Lessons and Units for Closer Reading, Grades K-2

A former classroom teacher and professor of reading, Nancy Boyles is a literacy consultant, who provides workshops, model lessons, and curriculum support to districts and organizations nationally, regionally, and locally. Over the course of her career she has received numerous awards , including New England Reading Association’s Outstanding Literacy Leader Award and Connecticut Reading Association’s Celebrate Literacy Award for exemplary service.

Reading Closely in K–2: Guidelines for Getting Started
1. Rely on high-quality picture books that you read aloud.
2. Teach an initial close reading lesson to build content knowledge.
3. Teach close reading follow-up lessons to build skills.
4. Assess close reading appropriately with formative assessments.
5. Teach close reading using units so students can make connections between texts.
6. Teach close reading using learning pathways that show students how to learn.
Teaching and Assessing Students’ Comprehension
The Twelve Skills in Focus
How the Assessments Are Embedded Across Books and Units
How the Assessments Are Embedded in Weekly Instruction
During Reading Success: It’s in the Cards
After Reading Success: Framing Students’ Thinking
How to Evaluate Students’ Written Responses
Rubric for Evaluating Reader Response Frames
Standards: Putting the Assessment Tools to Work
The Reproducibles: Active Reader Cards and Reader Response Frames
Student-Friendly Forms for Teaching and Assessing the Standards
The Units and Lessons
Learning Pathway: How to Study a Character Trait
Unit Focus: Why Is It Important to Show Kindness to Others?
Fable to Begin the Unit: The Wind and the Sun
Close Reading Lessons for Melissa Parkington’s Beautiful, Beautiful Hair
Close Reading Lessons for Mama Panya’s Pancakes: A Village Tale From Kenya
Close Reading Lessons for Each Kindness
Close Reading Lessons for Ivan: The Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla
Learning Pathway: How to Study an Animal
Unit Focus: How Are Animals the Same? How Are Animals Different?
Fable to Begin the Unit: The Hare and the Tortoise
Close Reading Lessons for Panda Kindergarten
Close Reading Lessons for Antarctic Antics: A Book of Penguin Poems
Close Reading Lessons for Surprising Sharks
Close Reading Lessons for Turtle, Turtle, Watch Out!
Learning Pathway: How to Study a Person
Unit Focus: How Can You Make a Difference—Even if You’re a Kid?
Fable to Begin the Unit: The Lion and the Mouse
Close Reading Lessons for Blizzard
Close Reading Lessons for The Wednesday Surprise
Close Reading Lessons for Rosie Revere, Engineer
Close Reading Lessons for The Story of Ruby Bridges
Learning Pathway: How to Study a Place
Unit Focus: What Is Special About This Place?
Fable to Begin the Unit: The Lion and the Dolphin
Close Reading Lessons for Antarctica
Close Reading Lessons for Fernando’s Gift
Close Reading Lessons for Creatures of the Desert World
Close Reading Lessons for America the Beautiful: Together We Stand
Learning Pathway: How to Study a Theme
Unit Focus: Why Is It Important to Make Good Choices?
Fable to Begin the Unit: The Two Frogs
Close Reading Lessons for Fireflies
Close Reading Lessons for Those Shoes
Close Reading Lessons for Maddi’s Fridge
Close Reading Lessons for The Empty Pot
References