Students understand more when they make interpretive choices before being told the “correct” meaning.
A 45-minute close-reading lesson
- 5 minutes: establish the situation and stakes.
- 10 minutes: hear the scene twice with different casting or pacing.
- 10 minutes: groups mark verbs, pronouns, interruptions, and repeated images.
- 15 minutes: stage one turning point in two contrasting ways.
- 5 minutes: write a claim explaining which choice the text best supports.
Assessment
Reward specific evidence, awareness of alternatives, and explanation of dramatic effect—not decorative quotation or plot retelling.