In case you missed it last year…
As you snuggle next to a roaring fire and reach for the family’s favorite Christmas poem, don’t forget we live in a Common Core world now where close reading rules even for the youngest among us.
Follow the script! And don’t forget you are to read the poem three times.
Of course, I really believe this poem is best read once or twice with excitement and children allowed to ask their own questions whenever they want. We should trust children to understand what is happening and ask questions when they are curious.
I also believe for older students there are times when close reading is justified. Teachers have been using close reading techniques long before Common Core. I cite the questions and the worksheet I used below.
Merry Christmas to all! Enjoy a little Eggnog!
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas
(or A Visit from St. Nicholas)
by Clement Clarke Moore
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
STOP!
The First Reading
What is the main idea?
Summarize the passage I just read.
Do you have questions about what I read?
What did you hear?
What is this about?
The Second Reading
What text structures and text features were used?
What is the author’s purpose?
How does the author feel about the subject?
Why did the author use particular words and phrases?
The Third reading
What Inferences can you make?
How does the author support key points?
How does this relate to other texts you’ve read?
How does this relate to your life?
How does the author support key points?
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.
And Mama in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.
STOP!
The First Reading
What is the main idea?
Summarize what I just read.
Do you have questions about what I read?
What did you hear?
What is this about?
The Second Reading
What text structures and text features were used?
What is the author’s purpose?
How does the author feel about the subject?
Why did the author use particular words and phrases?
The Third reading
What Inferences can you make?
How does the author support key points?
How does this relate to other texts you’ve read?
How does this relate to your life?
How does the author support key points?
When out on the roof there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
tore open the shutter, and threw up the sash.
STOP!
The First Reading
What is the main idea?
Summarize what I just read.
Do you have questions about what I read?
What did you hear?
What is this about?
The Second Reading
What text structures and text features were used?
What is the author’s purpose?
How doesthe author feel about the subject?
Whydid the author use particular words and phrases?
The Third Reading
What Inferences can you make?
How does the author support key points?
How does this relate to other texts you’ve read?
How does this relate to your life?
How does the author support key points?
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
gave the lustre of midday to objects below,
when, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer.
STOP!
The First Reading
What is the main idea?
Summarize what I just read.
Do you have questions about what I read?
What did you hear?
What is this about?
The Second Reading
What text structures and text features were used?
What is the author’s purpose?
How does the author feel about the subject?
Why did the author use particular words and phrases?
The Third Reading
What Inferences can you make?
How does the author support key points?
How does this relate to other texts you’ve read?
How does this relate to your life?
How does the author support key points?
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles, his coursers they came,
and he whistled and shouted and called them by name:
“Now Dasher! Now Dancer!
Now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid!
On, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch!
To the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away!
Dash away all!”
STOP!
The First Reading
What is the main idea?
Summarize what I just read.
Do you have questions about what I read?
What did you hear?
What is this about?
The Second Reading
What text structures and text features were used?
What is the author’s purpose?
How does the author feel about the subject?
Why did the author use particular words and phrases?
The Third Reading
What Inferences can you make?
How does the author support key points?
How does this relate to other texts you’ve read?
How does this relate to your life?
How does the author support key points?
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky
so up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
with the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
STOP!
The First Reading
What is the main idea?
Summarize what I just read.
Do you have questions about what I read?
What did you hear?
What is this about?
The Second Reading
What text structures and text features were used?
What is the author’s purpose?
How does the author feel about the subject?
Why did the author use particular words and phrases?
The Third Reading
What Inferences can you make?
How does the author support key points?
How does this relate to other texts you’ve read?
How does this relate to your life?
How does the author support key points?
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
the prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head and was turning around,
down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
STOP!
The First Reading
What is the main idea?
Summarize what I just read.
Do you have questions about what I read?
What did you hear?
What is this about?
The Second Reading
What text structures and text features were used?
What is the author’s purpose?
How doesthe author feel about the subject?
Whydid the author use particular words and phrases?
The Third Reading
What Inferences can you make?
How does the author support key points?
How does this relate to other texts you’ve read?
How does this relate to your life?
How does the author support key points?
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
and he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
STOP!
The First Reading
What is the main idea?
Summarize what I just read.
Do you have questions about what I read?
What did you hear?
What is this about?
The Second Reading
What text structures and text features were used?
What is the author’s purpose?
How does the author feel about the subject?
Why did the author use particular words and phrases?
The Third Reading
What Inferences can you make?
How does the author support key points?
How does this relate to other texts you’ve read?
How does this relate to your life?
How does the author support key points?
His eyes–how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
and the beard on his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
STOP!
The First Reading
What is the main idea?
Summarize what I just read.
Do you have questions about what I read?
What did you hear?
What is this about?
The Second Reading
What text structures and text features were used?
What is the author’s purpose?
How does the author feel about the subject?
Why did the author use particular words and phrases?
The Third Reading
What Inferences can you make?
How does the author support key points?
How does this relate to other texts you’ve read?
How does this relate to your life?
How does the author support key points?
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
and I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
STOP!
The First Reading
What is the main idea?
Summarize what I just read.
Do you have questions about what I read?
What did you hear?
What is this about?
The Second Reading
What text structures and text features were used?
What is the author’s purpose?
How does the author feel about the subject?
Why did the author use particular words and phrases?
The Third Reading
What Inferences can you make?
How does the author support key points?
How does this relate to other texts you’ve read?
How does this relate to your life?
How does the author support key points?
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
and filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.
STOP!
The First Reading
What is the main idea?
Summarize what I just read.
Do you have questions about what I read?
What did you hear?
What is this about?
The Second Reading
What text structures and text features were used?
What is the author’s purpose?
How does the author feel about the subject?
Why did the author use particular words and phrases?
The Third Reading
What Inferences can you make?
How does the author support key points?
How does this relate to other texts you’ve read?
How does this relate to your life?
How does the author support key points?
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.
STOP!
The First Reading
What is the main idea?
Summarize what I just read.
Do you have questions about what I read?
What did you hear?
What is this about?
The Second Reading
What text structures and text features were used?
What is the author’s purpose?
How does the author feel about the subject?
Why did the author use particular words and phrases?
The Third Reading
What Inferences can you make?
How does the author support key points?
How does this relate to other texts you’ve read?
How does this relate to your life?
How does the author support key points?
Citation
Close Reading Freebie by Rachel Lynette. http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Close-Reading-Freebie-1226669.
Nancy, You have outdone yourself! I cannot wait to try this tonight with my niece and nephew snuggled on my lap. I am particularly excited to understand how this gem relates to their lives! And what they infer from flying reindeer! Perhaps the narrator is high? Hallucinating due to high fever? This will be fun! You made my day once again! Merry Christmas to you!
Thank you, Meg! I always appreciate your comments! Enjoy Christmas!
Nancy , this iso funny but sad to. I am going to show it to Jenna! She will love it too. Gonna show to Pat and Brett also! What a great Christmas gift! Thanks!
Thanks for sharing, Doris. I hope your holidays are happy!
Wow, think of all the young readers that will decide it’s sure a lot more fun to go back to their video games! Common Core sucks the life out of just about any subject!!
Sharon, I think you nailed it actually. Online v. Brick & Mortar? I wonder.
Perfect satire. Now imagine doing this process for weeks, reading one chapter per week in a novel.
https://mobile.twitter.com/Stoptesting15/status/520517035466702848/photo/1
Thank you, Chris. And thanks for the link. I recently heard from a parent whose h.s. student has been on the same novel since summer. What great stories are students missing?
This made me want to scream. It reminded me of a time long ago in elementary school when I came to hate poetry because we had to analyze every last idea writen only by the poet.(This was waaaaay before CC). I didn’t start liking poetry until HS when our own ideas and feelings were incorporated into the analysis. The question: How does this poem make you feel is not here. That’s because Coleman said no one cares a sh– about what you feel. isn’t that what poetry is about? The feeling? The feeling the author may have had and the feelings/emotions a poem invokes in the reader?
I’m with you, Patricia. It is concerning that little attention is being paid to what students think and feel. I hope that changes. Thank you for your comment and happy holidays.
Reminds me of this great poem by Billy Collins.
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/176056
Thank you for posting this…I needed the laugh.
Growing up I enjoyed the rhythm , the rhyme and the simple sentiment of the story. If I had to break it down the CC way, it would have taken all that is good out of it.
CC is ridiculous and I worry for my young children…
Thank you for addressing this, we need as many people as possible to point out the issues with CC so we can protect our kids’ education. My 7th grader recently took a practice PARCC. When I asked him about it, he said it made him feel stupid.
Great message they’re sending to our kids!
Thank you for commenting, Heather. You are exactly right. Schools should be to lift children up not tear them down. Why isn’t anyone at your child’s school asking why they feel bad about the test? Because it isn’t about the children.
While I see many find this funny and sad for students, I find it sad that it’s believed this actually takes place this way because of Common Core. First, second, and third reads do not go by stanza. You would read the entire poem once and then, yes, ask students questions about what they read and let them write about it, including how it made them feel. Then it would be read a second and third time, each time digging deeper into the meaning of the passage. No teacher in his or her right mind would teach a close read of a poem like this and NEVER for an entire novel. It infuriates me to think people are being made to believe this is what’s happening in a rigorous CC classroom today. Students are being taught to look into the meaning and purpose of writing in order to use wonderful, exemplary texts such as this to help them in their own writing.
If this was meant satirically, I apologize, but those who are intensely against CC and have not been in the classroom as an educator will believe this if factual.
Also, students should always be asked how something relates to their lives because otherwise many will not see the point in wasting their time on it.
Hi Dana. Thank you for your reply. I thought a lot about what you wrote before I posted this, but I have to disagree with you. “Chunking” is used to break up a longer reading passages in order to ask children questions about small parts of the story or poem.
http://iteachicoachiblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/five-simple-close-reading-strategies.html
Of course I agree with you and everyone else that this would not be a good thing to do here. Although there are times, especially with older children studying a story, where such a technique has its place. I think Chunking in the case of reading to young children is not a good thing and that was my point here.
Then they wonder why more and more students each year list reading as one of the things they HATE doing. I’m so saddened and disgusted by what we’re doing to children. I don’t want to teach anymore….
Developing the joy of reading is what makes children come back to it. I’m with you Joanne.
My inference is the more you overanalyze something the less enjoyment you get from it. Moore chose those words and phrases to make the thing rhyme. He feels happy about his subject; why else would he write about it. His purpose was so Common Core could butcher the story so nobody would ever want to read it again. He chose the words, “Moon on the breast…”so boys would get a chuckle each time the word breast was read. The main idea is about some kid that stayed up way past his bedtime who saw this fat guy putting things in the family’s stockings. I have a question after we just analyzed it the first time. Why do we have to read this poem again? That’s how I would answer these questions. Your close reading fails to help children have a love of reading.
Great points, Paul. I hope you know I was being facetious when I wrote this. I am not in favor of close reading for young children.
What a perfect way to make sure kids never learn to love poetry. Or Christmas or holidays. Or anything else.
My first thought on reading this close reading exercise was Walt Whitman:
When I heard the Learn’d Astronomer
WHEN I heard the learn’d astronomer;
When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me;
When I was shown the charts and the diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them;
When I, sitting, heard the astronomer, where he lectured with much applause in the lecture-room,
How soon, unaccountable, I became tired and sick;
Till rising and gliding out, I wander’d off by myself,
In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,
Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars.
We are on first day of break from schooling… It breaks my heart. So much unnecessary stress around this subject.
Let the poems, stories and writings hold their own! The emphasis needs to be around the empathetic and sympathetic response. We are creating individuals who recoil from that which they need to be drawn towards by complicating the very essence of the escape into learning writing is on its own. How this became the norm is a miscarriage of application and lends an air of irrelevance to great writing which I find irritating at the least, a preposterous assumption at best, if not downright destructive.
Great writing speaks for itself and moves you. That impetus needs to be explored. Anything else is just mental masticating on a level that isn’t appropriate in early learning environments. To the detriment of how many years of our children’s lives? And what about lasting repercussions?
Call me a frustrated mom… knee deep in this…
Well said, Laura! Thank you!