Name ___________________________
Page #___________
Contemporary Issue Connector: Your role is to make connections between the content of your book
and the world around you. Find four quotes on four different pages. For each quote, identify how that
moment relates to an issue that affects society as a whole or a large portion of the population.
Essentially, explain how the book relates to events and issues that are important to people today.
Issues may include health, education, foreign relations, bullying, drug use, family values, gender
equality, racial equality, stereotyping, national security, etc.
For the explanation, show how the quote connects to a specific issue; then provide a conclusion
concerning the author’s presentation of this issue. Consider the following questions: Is the author
suggesting anything about who is to blame; does the author suggest who should be responsible for
helping; is the author presenting a point of view on the awareness the general public should try to
develop?
Quote 1:
Issue and explanation:
Quote 2:
Issue and explanation:
Quote 3:
Issue and explanation:
Quote 4:
Issue and explanation:
Name/Role ________________________
Tracking the discussion: Keep track of comments the group makes about your section. Write down
their conclusions and cite any page numbers they reference to make their points. You should have
multiple comments from each member of the group. Identify which passage you are discussing in
the upper left corner.
Passage __
Passage __
Passage__
Passage__
Passage__
Passage__
Passage__
Passage__
Name ___________________________
Page #___________
Discussion Director: Your role is to inspire conversation by asking questions concerning specific moments
in the work. It is important to ask questions that promote thinking. Do not ask questions that require the
responder to say “Yes” or “No.” . One question should concern our central question concerning
dealing with adversity. Questions should address foreshadowing, motifs, intended purpose or the
use of literary devices. You should present an array of these items (i.e. not every question should
address metaphor only or foreshadowing only). Also avoid characterization questions as there is a
characterization specialist (you can pair character with another device).
Multiple group members must respond to each question and they must specify how they arrive at a
conclusion. Ask follow up questions to keep everyone engaged.
Sample question stems: Why do you think . . . Why do you think the author . . .What do you think will happen . . .
How does the author want us to react to . . .How does this device affect . . .
Example: How does the figurative language reflect the author’s feelings about Billy? “Billy walked
like a disoriented turtle. His smile drooped and slid from his face like a crazed turkey” (89).
Multiple group members must respond to each question and they must specify how they arrive at a
conclusion. Ask follow up questions to keep everyone engaged.
Quote 1:
Question 1:
Quote 2:
Question 2:
Quote 3:
Question 3:
Quote 4:
Question 4:
Quote 5:
Question 5:
Name/Role ________________________
Tracking the discussion: Keep track of comments the group makes about your section. Write down
their conclusions and cite any page numbers they reference to make their points. You should have
multiple comments from each member of the group. Identify which passage you are discussing in
the upper left corner.
Passage __
Passage __
Passage__
Passage__
Passage__
Passage__
Passage__
Passage__
Name ___________________________
Page #___________
Style Expert: Your role is to pay attention to the author’s style. You need a minimum of 2 passages
from the assigned reading that are at least 5 sentences long. The first passage must come from the
first half of the reading; the second passage should come from the second half of the reading.
Each passage you select should represent how the author uses at least one of the following:
 Diction (author’s specific word choice)
 Tone (the author is being sarcastic, dark, lighthearted, etc.)
 Overall structure (chapter breaks, flashbacks, etc.)
 Syntax (sentence structure and organization)
 Compare/contrast with previous works for any of the above
Passage 1 This passage begins on page _____ with the words_________________________________
and ends with the words________________________________________________________________.
A) Point to multiple spots in the passage to explain how two devices from the list of bullet points reflect
the unique way in which the author writes:
B) What is the author’s purpose in writing in this manner?
Passage 2 This passage begins on page _____ with the words__________________________________
and ends with the words________________________________________________________________.
A) Point to multiple spots in the passage to explain how two devices from the list of bullet points reflect
the unique way in which the author writes:
B) What is the author’s purpose in writing in this manner?
Name/Role ________________________
Tracking the discussion: Keep track of comments the group makes about your section. Write down
their conclusions and cite any page numbers they reference to make their points. You should have
multiple comments from each member of the group. Identify which passage you are discussing in
the upper left corner.
Passage __
Passage __
Passage__
Passage__
Passage__
Passage__
Passage__
Passage__
Name ___________________________
Page #___________
Audience Expert: Your role is to pay attention to how the author connects with the audience. You need a
minimum of 2 passages from the assigned reading that are at least 5 sentences long. The first
passage must come from the first half of the reading; the second passage should come from the
second half of the reading.
Each passage you select should provide an answer to at least one of the following questions:
 What does the author assume the audience knows and does not know?
 What does the author assume will hold this audience’s interest?
 Is the author introducing an incident he or she feels the audience has not experienced, or is s/he
reintroducing a familiar incident with a different “spin”?
 What does the author do to help the audience connect to this section?
 How can you tell that this work and a previous work have a similar (or different) intended audience?
Passage 1 This passage begins on page _____ with the words_________________________________
and ends with the words________________________________________________________________.
A) Provide a specific answer for one of the questions above:
B) Explain how the way in which the author writes in this section proves your answer is valid.
Passage 2 This passage begins on page _____ with the words_________________________________
and ends with the words________________________________________________________________.
A) Provide a specific answer for one of the questions above:
B) Explain how the way in which the author writes in this section proves your answer is valid.
Name/Role ________________________
Tracking the discussion: Keep track of comments the group makes about your section. Write down
their conclusions and cite any page numbers they reference to make their points. You should have
multiple comments from each member of the group. Identify which passage you are discussing in
the upper left corner.
Passage __
Passage __
Passage__
Passage__
Passage__
Passage__
Passage__
Passage__
Name ___________________________
Page #___________
Character/Conflict Tracker: You are responsible for finding five examples that either indirectly
characterize one of the characters in the book OR that highlight the presentation of internal/external
conflicts that are significant to our perception of the character or the author’s tone and message.
Your comments about conflict should explain how the development or resolution of the conflict
reveals an insight about a person or situation, implies a message, or suggests a theme.
Your comments about character should explain how indirect characterization aids our
understanding of the character’s personality, foreshadows later events or themes, or suggests a
message, insight or attitude from the author.
Quote 1:
Comments on character or conflict:
Quote 2:
Comments on character or conflict:
Quote 3:
Comments on character or conflict:
Quote 4:
Comments on character or conflict:
Quote 5:
Comments on character or conflict:
Name/Role ________________________
Tracking the discussion: Keep track of comments the group makes about your section. Write down
their conclusions and cite any page numbers they reference to make their points. You should have
multiple comments from each member of the group. Identify which passage you are discussing in
the upper left corner.
Passage __
Passage __
Passage__
Passage__
Passage__
Passage__
Passage__
Passage__