Close

Close Reading
Rea d ing Text-Dependent
Questions

KIT
Close Reading Lesson Objectives
Close Reading is a process of determining the meaning of a text through increasingly deeper
analysis. It involves reading a text more than once, each time with a different purpose. Reading the
text again, and again helps readers understand its deeper meaning. In short, close reading gives
students the tools to truly find meaning and enjoyment in reading by showing them how to get to
the heart of the text’s message and understand its purpose.
With this close reading lesson, students will complete three readings of each text and answer text-
dependent questions that require them to cite evidence from the texts to support their answers.
With each reading, the level of analysis and the questions increase in depth and complexity.
When reading multiple texts on the same topic, a Focus Question unifies the texts. Students
accumulate evidence to support their answer to the Focus Question as they work to analyze each
text using annotations, notes, and peer discussions. At the end of reading all written and visual
texts, students synthesize their learnings from the different texts and write an extended response
to the Focus Question.

Purpose of the First Read

• Students gain a general understanding of the text

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• Students get to know “what the text says”
• Students annotate, make notes, and respond to broad text-dependent questions, such as,
“What is this text about?”

Purpose of the Second Read

• Students deepen their understanding of the text
• Students analyze the author’s use of language and how the text structure helps to convey the
theme

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• Students respond to text-dependent questions by citing evidence from the text

Purpose of the Third Read

• Students should be integrating the information and ideas discovered in the first two readings
• Students look for meaning by making inferences
• Students make connections to other texts with similar subject matter

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Some Quick Tips to Remember

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• Students do not have to actually read the entire text three times. Sometimes, in order to
answer the text-dependent questions, students will only need to re-read a certain paragraph
or sentence.
• Students DO need to complete all three reads of the text in one day, so that their progression
of understanding is not interrupted
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Part I: Close Reading and Text-Dependent Questions
Explain to students that they will be practicing close reading of complex texts while enjoying two
fun, humorous poems. Introduce each text below and explain to students that they will read each
poem three times with a different purpose, and will analyze them by answering textdependent
questions (provided on companion worksheets).

Text 1: Early Rising by John G. Saxe

Directions: Students will begin to gain a deeper understanding of how humor can both entertain
and persuade others. Tell them they will analyze a poem about the pain of waking up early in the
morning.
Give each student a copy of the Close Reading Lesson companion worksheet for Early Rising. Have
students closely read the text each time for a different purpose. Then have them answer the text-
dependent questions to gain a deeper meaning.
If needed, use this first poetry text as a model, then have students work in pairs, or independently,
to analyze the second text. If you decide to model close reading of a poetry text, start by projecting
Early Rising by John G. Saxe on the board and give each student the companion worksheet. Before
each reading, explain the purpose of the read as outlined in the lesson objectives. After each
reading, have students answer the text- dependent questions on the lesson companion worksheet.

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Text 2: Ode to Work in Springtime by Thomas R. Ybarra
Directions: Tell students they will read a poem about wanting to play outside in springtime instead
of being stuck inside working–something I’m sure they can all relate to!
Give each student a copy of the Close Reading Lesson companion worksheet for Ode to Work in
Springtime. Have students closely read the text each time for a different purpose. Then have them
answer the text-dependent questions to gain a deeper meaning.

Part II: Focus Question

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Have students read the Focus Question. Tell them that the texts they will be close reading will help
them answer this question.
Focus Question: How and why do authors use humor to entertain and persuade others?
Text 1: Early Rising by John G. Saxe
Text 2: Ode to Work in Springtime by Thomas R. Ybarra.

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Give students their Close Reading Lesson companion worksheets and have them complete the

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activities to gain a deeper understanding of how humor can both entertain and persuade others.

Part III: Connect and Write

Finally, have students reflect on what they’ve read and make connections across texts in writing.
This type of synthesis will propel them into higher levels of thinking, drive them to articulate their
thoughts, and push them to find strong evidence to support their points.
Allow students time to answer the questions provided on writing activity below. Encourage them to
find strong evidence to support their answers and to review their writing for grammar and spelling.
and

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Close Reading Lesson for Early Rising by John G. Saxe

Name

Text-Dependent Questions for the First Read

Purpose for the First Read
1. What does the narrator dislike doing? Determine what the text is about.

Purpose for the Second Read Focus

on the language used by the author
2. In stanza 1, what is the “great discovery” the author and the structure of the text.
mentions?
Purpose for the Third Read
Look for meaning by making
inferences. Find evidence that supports
these inferences.
3. In the last stanza, what does the narrator call “us” to do?

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Text-Dependent Questions for the Second Read

1. What type of figurative language does the author use in this line
from stanza 3?
“Rise with the lark, and with the lark to bed,”
Observes some solemn, sentimental owl;

How does that contribute to the playfulness of the poem?

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2. What is the rhyme scheme of the poem? How does the rhyme
scheme add to the humor or silliness of the poem?

Text-Dependent Questions for the Third Read

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1. Compare and contrast the last two lines of the poem and the common phrase,
“The early bird gets the worm.”

How does changing the well-known saying add to the overall tone of the poem?

2. What is the theme of the poem?

3. How does the author use humor to persuade the audience of this theme?
Use evidence to support your answer.
and

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 Close Reading Lesson for Ode to Work in Springtime by Thomas R. Ybarra

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Close Reading Lesson for Ode to Work in Springtime by Thomas R. Ybarra

Name

Text-Dependent Questions for the First Read

Purpose for the First Read
1. What would the author like to “shun” or do away with? Determine what the text is about.

Purpose for the Second Read Focus

on the language used by the author
and the structure of the text.
2. What would the author like to do instead of work?
Purpose for the Third Read
Look for meaning by making
inferences. Find evidence that supports
these inferences.
Text-Dependent Questions for the Second Read

1. Why does the author change his mind in the end about work?
Do you believe the change is genuine?

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2. The author combines playful language with serious language. Give an example of each.

3. What is the rhyme scheme of the poem? How does the rhyme scheme add to the humor or
silliness of the poem?

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Text-Dependent Questions for the Third Read

1. What is the theme of the poem?

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2. How does the author use humor to persuade the audience of this theme? Use evidence to
support your answer.

3. How do the tone and language (both silly and serious) help convey the overall message of the
poem?
Name
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 Connect and Write
Reflect on how the written texts are connected by answering the following question. Use strong evidence to support
your answer. Review your writing for grammar and spelling.

Both of the texts use humor to make light of a stressful situation. One author wishes he could sleep instead of
wake up early, while the other author wants to enjoy a spring day outside of instead of working inside. Which
author was more effective in using humor to entertain and persuade the audience? Hint: Think about which poem
made you laugh more and for which author you felt the worst! Use evidence to support your answer.

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