Close Reading as a Pre-Reading Activity

Close reading can be used as a pre-reading activity.

1.   If you’re about to begin a unit on figurative language, give students a basic definition of the types of figurative language. Have them read a short passage, looking closely for examples of figurative language.

2.  Before students begin a new unit in science, give them a short passage with some key scientific terms, ensuring that the text is not bolded. Have students try to activate prior knowledge about the subject by reading through the passage and highlighting words they think are most important to the topic.

3.    Before you begin a novel or even a picture book about a specific person or concept, have students do a close reading of a summary of the book or the passage on the back of the book to identify main characters and plot.

 

Strategy Scrutinize A Summary

Prior to introducing a new topic in a content area, provide students with a short multi-paragraph summary about it. Give students a purpose for their reading, whether it is to identify key characters, the main idea and supporting details, or potential keywords. Provide them with a graphic organizer that will encompass their pre-reading and provide space for notes during reading. As they read, have students refer back to their initial close reading notes to see if predictions were correct or how terms were used, etc.                                                                                         (Rocking Resources)