Annotation Basics
What is annotating?
A way of responding to a text by underlining, circling, and writing notes in the margins.
What symbol might you use when something confuses you?
A question mark (?)
Why do we annotate when we read?
To better understand and remember the text.
What might you annotate when reading a poem?
Theme, mood, tone, language, or poetic techniques.
What kind of device can students use to annotate texts online?
A computer, tablet, or Chromebook.
Name two things you might do when annotating a text.
What does it mean to underline something while annotating?
You're showing it's a main idea or important detail.
How can annotations help in discussions?
hey give you something to share or ask about.
What might you focus on when annotating an essay?
The author’s purpose, reasoning, and fairness.
How can technology help students work together on annotations?
They can share their comments and responses on the same digital text or document.
What are two main types of annotations.
Personal and social annotations
What might you circle in a passage?
A confusing phrase or vocabulary word.
What is one way annotations help with confusing texts?
You can ask questions and try to figure things out.
What’s something you might annotate when reading a story?
Suspense, characters’ emotions, or confusing parts.
What’s one benefit of using digital annotation tools?
You can highlight, comment, and share easily.
What tools do we use to write annotations?
Any writing utensil or digital tools like highlighting.
If a sentence makes you feel surprised, what might you draw or write?
An exclamation point or a note about your reaction.
What might a reader annotate to track suspense?
Key moments, words that build tension, or cliffhangers.
What do annotations about figurative language look for?
Similes, metaphors, or descriptive phrases.
How does using a site like CommonLit help students become better readers?
It gives them complex texts, questions, and tools to practice close reading and annotation.
What’s a symbol you might use in annotations to show something is important?
A star ★ or underline.
What should you write in the margin if you notice something interesting or important?
A brief comment, question, or observation.
Why is it important to explain how your evidence supports your ideas?
It shows deeper understanding and strengthens your argument.
If you're trying to understand a character's feelings, what should you annotate?
Passages that show emotional clues or reactions.
What kind of annotation could help answer this question: “How does the author show that robots may take jobs from people?
Note a passage with reasoning and explain how it supports the idea.