Elementary Close Reading Practice Passages, Grades 1-6
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Elementary
One-Page Fiction Readings: Links to printable passages with skill development indicated. Adobe Reader required.
One-Page Nonfiction Readings: Links to printable passages with skill development indicated. Adobe Reader required.
Because of Winn-Dixie
The goal of this one-day exemplar is to give students the opportunity to use the reading and writing habits they've been practicing on a regular basis to absorb deep lessons from Kate DiCamillos story. By reading and rereading the passage closely and focusing their reading through a series of questions and discussion about the text, students will identify how and why the three main characters became friends. Designed for grade 3. 12 pages; word processor required.
"The Fisherman and His Wife," Grimm brothers
The goal of this five-day exemplar is to explicitly model the process of searching for and interpreting intra-textual connections. In this lesson sequence, the teacher poses an analytic focusing question and then guides students in gathering and interpreting evidence from the text in order to come to a deeper understanding of the story. Simple word play and art activities give students practice in closely attending to language and word choice, and in visualizing and recording their interpretations. Discussion and a short writing exercise help students to synthesize what they have learned. Includes text of story. Designed for grade 3. 25 pages; word processor required.
"The Great Fire" by Jim Free
Students will explore the historic Great Fire of Chicago. By reading and rereading the passage closely combined with classroom discussion about it, students will explore the historical truths related to poverty, city construction, and city services that led to the disaster. In this reading, students learn about historical disasters, but they may not fully comprehend causes or how human actions, nature, or even luck contributed to them, rendering history a flat subject to be memorized rather than explored. When combined with writing about the passage and teacher feedback, students will better understand the dangers inherent in cities and the government role in mitigating that danger. Includes text. Designed for grade 6. 24 pages; word processor required.
"The Making of a Scientist" by Richard Feynman
Students will absorb deep lessons from Richard Feynman's recollections of interactions with his father. By reading and rereading the passage closely and focusing their reading through a series of questions and discussion about the text, students will identify how and why Feynman started to look at the world through the eyes of a scientist. When combined with writing about the passage, students will discover how much they can learn from a memoir. Includes text. Designed for grade 6. 11 pages; word processor required.
"The Wind" by James Reeves
Young students will read closely and critically in order to comprehend complex literary text. They search for meaning in the figurative language and rich vocabulary of a poem. They learn to test inferences against specific details of the text, to take three dimensional "notes" and to use those notes to more deeply understand the meaning of the poem. Discussion and a short writing exercise help students to synthesize what they have learned. Designed for K-2. Includes text and printable student handouts. 13 pages; word processor required.