of Text-Dependent Questions – Start Small to Build Confidence
The opening questions should help orient students to the text, and be specific enough to answer so students gain confidence. The sequence of questions should not be random but should build toward more coherent understanding and analysis to ensure that students learn to stay focused on the text to bring them to a gradual understanding of its meaning.
Think of ways to maximize student engagement.
Close Read I
Learning Focus: 3.4 and 3.7 – vocabulary Focus CCSS:
Text-Dependent Questions / Evidence-Based Answers/Pg. #
On pg. 43 which pictures and words help you know how Grace explored her world and went on adventures? / Grace has a pretend telescope and is imagining looking for something. It says “lost kingdoms” so she was trying to find them.
On page 42, Grace is going on an adventure fighting a battle. On the next page she is going on an adventure as a pirate on the sea.
What do the illustrations tell us about who else wants to audition for the role of Peter Pan? Why is this important? / Grace has competition on who will be Peter Pan. Other kids (boys and girls, and of different races) in her class also dream to be Peter Pan. Pgs. 46 -47
How does going to the ballet help prepare Grace for the audition and what do Grace’s friends do or say that lets her know she was fantastic? Cite evidence. / Grace was inspired by Rosalie from her Nana’s hometown. Pg. 53, “I can be anything I want, she thought.” Everyone voted for her to be Peter Pan. In the picture they are all watching her and smiling. Pg. 54
Does Grandma think Grace will continue to be a success? Looking at the words and illustrations, how do you know? / Pg. 57 “If Grace puts her mind to it, she can do anything she wants.”
Pg. 49 “you can do anything you want, Grace, if you put your mind to it.”
Pg. 57 Ma and Nana are looking at each other smiling looking very proud.
How does the relationship between Grace and Nana help her to succeed? What helps you know? / Pg. 50 -51, Nana takes her to the ballet and helps her know she can be anything she wants to be.
Pg. 48-49, her encouraging words in the kitchen.
Close Read II.
Learning Focus: describe how characters actions contribute to the sequence of events RL 3.3 Focus CCSS:
Text-Dependent Questions / Evidence-Based Answers/Pg. #
In the story, Grace auditions for Peter Pan. What other parts has she already played in her imaginary adventures and what does this tell us about her? / She has played an Indian, a king (pg. 41), a pirate, a spider, a warrior (pg. 42,43), and a doctor (pg. 45)
Grace is a dreamer and imaginative. Grace likes to ______. Grace is ______.
She has a big imagination. She likes to pretend many different kinds of things, not just “girl things” like princesses. Sometimes she plays with other kids but often she plays by herself.
How do Grace’s actions demonstrate her desire to audition for the role of Peter Pan? / The author repeats “but Grace kept her had up.” Pgs. 46 -47 Grace kept her hand up because she is determined to be Peter Pan even though her friends tell her she can’t be.
Looking at the illustration on pg. 49, how do Grace and Ma feel? Why do they feel this way? / Grace is sad because she is looking down and leaning on Nana. Ma is a little sad too or unhappy because she has her head resting on her fists and is just looking at Nana. They are sad because Grace’s friends didn’t think she could or should be Peter Pan because she is a girl and black. Pg. 46 and 47
What does Nana want Grace to learn by taking her to see the ballet? / Nana took Grace to the ballet to show her that a little girl from her town became a famous ballerina. Nana showed her that she can dream big and be anything she wants to become.
At the end of the story, on pg. 57, Grace says, “I feel as if I could fly all the way home!” What does she mean by that? / Grace feels happy and free because she did a great job as Peter Pan and overcame the limiting beliefs of others.
What lesson did Grace and her friends learn after auditioning and performing the play? / Just because someone may not think you can do something, you shouldn’t give up. You should try anyway if you really want to do it.
You might be very good at it.
Checking for Understanding
How will you know that learning has occurred? Planning for a means to check student understanding is crucial. Refer back to the Lesson Focus to plan intentionally to check for student understanding.
Describe how you will check for student understanding:
How does Grace show creativity and determination? What details and illustrations does the author use to help show these characteristics?
Vocabulary / KEY WORDS ESSENTIAL TO UNDERSTANDING
Words addressed with a question or task / WORDS WORTH KNOWING
General teaching suggestions are provided in the Introduction
/ Page 47 - auditions / Pg. 42 – Joan of Arc
Pg. 43 – Troy
Pg. 44 – Hiawatha, Mowgli, Aladdin
Pg. 52 - Trinidad
/ Pg. 43 – exploring
Pg. 44 – adventure
Pg. 50 – sparkling
Pg. 51 – stunning
Pg. 54 – fantastic
Pg. 57 – success / Pg. 49 – “don’t know nothing”
Pg. 53 – imaginary

Created by Jenny Chow, Melody Russell, Carol Willard, Amy Hawkins