RECESS for Teachers: A Lesson for Close Reading Using Tutu Tough

Scribbling pencils scratch. 

Tenor voices chat. 
Until the weird buzzing bell shouts, "Scat!" 
It's time for recess. 

Hi.  Now that the kids are gone... Excuse me one moment.  "No, Marissa, I don't need help this recess.  Go play."  That's Marissa, my little helper.  I'll tell you her story another time, because right now I want to blog to the teachers and homeschoolers about my book and CLOSE reading with it!

So, if you are new to my blog, first of all WELCOME!  Secondly, the book I mentioned above is a novel I wrote for kids ages 8-12 that is both humorous and full of heart, titled Tutu Tough.  It's actually not published yet, so you have to wait.  Aw, darn!  I know.  But when it is published, I want you to know exactly how you can use it with CLOSE reading exercises. 

What is CLOSE reading?  Not to be confused with cloze reading exercises, where a word is left out of a passage and the reader is asked to insert the word that best fits the meaning of the passage, CLOSE reading is an analytical study of a passage of text.

These strategies are taken from the book Notice & Note by Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst, who make the argument for rigorous reading of FICTION in the classroom (since Common Core State Standards rely heavily on NONFICTION.)  As a writer of children's fiction, thank you!

Other people have expertly written on Close Reading and Beers and Probst's six signposts, and some articles can be found here and here.  For today's purposes, all you need to know is this:  You have a text waiting to be read and a reader eager to read it (I hope!)  Since Close Reading requires marking up the text, start by making a copy of a passage (which could be a page or maybe two depending on your needs.)  I know some teachers (and homeschoolers) who will type out the text in large font.  Whichever you choose is ok.  The key is to get messy with the words on the page and in a sense to interrogate the author and/or characters.  Oh boy.  Now I'm in the hot seat!  I can feel that one bare light bulb swinging above me, as I sit in a cold cell waiting for the detectives to question me.  Gulp.

Let's look at one passage from my book, Tutu Tough. 

Yikes!  That's tiny.  Here's the text: 

Brick held out his hands, the hands that had caused so much destruction over the years, and allowed Mrs. C to lower Nelson onto his palms.  The turtle turned his head and stared at Brick.  And stared.  And stared.  When he finally blinked, Brick jumped.

     "Nelson is a genus of turtle native to North America."

     "A genius turtle?" Brick asked, amazed.  Maybe he could do tricks and be in a commercial like that talking gecko. 

     Mrs. C smiled.

     "Not genius, genus.  It's the scientific name for what type of turtle Nelson is."

     Brick had held animals before: the baby chicks at the fair, the classroom bunny in first grade, multiple snakes.  But those creatures always tried to run away, their little hearts pounding faster than Brick could count.  This turtle seemed perfectly content to be held by Brick for the next six months.  Give or take a day.

     "He eats fruits like apples and grapes.  And he likes veggies, too.  But his favorite things to eat are earthworms."

     Brick's face brightened.  "Worms?  I know how to get worms.  My grandpa and I dig worms for fishing bait."

     "Well, then Nelson would like you," Mrs. C said with a half grin.  "Let's give Piper a turn."

     Brick held on.  He didn't want to set the turtle down, who bent his neck toward the sound of Mrs. C's voice.  Ever so slowly the reptile moved, like it was moving through peanut butter.  Brick sometimes felt like that in dreams; everyone else was moving fast, but he could only run in slow motion.  Brick only moved slowly in his sleep.  He wondered if Nelson dreamed of running too fast, or if turtles dreamt at all. 

The lesson I'm going to introduce you to today is the Memory Moment.  Beers and Probst describe it as the point "...in the novel where a character remembers something from the past."  (Notice & Note:  Strategies for Close Reading, p. 176)  They also state that "...When students learn to be alert to these moments, they quickly see that memories often play an important role in the book, telling us much about the character and his or her background that we wouldn't otherwise know (Notice & Note:  Strategies for Close Reading, p. 176.)  And, further, that as students think about the Memory Moment, "...they are making predictions about characters and theme."  (Notice & Note:  Strategies for Close Reading, p. 176)

Can you feel my excitement?????

Yes!  Yes!  That's what we are doing as authors!  We are purposely dropping little crumbs about the character's past to tell you what their motivation is!  

All right, back to the lesson.  You have the text.  Now you need a TEXT-DEPENDENT QUESTION.  Duh duh DUUUUHHHHH!  Goes the foreboding music.  

Listen, a Text-Dependent Question is just a question that asks the reader to go back to the text to justify their answer.  For this lesson, the question is:  "Why might this memory be important?"

Seems simple, right?  

It is.  If you follow these steps:

1.  Start with a definition of the Notice and Note signpost Memory Moment.  Say, "It helps you understand why characters do what they do." Beers and Probst state, "...A Memory Moment is the point in the book when the writer interrupts what's happening in the story to show us the main character as he or she remembers something important."  (p. 177)

2.  Read the text once for understanding.  Read aloud to the student/s the first time.

3.  Say, "When I see a memory interrupt the flow of the story, I have to ask myself, Why might this memory be important?"

4.  Reread the text.  This time, the student/s read silently to themselves.  Ask them to put a check mark where they think a Memory Moment appears.

I found four Memory Moments in the excerpt from Tutu Tough.  Because the font is so tiny, I will retype them here, but that's not necessary when doing the lesson. 

1.  Brick held out his hands, the hands that had caused so much destruction over the years...

2.  Brick had held animals before:  the baby chicks at the fair, the classroom bunny in first grade, multiple snakes.  But those creatures always tried to run away, their little hears pounding faster than Brick could count...

3.  "My grandpa and I dig worms for fishing bait."

4.  Brick sometimes felt like that in dreams; everyone else was moving fast, but he could only run in slow motion. 

5.  Now we discuss!  If students can pair up, great.  If not, have a teacher/student discussion.  Go back to the Memory Moment signpost question:  Why might this memory be important?  Make sure the student/s recognize why these are Memory Moments (the action is interrupted by a memory.)  Here are some suggestions:

MM #1  Why is this important?  Because Brick's hands have caused destruction in the past and the reader is worried his hands will hurt the turtle Mrs. C has brought into class. 

MM #2  Why is this important?  Brick remembers holding animals in the past that tried to run away from him, but this turtle is different.  Is it because the turtle is different or because Brick has changed? 

MM #3  Why is this important?  Brick recalls that he and his grandpa dig for worms.  He is trying to show that he knows how to take care of a turtle and also that he spends time with his grandpa, like other kids might.  He's not so different, after all.

MM #4  Why is this important?  Brick remembers everyone moving fast in his dreams and he is moving slowly.  He is always doing the opposite of what other people are doing and not fitting in.

6.  End with reviewing why Memory Moments are important in a story, and if you are feeling brave you could point out that they often turn into Again and Again signposts.  Remind your student/s when they find a Memory Moment they should think about why it is important to the character. 

And that's it!  That's an example of a close reading exercise using Notice & Note signposts.

You deserve this:

and this:

Thanks for considering my book for future lessons!  Remember, it's called Tutu Tough.  If you would like to receive my newsletter with special updates and offerings, please leave your email in the comments and I will gladly add you.