4 Easy Strategies for Dissecting Complex Text/Vocabulary

4 Easy Strategies for Dissecting Complex Text/Vocabulary

Developed by Heather Cameron and Jamie Burney

Contact: or

Mnemonic devices and graphic organizers (or foldables) are key to helping students dissect complex text and there is nothing complicated about using them. With practice, your students can become experts at dissecting complex text, which will in turn raise student achievement. The three strategies presented here represent a way to dissect fiction, informational text and poetry. Please feel free to use and share with your colleagues. Even content area teachers can use these in their classes.

Analyzing Fiction—CCRT—Character, Conflict, Resolution, and Theme
Characters / List the characters and describe them. Tell who the major characters are and something about why they are important.
Conflict / Describe the main problem in the story.
Resolution / Tell how the problem is resolved or in some cases, why it is not resolved.
Theme / What is the message of the story?
Analyzing Poetry—The Big 6
Speaker—Who is the speaker of the poem? / Tone/Mood—What is the tone or mood of the poem?
Imagery—What images are present in the poem? / Figurative Language—What figurative language is used and how does it affect the meaning of the poem?
Senses—What senses do the images in the poem appeal? / Theme—What is the message the poem sends to the reader?
Analyzing Nonfiction
KVIC—What I know already (prereading), Important Vocabulary, Important Information, Central Idea
What I know already
After previewing the text, what do you already know about the subject matter? / Important Vocabulary
What key words are present and why are they important to the selection? What do they mean? (Could be a synonym, a definition, or a rough understanding)
Important Information
List important facts and information to understanding the central idea of the text. / Central Idea
What is the main point of the text?
Example vs. Non-Example
Word/Topic/Concept
Example / Non Example
List examples of the word, topic, or concept. / List non examples of the word, topic, or concept
.