NAME: ________________________________________________________________________________________________
Goal: Plot and Setting
Questions and prompts to research:
• “Retell the book to me. What happened first?”
• “What problem(s) is your character dealing with?”
• “Describe what you picture in this part.”
• “Tell me about an important event. What causes it to happen?”
Strengths
Teaching Opportunities
May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2018 by Jennifer Serravallo from Understanding Texts & Readers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
P
Retells the m
most
important ev
events from
comple plots.
more complex
R
S
T
Describes the time(s) and place(s).
Understands the setting’s significance
or mood and its effects on character(s).
Identifies more than two of the story’s
problems or aspects of the main problem.
Mentions internal and external aspects.
Q
May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2018 by Jennifer Serravallo from Understanding Texts & Readers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
86
Names setting.
Visualizing
Setting
Describes in some
original detail the
time(s) and place(s).
Identifies multiple
aspects of the story’s
main problem.
Identifies multiple
aspects of a scene’s
main problem using
text and/or pictures.
Retells multiple
important events.
O
Identifying
Problems
N
Draws connections
between multiple
causes and effects,
and demonstrates
deep understanding
of the scene.
M
Understands cause
and effect using text
and/or pictures.
L
Synthesizing
Cause and
Effect
K
Retells multiple important events,
using text and/or pictures.
J
To have a solid command of plot and setting,
readers use these skills to greater degrees
as they read more challeging texts.
A Progression of Skills
Plot and Setting
Retelling
Important
Events
SKILLS
Understanding Texts & Readers
U
Draws
connections
between
multiple causes
and effects to
understand the
importance
of the scene
deeply.
Understands
foreshadowing.
W
Describes
the time(s)
and place(s).
Understands
the setting’s
complex
significance,
mood, or
symbolism and
its effects on
character(s).
Identifies more than three
of the story’s problems,
or aspects of the main problem.
Mentions internal and
external aspects.
V
87
Understanding Fiction Readers
NAME: ________________________________________________________________________________________________
Goal: Character
Questions and prompts to research:
• “What ideas do you have about the character ___________?”
• “How is your character feeling in this part?”
• “How is your character changing?”
• “Describe the relationship between ___________ and ___________.”
• “How does [character] affect [character]?”
Strengths
Teaching Opportunities
May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2018 by Jennifer Serravallo from Understanding Texts & Readers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Inferring
About,
Interpreting,
and Analyzing
Secondary
Character(s)
Describes how a
main character’s
feelings have changed
and its significance.
Identifies many feelings and/or
traits of secondary characters.
P
R
Identifies and comments on
many feelings and/or traits of
a secondary character.
Describes significant changes
in a main character, comparing
past traits and/or feelings with
present ones.
Identifies several less
obvious traits and/or
feelings that reveal
a character’s complexity.
Q
T
U
Identifies and comments on
many feelings and/or traits of
a secondary character. Names
how a secondary character
impacts a main character.
Identifies and interprets
several less obvious traits
and/or feelings that reveal
a character’s complexity.
S
May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2018 by Jennifer Serravallo from Understanding Texts & Readers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
96
O
Describes significant changes
in a main character by
synthesizing many details.
N
Describes
how a main
character’s
feelings
have
changed.
M
Synthesizing
Character
Change
L
Identifies several less obvious
traits and/or feelings that
reveal different aspects
of a main character.
K
Identifies one or more
less obvious traits
and/or feelings of
a main character.
J
To have a solid command of character,
readers use these skills to greater degrees as
they read more challenging texts.
A Progression of Skills
Character
Inferring
About,
Interpreting,
and Analyzing
Main
Character(s)
SKILLS
Understanding Texts & Readers
W
Identifies and interprets
several less obvious traits
and/or feelings of a main
character that reveal
their complexity. Analyzes
relationships between
characters.
V
97
Understanding Fiction Readers
NAME: ________________________________________________________________________________________________
Goal: Vocabulary and Figurative Language
Questions and prompts to research:
• [identify a word or phrase with context support] “What does this mean?”
• “Can you explain what the word ___________ means?”
Strengths
Teaching Opportunities
May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2018 by Jennifer Serravallo from Understanding Texts & Readers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
K
Uses scene-level context
to explain the meaning
of a word or phrase.
J
L
M
N
O
To have a solid command of vocabulary
and figurative language, readers use these
skills to greater degrees as they read more
challenging texts.
A Progression of Skills
Vocabulary and
Figurative Language
P
Q
S
Uses cumulati
cumulative knowledge
of the story to explain the
meaning of a w
word or phrase.
R
May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2018 by Jennifer Serravallo from Understanding Texts & Readers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
104
Monitoring
for Meaning
and Using
Context
SKILLS
Understanding Texts & Readers
T
U
V
W
105
Understanding Fiction Readers
NAME: ________________________________________________________________________________________________
Goal: Themes and Ideas
Questions and prompts to research:
• “What is a lesson or message you can learn from this book?”
• “What does ___________ symbolize?”
• “What social issues are coming up in this book?”
Strengths
Teaching Opportunities
May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2018 by Jennifer Serravallo from Understanding Texts & Readers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
K
Articulates one of the book’s
lessons/themes based on
most of the story’s events.
J
L
M
N
P
Identifies a social issue
in the book. Accumulates
and synthesizes many
details to explain the
complexity of that issue.
O
To have a solid command of themes and ideas,
readers use these skills to greater degrees as
they read more challenging texts.
A Progression of Skills
Themes and Ideas
Q
S
Interprets a symbol by
considering it in the context
of the story and explaining its
significance.
Identifies a
social issue in
the book,
explains its
complexity,
and recognizes
stereotypes.
Articulates a universal lesson/
theme that can be applied to
other contexts outside the text,
such as to other texts or the
reader’s own life. Considers
events from multiple plotlines.
R
T
U
Interprets a symbol and
its complexity. Names the
abstract idea the symbol
represents. Relates the symbol’s
significance to the whole book
and/or title.
Articulates multiple universal
lessons/themes that can be
applied to other contexts
outside the text, such as to
other texts or the reader’s own
life. Considers events from
multiple plotlines.
May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2018 by Jennifer Serravallo from Understanding Texts & Readers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
108
Identifying
and
Interpreting
Symbols
Identifying
and
Interpreting
Social Issues
Interpreting
a Story by
Naming Life
Lesson(s) or
Theme(s)
SKILLS
Understanding Texts & Readers
V
W
109
Understanding Fiction Readers