A Close Read of What Jo Did

I reviewed the story map with students and got them to explain what information was required in each section.  Story maps are quite versatile.  I have found story mapping to be an effective post-reading activity and often a good pre-writing activity.  For this lesson, I will be using it as a post-reading activity.

During this part of the lesson, I took the opportunity to review with scholars the various types of evidence authors cite in writing - facts, examples, quotations, definitions, to name a few.  I explained to them that when we do the close read, they are re-reading the story to find information which supports their responses.  The reasons and evidence they provide tell the who, what, when, where, how, and why.

To close the lesson, I have my students to go back to the story map graphic organizer I reviewed with them at the beginning of the lesson to complete it.  Now that we have had an opportunity to complete a close read, writing the responses on the story map should be easier for them.