Determining the complexity of a text + tasks that build the skills necessary for reading complex texts

1. 3-Part Model for Measuring
Text Complexity

2. Text Complexity
Grade Bands
From CoreStandards.org, Appendix A

3. Teaching Kids to Read
Complex Texts:
Tasks that Motivate Readers

4. Silent Conversation
Source of article:
www.NewsELA.com

5. The Rules of
Silent Conversations
• Your handwriting must be readable.
• Use all the time I give you for writing. Don’t
just write a word or two and quit. Keep
rereading and thinking about the article and
the things other people have written. Keep the
conversation going.
• This is a silent discussion, so no talking until
later on!

6. Text-Dependent
Questions
Source of article:
www.NewsELA.com

7. Text-Dependent
Questions
Is this evidence that the
discovery of Siats meekerorum
was an important discovery?

8. Text-Based Debates
Source of story:
Junior Great Books
www.greatbooks.org

9. Text-Based Debates
1. Read and mark text.
– F = Ooka is fair
– UF = Ooka is unfair
2. Divide into groups:
– I take the position that Ooka is fair.
– I take the position that Ooka is unfair.

10. Text-Based Debates
3. Meet with people who take the same
position to discuss evidence from the text
that supports that position.
4. State your position and give text evidence to
your opponent. Listen to the evidence your
opponent provides and take notes.
My position is that Ooka is _______ and my first reason
is _________. You can see that in the story when it says
__________.

11. Text-Based Debates
5. Meet with original group to discuss how
to respond to opponent’s argument.
You said that ____________ shows that Ooka is
________. I believe that actually show that Ooka is
________ because ___________.
6. Respond to your opponent’s arguments.

12. Quick Draw/
Quick Write
Source of poem:
Appendix B
www.corestandards.org
Grades 2-3 Text Exemplar

13. Sociograms
A sociogram is a visual representation of the
relationships among characters in a literary text

14. Sociograms
• Let the physical distance between characters reflect the
perceived psychological distance between the characters
• Let the size/shape/symbol of a character metaphorically
represent each personality, importance, one’s power or lack
of, etc.
• Lines can be creatively applied: What might the following
types of lines indicate? A jagged line? A wavy line? The
thickness of the line? etc.
• Illustrate the tone and or theme of a piece by the use of color
or visual symbols.
• Add one word to each connecting line. Words may only be
used once!

15. Sociograms