Trailing the Text

Trailing the Text. Students prepare a visual representation illustrating and
citing the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what
the text says explicitly as well as inferences that may be drawn.
Trailing the Text. Trailing the Text is similar to Stop-N-Think but instead of a
note-taking device, the student is looking for specific details of what an author
has written to explain a key individual, event or idea.  The teacher picks five or
six good stopping points in the text.  This can be marked by page numbers on
a graphic organizer. Students are to analyze in detail at each stop (using notes,
key words, pictures, etc..) how a key individual, event or idea is introduced,
illustrated and elaborated in a text. 

Teachers should assign the chunks based on places in the text in which the
author introduces, illustrates or elaborates the topic.  For the first chunk, have
students preview informational text by looking at graphics and reading the
title, as well as scanning the introductory paragraph.  This will provide them
information for how the topic is introduced.