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  • Ideas by Jivey

    Jivey shares ideas and lessons to make literacy accessible for all.

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    Close Reading, Paired Texts

    Paired Texts : Rigor Doesn’t Mean Torture!

    December 8, 2015

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    I had a teacher comment on a post I made recently (about paired texts) saying the word “rigor” makes her want to throw up. Although she was being completely serious, it kind of made me giggle… but then I realized that maybe she didn’t like the word because she only has negative experiences trying to help students tackle rigorous texts.

    As you know, reading comprehension isn’t limited to one text anymore.

    As the rigor has amped up, students now must be able to “analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.” (CCSS, R.9)

    In other words, students must be able to read and comprehend TWO texts on the same topic (a pair) and then compare them. They also must still be able to return to each text individually to answer questions.

    Winter and Snow Paired Texts for Lower Grades

    And finally, those questions aren’t just multiple choice questions about the texts, anymore– students must also be able to write constructed responses to text-dependent questions.

    Looking at it in such a sterile, technical way, it kind of makes me want to throw up, too!

    But I am going to help you teach students to attack paired text skills in an engaging way, using high-interest topics your kids actually want to read! Just like with other reading strategies, students must be taught how to comprehend and analyze a pair of texts.

    In this post, I’ll be using a pair that you can pick up for free right now:

    When do I start teaching with paired texts?

    You might use small group time, or you might do it through your mini-lessons, but no matter when you do it, the rigor of paired texts will require you to carve out time over the course of the YEAR (it can’t be saved for the month before the state test).

    It’s important to do close reading of each text individually first before comparing them or integrating the information in both. This means it could actually take a week or more to walk students through close reading and annotating each text individually AND the pair of texts (read more about that here)…then answer the questions about the texts.

    What kind of passages should I use?

    Winter and Snow Paired Texts for Upper GradesKnowing you are going to be with the texts for so long, don’t torture yourself with boring articles. Why not integrate your texts with other content your students need to learn? Reading and writing across the curriculum really help to ingrain the content! Plus, we know that students need to be exposed to more nonfiction.

    I like checking out NEWSELA for interesting current events related to my content! They offer free and paid subscriptions.

    Another great way to look at “pairs” is to tie your social studies content to historical fiction mentor texts to compare and contrast!

    You can also find all of my sets of paired texts here, which are all content-integrated, high-interest, and engaging! And yes….. rigorous.

    How do I help students understand the questions?

    When it’s time to answer questions about the texts, I like for students to mark exactly where they found the evidence for that answer. Teaching students to highlight keywords in the question and evidence in the text can help differentiate evidence from annotations. I do NOT want them to use highlighters as a first-mark on the passages, but rather as a tool to “bring out” the evidence they are looking for when answering questions. Here is one example:
    Paired Texts in the Classroom With Ideas by Jivey.

     

    Students highlight particles knowing this is the word they will look for in paragraph 1.

     

    Paired Texts in the Classroom With Ideas by Jivey.

     

    Students have already annotated this text, so highlighting helps show what evidence they found for the question. Here, they used context clues to determine particles are pieces and specks. They know dust is small, so the answer must be “small pieces.”

     

    Let’s look at another question:
    Paired Texts in the Classroom With Ideas by Jivey.
    The evidence for this question is actually found in BOTH texts, but here is evidence in “Bentley’s Snow Crystals” that shows choice b is actually false. You can also see the evidence that proves choice c is true, and can’t be the answer.

    Paired Texts in the Classroom With Ideas by Jivey.

    As you can see, teaching students how to highlight is a great tool to help students restate and USE the evidence that is already in the text!

    Looking for more help with close reading and paired texts?

    Annotation Help

    Creating Thinking Readers

    Close Reading Process

    Close Read with Nonfiction Mentor Texts

    Text-Dependent Questions

    Close Reading Poetry

    This post was originally part of a collaboration series with Jennifer Findley- grab a reading freebie from her here!


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    Use high-interest paired texts to help students understand how to close read, integrate, and comprehend information found in two passages.
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    paired texts
    by Jessica Ivey 

    About Jessica Ivey

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    Welcome!

    Welcome!

    Hi, I'm Jessica, also affectionately known as Jivey! I am passionate about making literacy accessible for all students using research-based strategies. Students learn best through content integration and in-context skills, and my goal is to help you deliver your instruction with these best practices!

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    Ideas By Jivey

    1 day ago

    Ideas By Jivey
    😍 The latest seasonal club unit for upper grades is completed, and you'll definitely want to grab it before next week! Groundhog Weather School by Joan Holub is an informative mentor text about groundhogs, Groundhog Day, and weather, but it's presented in an entertaining way that will keep your students laughing while they learn. 😂✅ With this unit I created, you'll receive a week of explicit lesson plans to go along with the book. 🤓 You'll get everything you need to teach about organized notetaking, tier 3 vocabulary, word parts, and types of sentences, plus you'll be able integrate it all with science: weather, seasons, and groundhogs! Grab it at this link: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Groundhog-Weather-School-Mentor-Text-Unit-Grades-3-5-Groundho... ... See MoreSee Less

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    Ideas By Jivey

    4 days ago

    Ideas By Jivey
    ❄️ There are so many fantastic books to use in January with a snowy winter theme. 📖 If you work with early emergent readers, this mentor sentence mini-unit is perfect for you! There are lessons for five snowy winter-themed books to help students grasp language through a balanced literacy approach. Check it out here: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Mentor-Sentences-Mini-Unit-Snowy-Winter-Books-for-Early-Emerg... ... See MoreSee Less

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    Ideas By Jivey

    5 days ago

    Ideas By Jivey
    Can students REALLY think critically about... GRAMMAR?! You bet they can! Come see how in this post! ... See MoreSee Less

    Higher Order Thinking Questions for Grammar and Writing

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    Jivey shares ideas and lessons to make literacy accessible for all.
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    😍 The latest seasonal club unit for #uppergrade 😍 The latest seasonal club unit for #uppergrades is completed, and you'll definitely want to grab it before next week! 

Groundhog Weather School by Joan Holub is an informative #mentortext about groundhogs, Groundhog Day, and weather, but it's presented in an entertaining way that will keep your students laughing while they learn. 😂

✅ With this unit I created, you'll receive a week of explicit lesson plans to go along with the book. 

🤓 You'll get everything you need to teach about organized notetaking, tier 3 vocabulary, word parts, and types of sentences, plus you'll be able integrate it all with science: weather, seasons, and groundhogs! 

Grab it at the link in my profile: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Groundhog-Weather-School-Mentor-Text-Unit-Grades-3-5-Groundhog-Day-Seasons-9006611 #ideasbyjivey #mentorsentence #teacherspayteachers #teachersfollowteachers #groundhogdayintheclassroom #upperelementary #iteach345
    ❄️ There are so many fantastic #picturebooks t ❄️ There are so many fantastic #picturebooks to use in January with a snowy winter theme. 

📖 If you work with early emergent readers, this #mentorsentences mini-unit is perfect for you! 

There are lessons for five snowy winter-themed books to help students grasp language through a balanced literacy approach. 

Check it out at the link in my profile! #ideasbyjivey #iteachk #mentortexts #teacherspayteachers #teachersfollowteachers https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Mentor-Sentences-Mini-Unit-Snowy-Winter-Books-for-Early-Emergent-Readers-2293853
    Can students actually think critically about... GR Can students actually think critically about... GRAMMAR?!? 🤔

You bet they can! 🥳

Check out how at the link in my profile! https://www.ideasbyjivey.com/higher-order-thinking-questions-for-grammar-and-writing/ 

#ideasbyjivey #mentorsentences #mentorsentence #iteachtoo #teachersfollowteachers #teachgrammar #iteach2nd #iteach3rd #iteach4th #iteach5th
    😍 A NEW FAVORITE! 🩰 Have you gotten your ha 😍 A NEW FAVORITE!

🩰 Have you gotten your hands on The Snow Dancer by Addie Boswell? What a BEAUTIFUL #picturebook, not only in the illustrations but also the words!

📘 This #mentortext is chock full of figurative language- don't miss grabbing this unit if you teach grades 3-5! 

You will have everything you need to use with the book including explicit lesson plans and teacher samples (it's ready to teach- no prep work!) to teach about figurative language like similes, onomatopoeia, personification, and hyperbole, as well as vivid verbs, visualization, and writing small moment stories. 

Check it out at the link in my profile! #ideasbyjivey #mentortextsforwriting #teacherspayteachers #iteach345 #iteach3rd #iteach4th #iteach5th #mentortextmonday

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Snow-Dancer-Mentor-Text-Unit-for-Grades-3-5-8787748
    I didn’t always use mentor sentences in my class I didn’t always use mentor sentences in my classroom... but once I started, there was no going back.

They are a total gamechanger! Come see why at the link in my profile: https://www.ideasbyjivey.com/taking-it-back-to-archives-mentor/

#ideasbyjivey #mentorsentences #iteach345 #teachersfollowteachers
    🐘 Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev is a p 🐘 Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev is a picture book about inclusion and true friendship. It's the perfect #picturebook to use in the primary grades!

I created a weeklong unit for this wonderful #mentortext to help you incorporate social/emotional learning to develop relationship skills all while identifying character challenges, writing explanatory text, analyzing a poem that pairs with the book, relating to literature, and understanding contractions.

😍 You'll get explicit lesson plans AND teacher samples- you'll have everything you need to teach all of ELA for a week!

Check it out at the link in my profile. #ideasbyjivey #teacherspayteachers #iteach12 #iteach1st #iteach2nd #mentortexts 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Strictly-No-Elephants-Mentor-Text-Unit-for-Grades-1-2-8501981
    🍯 Did you know January 18 is Winnie The Pooh Da 🍯 Did you know January 18 is Winnie The Pooh Day? It's AA Milne's birthday! 

Grab this weeklong unit for grades 3-5 to use with the #picturebook, Finding Winnie by Lindsay Mattick: the true story of how the beloved bear became famous! 🐻

✏️ With the unit I created, you'll really dive into helping students read like writers and write like readers by discovering the purpose for dialogue. You'll get a week of explicit lesson plans that teach the purpose of dialogue, types of nonfiction, forming fact-based opinions, and quotation mark usage using the book, Finding Winnie.

Get the weeklong unit at the link in my profile. #ideasbyjivey #mentortextmonday #mentorsentences #iteach345 #iteachwriting #iteach3rd #iteach4th #iteach5th #teacherspayteachers #winniethepoohday #mentortexts

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Finding-Winnie-Mentor-Text-Unit-for-Grades-3-5-7576748
    🍯 Did you know January 18 is Winnie The Pooh Da 🍯 Did you know January 18 is Winnie The Pooh Day? It’s AA Milne’s birthday! 

Grab this weeklong unit for grades 3-5 to use with the #picturebook, Finding Winnie by Lindsay Mattick: the true story of how the beloved bear became famous! 🐻

Link in profile, or DM me! https://www.ideasbyjivey.com/product/finding-winnie-mentor-text-unit-for-grades-3-5/ #ideasbyjivey #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #teachersofig
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🧧 Ruby's Wish is a wonderful #picturebook to share for the celebration! It's a story based on the author's ambitious grandmother who desired an education more than anything else. 

You can grab the weeklong unit to review/teach proper nouns, contextual vocabulary, citing evidence to support answers, character traits, and comparing to another mentor text, plus a themed writing prompt.

Get it at the link in my profile. #ideasbyjivey #mentorsentence #iteach345 #mentortexts #iteach3rd #iteach4th #iteach5th #lunarnewyearintheclassroom #chinesenewyearintheclassroom 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Rubys-Wish-Mentor-Text-Digital-Print-Unit-8110655
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