CPUSHI: ONeill

Name: ________________________
Close Reading Assignment: focus document related to a local history topic
Block: _______

Close Reading Assignment:

researching, analyzing, and writing about a focus document related to a
local history topic

Common Core Standards being targeted in this assignment include:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and
secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary
source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.3: Analyze in detail a series of events described in a text; determine
whether earlier events caused later ones or simply preceded them.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.2: Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of
historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.
See the close reading assignment rubric for more details.

A close reading, according to Matthew Pinsker, a professor of history at Dickinson, is a short, thoughtful
essay that offers an examination of a primary source. A close reading considers the
text of the primary source (it analyzes and summarizes the text)
context (it puts it in its historical place)
subtext (it considers other meanings and interpretations, things that may have been left out, etc.)

Here are some mentor texts for you that illustrate what the final version of a close reading can do:
A Fair Match for Falstaff (both a written/multi-media essay and a You Tube video):
http://oneill.quora.com/A-Fair-Match-for-Falstaff
Top 150 Lincoln Documents (see particularly any of Matthew Pinskers video close readings for
documents 1-25): http://housedivided.dickinson.edu/sites/lincoln/top-150-lincoln-documents/
Your task is to identify a topic related to local history and then identify a primary source (well call
this the Focus Document) that relates to that topic. Once you have your Focus Document, youll engage
in a close reading of it, which will entail additional research. You will want to bring several other
primary and secondary sources to bear on your focus document. (Youve been practicing many of the
skills youll need, through analyses of maps, paintings, and other primary sources so far this year.)
Note that, ideally, your work with this focus document will cause you to ask questions. One of these
questions might well end up being the focus of your inquiry, which is the larger project youre heading
toward.

CPUSHI: ONeill
Name: ________________________
Close Reading Assignment: focus document related to a local history topic
Block: _______

How do I identify a topic related to local history?

Both the local history presentation and the local history field trip have been designed to make you aware
of the wide variety of topics having to do with local history. Mine these experiences for your topic.

Once I have a topic, how do I identify a primary source for my focus document?
Well spend time in the library, where well have access to many physical resources and databases, as
well as to our librarian, who will help us figure out how and where to look for great sources.

Once I have a focus document, what do I do?

Use the APPARTS worksheet as a starting point for your analysis. It will get you thinking about the basic
elements of the source. Then, consider the following:
What details in the letter are of historical importance here?
What is in need of explanation?
What is the letters context and subtext?
What is in need of research? What other primary and secondary sources help throw light on the focus
document?
Your audience probably wont be familiar with your focus document, so youll need to summarize it.
However, your close reading needs to go well beyond summary to consider context and subtext, too.
What are the products going to look like?
As you work through the process of determining a topic to analyzing your focus document, youll
complete the guides below. Each stage is worth a particular amount, and requires teacher approval. You
will be assessed on the depth of your research and thinking, and the specificity and precision of your ideas
and analysis.
The close reading itself will be
a 3-4 page essay (this will likely be in the informative or explanatory mode) that closes with a list of 3-5
questions that arise from your research (these will be used to shape your inquiry project, which is the next
step).
In addition, you will include the focus document and a list of works cited.
Note that, ultimately, your close reading will likely be revised to be included as part of your inquiry
project. At that point, the close reading might take a form other than an essay, such as a podcast,
multimedia blog, or YouTube video.

Brainstorming topics of interest (10 points): brainstorm 3-6 topics in the circle below (use your
process journal as a starting point); then, use the triangle below to select your topic and narrow your

CPUSHI: ONeill
Name: ________________________
Close Reading Assignment: focus document related to a local history topic
Block: _______
focus:

CPUSHI: ONeill
Name: ________________________
Close Reading Assignment: focus document related to a local history topic
Block: _______

Teacher approval:
Searching for potential Focus Documents (20 points):
What specific primary sources related to the
aspect above might be especially compelling as a
focus document? Identify a minimum of five in the
chart below.

Why? (Whats useful or interesting about these

sources?)

CPUSHI: ONeill
Name: ________________________
Close Reading Assignment: focus document related to a local history topic
Block: _______
Deciding on a Focus Document (10 points):
Focus Document
Ive decided on:

Type of source:

Bibliographic
information:

Why this Focus

Document? (Why
is it of interest to
you? What makes
it especially rich?)

Teacher approval:
Analyzing the Focus Document using APPARTS (20 points):
Focus Document:
AUTHOR
Who created the
source? What do you
know about the
author? What is the
authors point of
view?

PLACE AND TIME

Where and when was
the source
produced? How
might this affect the
meaning of the
source?

PRIOR
KNOWLEDGE

CPUSHI: ONeill
Name: ________________________
Close Reading Assignment: focus document related to a local history topic
Block: _______
Beyond information
about the author and
the context of its
creation, what do you
know that would help
you further
understand the
primary source? For
example, do you
recognize any
symbols and recall
what they represent?
AUDIENCE
For whom was the
source created and
how might this affect
the reliability of the
source?

REASON
Why was this source
created at the time it
was produced?

THE MAIN IDEA

What point is the
source trying to
convey?

CPUSHI: ONeill
Name: ________________________
Close Reading Assignment: focus document related to a local history topic
Block: _______

SIGNIFICANCE
Why is this source
important? What
inferences can you
draw from this
document? Ask
yourself, So what?
in relation to the
question asked.

Teacher approval:

CPUSHI: ONeill
Name: ________________________
Close Reading Assignment: focus document related to a local history topic
Block: _______
Additional analysis of Focus Document (20 points):
Focus Document:
What details in the
focus document are
of historical
importance here?
(How does it connect
to important events,
trends, and
developments?)

What is in need of
explanation? (Be
specific--what
concepts, phrases,
and words need to
be explained?)

What is the historical

context for the focus
document?
(Consider both the
immediate context
AND the broader
context.)

CPUSHI: ONeill
Name: ________________________
Close Reading Assignment: focus document related to a local history topic
Block: _______
What is the subtext
of the focus
document?
(Connect your
analysis to specific
phrases in the
document.)

What specific
elements in your
focus document are
need of research
and investigation?

What other primary

and secondary
sources help throw
light on the focus
document? (Youll
need a minimum of
TWO additional
primary sources and
TWO secondary
sources)

Primary sources:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Secondary sources:

Teacher approval:

CPUSHI: ONeill
Name: ________________________
Close Reading Assignment: focus document related to a local history topic
Block: _______

Common Core Standard

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.1
Cite specific textual evidence to support
analysis of primary and secondary
sources, attending to such features as the

Specific Criteria
Specific textual evidence is used to help
explain the text, context, and subtext of the
Focus Document.
Focus Document is carefully, deeply analyzed;

Score
______ / 20

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.2.a
Introduce a topic and organize ideas,
concepts, and information to make
important connections and distinctions;

Introduction hooks the reader and propels

him/her into the essay.
Essay is thoughtfully organized; ideas flow
logically.

______ / 20

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.2.b
Develop the topic with well-chosen,
relevant, and sufficient facts, extended
definitions, concrete details, quotations,

Topic is developed using specific, highly

relevant facts, definitions, details, and
quotations.
Topic is fully illuminated.

______ / 20

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.2.e
Establish and maintain a formal style and
objective tone while attending to the
norms and conventions of the discipline in

Formal style (e.g., third person; no

contractions; complete sentences; no slang).
Objective tone.
Sentence structure and length is varied.

______ / 10

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.8
Gather relevant information from
multiple authoritative print and digital
sources, using advanced searches

Focus Document is a primary source that helps

student investigate the aspect of a topic related
to local history that most interests him or her.
Minimum of two additional primary sources

______ / 20

3-5 open-ended questions that arise as a result

of your research (suitable for an Inquiry
Project)

______ / 10

TOTAL:

______ / 100

OEQs

Sources ns Conventio ent Developm on Organizati

Analysis Textual

Rubric for Close Reading Assignment

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.2: Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical
events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.

Rubric for Optional Multi-Media Close Reading Assignment

Common Core Standard
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.2.a
Introduce a topic and organize ideas,
concepts, and information to make important
connections and distinctions; include
formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g.,
figures, tables), and multimedia when useful
to aiding comprehension.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.6: Use
technology, including the Internet, to
produce, publish, and update individual or

Specific Criteria

Introduction hooks the

reader and propels him/her into the
essay.

Score
______ / 10

Project is thoughtfully
organized; ideas flow logically.

______ / 10

Important connections and

distinctions are made.

______ / 10

10

Technology Organization, Style, Use of

shared writing products, taking advantage of

technology's capacity to link to other
information and to display information
flexibly and dynamically.

ons Conventi

CPUSHI: ONeill
Name: ________________________
Close Reading Assignment: focus document related to a local history topic
Block: _______

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.2.e
Establish and maintain a formal style and
objective tone while attending to the norms
and conventions of the discipline in which
TOTAL

Formatting aids in
comprehension.

Multimedia aids in
comprehension (images, sound, video)

Technology is effectively
used to bring the product to publication
(website or multimedia blog)

Product exploits
technologys capacity to link to other
information and to display information
flexibly and dynamically.

Formal style (e.g., third

person; no contractions; complete
sentences; no slang).

Objective tone.

______ / 10

______ / 50

______ / 10
_____ / 100

11