Reading Text in the Social
Studies Classroom
District Learning Day
Bolton High School
August 5, 2015
Do Now
Please begin to silently read the text you were
provided
Norms
• Be present and engaged.
• Be respectful of differences in perspective
while challenging each other productively and
respectively.
• Monitor “air time.”
• Make the most of the time we have.
• Stay focused on students.
Objectives
Know –
The types of text that are appropriate for deeper reading activities
with students (e.g., close reading)
Understand –
The important points/steps of leading an effective text-based
lesson and
The elements of creating text dependent questions for both
multiple choice and extended response types of items
Do –
Create similar text-based lessons for the students you teach
Close Reading
“Close reading highlights the central role the text
should play in understanding what it means.”
Source: Close Reading and the CCSS, The Colorado Education Initiative
In other words, we need to teach a student to wrestle
with a text to squeeze its meaning from the words,
phrases and imagery on the page and not from the
teacher telling the student what it means.
Students must be challenged to arrive at their own
understanding. By doing so, they own their
understanding.
The 95 Theses
Please finish reading and annotating the text
marking the following:
•
•
•
•
•
words to look up and define
important terms
key words or words used multiple times
important facts
thoughts that connect you to another fact or idea
not mentioned in this text
In order to teach with text a teacher
needs to:
• have a good understanding of the text
• know of its origin and the events surrounding its
creation
• recognize key language features of the text
• compel students to draw out their own
interpretation of the writing through responding to
meaningful, scaffolded, text dependent questions
that require going back to and citing evidence from
the text
Reading a Text in Social Studies
First read – Origins & Content – read only information
about the text to determine time, place, author, etc…
Second read – Meaning – entire passage, seek the main
idea of the text, don’t spend time on difficult words
Third read – Argument – identify and examine the
argument and its strengths and weaknesses
Fourth read – Evaluate – using notes from previous
reads come to conclusions about the significance of the
text, its value in its place in history and today
Source: http://teachinghistory.org/teaching-materials/teaching-guides/25690
Example of a Text Dependent Question
What practice of the Church did Luther most
strongly condemn? Cite evidence from the text
explaining why.
Example of a Text Dependent Question
Luther suggests the Pope should use what
source of money to build the Basilica of St.
Peter?
Progression of Text Dependent Questions
http://mainelearning.net/wp-content/uploads/group-documents/29/1364488590-Fisher_Frey_pyramid_graphic.png
Creating text dependent multiple
choice questions for this document
Please take the next 4-5 minutes and create a
text dependent, multiple choice question on the
question document you received at the start of
the session.
Creating text dependent written
response questions for this document
Please take the next 4-5 minutes and create a
text dependent, written response question on
the question document you received at the start
of the session.
Reflection:
Application
• What activity in this session was easiest for you?
– leading a close read
– creating a text dependent multiple choice question or
– creating a text dependent written response question
• Which was most difficult? Why?
• What else do you need to learn/do prior to
applying to your classroom?
My personal experience with using a
close read in class
Revisiting Our Objectives
Know –
The types of text that are appropriate for deeper reading activities
with students (e.g., close reading)
Understand –
The important points/steps of leading an effective text-based
lesson and
The elements of creating text dependent questions for both
multiple choice and extended response types of items
Do –
Create similar text-based lessons for the students you teach
Next steps and activities for follow up
- Take this piece of text you have worked with
and try this activity with your students
- Please check your e-mail regularly for
professional development similar sessions to
attend throughout the school year and let the
Social Studies department know of pieces you
would suggest for use.
Reflection:
One minute paper on a post-it
• Jot down your “Take-Aways”
• Consider what you need to know and be able to
do to successfully implement what you have
learned in this session.
– What is still unclear?
– What professional development or additional
resources do you need?