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Close Reading Shift Kit (Shift One)

The Close Reading Kit was designed to give administrators and teachers some background information on what is expected for student achievement with the Illinois Learning Standards (ILS) in the area of Close Reading.

SIP Day Materials:
​Looking for materials to use on School Improvement Days?  Condensed materials are marked with a double asterisk **​​

 Critical Directions

• International Reading Association Guidelines
• **The Aspen Institute’s Primer on Close Reading
• The Art of Close Reading: Parts I,II, and III

PowerPoints

• **ISBE Presentation: Close Reading Strategy: Example Tasks for K-5 
  • Facilitator's Guide K-5
  • PowerPoint with Notes
  • Handouts: 
    • CCSO Suggested Considerations for Reader and Task
    • Ten Important Words Strategy
    • 5 Ws of Close Reading
    • 20 Tips for Teaching Text Structure

• **ISBE Presentation: Close Reading Strategy: Example Tasks for 6-12
  • Facilitator’s Guide 6-12
  • PowerPoint with Notes
  • Handouts:
    • CCSO Suggested Considerations for Reader and Task
    • Ten Important Words Strategy
    • 5 Ws of Close Reading
    • Dr. Deb Walstrom Text Structure Cards
• Professional Development: Timothy Shanahan
  • PowerPoint with Notes

A Look at Close Reading in Schools/Districts 

• Oakdale Joint Unit School District Oakdale, CA: Close reading defined
• Bristol Warren Regional School District Bristol, RI: Close reads by grade level

Videos

• Fisher and Frey: Close Reading of Robert Frost's 'Road Less Traveled' 
• Eberly Writing Center: Student friendly definition 
• Teaching Channel: Thinking Notes: A Strategy to Encourage Close Reading. 
• EngageNY (5th): Grappling with Complex Text
• Lucy Calkins (3rd-5th):  Bringing Close Reading and Accountable Talk into an Interactive Read Aloud

Websites

• All Grades: Shanahanonliteracy.com offers information for teachers and parents on teaching and assessing reading, writing, and literacy by Timothy Shanahan. 
• Grades 6-12: Athabasca University: Steps for Close Reading and Critical Reflection  
• Grades 6-12: Dr. Wheeler of Carson Newman University: Close Reading of a Literary Passage
• Grades 9-12: Dr. Wheeler of Carson Newman University: Critical Reading of an Essay's Argument
• Florida Center for Reading Research Text Structure Reflection Strategy

Professional Books

• Close Reading and Writing from Sources
• Close Reading Falling in Love with Close Reading: Lessons for Analyzing Texts--and Life
• Close Reading in Elementary School: Bringing Readers and Texts Together
• Close Reading: Notice and Note
• Close Reading of Informational Text
• Close Reading Techniques of Close Reading
• Close Reading The Common Core Lesson Book

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​Research/Articles

• K-5
  • Boyles, N. (2012). Closing in on close reading. Educational Leadership, 70(4), 36-41.
  • Dalton, B. (2013). Engaging children in close reading: Multimodal commentaries and illustration remix. The Reading Teacher, 66(8), 642-649.
  • Fisher, D. & Frey, N. (2012).  Close reading in elementary schools.  The Reading Teacher, 66(3), 179–188.
  • Lapp, Diane (2012). Teaching students to closely read with texts: How and why.  International Reading Association.
  • Morgan, D. N. and Rasinski, T. V. (2012). The power and potential of primary sources. The Reading Teacher, 65(8), 584–594.
• 6-12
  • Fisher, D. & Frey, N. (2012). Engaging the adolescent learner: Text complexity and close reading. International Reading Association.