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Notes
Mrs. Lee’s class
Done by Mrs. Williams

Lesson Objective:
Students learn about the purpose and technique known as annotation by examining
text closely and critically. They will study sample annotations and identify the
purposes annotation can serve.

★ Gain an understanding and knowledge on proper annotation.

Meaning
○ Knowing the purpose of annotating a particular text.
○ Being able to properly annotate a text for added understanding of
said text. (i.e. books, poems, etc.)
○ Being able to make connections between the text you're reading
and the previous parts of said text.
○ Make meaningful connections to your own life experiences.
○ Describe a new perspective you may now have.
○ Explain the historical context or traditions/social customs that
○ are used in the passage.

Students will then practice annotation through a careful reading of a story excerpt,
using specific guidelines and writing as many annotations as possible.
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What is annotating?
★ Annotation is the act of interacting with a particular text to aid the
reader's comprehension, reaction or even their ability to recall or retain
information related to the text. The process is an interaction between the
text and the reader, intended to kindle the reader's thinking about what
is being examined and to add rigor to that experience by having the
reader restate information as their own thinking.

★ Annotations are written by noting, asking questions, making inferences,

and summarizing portions of a text.

○ Inference: (in·fer·ence)

Noun

plural noun: inferences

a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and/or reasoning.

Some reasons you may annotate a text.

★ To ensure understanding of the literature being read.
★ To be reminded of something.
★ To indicate to yourself key areas of focus.
★ To highlight shifts in the message or tone.
★ Document your reactions to the text as you read.
★ Prepare for future discussion concerning the text

However,
★ Annotating isn't just for people who experience challenges when
reading academic texts. Even if you regularly understand and
remember the things you read, annotating will allow you to
summarize a text, highlight important information, and prepare
yourself for discussion and writing prompts that may be given.
Annotating means you are doing the work while you read, allowing
you to reference your previous work and have a clear jumping-off
point for future work.
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How to annotate a source

★ Survey: This is your first time through the reading

○ Look through the article/chapter/book.

○ Ask if the article is a useful and trustworthy source. (Who wrote it?
Who published it? Who is the audience?)

○ Note the title--what does it tell you about the article’s

topic/argument?

○ Is there an Abstract (paragraph that summarizes topic, questions,

research methods, findings)?

○ Subheadings--what do they tell you?

○ Note bold/italicized terms.

★ Skim: This is your second time through the reading

○ Read the first few sentences of the first few paragraphs

○ Identify the main thesis.

○ Underline the thesis (the main argument or viewpoint, one or two

sentences) and write it in your own words in the margin.

○ Continue reading the first sentence or two of the body paragraphs.

○ Highlight the point of each paragraph and summarize it in the

margin in your own words.
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★ Read: This is your third time through the reading

○ Now that you have a good idea of the article’s thesis, read through
the entire article and look for more details. Highlight supporting
evidence.

○ Write any questions you have in the margins.

○ Circle any words you don’t recognize, look them up in a dictionary,

and write their meanings in the margins.

Annotation tips &

strategies

★ You can annotate on post-its in

the event you have a text you do
not want to or have the option
mark up.
★ Ensure to include a key or what
they call ‘legend’ on your paper
that indicates what each
marking is for, and use a
different marking for each type
of information.
Example: Underline for key points, highlight for vocabulary, and
circle for transition points.
★ If you choose to use highlighters, you could consider using different
colors for different types of reactions to the text.
Example: Yellow for definitions, orange for questions, and blue for
disagreement/confusion.
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Annotating Texts Examples

Below are some examples of annotation marks that can be printed as
bookmarks for students to use while reading.
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Thought Prompts Below

Sentence Starters

Now I understand why……..because

I am beginning to think………..because

I used to think………..but now I think………..

This makes me think of……….because………

I learned that………because

Reading Marks

! = “Aha!” moment in the text where something really grabs your attention.

?= “Questioning” moment in the text where you’re confused or wondering.

*= “Important” moment in the text where you think something is important

to notice.

★= “Favorite” moment in the text where you would like to go back to it.

T-S= “Text-to-Self” connection when you’re reminded of your own life.

T-T= “Text-to-Text” connection when you’re reminded of another text.

T-W= “Text-to-World” connection when you’re reminded of events going on

in the world.
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Students will be using the following poem in which they are familiar as practice
annotating text.

Ballad of Birmingham

BY DUDLEY RANDALL

(On the bombing of a church in Birmingham, Alabama, 1963)

“Mother dear, may I go downtown

Instead of out to play,

And march the streets of Birmingham

In a Freedom March today?”

“No, baby, no, you may not go,

For the dogs are fierce and wild,

And clubs and hoses, guns and jails

Aren’t good for a little child.”

“But, mother, I won’t be alone.

Other children will go with me,

And march the streets of Birmingham

To make our country free.”

“No, baby, no, you may not go,

For I fear those guns will fire.

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But you may go to church instead

And sing in the children’s choir.”

She has combed and brushed her night-dark hair,

And bathed rose petal sweet,

And drawn white gloves on her small brown hands,

And white shoes on her feet.

The mother smiled to know her child

Was in the sacred place,

But that smile was the last smile

To come upon her face.

For when she heard the explosion,

Her eyes grew wet and wild.

She raced through the streets of Birmingham

Calling for her child.

She clawed through bits of glass and brick,

Then lifted out a shoe.

“O, here’s the shoe my baby wore,

But, baby, where are you?”