J. Schlotter/ Feb. 2015

Summary and Notes for Part I and II (Part III Must Be Read)

Notice and Note: Strategies for Close Reading

Written by, Kylene Beers and Robert Probst

(Background and Philosophy of the Book)

Introduction: We Begin

1. “Notice and Note presents a suite of new lessons for helping students read fictional literary texts with deeper understandings.” Authors, who were both teachers and university educators, worked on lessons since 2008 and published in 2013.

2. “The text awakens associations in the reader’s mind, and out of the mix, meaning is created. It resides neither in the text nor in the reader’s mind, but in the meaning of the two.” (page 1)

3. “How might we affect those moments in which reader and text come together so as to improve the reading experience and deepen a student’s understanding of the text?” This question has guided the authors’ work.

4. “We believe it is the interaction, the transaction, between the reader and the text that not only creates meaning but creates the reason to read.”This lead to authors creating this text, so “students could notice something so their responses might become more nuanced and reasoned.” (page 3)These elements were eventually named, “signposts.”

5. Our ultimate objective is to have students stop at the signposts, points in the story that they think might yield the most insight in the text, and reflect, create questions, and to speculate possible answers. So signposts and accompanying anchor questions were created to scaffold and achieve this goal.

6. “We hope the signposts and their anchor questions will empower readers to struggle successfully and productively with texts on their own, without relying on the teacher—and ultimately without needing or relying on the six signposts and questions. (page 6)

Part 1: Questions We Ponder

1. Question 1: Is reading still reading? “What do I think about how the Internet is changing the way we read?” We need to recognize the new demands of reading, since students are reading more digital texts. This changes the way we highlight and annotate texts. (page 15)

2. Question 2: What is the role of fiction? Push for Common Core for more expository reading, but narrative is their first way of making sense in this world. Research says

fiction affects the way we interact with each other. “Nonfiction lets us learn more; fiction lets us be more” ( page 17)

3. Question 3: Where does rigor fit? Rigor resides in the energy and attention given to the text, not in the text itself. Ex: The quality of rigor does not reside in the “barbell” but in the interaction with it. When the text is too tough, then the task is simply hard, not rigorous. Wrestling with the theme, expressing responses, asking questions, speculating about implications, discussing values and choices, considering similarities and differences, debating different interpretations shows rigor. (page 22) The essence of rigor is engagement and commitment. Rigor lies in the transaction between the reader and the text and then among readers.

4. Question 4: What do we mean by Intellectual Communities? Students listen appreciatively, frame their thoughts with evidence and examples, extend their own thinking and that of others, weigh ideas, reach conclusions, speculate and hypothesize, evaluate and analyze, and learn to think independently while working collaboratively.

5. Question 5: What is the role of talk? We want our students to be ready to participate in a democratic society. Authors built this project based on engaging talk. Dialogue (students lead questions), not monologue (teacher centered). Ex: Turn and talk techniques. Asking questions for which you already know the answer is inauthentic…Research suggests that in dialogue based classrooms, students do more questioning and achievement increases. The following are tips for improving student-to-student discourse:1. Listen to the conversations in your classroom, asking yourself if there is evidence of

rigorous thinking.2. Step back and let students pose questions3. Give various students prompts that can keep the conversation going4. Record small group conversations, using either audio or video recordings5. Give students specific feedback about their comments as a natural part of the

conversations6. Encourage students to elaborate7. Ask high-level questions to all students8. Encourage students to use the vocabulary of the discipline9. Arrange desks in groups

(Use rigor of text checklist on page 33 to assess your classroom)6. Question 6: What is close reading? Authors feel close reading should suggest close

attention to the text, close attention to the relevant experience, though, and the memory of the reader; close attention to the responses and interpretations of other readers. We want to notice those elements of the text that are surprising or confusing or contradictory, so that then we pause and take note, think carefully, reread, analyze—read closely. (page 37)

Characteristics of close reading: 1. The focus is intense2. It will extend from the passage itself to other parts of the text3. It should involve a great deal of exploratory discussion4. It involves rereading

7. Question 7: Do Text-dependent Questions Foster Engagement? Common Core virtually eliminated text-to-self connections (Gwertz 2012), and promoted “text-dependent questions.” Ask students to create text dependent questions(questions answered or inferred in the text) Here is a sample lesson: (page 43)1. Find a short text that you think might be challenging for class2. Read the selection aloud as students follow along, or students read alone3. Tell them that as they read, they should simply mark spots where they feel confused,

have a question, or wonder about something4. Ask them then to reread the selection5. As a whole class, collect generated questions on a flip chart6. In pairs or trios, ask them to look at the questions they think are most important,

discuss them, and make notes about their thoughts.7. Pull class back together and work through interesting questions

This structure has the students read the text 3-5 times

8. Question 8: Must everyone read the same book? Yes, from time to time. Authors feel there are many benefits to having a common reading experience

9. Question 9: How do I judge the complexity of text? (Page 54)

10. Question 10: Are we creating lifelong learners? (Page 62)

(Signposts: The Important Part of the Book)

Part II: The Signposts We Found: 1. Contrasts and Contradictions, 2. Aha Moment, 3. Tough Questions, 4. Words of the Wiser, 5. Again and Again, 6. Memory Moment

(chart on page 75) When signposts are used, students naturally use the comprehension processes of visualizing, predicting, clarifying, questioning, inferring, and connections

1. Contrasts and Contradictions: Point in novel where character’s actions or thoughts clearly contradict previous patterns or contrast with patterns that the reader would normally expect, suggesting a change or offering new insight into the character. Books: Chrysanthemum

2. Aha Moments: These are the moments when a character’s sudden insight or understanding helps us understand the plot’s movement, the development of the character, or the internal conflict he faces. Ex: “I realized, I suddenly understood…”Books: I want My Hat Back

3. Tough Questions: The main character, child or teen, ask of himself or a trusted other, tough questions. Ex: “I wonder what I should do about…” Books: The Three Questions, Ira Sleeps Over

4. Words of the Wiser: This is the scene in which a wiser and often older character offers a life lesson of some sort to the protagonist, usually is the theme of the novel. This point is often announced by placing the younger main character off alone with the older, wiser character in a quiet, meditative, often solemn moment. Books: Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day, Chrysanthemum, Ira Sleeps Over

5. Again and Again: This is an image, word, or situation that is repeated, leading the reader to wonder about its significance. Repetition might provide information about a character, about the conflict, about the setting or theme. It might be some sort of symbol. Books: Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day, Chrysanthemum, Ira Sleeps Over

6. Memory Moment: This is a scene that interrupts the flow of the story and reveals something important about a character, plot, or theme.

Fiction does imitate life. Find these same signpost patterns in the world and discuss

Chapter 3: The Anchor Questions (See Important chart on page79) Students need ownership of the question. They need to apply it appropriately, and lead them to other questions. One question was developed for each signpost to lead students to question more… Check out the Bookmark on page 206 in the appendix section.

**Noticing the signpost is necessary but insufficient; the readers also have to question it and make note of what they learn from it.

1. Contrasts and Contradictions Question: Why would the character act or feel this way?2. Aha Moment Question: How might this change things?3. Tough Questions: What does this question make me wonder about?4. Words of the Wiser: What’s the life lesson and how might it affect the character?5. Again and Again: Why might the author bring this up again and again?6. Memory Moment: Why might this memory be important?

Chapter 4 and 5: The Role of Generalizable Language (page 80) This gives students the understanding of a guiding principle that would help them understand what in a text might trigger their connection to the scene and their envisioning of the scene.

1. Notice, pause, and reflect2. DON’T: Example of not a generalizable language: “I’ll stop here because I want to think

about how Luke must feel…”3. DO: Example of a generalizable language: “I’ll stop here because I know that when

authors show me a character acting in a way that contrasts with how I would expect someone to act, the author is showing me something important about that character…”

4. Notice that in the think aloud we don’t spend time stating the name of the signpost. Signpost name isn’t critical, what’s important is the reader notice something then stop to consider what it means. (page84)

5. Notice the signpost and then consider the anchor question is what counts.

6. See chart on page 85 for signpost and generalizable language

Chapter 6: Explaining the Signposts (Great Suggestions in Planning Lessons page 87)

1. Signposts can be taught in any order. Consider starting with Contrasts and Contradictions, Aha Moments, and Tough Questions because they appear reliably and frequently.

2. Signposts aren’t mini lessons, 30-40 minutes for the lesson models in this book.3. Suggestions: Find a text that can be read aloud in 10-15 minutes. Text content, on their

level because you will be reading text to students. Use a Gradual Release Model- demonstrate; then turn over part of the task to the class; then independentlyOn page 88—see gradual release model in a chart form 1. Explain the signpost and the anchor question2. Tell students you’ll show them how the signpost you are teaching works by sharing a

short text not necessarily on their independent level, but can handle text content.3. Read aloud to the first occurrence of the signpost 4. Read the second section, stopping at the next instance of the signpost5. Read the third section and perhaps the fourth6. Read to the end of the selection7. Tell students to watch for the feature in their independent reading, to mark those

they find, and jot down their thoughts as they think about the anchor question.

8. Create a poster with students: Title of signpost, noticeable features that announce the signpost, and anchor question to ask. (See example on page 89) Hang in room.

Close reading occurs when we notice and note something that makes us stop and think.

Chapter 7: Assessment and the Signposts

1. Assess student talk, reading log or 3 column chart (example on page 101) with Page # and Signpost Noticed and Notes section. Can be connected to our Standards easily.

Chapter 9: Questions You Might Have (page 107)

Part III: The Lessons We Teach (page 112-187) This section is necessary to read! These are the lessons for each signpost! (Each chapter can be read separately and chunked)

Great poster: When you take a Journey through a book, don’t forget to stop! At any Notice & Note Signposts (page 112). The poster depicts signposts labeled along a road.