Preparing Text-Dependent Questions

Close Reading Experience 1

Close Reading Experience 1 Program Transcript

NATALIE MALM: Are you familiar with HG Wells' novel War of the Worlds?

MALE STUDENT 1: Yes, I am.

NATALIE MALM: What do you remember of it?

FEMALE STUDENT: Sci-fi.

MALE STUDENT 1: It's sci-fi. I remember that it caused a panic. It was read on the radio. I think, it was a Halloween special.

NATALIE MALM: That's right. That's right.

MALE STUDENT 2: There was an alien invasion. At least, that was the context of it.

NATALIE MALM: Right. Well, today we're going to talk a little bit more about that. We're going to take a passage from the original novel and do a close-reading activity. The Common Core State Standards stress the importance of students reading closer, to gain deeper appreciation and understanding for what they read. The learning goals for this activity will be informed by the Common Core State Standards.

One of those standards is "read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it. Site specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text"

Our learning objectives today are "identify main idea and key concepts of the text to make logical inferences. Evaluate the development of central ideas. Analyze the author's word choice to determine how word choice shapes meaning and tone. Analyze structure of text, including sentences paragraphs, larger portions, and how they relate to each other."

For your first reading, you'll read to get the gist of the text. You should be able to use your background knowledge with the text as you read. Read for flow, to get the key ideas and details.

The section you're about to read is near the end of the book. Martians have invaded Earth, destroying everything in their path. The narrator has traveled to several cities, moving his wife from harm's way, going back to watch the army try and fail to stop the Martians, and eventually hiding in an abandoned house in London. In this chapter, he comes out of the house and finds out the Martians are dead.

©2014 Laureate Education, Inc. 1

Close Reading Experience 1

As you do this first read, please use a colored pen to underline the key ideas and details. Read paragraphs 22 and 23 of Chapter Eight, "Dead London," silently to yourself. As you read, consider the following questions. What are the key ideas in the passage? And what examples support the main ideas? Please begin reading.

Close Reading Experience 1 Additional Content Attribution

Music:

Creative Support Services Los Angeles, CA

Dimension Sound Effects Library Newnan, GA

Narrator Tracks Music Library Stevens Point, WI

Signature Music, Inc Chesterton, IN

Studio Cutz Music Library Carrollton, TX

©2014 Laureate Education, Inc. 2