notice & note

PowerPoint Paper

Notice & Note
The Signposts!

Strategies for Close Reading

Lesson 1:
Contrasts & Contradictions

STOP and Notice and Note
Contrasts and Contradictions
When youre reading and a character says or does something thats the opposite (contradicts) of what he has been saying or doing all along.

You should STOP and ask yourself:

Why is this character doing that?

The answers could help you make a prediction or make an inference about the plot and conflict.

Hermione
Harry Potter

Think about the character of Hermione. She is a kid who always does her homework, and she actually enjoys doing it! She also wants the teacher to know that she always has the answers.

So, what would you think if one day Hermione came to class and didnt have her homework?
Question:

Thank You, Mam
This is a story about a boy who tries to seat a purse from a woman.

Contrasts and Contradictions
GOOD JOB!!Remember, were looking for places where a character does or says something that isnt what we expect. When we find theses places we want to STOP and ask Ourselves:

Why would the character act this way?

WHEN I ask this question, then Im learning more about the story and more about the character.

Assignment
In your personal reading, be sure to use notice contrasts and contradictions. Jot down your thoughts about why the character would act this way on a sticky note!
Hermione didnt come to class with her homework complete.

I think she is nervous that Harry will find trouble in the forest; she is distracted.
C&C
Mark areas with a diamond.

Lesson 2:
Memory Moment

Memory Moment
When youre reading and the author interrupts the action to tell you a memory.


Why might this memory be important?

The answers will tell you about the theme, conflict, or might foreshadow what will happen in the story.

Memory Moment
Sometimes the author makes it easy for us to identify. The character will say something like:

I remember the first time I met him or In that very moment the memory came flooding back.

Other times it is more subtle, like:

My dad liked to tell the story about or This picture always reminded me of

Often those moments are highlighted with words such as remember or memory or reminded.

Be Alert!
Memory Moment
You want to be on the alert for times when a character shares a moment from the past because its likely to tell you something important, either about the character or about the plot.


Why might this memory be important?

Harry Potter
Harry Potter

Throughout the novel, the plot is constantly interrupted by memory moments, even those NOT pertaining to Harry.

So, why might the Snapes memories be of importance? Do Snapes memories serve to help the theme, conflict, or foreshadow what might happen?
Question:

OK. Lets find amemory moment!
See story Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer

Hope Was Here
This is a story about a girl moving to an unfamiliar place.

I didnt know what kind of customers Id get in Wisconsin.
Q: Why am I stopping here?Q: What is she remembering?Q: Why might this memory be important? What do we learn about her?
Through this simple memory we learn what leaving this town means to her shes leaving behind a comfortable place, happy situation for one filled with uncertainty and anxiety.

Lets take a look at another passage, from about the same point in the book. Hope has gotten in the car with her aunt, Addie, about to set out on the trip to a new life in Wisconsin. Addie is trying to reassure her. As we read, see if you notice the Memory Moment! (Put a star where you think it is.)

Addie said it was our story.
Q: Why am I stopping here?Q: What is she remembering?Q: Why might this memory be important? What do we learn about Hope?

Lets keep reading

As we read, mark with a star any memory or memories that you see, and when we are done reading, Ill ask you to jot down why you think the memories you found are important.

(Use Sticky Notes!)

I looked out the window, trying not to cry.
Q: Why am I stopping here?Q: What is she remembering?Q: Why might this memory be important? What do we learn about Hope?
This is a powerful way to show the reader just how attached Hope is to her friends. She probably doesnt know if shell ever see Harrison again and wonders if shell make new friends.

Quick-Write

Record a summary of what these Memory Moments have shown you about Hope in these few passages.

Whats the point?

Why might an author have memories repeated?

Sometimes memory moments turn into Again and Again moments.

Assignment
In your personal reading, be sure to notice Memory Moments. Jot down your thoughts about why this memory is important!
Harry has a memory of his father and mother beingkilled.

I think this is critical because it fuels his need to destroy Voldemort.
Mark areas with a star.

Lesson 3:
Aha Moment
YouTube Video on Aha Moment

You Experience This ALL the time!
Scenario: Have you ever walked into a class, seen people looking through their notes, and suddenly realized what you were supposed to do the night before?AHA MOMENT!!!!Scenario: Have you ever been looking around the room, peering over yet another stack of dishes or clothes on the floor or papers on your bed and realized that your room really had turned into a disaster? You suddenly are aware that your room has crossed that line from messy to, well, filthy, and whether you want to or not, you have to clean it up.AHA MOMENT!!!!

Aha Moments
When you realize something, and that realization, in some way, changes your actions! (The main character will probably change his or her actions after an Aha Moment.)

Aha!
When youre reading and suddenlya character realizes, understands,or finally figures something out -


How might this change things?

If the character figured out a problem, you probably just learned about the conflict. If the character understood a life lesson, you probably just learned the theme.

Author gives us clues
Aha!
Usually the character says something like this:

Suddenly I realized or

I finally understood that or

In an instant I saw or

It came to me in a flash

Again, STOP & ASK
Aha!



This will help us understand why the Aha Moment was important and how it affects the story.

Crash

Crash
Penn Webb
A middle-school kid named Crash bullies another kid named Penn Webb; Crash always calls him Webb. The scene we will read is from the beginning of the story, page 2 in fact, when the main character, Crash, is outside and sees Penn walking down the sidewalk.

Crash
Penn Webb
Read Passage I

Ive spotted something.

all of a sudden I knew what I had to do.
Pause:
THE AUTHOR IS GIVING US A CLUE! THE CHARACTER HAS REALIZED SOMETHING.

she emphasizes it more when she says: like there was a big announcement coming down from the sky.

Then Spinelli tells me what Crash has realized:

He cant let the kid pass.
Still Pausing
THE AUTHOR IS GIVING US A CLUE! THE CHARACTER HAS REALIZED SOMETHING.

Go to next slide

Aha
When I see a character having an Aha Moment, I need to STOP and ask:


What might the kid do next?

Crash
Penn Webb
Part II: In this next section we find Crash and Penn are about to compete against each other in a school race. Webbs parents and his great-grandfather, Henry Wilhide Webb III, have come to watch. Crash is looking at the three of them in the stands, thinking of his own grandfather, Scooter. Until now, Crash has continued to bully Penn. See if you notice the Aha moment here

Did you hear the Aha?
When I saw the phrase:the thought came to me, I knew Crash had figured something out, had an Aha Moment.

STOP and ask: How might this change things? (Jot down an answer on a sticky note or on the page itself. We will turn-n-talk & whole-class discussion momentarily.)

Crash
Penn Webb
Part III: Its still before the race, and Crash is thinking about Penns great-grandfather.(Mark the place where you spot another text clue that you think is an Aha Moment.)

This one is tricky
Look at the paragraph that begins with The other team members once more. Underline the realization Crash had. What was it? (Turn-n-Talk and whole-class discussion momentarily.)

Crash
Penn Webb
Part IV: Lets see what happens next. As I read through the last part of the chapter, mark any passages that show you an Aha Moment with a check mark or by underlining them.

Good Job!
Take a moment or two and look at the passages you marked, and then on your sticky note, jot down how you think that Aha might change things. (Discuss in small groups.)

Closure
Turn and talk one last time about what youve learned in this lesson.

(Talk about what it means, what to look for in the text, and what the anchor question is.)
Aha!

Lesson 4:
Tough Questions
YouTube Video on Tough Questions

You experience this ALL the time!
Scenario: Imagine a young person sitting on his bed, trying to figure out why his parents have divorced. He or she might ask the following: What happened between mom and dad that made them split? Or, how is it possible for two people who once loved each other to fight on a daily basis?Tough Question!!!!Scenario: Have you wondered or questioned a certain, personal behavior? Consider the following:Why do I misbehave on a daily basis even though I know its wrong and gets me in trouble?Am I brave enough to say no?How will I ever get over this?What should I do?Tough Questions!!!!

Tough Questions

When the main character asks himself/herself or a trusted friend a difficult question.

(If you discover the tough question, youll discover the main characters internal conflict!)

When youre reading and suddenlya character asks a trusted friend or him- or herself a question that obviously doesnt have an easy answer. Often, tough questions show up in PAIRS:

Why wont they talk to me anymore? Why is everyone treating me this way?
Tough Questions!

Occasionally, the character might not ask a question, but might say something like:

I wonder if
Tough Questions!


What does this question make me wonder about?

Again, this will help us understand the main characters internal conflict.

Again, STOP & ASK
Tough Questions!

Lets Practice(video)

Cooler Self
Can you spot the tough question?

Light & Darkness

He Was Me

Lets Practice(through cartooning see handout)
Optional Fun with Comic Strips!

Lets Practice(literature)

A Long Walk to Water

Brief Synopsis: This book is about an eleven-year-old who lives in Sudan during a time in which rebels are raiding villages. In a scene early in the novel, Salva, our main character, has become separated from his family after rebels have attacked his small Sudanese village; hes now alone and scared and running. (Follow along as I read.)

Excerpt 1:(read aloud) Lets stop here because there are several Tough Questions:Where are we going?Where is my family?When will I see them again?
I want to stop and think about these questions
THEY SHOW ME THE CONFLICTS THE PROBLEMS THE CHARACTER IS WORRIED ABOUT!
I want to ask myself: What do these questions make me wonder about?

I wonder if I could have survived without knowing where my family was or even if they were still alive.

I wonder how the people he is with will react.

I wonder if theyll help or if theyll just ignore this small child.

I wonder what hes going to have to do to survive. (I mostly wonder about this.)

Excerpt 2:Lets read on. Were skipping ahead in the story to a point where Salva, who has been on his own for a while, finds a small group of people who are trying to survive.(read aloud)

Excerpt 2:The Tough Question is:Would he have given water to those men?STOP AND ASK YOURSELF:WHAT DOES THIS MAKE ME WONDER ABOUT? (Discuss with your partner.)What kind of country is this place?Arent there police trying to help?What do you do when the government is out to get you?

Excerpt 3:Lets read one more passage. In this scene, Salva is alone. Youll easily spot the Tough Questions.(read aloud)

Excerpt 3:What is the Tough Question?____________________________________________STOP AND ASK YOURSELF:WHAT DOES THIS MAKE ME WONDER ABOUT? (Jot down answers on a separate sheet of paper, and then turn and talk with your partner about your thoughts.)

Good Job!
Remember: Tough questions give us insight into the struggle the main character faces.

When we see these questions, we should ask ourselves:

What does this make me wonder about?
Its easy to read right past these tough questions because the author so seldom gives you an answer at that point. Try to catch them as best you can and recognize that these questions show you what concerns the character most.

Closure

Tough Questions!

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Your Practice Assignment Coming in

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AmongTheHiddenBy Margaret Haddix

Among the Hidden
In the book "Among the Hidden" couples are only allowed to have two children. Luke's parents have three children, which is against the law. They only get enough food rations to feed the four people in their family. Luke has to be hidden away or they will take him away and put him to death. They will all also punish his parents.Luke grows up watching out the window as his siblings go in the community and have a real life.

OK. Lets find theTough Questions!
Read chapters 2 & 3 in Among the Hidden by Margaret Haddix

(Highlight your answers as you go; write in the margin your response to the question: What does this make me wonder about?

Lesson 5:
Words of the Wiser
YouTube Video on Words of the Wiser

Do Now

1) Are you in need of any advice? Whats the topic?2) Who do you go to when you need advice? (What do you think of therapists?)3) Whats the best advice youve ever been given?4) What important advice you want to pass on to your children?5) Most advice columns seem to be written by women. Why do you think that is?

We ALL need ADVICE!

Words of the Wiser
What do you think this means?
When I was your age, my mom always said:If you cant say anything nice, dont say anything at all.Always tell the truth.Haste makes waste. (I didnt know what this meant at the time.)Sooooo, I kept right on hurrying through washing the dishes after dinner. I was in a huge hurry because once I finished, I got play. Well, I was carrying too many dishes andI wasted the time I could have been playing because I was cleaning up broken dishes!
My moms words were wise. I just wasnt wise enough to listen to her.

Words of the Wiser
Authors, in some ways, can be like mom or dad or a grandparent.
They include scenes in which wise words are shared.

Words of the Wiser
If its not a grandparent sharing advice, maybe its
a friend.
a teacher.
a neighbor.

Words of the Wiser

The scene in which a wiser character offers the main character advice that is helpful at the moment in the story but could also be helpful throughout life.

If you notice this moment, STOP, and ask yourself:

Whats the life lesson, and how might this affect the character?
As you answer this question, youll learn more about the character, the conflict, the plot, and perhaps the THEME!


Madagascar 2
Can you spot the words of the wiser?

Rudy

Home Improvement

Giving Advice - Activity

1) In two minutes, write down two (or more) problems each of the following groups of people might have: students, workers, and the elderly.

2) When finished, role-play the problems with a partner. For example, Im a student and I have a problem: Im failing all my courses. The other student should give advice. When giving advice, try to use each of the below structures:How aboutI suggestWhy don'tIf I were youMy advice would beHave you thought about

Writing Activity See handout
#1

Writing Activity Dear Abby
Who is Dear Abby?

#3

Practice
Alternate reading might include Riding Freedom, by Pam Munoz Ryan. (See Notice & Note, page 154-157)

STOP! Ask yourself:

Whats the life lesson and how might this affect your life, not just the characters?

Lets Practice(Poetry)

Mother to SonBy Langston Hughes(See Handout)

#2

Closure

Words of Wisdom

Good Job!
Remember: Words of Wisdom give us insight into the struggle the main character faces, the plot, even theme.

When we see these moments, we should ask ourselves:

How does this affect the character?

Lesson 6:
Again & Again

Do Now
Please respond to the following questions:Do you think the poet is making a positive or negative point? What do you think is his point?Do you agree or disagree with the poet? Why?

is all around us
is all around us
is all around us

[Pre-Chorus]So it's gonna be foreverOr it's gonna go down in flamesYou can tell me when it's overIf the high was worth the painGot a long list of ex-loversThey'll tell you I'm insaneCause you know I love the playersAnd you love the game[Chorus]Cause we're young and we're recklessWe'll take this way too farIt'll leave you breathlessOr with a nasty scarGot a long list of ex-loversThey'll tell you I'm insaneBut I got a blank space babyAnd I'll write your name
MUSIC

ART

ARCHITECTURE

FURNITURE

CLOTHING

JEWLERY

In our personal lives
Much of what we learn about our friends and enemies we learn by noticing patterns.

For example: One day you may be sitting with a few friends when another joins you. One of the original group grows quiet and after a few minutes gets up and leaves. You may not think anything at the moment, but if it happens again the next day and then again the next week, youll probably take notice. (Its the pattern, the repetition, the event that occurs again and again, that lets you know something is up if you notice it. And if you think about it.)
Q: Can you think of a time when it finally occurred to you that one of your friends does something over and over? (Whether you liked the behavior or not is a different story.) Discuss with a partner.

In our personal lives
Q: Can you think of a time when it finally occurred to you that one of your friends does something over and over? (Whether you liked the behavior or not is a different story.) Discuss with a partner.
Can you guess what MY friend does quite often? What are your thoughts on someone who does this repeatedly?

Repetition Existsin Literature


Again &Again

Obviously, noticing isnt enough! You have to do something withwhat youve noticed or its lost.

You have to wonder about itYou have to speculate what it might meanYou have to compare it with other incidentsYou have to make some mental (or actual) note about what it might meanYOULL FIGURE IT OUT


Again &Again
When youre reading andyou notice a word, phrase, object,or situation mentioned over and over,


Why does this keep showing up again and again?

The answers will tell you about the theme and conflict, or they might foreshadow what will happen later.


Destiny
Can you spot the signpost, Again & Again?

French Roast
Can you spot the signpost, Again & Again?

Lets Practice(Poetry)

First they came for the SocialistsBy Martin Niemoller(See Handout)
Option 1

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak outBecause I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for meand there was no one left to speak for me.
Q: How does the authors use of repetition affect the poems mood and tone? What would the poem be like without the use of repetition?What words in the poem are repeated and why do you think the author chose to repeat those words?

Option 2

Option 3 See handout
There Once Was A Seed by AnonymousThere once was a seed the blew from a flower,There once was a seed that flew in the air,There once was a seed that fell to the earth,There once was a seed that settled down there;There once was a seed that got covered with leaves,There once was a seed that slept under snow,There once was a seed that awoke in the Spring,There once was a seed that started to grow;There once was a seed that pushed down a root,There once was a seed that stretched for the light,There once was a seed that grew and grew,There once was a seed that reached a great height.There once was a seed that looked down to the floor,And saw that it wasnt a seed any more.

Lets Practice(Literature)

HatchetBy Gary Paulsen(See Handout)

31 October 2004
Designed by MsEffie
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Clip Art

Designed by MsEffie

Clip Art
31 October 2004
Designed by MsEffie
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Designed by MsEffie

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