Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers Close Reading Worksheet (Chapter 2)

Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering a meaningful excerpt from chapter 2 of Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:

• Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
• Consult reference materials as needed to learn or verify word meanings
• Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
• Explore how knowledge of the Vietnam War’s outcome emotionally influences the reader
• Describe tone in context
• Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
• Isolate an example of figurative language
• Conduct brief research to identify parallels between the narrator and the author James Baldwin
• Decide what the primary function of the excerpt is
• Write about complex literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
• Come to class better prepared to discuss literature