This essential book provides a roadmap for instruction and assessment of close reading skills in grades 3-8. To engage deeply with informational texts--a key requirement of the Common Core standards--students need to determine what details are important, how they fit together to convey a central idea, and how to synthesize information from multiple sources. They also need to understand the unique demands of different text features and structures. Presenting effective instructional strategies that teachers can tailor to their own classrooms, the book includes lesson plans, vignettes, and examples of student work, plus a Study Guide with professional learning activities and discussion questions.