The more popular Common Core becomes, the more we are hearing the term Close Reading. The main idea of Close Reading is that students are truly comprehending a text and able to cite specific evidence from the text to answer their questions related to specific Common Core Standards. This may sound a little daunting, but it can even be done in the primary grades- just with a little tweaking!
By starting Close Reading in Kindergarten & 1st Grade, we are preparing our little friends to not only be able to read, but also to understand what they are reading. This will greatly help our students as they continue in school to comprehend whatever is handed to them.
In Kindergarten and 1st Grade, you can’t just hand a student any text and expect them to comprehend the text with the Common Core standards in mind. In these lower grades, you have to pull them along a little more by choosing a slightly more difficult text and reading it to them- one, two and three times with specific focus questions for each read.
I’ve done this with my little friends and let me tell you- I was thrilled with their engagement and comprehension of our various texts. I do the Close Reads over 3 days- similar to a Shared Reading lesson. Day 1 we have a focus that helps me ensure my little friends understand the overall idea of our text. Then we dig deeper on the 2nd day with a new specific focus based on Common Core Standards 4-6 and then on day 3 we read even deeper with a focus on CCSS 7-9. I first thought my little friends would be like, ok teacher, we get it, why are we reading this again!?! But thankfully they truly were just that into our texts and focus questions that it wasn’t even issue- phew! As a reading specialist, let’s just say this made me feel quite fantastic! 🙂
So I took lots of pics (of course, I just can’t resist) and wanted to share with all of you the basics of how to get Close Reading going in your primary classroom!
Here are some close up pics:
Check out this video to see my explanation of how to use these passages in your room!
If you are looking for some passages with a fun winter theme (as shown above), click here or the pic below to check mine out!
I also have several other packs which follow the exact same format as the Winter Edition, click below or the pics to check them out!
Close Reading can, of course, also be done with actual books, I’ll be back on another day soon showing you that in action as well. Both ways work wonders- it’s just a matter of finding the right text to dig deeper with for your little friends. If you want more information and activities to do Close Reading with any text, please check out my other pack here!
Since Close Reading is something new I’ve been trying in my classroom, I’m linking up with the amazing Holly over at Fourth Grade Flipper for her Tried it Tuesday!
Have a great day!
Aylin
9 Responses
I'm loving all the labels you added on the pictures. So very helpful! I added this to the Teachers of Pinterest Literacy board! 🙂 xo
Alison
Rockin' and Lovin' Learnin'
This looks so great!! I love that you are doing this at the K and 1st grade level! As a 4th grade teacher, I appreciate what you are doing (even if I'll never teach your kids!) because it will help them so much as they get older!! Y'all are awesome!!
Amanda
Collaboration Cuties
This is amazing!! I love your link ups because it always opens my eyes to see what our little friends are doing in your classrooms! Your pictures and so helpful too. You guys are the BEST!!
~Holly
Fourth Grade Flipper
I'm so excited about this post! This is wonderful! I'm definitely going to check out those packs.
Thanks!
Sarah
Sarah's First Grade Snippets
Hello,
I just purchased your Close Reading pack for K-1st grade. I have a question. I teach in a dual language program. I'm looking for the same material , but in Spanish. Would you be willing to send me a copy that I can edit and translate into Spanish? If so, I would gladly share the translated copies for you to sell on TPT.
Please let me know:)
Sandy
[email protected]
I am new to close reads. Do you do these weekly, and do you do them whole group or in small groups?
Hi Angela,
I follow a weekly format for close reading of texts just because you want to focus on the text with the repeated readings over several days. This can be done in whole group or small group. Part of the goal is to get students discussing the text with their peers, so sometimes a whole group format is great. But I also really love doing them in small groups so you can listen in on their responses to the text!
Hope that helps 🙂
Aylin
Thank you! That does help. I am going to do small group to start with I think to get them used to them during my guided reading groups. Thank you for your quick response!
Well kindergarten is very important for kids education and I like to prefer them
kids Kindergarten