Read-Aloud Project

Checklist for Completing the Template

Check each step as it is completed.

1. Read the book closely.

2. Complete the What Makes This Read-Aloud Complex page.

3. Write the synopsis and clearly state the Big Ideas, Key Understandings, or Focusing Question in the
template. Think about what students will know and so as a result of this read-aloud.

4a. Carefully re-read the book, and create Questions, Activities, and Tasks for appropriate potions of
the book. Be sure to carefully sequence the questions, activities, and tasks in the template.

4b. Identify and categorize vocabulary using the Vocabulary table in the template (this can be done
while creating text dependent questions, or while re-reading the text solely for vocabulary).

4c. Create Culminating Tasks and Extension Activities. Add a Note to Teacher if necessary.

5. Verify CCSS and insert into the template.

 Too Many Tamales Recommended for 2nd Grade

Title/Author: Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto

Suggested Time to Spend: 5 Days (Recommendation: two sessions per day, at least 20 minutes per day)

Common Core grade-level ELA/Literacy Standards

RL.2.1 Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a
text.
RL.2.5 Describe the overall structure of a story, including describing how the beginning introduces the story and the ending
concludes the action
RI.2.1 Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a
text.
RI.2.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 2 topic or subject area.
W.2.2 Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide
a concluding statement or section.
W.2.5 With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and strengthen writing as needed by revising and editing
SL.2.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small
and larger groups
SL.2.2 Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
SL.2.6 Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification. (See
grade 2 Language standards 1 and 3 here for specific expectations.)
L.2.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
L.2.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing
L.2.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
L.2.3A Compare formal and informal uses of English
L.2.4A Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase
L.2.6 Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including using
adjectives and adverbs to describe (e.g., When other kids are happy that makes me happy)
Lesson Objective:
Students will listen to an illustrated read aloud and use literacy skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) to understand the
central message of the story.

Teacher Instructions
Before the Lesson
1. Read the Big Ideas and Key Understandings and the Synopsis below. Please do not read this to the students. This is a
description to help you prepare to teach the book and be clear about what you want your children to take away from the
work.
Big Ideas/Key Understandings/Focusing Question
When faced with a problem, telling the truth is always a good choice. In difficult situations, is being truthful/honest the best
choice.
Synopsis
In this literary work, Maria is a young child who panics and tries to hide a problem rather than expressing the truth. Maria's
family prepares tamales for Christmas in this tale. Maria believes she has lost her mother's ring in the masa while cooking
the tamales. She instructs her cousins to find the ring and eat the tamales. Maria reports that she lost the ring after being
unable to locate it, only to discover that her mother had it all along.
 Too Many Tamales Recommended for 2nd Grade

2. Go to the last page of the lesson and review “What Makes this Read-Aloud Complex.” This was created for you as part of
the lesson and will give you guidance about what the lesson writers saw as the sources of complexity or key access points
for this book. You will of course evaluate text complexity with your own students in mind, and make adjustments to the
lesson pacing and even the suggested activities and questions.
3. Read the entire book, adding your own insights to the understandings identified. Also note the stopping points for the
text-inspired questions and activities. Hint: you may want to copy the questions vocabulary words and activities over onto
sticky notes so they can be stuck to the right pages for each day’s questions and vocabulary work.

The Lesson – Questions, Activities, and Tasks

The majority of questions, activities, and tasks should be based on the writing, pictures and features unique to this text (be text
specific). Questions that address text-to-self or text-to-world connections - what we like to call text inspired questions or activities -
should be held until after the children have really gotten to know the book.

This template is designed to be flexible. Feel free to insert or delete rows as needed for additional questions, activities, or tasks.
Questions, Activities, and Tasks are all aligned to the CCSS for ELA and can address any of the following through reading aloud rich
selections:
• Academic language exploration and learning (vocabulary and syntax)
• Speaking and Listening activities
• Writing activities
• Language activities and questions
• Creative performance tasks and activities that are text-specific or text-inspired
• Foundational reading skills reinforcement where appropriate
 Too Many Tamales Recommended for 2nd Grade

Questions/Activities/Vocabulary/Tasks Expected Outcome or Response (for each)

First Reading:
Read aloud the entire book (or chapter) with minimal interruptions. Stop to The goal here is for students to enjoy the book, both writing and pictures,
provide word meanings or clarify only when you know the majority of your and to experience it as a whole. This will give them some context and sense
students will be confused. of completion before they dive into examining the parts of the book more
carefully.

Second Reading:
Reread story in its entirety. Then focus your questions on pages 1-11. “She was acting grown-up now, helping her mother make tamales.”
“She felt grown-up wearing her mother’s apron. Her mom had even
As you reread page 2-3, ask let her wear lipstick and perfume.”
How is Maria acting grown-up?
Maria and her mother are making tamales.

Teacher uses pictures or realia to show what a tamale is?

What are Maria and her mother making? (realia - props or activities used to relate education to real life.)

What are tamales?

Tamales are a Mexican dish made with meat tucked in dough
wrapped in corn husks. Students should infer from the pictures that “kneaded” means to
work dough with your hands by pressing and stretching.
(Teacher models with play dough while students mimic teacher’s
Reread page 3. actions.)
What does “kneaded” mean? What is she kneading?
How do you think the masa feels?
Students should make the inference that Maria is thinking about the
ring. The text states “She loved how it sparkled …”
We can tell by her raised eyebrows and lips like she is saying,
Look at the illustration on page 5. “Ooohh.”
What is Maria thinking? Can we tell by the expression on her face?
“I’ll wear the ring for just a minute”
Reread pages 6-7.
What did Maria say to herself? You can’t see the ring and then you can. It was swallowed up.
The ring was on Maria’s finger. As she kneaded the dough, the ring
Reread page 8. on her finger appeared when she pulled her hand out of the dough
What does the author mean when he says, “the ring disappeared and and disappeared as her hand went into the dough.
reappeared in the sticky glob of dough?”
The teacher can model this by kneading play dough and showing how
the ring on his/her finger disappears and reappears.
“Spread the masa” means to stretch out the masa over the husk.
As you reread page 9, ask “Spread” means to stretch out over a surface or to apply. For
What does “spread the masa” mean? What other things can be example, we spread butter on toast or peanut butter on a sandwich.
spread?
Students think-pair-share things that can be “spread” as the teacher Pretend you are spreading masa to make tamales. Teacher and
charts their answers. students pantomime spreading masa.

Third Reading:
Reread pages 12-21. Maria realized something important.
Shocked means to make someone feel surprised and upset. Show
After reading page 12-13, look carefully at the illustration. What do me your “shocked” face.
you think “a shock spread through her body” means?
Think about a time when you felt shocked. Turn to your partner and She realized that she lost the ring.
tell them about a time when you felt shocked.
“Spread” in this sentence means “to become known.” The feeling of
Why is Maria shocked? “shock” is being felt throughout her body.

How is the term “spread” used here differently to when the author
She remembers the ring when she sees the picture of the pearl
stated “spread the masa”?
necklace.
The text states, “As Maria was snipping out a picture of a pearl
necklace, …”
What made Maria remember the ring?
Guide students to infer that the pearl necklace is jewelry.

Why did the picture of the pearl necklace remind her of the ring?
Activity
Where do you think the ring is? She thinks the ring is in one of the tamales
Think-Pair-Share- Students tell their partner where they think the ring
is. Teacher asks several pairs to share what they discussed.

Where does Maria think the ring is? Maria lost her mother’s ring.

After reading pages 14-15, ask

What is Maria’s problem?
Students share multiple answers as teacher charts.
Activity
How can Maria solve her problem?
Teacher charts the problem and students suggestions for solutions to
the problem.

Sample Problem-Solution Chart

Problem Possible Solution
Maria lost her mother’s ring. Record students’ suggestions.
Responses may include:
She could tell her mother.
She could try to find the ring.
She could say nothing at all.

Students with a partner discuss which solution each would choose Students share the solution they chose.
from the chart.

How did Maria choose to solve the problem?
Why didn’t Maria tell her mother about the ring?
After reading page 16, ask
Did Maria’s cousins agree to help her? How?
At first, Maria had her cousins eat the tamales
“What do you want us do?”
“Eat them,” she said. “If you bite something hard, tell me.”
Students infer: She was afraid she would get in trouble.
What does the author mean when he says “they were tired of the Yes, the text states, “The four of them started eating.”
taste?”

Activity “The first one was good. The second one pretty good, but by the
Have the students think of a time that they ate so much of something third tamale, they were tired of the taste.”
that it no longer tasted good.
Choose three or four students to dramatize this part of the story,
showing facial expressions and body language.

What did the author mean when he said, “Their stomachs were
stretched till they hurt”?

Activity The author means that they were too full. They had a lot to eat.
Students pantomime having very full stomachs.

After reading page 18, ask

Why were they only able to take 1 bite of the last tamale?

They were so full that they couldn’t eat anymore.

After reading page 20, ask
Did the cousins find the ring?
No, they did not find the ring in the tamales.
Where did they think the ring is? The text states “Nothing.”

Danny frowned, “I think I swallowed something hard,” he said.

“Swallowed it!” Maria cried, her eyes big with worry. She looked
inside his mouth.
They think Danny swallowed the ring.

Fourth and Beyond Reading:

FOURTH READING: We know she feels sad because the text states, “She could feel tears
Reread pages 22-30 pressing to get out as she walked into the living room where the
grownups sat talking.” She is looking down and her fists are clinched.
After reading page 22-23
Look at Maria’s face and body language. How do you know what Maria felt bad that she couldn’t find the ring.
Maria is thinking? “Maria thought about the beautiful ring now sitting inside Danny’s
belly, and got ready to confess.”

After reading page 25 Confess means to tell someone the truth.

Why did Maria finally tell her mother about the ring?

What does “confess” mean?

Activity: Sobbed means to cry. Have students pantomime “sobbing.”

Think-Pair-Share
Think of a time you confessed about something that you did wrong.
Discuss with your partner.
The adults did not get angry at Maria.
Read the sentence, “’I did something wrong,’ Maria sobbed.”
What do you think “sobbed” means? Look at the picture. The adults are smiling at Maria and helping her make more tamales.

After reading page 26-27, ask A batch is a lot of something or a bunch of something.

How do the adults react to Maria’s situation? How do you know they
are not angry?

Listen to the sentence, “Well, it looks like we all need to cook up She is kneading the masa. She is helping her family make more
another batch of tamales.” tamales.
What does “batch” mean?

“At first she still felt like crying as she kneaded a great bowl of masa,
After reading page 28-29, have students look at the illustration. next to Aunt Rosa.” She was embarrassed and felt guilty for not
What is Maria doing? telling the truth earlier.
Why did she feel like crying? Maria is feeling better because her problem was solved and
everything was okay. The text states, “Then Maria couldn’t help
herself: She laughed.”

After reading page 30, ask Maria is feeling better because her problem was solved and she was
How is Maria feeling now? Why? surrounded by her loving family.

Maria learned that it is better to tell the truth.

Why is Maria feeling better?

What did Maria learn in this book?

Activity
Teacher tells a personal scenario about a time he/she told the truth
in a difficult situation.
Students think-pair-share about a time they did something wrong and
had to tell the truth (or should have told the truth).
Teacher charts student responses.
 Too Many Tamales Recommended for 2nd Grade

Final Day with the Book – Culminating Task

 Prompt
o What is the lesson in this story? Use pictures and words to show what you learned from this book. Provide a paper to
draw and write. Students use pictures and/or writing to show how Maria was truthful/honest.
 Sample answer
o “It is good to tell the truth when you have a problem. Maria told her mom that she lost the ring and her mom was not
mad.” Students may draw a picture of Maria telling her mother the truth. Students may write their response or
dictate their response using the picture that they drew.

Vocabulary
These words merit more time and attention
These words merit less time and attention
(They are abstract, have multiple meanings, and/or are a part of a
(They are concrete and easy to explain, or describe events/
large family of words with related meanings. These words are
processes/ideas/concepts/experiences that are familiar to your
likely to describe events, ideas, processes or experiences that
students)
most of your student will be unfamiliar with)
Truthful - telling or expressing the truth (what really happened)
Page 3 - kneaded – to work into a uniform mixture by pressing, folding, and
stretching
Page 2 - masa - dough Page 9 - spread – to distribute over a greater or relatively great area of space or
Page 2 - tamales - traditional Mexican dish usually eaten during holidays time
Page 25 – sobbed - cried Page 12- shock - a sudden disturbance of the mind, emotions, or sensibilities
Page 25 - confess - to admit to something true
Page 27- batch - the quantity of bread, cookies, dough, or the like, made at one
baking
Fun Extension Activities for This Book and Other Useful Resources
 Art: Corn Husk painting: Allow corn husks to dry overnight. Dip the end of the corn husks in paint and use as a paint brush.
 Fine Motor: Hide plastic rings in dough and then shape the dough into tamales. Children look for the rings by kneading the
dough with their fingers.
 District Too Many Tamales Recommended for 2nd Grade

What Makes This Read-Aloud Complex?

1. Quantitative Measure
Go to the Lexile Website and enter the title of your read-aloud in the Quick Book Search in the
upper right of home page. Most texts will have a Lexile measure in this database.

Most of the texts that we read aloud in K-2 should

be in the 2-3 or 4-5 band, more complex than the
670L students can read themselves.
 2-3 band 420-820L
4-5 band 740-1010L

2. Qualitative Features
 Consider the four dimensions of text complexity below. For each dimension*, note specific
examples from the text that make it more or less complex.

Truthfulness Sophisticated graphics which are essential to the understanding

“How in the world can she tell her mother? But I have to, she of the text: facial expressions, illustrations
thought.” Many of the messages and essential understandings are
When faced with a problem, being truthful/honest is the best implicit.
choice. Multiple perspectives (Maria, cousins, adults, reader)

Meaning/Purpose Structure

Language Knowledge Demands

Figurative language: Experiences may differ from one’s own
“curls of steam,” “sparkled like Christmas tree lights,” Hispanic cultural knowledge is helpful
“shock spread through her body,, “piped up,” “Their
stomachs were stretched till they hurt”
Domain specific vocabulary: tamales, masa, kneaded

3. Reader and Task Considerations

What will challenge my students most in this text? What supports can I provide?

Students will find it difficult to understand the text's implied message and use of metaphorical language.
Establish context for the text's purpose through activities, memory exercises, conversations, and examples
that are specifically relevant to the students.

How will this text help my students build knowledge about the world?

Students learn about the world through the moral lesson of the story, which is based on the idea that being
"honest" is the best course of action when facing a struggle. Other subjects discussed in class include
Mexican cuisine and traditions.

4. Grade level
What grade does this book best belong in?

2nd Grade

*For more information on the qualitative dimensions of text complexity, visit:

 Generating Questions from Considering Qualitative Dimensions of Complexity
Grade/ Band

Question maker:

Name of Text:

Narrative/Poetry/Hybrid/Informational/other

Notes and comments on text features in each

Category What questions could you ask students here?
category
Structure
(both story
structure or form
of piece)

Language Clarity
and Conventions
(including
vocabulary load)

Knowledge
Demands
(life, content,
cultural/literary)

Levels of
Meaning/Purpose

What trumps for you when you consider this text? Culminating Question or Task follow from this?
 Common Core Standards
Qualitative Features of Text Complexity Explained
Companion to the Qualitative Dimensions Scale

(To be consulted in filling out the rubric and in conjunction with anchor texts)

Structure (could be story structure and/or form of piece)

 Simple  Complex
 Explicit  Implicit
 Conventional  Unconventional
 Events related in chronological order  Events related out of chronological order (chiefly literary texts)
 Traits of a common genre or subgenre  Traits specific to a particular discipline (chiefly informational texts)
 Simple graphics  Sophisticated graphics
 Graphics unnecessary or merely supplemental to understanding the text  Graphics essential to understanding the
text and may provide information not elsewhere provided
Language Demands: Conventionality and Clarity
 Literal  Figurative or ironic
 Clear  Ambiguous or purposefully misleading
 Contemporary, familiar  Archaic or otherwise unfamiliar
 Conversational  General Academic or domain specific
 Light vocabulary load1: few unfamiliar or academic words  Many words unfamiliar and high academic vocabulary
present
 Sentence structure2 straightforward  Complex and varied sentence structures
Knowledge Demands: Life Experience (literary texts)
 Simple theme  Complex or sophisticated themes
 Single theme  Multiple themes
 Common everyday experiences or clearly fantastical situations  Experiences distinctly different from one’s own
 Single perspective  Multiple perspectives
 Perspective(s) like one’s own  Perspective(s) unlike or in opposition to one’s own

Knowledge Demands: Cultural/Literary Knowledge (chiefly literary texts)

 Everyday knowledge and familiarity with genre conventions required  Cultural and literary knowledge useful
 Low intertextuality (few if any references/allusions to other texts)  High intertextuality (many references/allusions
to other texts)

Knowledge Demands: Content/Discipline Knowledge (chiefly informational texts)

 Everyday knowledge and familiarity with genre conventions required  Extensive, perhaps specialized discipline-
specific content knowledge required
 Low intertextuality (few if any references to/citations of other texts)  High intertextuality (many reference
to/citations of other texts)

Levels of Meaning (chiefly literary texts) or Purpose (chiefly informational texts)

 Single level of meaning  Multiple levels of meaning
 Explicitly stated purpose  Implicit purpose, may be hidden or obscure

1 Though vocabulary can be measured by quantifiable means, it is still a feature for careful consideration when selecting texts
2 Though sentence length is measured by quantifiable means, sentence complexity is still a feature for careful consideration when
selecting texts
 Text Complexity: Qualitative Measures Rubric
Text Title___________________________________________
Exceedingly Complex
o Purpose: Subtle, implied, difficult to
Purpose determine; intricate, theoretical elements
o Organization of Main Ideas: Connections
between an extensive range of ideas or
events are deep, intricate and often
implicit or subtle; organization of the text
is intricate or specialized for a particular
discipline
o Text Features: If used, are essential in
Text
understanding content
Structure
o Use of Graphics: If used, extensive,
intricate, essential integrated graphics,
tables, charts, etc., necessary to make
meaning of text; also may provide
information not otherwise conveyed in the
text
o Conventionality: Dense and complex;
contains abstract, ironic, and/or figurative
language
o Vocabulary: Generally unfamiliar, archaic,
subject-specific, or overly academic
Language
language; may be ambiguous or
Features purposefully misleading
o Sentence Structure: Mainly complex
sentences often containing multiple
concepts
o Subject Matter Knowledge: Extensive,
perhaps specialized or even theoretical
discipline-specific content knowledge;
range of challenging abstract and
Knowledge theoretical concepts
Demands
o Intertextuality: Many references or
allusions to other texts or outside ideas,
theories, etc.
Informational Texts
Very Complex
o Purpose: Implied, but fairly easy to infer;
more theoretical than concrete
o Organization of Main Ideas: Connections
between an expanded range ideas,
processes or events are deeper and often
implicit or subtle; organization may contain
multiple pathways and may exhibit traits
common to a specific discipline
o Text Features: If used, greatly enhance the
reader’s understanding of content
o Use of Graphics: If used, essential
integrated graphics, tables, charts, etc.; may
occasionally be essential to understanding
the text
o Conventionality: Complex; contains some
abstract, ironic, and/or figurative language
o Vocabulary: Somewhat complex language
that is sometimes unfamiliar, archaic,
subject-specific, or overly academic
o Sentence Structure: Many complex
sentences with several subordinate phrases
or clauses and transition words
o Subject Matter Knowledge: Moderate levels
of discipline-specific content knowledge;
some theoretical knowledge may enhance
understanding; range of recognizable ideas
and challenging abstract concepts
o Intertextuality: Some references or
allusions to other texts or outside ideas,
theories, etc.
Text Author_____________________________________
Moderately Complex
o Purpose: Implied, but easy to identify based
upon context or source
o Organization of Main Ideas: Connections
between some ideas or events are implicit
or subtle; organization is evident and
generally sequential
o Text Features: If used, enhance the reader’s
understanding of content
o Use of Graphics: If used, graphics mostly
supplementary to understanding of the text,
such as indexes, glossaries; graphs, pictures,
tables, and charts directly support the text
o Conventionality: Largely explicit and easy to
understand with some occasions for more
complex meaning
o Vocabulary: Mostly contemporary, familiar,
conversational; rarely unfamiliar or overly
academic
o Sentence Structure: Simple and compound
sentences, with some more complex
constructions
o Subject Matter Knowledge: Everyday
practical knowledge and some discipline
specific content knowledge; both simple and
more complicated, abstract ideas
o Intertextuality: A few references or
allusions to other texts or outside ideas,
theories, etc.
Slightly Complex
o Purpose: Explicitly stated; clear, concrete
with a narrow focus
o Organization of Main Ideas: Connections
between ideas, processes or events are
explicit and clear; organization of text is
clear or chronological or easy to predict
o Text Features: If used, help the reader
navigate and understand content but are
not essential
o Use of Graphics: If used, simple graphics,
unnecessary to understanding the text but
directly support and assist in interpreting
the written text
o Conventionality: Explicit, literal,
straightforward, easy to understand
o Vocabulary: Contemporary, familiar,
conversational language
o Sentence Structure: Mainly simple
sentences
o Subject Matter Knowledge: Everyday,
practical knowledge; simple, concrete ideas
o Intertextuality: No references or allusions
to other texts, or outside ideas, theories,
etc.
 Text Complexity: Qualitative Measures Rubric
Text Title___________________________________________
Exceedingly Complex
o Meaning: Several levels and competing
elements of meaning that are difficult to
identify, separate, and interpret; theme is
Meaning implicit or subtle, often ambiguous and
revealed over the entirety of the text
o Organization: Organization is intricate
with regard to elements such as narrative
viewpoint, time shifts, multiple characters,
Text storylines and detail
Structure
o Use of Graphics: If used, minimal
illustrations that support the text
o Conventionality: Dense and complex;
contains abstract, ironic, and/or figurative
language
o Vocabulary: Generally unfamiliar, archaic,
subject-specific, or overly academic
Language
language; may be ambiguous or
Features purposefully misleading
o Sentence Structure: Mainly complex
sentences often containing multiple
concepts
o Life Experiences: Explores complex,
sophisticated themes; experiences are
distinctly different from the common
reader
Knowledge
Demands o Intertextuality and Cultural Knowledge:
Many references or allusions to other texts
or cultural elements
Literary Texts
Very Complex
o Meaning: Several levels of meaning that
may be difficult to identify or separate;
theme is implicit or subtle and may be
revealed over the entirety of the text
o Organization: Organization may include
subplots, time shifts and more complex
characters
o Use of Graphics: If used, a few illustrations
that support the text
o Conventionality: Complex; contains some
abstract, ironic, and/or figurative language
o Vocabulary: Somewhat complex language
that is sometimes unfamiliar, archaic,
subject-specific, or overly academic
o Sentence Structure: Many complex
sentences with several subordinate phrases
or clauses and transition words
o Life Experiences: Explores themes of varying
levels of complexity; experiences portrayed
are uncommon to most readers
o Intertextuality and Cultural Knowledge:
Some references or allusions to other texts
or cultural elements
Text Author_____________________________________
Moderately Complex
o Meaning: More than one level of meaning
with levels clearly distinguished from each
other; theme is clear but may be conveyed
with some subtlety
o Organization: Organization may have two or
more storylines and occasionally difficult to
predict
o Use of Graphics: If used, a range of
illustrations that support selected parts of
the text
o Conventionality: Largely explicit and easy to
understand with some occasions for more
complex meaning
o Vocabulary: Mostly contemporary, familiar,
conversational; rarely unfamiliar or overly
academic
o Sentence Structure: Simple and compound
sentences, with some more complex
constructions
o Life Experiences: Explores a single theme;
experiences portrayed are common to many
readers
o Intertextuality and Cultural Knowledge: A
few references or allusions to other texts or
cultural elements
Slightly Complex
o Meaning: One level of meaning; theme is
obvious and revealed early in the text.
o Organization: Organization of text is clear,
chronological or easy to predict
o Use of Graphics: If used, extensive
illustrations that directly support and assist
in interpreting the written text
o Conventionality: Explicit, literal,
straightforward, easy to understand
o Vocabulary: Contemporary, familiar,
conversational language
o Sentence Structure: Mainly simple
sentences
o Life Experiences: Explores a single theme;
experiences portrayed are everyday and
common to most readers
o Intertextuality and Cultural Knowledge: No
references or allusions to other texts or
cultural elements
Creating Questions for Close Analytic Reading Exemplars: A Brief
Guide

1. Think about what you think is the most important learning to be drawn from the text.
Note this as raw material for the culminating assignment and the focus point for other
activities to build toward.

2. Determine the key ideas of the text. Create a series of questions structured to bring the
reader to an understanding of these.

3. Locate the most powerful academic words in the text and integrate questions and
discussions that explore their role into the set of questions above.

4. Take stock of what standards are being addressed in the series of questions above. Then
decide if any other standards are suited to being a focus for this text. If so, form
questions that exercise those standards.

5. Consider if there are any other academic words that students would profit from focusing
on. Build discussion planning or additional questions to focus attention on them.

6. Find the sections of the text that will present the greatest difficulty and craft questions
that support students in mastering these sections. These could be sections with difficult
syntax, particularly dense information, and tricky transitions or places that offer a
variety of possible inferences.

7. Develop a culminating activity around the idea or learning identified in #1. A good task
should reflect mastery of one or more of the standards, involve writing, and be
structured to be done by students independently.