This manual provides a comprehensive guide to the principles and practices of close reading for informational texts, specifically designed for educators in grades 3 through 8. Authored by Sunday Cummins and published by The Guilford Press, this resource offers a roadmap for instruction and assessment, focusing on engaging students deeply with informational content. It covers essential skills such as determining important details, understanding how these details contribute to a central idea, synthesizing information from various sources, and comprehending text features and structures. The manual emphasizes effective instructional strategies that teachers can adapt to their specific classroom needs, supplemented by practical lesson plans, illustrative examples of student work, and vignettes.

The purpose of this manual is to equip educators with the knowledge and tools necessary to foster robust close reading abilities in their students, aligning with Common Core standards for informational text engagement. It delves into key topics essential for developing critical reading skills, including the analysis of text features and structures. Furthermore, the manual includes supplementary resources such as professional learning activities and discussion questions to support ongoing development. This guide is intended for teachers and educational professionals seeking to enhance their instruction and assessment of close reading in informational texts, thereby improving student comprehension and analytical capabilities.

This manual provides a comprehensive guide to the principles and practices of close reading for informational texts, specifically designed for educators in grades 3 through 8. Authored by Sunday Cummins and published by The Guilford Press, this resource offers a roadmap for instruction and assessment, focusing on engaging students deeply with informational content. It covers essential skills such as determining important details, understanding how these details contribute to a central idea, synthesizing information from various sources, and comprehending text features and structures. The manual emphasizes effective instructional strategies that teachers can adapt to their specific classroom needs, supplemented by practical lesson plans, illustrative examples of student work, and vignettes.

The purpose of this manual is to equip educators with the knowledge and tools necessary to foster robust close reading abilities in their students, aligning with Common Core standards for informational text engagement. It delves into key topics essential for developing critical reading skills, including the analysis of text features and structures. Furthermore, the manual includes supplementary resources such as professional learning activities and discussion questions to support ongoing development. This guide is intended for teachers and educational professionals seeking to enhance their instruction and assessment of close reading in informational texts, thereby improving student comprehension and analytical capabilities.