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Mentor Text Close Reading

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Mentor Text Close Reading

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Part 1: First Encounter and Five Lenses

Listen to, read, or view the mentor text once without annotating. Record what stays with you. On a second encounter, notice a specific word, image, sound, structure, or moment and wonder about its effect.

1. First encounter: What is the text mostly about? What feeling or question stayed with you?

Notice and Wonder Organizer

For each lens, write one precise notice and one wonder. Use words, images, sounds, or moments from the text.

2. Voice and perspective: Who is speaking or showing the story? Whose perspective is centered?
3. Structure: How does the order, pacing, repetition, or design shape your understanding?
4. Language and imagery: Which word, phrase, comparison, image, or sound stands out? What might it suggest?
5. Audience and purpose: Who may be the intended audience, and what might the creator want the audience to think, feel, or do?
6. Media or visual choices: How do layout, color, camera angle, movement, music, performance, or other media choices affect meaning? If not applicable, write “not used.”

Part 2: Evidence and Interpretation

Choose details that another reader or viewer could find. Include a page, line, paragraph, panel, timestamp, or other location when possible.

7. Evidence 1: Precise word, image, sound, or moment: ________________________________
Location: ____________________
This suggests or shows __________________________________ because __________________________________.
8. Evidence 2: Precise word, image, sound, or moment: ________________________________
Location: ____________________
This suggests or shows __________________________________ because __________________________________.
9. Claim-Evidence-Reasoning: Make one claim about how the creator shapes voice, perspective, meaning, or audience understanding.

Claim: The creator shapes my understanding by ________________________________________________.

Evidence: I know this because the text includes __________________________________ and __________________________________.

Reasoning: These details matter because _________________________________________________.

Part 3: Triad Discussion and Exit Ticket

Prepare to share with a group of three. Listen carefully, refer to the text, and explain your thinking. You may disagree respectfully by saying, “I see it differently because…”

10. Triad preparation:

My claim: __________________________________________________________________________

Two supporting details: 1. ____________________________________ 2. ____________________________________

One connection to a community, human experience, another text, or a question:

One respectful disagreement or question I can share:

11. Exit ticket: Complete the sentence with a claim and two details.

The creator shapes my understanding by ________________________________________________. I know this because __________________________________ and __________________________________.

Teacher support note: Accept quoted or accurately paraphrased evidence, including visual or spoken details. Support students with chunked excerpts, audio, selected details, oral rehearsal, or the frame “I notice ___, which suggests ___ because ___.” Look for one clear claim, two relevant details, and reasoning that explains how a creator’s choice shapes meaning.

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