Creating Text-Dependent Questions for Close Analytic Reading
Selection: Because of Winn-Dixie__ by Kate DiCamillo Grade: _4_ Unit _1_
Initial Planning
Identify the Core Understandings and Key Ideas of the Text
As in any good backward mapping process, teachers should start by identifying the key insights they want students to
understand from the text. Keeping the major points to be made in mind is crucial for crafting an overarching set of successful
questions. This step is also critical for creating a means to check for student understanding.
Identify Lesson Focus: (Review Qualitative Measures)
Meaning: Moderately Complex-Friendship theme is mostly clear but there may be other subtle layers of meaning.
Text Structure: Moderately Complex-There are 2 storylines (one told as a flashback in time); illustrations support
parts of the text.
Language Features: Moderately Complex-Most vocabulary was conversational and easy to understand embedded in
simple and compound sentences.
Knowledge Demands: Very Complex-Most of the experiences in the text may be unfamiliar to readers and there are
some references to cultural elements (small, southern town, “ma’am”, Palmetto trees, War and Peace).
CCSS Focus Standards:
RL4.2 Determine theme; summarize
RL4.3 Describe characters, setting and events drawing on details from text
SL4.1c Pose & respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on information and make contributing
comments
Use shorter text or excerpts of longer texts
Supporting Student Needs
Considerations for Reader and Task
To really understand a complex text, the reader will have to read it more than once, to make sense of what the author is saying
and to glean the details at both the explicit and implicit levels. First and foremost, close reading demands a willingness to
return to the text to read part or even all of it more than once, ultimately instilling habits of mind in approaching text. Planning
for multiple reads as well as multiple purposes for reads is essential in order to support all student needs.
Potential Challenges this Text Poses:
Strategies/Lessons to access complex text: Pre teach
Meaning: (Conceptual Understanding Examples, pg. #)
*Understanding the difference in story lines (flashbacks
and present)
*Lack of familiarity with cultural elements and setting
CCSS Focus Standards: RL4.2, RL4.3
Explicit instruction on theme, review of vocabulary strategies,
and review of story elements (characters, setting and events).
Language: (Syntax, Vocabulary Examples, pg. #)
*Lack of familiarity with regional vocabulary
*Understanding of figurative language
Pre teach
Activity/Lesson
Preview selection and vocabulary; use English Learner
Resource Book to pre-teach function words and phrases;
introduce students to regional vocabulary and cultural
references. Also review examples of figurative language found
in text. Explicit instruction of what theme is in a story.
*Use the internet to show visuals and examples of
southern settings and other cultural references.
*Ask students to share any prior knowledge of regional
vocabulary, such as “ma’am”
*Use previously read narratives as examples of theme
First Read:
Have students do 1st read independently or with a partner then have a discussion with students about what
they think the theme of the story is.
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Close Reads
Create Coherent Sequence of Text-Dependent Questions
Create Coherent Sequences of Text-Dependent Questions – Start Small to Build Confidence
The opening questions should help orient students to the text, and be specific enough to answer so students gain confidence.
The sequence of questions should not be random but should build toward more coherent understanding and analysis to ensure
that students learn to stay focused on the text to bring them to a gradual understanding of its meaning.
Think of ways to maximize student engagement.
Close Read I
Learning Focus: Characters, Setting and Events Focus CCSS: RL4.3
Text-Dependent Questions
Evidence-Based Answers/Pg. #
Reread p. 108. Where does the narrator spend
most of her time? What words does she use to
describe this place?
*the Herman W. Block Memorial Library
*it’s not “a big fancy place”; “It’s just a little
old house full of books.”
Who is Miss Franny? What words does the
narrator use to describe her.
*Miss Franny is in charge of all the books.
*“She is a very small, very old woman with
short gray hair, and she was the first friend I
made in Naomi.”
*She screamed loudly and in a scary way and
then she hid on the floor behind her desk.
Reread p. 109. On the day Miss Franny
thought Winn-Dixie was a bear, how did she
react? Use words from the text to support
your answer.
On p. 110 why does Miss Franny act “all
embarrassed” and say she was “a silly old
lady”?
*She says that because she had mistaken
Winn-Dixie for a bear.
On p. 111 what words, phrases or sentences
are used to describe Winn-Dixie?
On p. 112 Miss Franny starts to tell her story
about the bear. What words does she use to
describe Florida?
*He gets lonely without me; He’s a dog who
goes to church; He’ll be good; He has a large
heart, too.
*Her daddy was a very rich man; She got a
library for her birthday; “little-miss-know-itall”; “little-miss-smarty-pants”; “I thought I
knew the answers to everything.”
*It was wild; nothing but palmetto trees;
mosquitoes so big they could fly away with
you.
On p. 113 how did Miss Franny finally realize
that there was a bear in front of her?
*She became aware of a very peculiar, strong
smell.
How can you tell that Miss Franny may have
been a spoiled child? Give at least 2 details
from the text on p. 112-113.
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On p. 114 Miss Franny says she was not going
to let the bear eat her without a fight. What
does she mean by that and what does she do?
What can you infer about Miss Franny’s
character?
On p. 114 why does the narrator say she feels
sad, old and wrinkled like Miss Franny when
she is just a child?
On the last page the narrator calls Amanda
“old pinch-faced”. What does Amanda say or
do that makes her seem unlikeable?
*She means that she will fight back so she
throws a large book at the bear.
This tells me that Miss Franny is brave and
clever.
*She says that because just like Miss Franny
she is friendless and lonely.
*She brags about being an advanced reader;
She ignores the narrator; She asks about dogs
being allowed in the library.
Close Read II.
Learning Focus: Theme
Focus CCSS: RL4.2
Text-Dependent Questions
Evidence-Based Answers/Pg. #
On p. 108 we learn that the narrator may be
new to a town called Naomi. Why is Naomi an
important place for her?
*It is where she made her first friend, Miss
Franny.
On p. 110 how is the narrator being friendly
toward Miss Franny?
*She helps Miss Franny by pulling her up; She
also assures her that Winn-Dixie is just a dog;
She doesn’t laugh at Miss Franny.
*All of Miss Franny’s friends are dead and
gone; The narrator is new to the town and
doesn’t have her mama.
Reread p. 114. Why don’t the narrator and
Miss Franny have any friends? Explain using
details from the story.
On p. 116 how does Miss Franny respond
when the narrator suggests that they all be
friends? What did she mean by that?
On the last page what does Miss Franny do to
show the narrator that they are real friends?
*She said, “Why, that would be grand, just
grand.” She meant that she would like that
very much.
*She tells Amanda that she only allows certain
dogs in the library and she winks at the
narrator.
What is the theme of the story? Use examples Everyone needs friends.
from the text to support your answer.
You can have friends of all ages.
p. 108 “. . .and the first friend I made in
Naomi.”
p.116 “. . .we could all be friends.”
What do you think would have happened if
It is possible that the narrator may have left
Miss Franny had not allowed Winn-Dixie in the and never had the opportunity to get to know
library? Support your rationale.
Miss Franny. Since Winn-Dixie was her only
friend, she may have not wanted to leave him
alone for too long.
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Checking for Understanding
How will you know that learning has occurred? Planning for a means to check student understanding is crucial. Refer back to
the Lesson Focus to plan intentionally to check for student understanding.
Describe how you will check for student understanding:
-Why are friends like Miss Franny and the narrator good matches for each other? Give examples from the text and explain your
thinking.
STUDENTS FIGURE OUT
THE MEANING
sufficient context clues
are provided in the text
TEACHER PROVIDES
DEFINITION
not enough contextual
clues provided in the text
Vocabulary
KEY WORDS ESSENTIAL TO
UNDERSTANDING
Words addressed with a question or task
WORDS WORTH KNOWING
General teaching suggestions are provided in
the Introduction
p. 110 experience
p. 112 consisted, prideful
p. 113 peculiar, aware
p. 112 palmetto trees, mosquitoes
p. 114 comfort
p. 110 positive
p. 114 intends, friendless
p. 116 grand
p. 112 wild (“wild” men and women)
p. 113 “little-miss-know-it-all”, “littlemiss-smarty-pants”
p. 117 “old pinched-faced”, advanced
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