Create a Close Read Tool Box

During our reading block the students are constantly moving around the classroom in various centers. Within that block they are working independently, in partners or in a small group while I am meeting individually with students. Here's how I have structured the centers in my class: There is a read and respond group, a word work group, a technology group, a listening center and a meet with the teacher group. During this time of the day, I rely on the students to be self-directed learners so that I can meet with students in a small group. In order to help make sure that my students working and engaged in their reading during our center time, I created these easy-to-make, Close Reading Tool Boxes. Since the students are working with a variety of complex text, I knew I needed to give them more support during our center rotations. These Close Reading Tool Boxes are a great aid for the kids because they give them more tools to help them show what they know and document their questions as well as take-aways.

I created a few nonfiction tool boxes as well as some fiction tool boxes thanks to the Fiction Close Reading Tabs and Nonfiction Close Reading Tabs sets. These durable little tabs enhance and focus the students' reading comprehension and direct them into having meaningful discussions within their partner groups.

Both the Fiction Close Reading Tabs and Nonfiction Close Reading Tabs sets include 120 tabs that I can put in these Close Reading Tool Boxes to help them evaluate different standards such as: point of view, text features, author's purpose, text structure, organization, making connections, supporting evidence, vocabulary and key details. I can easily differentiate for my intensive groups as well as extend for my higher achievers.

The students respond to their reading task with these Close Reading Tabs in Composition Book Mini Spiral Notebooks. The tabs help them with a direction but also a sentence stem.

For students who are working in literature books that they cannot write in, this Highlighter Tape has been a game changer. I love that this set comes with four different colors because I can have them color code their thinking.

For example: Use the blue tape to find the cause and orange tape to signal the effect. Or Use the green tape to find the main idea and the pink tape to show the key details. The students LOVE using this tape and it helps them annotate their texts when they can't write in the textbook.

However, if the students are reading a book, article or worksheet that they can write in, then they can still color code their reading using the Highlighter Assortment set. I also have them annotate their text every time they are reading. This holds them accountable for engaging with their text and it gives me talking points with them when I meet with them one-on-one. You can download these free Annotate Your Text Squares here. They fit perfectly in the Clear Self-Adhesive Labeling Pockets.

My students love to annotate using these Star Top Pens because what kid doesn't love using a pen in class, but also, the star helps them follow along while reading. However, if you have students that prefer to write in pencil, I also throw in a few Oops Pencil Top Erasers in each Close Reading Tool Box which helps them track their reading just as well.

And just for good measure, I always throw in a few 4x Magnifying Glasses in each box because the students love using them when reading. It also reminds them that they are responsible for completing a reading task. These tool boxes engage them during the center time and help with reading activities while adding in an accountability component for the teacher. It truly is a win-win that will make center time a more manageable and meaningful time.