The Common Core State Standards represent an ambitious effort to improve teaching and learning at an unprecedented scale. Adopted by 45 states and the District of Columbia, these standards are an attempt to dramatically change what students and teachers do in school, by redefining high-level, thought-provoking instruction as the norm for all students in all schools. Among the most significant of the shifts in English language arts is the expectation that all students will be able to read increasingly complex texts proficiently and independently. Educators need to harness the knowledge of research, the wisdom of experience, and the imperative for improvement to implement Close Reading effectively within the context of a comprehensive literacy framework. Teachers have to be innovative and creative, while connecting decisions about instructional practice to the research on reading development and the explicit demands of the Common Core. Hence the authors recommend that practitioners: (1) Are deliberate and intentional determining when, and for what instructional purposes, Close Reading is employed. The goal is to move students to read closely, independent of the teacher; and (2) Understand that while engaged in Close Reading lessons, students naturally use prior knowledge to deepen their comprehension of the text. Teachers should activate prior knowledge and build background knowledge when appropriate, while ensuring that students' examination of text is the central means of conveying information. (Contains 10 endnotes.)