Reading Journal Suggested Use & Grading Guidelines Suggested Use I will explain how I use these journals and provide some alternate suggestions. However, please feel free to use them a the way that best suits your needs. I use these reading journals two or three times per month as a form of accountability with book club and independent reading. I simply have my students write about the portion of their novel they have read to that point. My students all check out a new book club novel at the beginning of each month, and they know about these readers’ response journal checks in advance. So, on the day I assign a reading journal, if I have a student who hasn’t read any of his or her novel yet, that student does not receive credit for the assignment. In this way, students are encouraged to read frequently rather than trying to cram the novel in the last night before our discussion day. You could also use these as: • essay prompts (if you want to have students write that much after reading their book). • discussion questions (click here to see my related discussion task cards for fiction and nonfiction). • station activities (just mix them up with other literacy activities to complement the books and your theme). Grading Guidance I like to keep the rubric on my reading response journals concise for three different reasons. 1. It encourages students to double-check their work since the rubric is staring them in the face. 2. It makes the grading process easier. 3. It’s not necessary, in my mind, to use a complete rubric to assess informal writing. Actually, I’ve found that using formal rubrics is overwhelming to students in this context. They are trying to show what they have read and learned, and they haven’t been given time to revise and edit these responses like they would a research paper or formal essay. Before grading, I would decide what point value you want each journal to be worth. I usually do 10 points. Then, assign a percentage to each number on the rubric. Here is what I use: • 3 = 90 or 100% • 2 = 70 or 80 % • 1 = 60 % or below Before students complete their first journal response, I explain the grading system to them. I tell them that I determine whether they have earned a 90% or 100% in ideas, for instance, based upon the amount of textual evidence and thoughtfulness of their answers. If your students are number-oriented people and just have to know how many times they need to cite textual evidence, you may decide to tell them that they need to cite the text at least seven times to earn a 100…6 times for a 90…5 times for an 80…4 times for a 70, and so on. After grading each category, I then average the percentages. So, if a student earned: IDEAS: 90% ORGANIZATION: 80% 90 + 80 + 70 = 240 / 3 = 80 CONVENTIONS: 70% Their overall grade on the journal response would be an 80%. If the journal was worth 10 points total, I’d put 8 points in the grade book. While this system seems fairly complicated to explain, it’s actually very simple to use once you get the hang of it. Feel free to contact me with questions, or to use whatever grading approach you think works best for you and your students. Reading Journals Name: _______________ Homeroom: ______ Reading Journal Name: Class: Date: The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read. – Mark Twain Directions: Reflect on the part of your novel you have just read. Then, in organized paragraphs, respond to the following prompt. Make sure you use an abundance of textual evidence to support your answer. Feel free to use an additional sheet of paper to brainstorm or to extend your response. Prompt 1: What value does this book hold for the modern teenager? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Rubric: 1 = Please read thoughtfully Ideas - Thoughtful reflection that incorporates specific textual evidence - Answers the question completely and thoughtfully - Makes insightful statements and observations by drawing on text 1 2 3 2 = Almost There Organization - Paragraphs are used effectively - Transitional words and phrases help ideas to flow smoothly - Ideas are written about in a logical order - The ideas are easy to follow due to the response’s solid organization 1 2 3 3 = Excellent Grammar/Mechanics - Fragments & run-ons are avoided - Capitalization is used correctly - Punctuation is used correctly - Spelling and common usage errors are minimal - Student demonstrates mastery of grade-level grammar proficiency 1 2 3 Reading Journal Name: Class: Date: Once you learn to read, you will be forever free. – Frederick Douglass Directions: Reflect on the part of your novel you have just read. Then, in organized paragraphs, respond to the following prompt. Make sure you use an abundance of textual evidence to support your answer. Feel free to use an additional sheet of paper to brainstorm or to extend your response. Prompt 2: Is there any evidence of prejudice or inequality in your book so far? Explain. Consider age, race, religion, gender, socioeconomic status, occupation, and etcetera. ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Rubric: 1 = Please read thoughtfully Ideas - Thoughtful reflection that incorporates specific textual evidence - Answers the question completely and thoughtfully - Makes insightful statements and observations by drawing on text 1 2 3 2 = Almost There Organization - Paragraphs are used effectively - Transitional words and phrases help ideas to flow smoothly - Ideas are written about in a logical order - The ideas are easy to follow due to the response’s solid organization 1 2 3 3 = Excellent Grammar/Mechanics - Fragments & run-ons are avoided - Capitalization is used correctly - Punctuation is used correctly - Spelling and common usage errors are minimal - Student demonstrates mastery of grade-level grammar proficiency 1 2 3 Reading Journal Name: Class: Date: Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope. – Kofi Annan Directions: Reflect on the part of your novel you have just read. Then, in organized paragraphs, respond to the following prompt. Make sure you use an abundance of textual evidence to support your answer. Feel free to use an additional sheet of paper to brainstorm or to extend your response. Prompt 3: Every book contains a tragedy of one kind or another. Choose a tragic event in your book, and explain the significance of it. Why do you believe the author included it? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Rubric: 1 = Please read thoughtfully Ideas - Thoughtful reflection that incorporates specific textual evidence - Answers the question completely and thoughtfully - Makes insightful statements and observations by drawing on text 1 2 3 2 = Almost There Organization - Paragraphs are used effectively - Transitional words and phrases help ideas to flow smoothly - Ideas are written about in a logical order - The ideas are easy to follow due to the response’s solid organization 1 2 3 3 = Excellent Grammar/Mechanics - Fragments & run-ons are avoided - Capitalization is used correctly - Punctuation is used correctly - Spelling and common usage errors are minimal - Student demonstrates mastery of grade-level grammar proficiency 1 2 3 Reading Journal Name: Class: Date: To Read is to voyage through time. – Carl Sagan Directions: Reflect on the part of your novel you have just read. Then, in organized paragraphs, respond to the following prompt. Make sure you use an abundance of textual evidence to support your answer. Feel free to use an additional sheet of paper to brainstorm or to extend your response. Prompt 4: A book’s setting is chosen purposefully and carefully. Think about the aspects of setting in your novel. Write about why the author might have chosen this setting and how it affects the characters and plot. ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Rubric: 1 = Please read thoughtfully Ideas - Thoughtful reflection that incorporates specific textual evidence - Answers the question completely and thoughtfully - Makes insightful statements and observations by drawing on text 1 2 3 2 = Almost There Organization - Paragraphs are used effectively - Transitional words and phrases help ideas to flow smoothly - Ideas are written about in a logical order - The ideas are easy to follow due to the response’s solid organization 1 2 3 3 = Excellent Grammar/Mechanics - Fragments & run-ons are avoided - Capitalization is used correctly - Punctuation is used correctly - Spelling and common usage errors are minimal - Student demonstrates mastery of grade-level grammar proficiency 1 2 3 Reading Journal Name: Class: Date: All that mankind has done, thought, gained, or been; it is lying as in magic preservation in the pages of books. – Thomas Carlyle Directions: Reflect on the part of your novel you have just read. Then, in organized paragraphs, respond to the following prompt. Make sure you use an abundance of textual evidence to support your answer. Feel free to use an additional sheet of paper to brainstorm or to extend your response. Prompt 5: What have you learned from this text (about life, a topic, relationships, conflict, illness, etcetera) that you didn’t already know? In other words, what is your takeaway so far? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Rubric: 1 = Please read thoughtfully Ideas - Thoughtful reflection that incorporates specific textual evidence - Answers the question completely and thoughtfully - Makes insightful statements and observations by drawing on text 1 2 3 2 = Almost There Organization - Paragraphs are used effectively - Transitional words and phrases help ideas to flow smoothly - Ideas are written about in a logical order - The ideas are easy to follow due to the response’s solid organization 1 2 3 3 = Excellent Grammar/Mechanics - Fragments & run-ons are avoided - Capitalization is used correctly - Punctuation is used correctly - Spelling and common usage errors are minimal - Student demonstrates mastery of grade-level grammar proficiency 1 2 3 Reading Journal Name: Class: Date: Learning to read is probably the most difficult and revolutionary thing that happens to the human brain. – John Steinbeck Directions: Reflect on the part of your novel you have just read. Then, in organized paragraphs, respond to the following prompt. Make sure you use an abundance of textual evidence to support your answer. Feel free to use an additional sheet of paper to brainstorm or to extend your response. Prompt 6: Explain how the author uses pacing techniques to increase the book’s suspense. ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Rubric: 1 = Please read thoughtfully Ideas - Thoughtful reflection that incorporates specific textual evidence - Answers the question completely and thoughtfully - Makes insightful statements and observations by drawing on text 1 2 3 2 = Almost There Organization - Paragraphs are used effectively - Transitional words and phrases help ideas to flow smoothly - Ideas are written about in a logical order - The ideas are easy to follow due to the response’s solid organization 1 2 3 3 = Excellent Grammar/Mechanics - Fragments & run-ons are avoided - Capitalization is used correctly - Punctuation is used correctly - Spelling and common usage errors are minimal - Student demonstrates mastery of grade-level grammar proficiency 1 2 3 Reading Journal Name: Class: Date: Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them. – Lemony Snicket Directions: Reflect on the part of your novel you have just read. Then, in organized paragraphs, respond to the following prompt. Make sure you use an abundance of textual evidence to support your answer. Feel free to use an additional sheet of paper to brainstorm or to extend your response. Prompt 7: Would you agree or disagree that this book contains varying degrees of evil? Talk about it. ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Rubric: 1 = Please read thoughtfully Ideas - Thoughtful reflection that incorporates specific textual evidence - Answers the question completely and thoughtfully - Makes insightful statements and observations by drawing on text 1 2 3 2 = Almost There Organization - Paragraphs are used effectively - Transitional words and phrases help ideas to flow smoothly - Ideas are written about in a logical order - The ideas are easy to follow due to the response’s solid organization 1 2 3 3 = Excellent Grammar/Mechanics - Fragments & run-ons are avoided - Capitalization is used correctly - Punctuation is used correctly - Spelling and common usage errors are minimal - Student demonstrates mastery of grade-level grammar proficiency 1 2 3 Reading Journal Name: Class: Date: We read to know we are not alone. – William Nicholson Directions: Reflect on the part of your novel you have just read. Then, in organized paragraphs, respond to the following prompt. Make sure you use an abundance of textual evidence to support your answer. Feel free to use an additional sheet of paper to brainstorm or to extend your response. Prompt 8: What indirect messages does this novel convey about love and relationships? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Rubric: 1 = Please read thoughtfully Ideas - Thoughtful reflection that incorporates specific textual evidence - Answers the question completely and thoughtfully - Makes insightful statements and observations by drawing on text 1 2 3 2 = Almost There Organization - Paragraphs are used effectively - Transitional words and phrases help ideas to flow smoothly - Ideas are written about in a logical order - The ideas are easy to follow due to the response’s solid organization 1 2 3 3 = Excellent Grammar/Mechanics - Fragments & run-ons are avoided - Capitalization is used correctly - Punctuation is used correctly - Spelling and common usage errors are minimal - Student demonstrates mastery of grade-level grammar proficiency 1 2 3 Reading Journal Name: Class: Date: I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book. – Groucho Marx Directions: Reflect on the part of your novel you have just read. Then, in organized paragraphs, respond to the following prompt. Make sure you use an abundance of textual evidence to support your answer. Feel free to use an additional sheet of paper to brainstorm or to extend your response. Prompt 9: Think about movies you’ve watched. Which characters from movies are most like the protagonist in your novel? Explain your connections. Don’t forget to discuss specific details from the book! ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Rubric: 1 = Please read thoughtfully Ideas - Thoughtful reflection that incorporates specific textual evidence - Answers the question completely and thoughtfully - Makes insightful statements and observations by drawing on text 1 2 3 2 = Almost There Organization - Paragraphs are used effectively - Transitional words and phrases help ideas to flow smoothly - Ideas are written about in a logical order - The ideas are easy to follow due to the response’s solid organization 1 2 3 3 = Excellent Grammar/Mechanics - Fragments & run-ons are avoided - Capitalization is used correctly - Punctuation is used correctly - Spelling and common usage errors are minimal - Student demonstrates mastery of grade-level grammar proficiency 1 2 3 Reading Journal Name: Class: Date: It’s what you read when you don’t have to that determines what you will be when you can’t help it. – Oscar Wilde Directions: Reflect on the part of your novel you have just read. Then, in organized paragraphs, respond to the following prompt. Make sure you use an abundance of textual evidence to support your answer. Feel free to use an additional sheet of paper to brainstorm or to extend your response. Prompt 10: What one word captures the significance of the part of your book that you just finished reading? (This word doesn’t necessarily have to come from the story.) ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Rubric: 1 = Please read thoughtfully Ideas - Thoughtful reflection that incorporates specific textual evidence - Answers the question completely and thoughtfully - Makes insightful statements and observations by drawing on text 1 2 3 2 = Almost There Organization - Paragraphs are used effectively - Transitional words and phrases help ideas to flow smoothly - Ideas are written about in a logical order - The ideas are easy to follow due to the response’s solid organization 1 2 3 3 = Excellent Grammar/Mechanics - Fragments & run-ons are avoided - Capitalization is used correctly - Punctuation is used correctly - Spelling and common usage errors are minimal - Student demonstrates mastery of grade-level grammar proficiency 1 2 3 Reading Journal Name: Class: Date: Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers. – Charles William Elliot Directions: Reflect on the part of your novel you have just read. Then, in organized paragraphs, respond to the following prompt. Make sure you use an abundance of textual evidence to support your answer. Feel free to use an additional sheet of paper to brainstorm or to extend your response. Prompt 11: What three #hashtags best apply to your novel right now? Why? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Rubric: 1 = Please read thoughtfully Ideas - Thoughtful reflection that incorporates specific textual evidence - Answers the question completely and thoughtfully - Makes insightful statements and observations by drawing on text 1 2 3 2 = Almost There Organization - Paragraphs are used effectively - Transitional words and phrases help ideas to flow smoothly - Ideas are written about in a logical order - The ideas are easy to follow due to the response’s solid organization 1 2 3 3 = Excellent Grammar/Mechanics - Fragments & run-ons are avoided - Capitalization is used correctly - Punctuation is used correctly - Spelling and common usage errors are minimal - Student demonstrates mastery of grade-level grammar proficiency 1 2 3 Reading Journal Name: Class: Date: Until I feared to lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing. – Harper Lee Directions: Reflect on the part of your novel you have just read. Then, in organized paragraphs, respond to the following prompt. Make sure you use an abundance of textual evidence to support your answer. Feel free to use an additional sheet of paper to brainstorm or to extend your response. Prompt 12: What would the main character’s current diary entry look like? Write one from his or her point of view. In it, make sure the main character is providing insight about what is happening in the story currently. Caution: Do not simply summarize the book from the character’s point of view. ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Rubric: 1 = Please read thoughtfully Ideas - Thoughtful reflection that incorporates specific textual evidence - Answers the question completely and thoughtfully - Makes insightful statements and observations by drawing on text 1 2 3 2 = Almost There Organization - Paragraphs are used effectively - Transitional words and phrases help ideas to flow smoothly - Ideas are written about in a logical order - The ideas are easy to follow due to the response’s solid organization 1 2 3 3 = Excellent Grammar/Mechanics - Fragments & run-ons are avoided - Capitalization is used correctly - Punctuation is used correctly - Spelling and common usage errors are minimal - Student demonstrates mastery of grade-level grammar proficiency 1 2 3 Reading Journal Name: Class: Date: Let Us Read, and let us dance; these two amusements will never do any harm to the world. – Voltaire Directions: Reflect on the part of your novel you have just read. Then, in organized paragraphs, respond to the following prompt. Make sure you use an abundance of textual evidence to support your answer. Feel free to use an additional sheet of paper to brainstorm or to extend your response. Prompt 13: Let’s talk Pinterest. People’s Pinterest boards reflect their interests, hobbies, occupations, personalities, and values. If one of your main characters had a Pinterest account, what boards would he or she have, and why? Make sure to discuss specific textual details in your response. ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Rubric: 1 = Please read thoughtfully Ideas - Thoughtful reflection that incorporates specific textual evidence - Answers the question completely and thoughtfully - Makes insightful statements and observations by drawing on text 1 2 3 2 = Almost There Organization - Paragraphs are used effectively - Transitional words and phrases help ideas to flow smoothly - Ideas are written about in a logical order - The ideas are easy to follow due to the response’s solid organization 1 2 3 3 = Excellent Grammar/Mechanics - Fragments & run-ons are avoided - Capitalization is used correctly - Punctuation is used correctly - Spelling and common usage errors are minimal - Student demonstrates mastery of grade-level grammar proficiency 1 2 3 Reading Journal Name: Class: Date: Think before you speak. Read before you think. – Fran Lebowitz Directions: Reflect on the part of your novel you have just read. Then, in organized paragraphs, respond to the following prompt. Make sure you use an abundance of textual evidence to support your answer. Feel free to use an additional sheet of paper to brainstorm or to extend your response. Prompt 14: Describe a meme that best applies to the last part of your novel that you read. In your discussion of this meme, make sure to mention what picture would be included as well as what text. Make sure to be specific about the textual details that relate to this meme. Also, this meme should apply to more than one event in your novel. Perhaps it’s a statement related to the theme, overall plot, a character’s weakness, or some other element that allows for discussion of the book as a whole. Feel free to draw the meme on a separate sheet of paper. ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Rubric: 1 = Please read thoughtfully Ideas - Thoughtful reflection that incorporates specific textual evidence - Answers the question completely and thoughtfully - Makes insightful statements and observations by drawing on text 1 2 3 2 = Almost There Organization - Paragraphs are used effectively - Transitional words and phrases help ideas to flow smoothly - Ideas are written about in a logical order - The ideas are easy to follow due to the response’s solid organization 1 2 3 3 = Excellent Grammar/Mechanics - Fragments & run-ons are avoided - Capitalization is used correctly - Punctuation is used correctly - Spelling and common usage errors are minimal - Student demonstrates mastery of grade-level grammar proficiency 1 2 3 Reading Journal Name: Class: Date: Many people, myself among them, feel better at the mere sight of a book. – Jane Smiley Directions: Reflect on the part of your novel you have just read. Then, in organized paragraphs, respond to the following prompt. Make sure you use an abundance of textual evidence to support your answer. Feel free to use an additional sheet of paper to brainstorm or to extend your response. Prompt 15: Think about the author’s writing style. How does he or she include enough detail to help you visualize what is happening? Which parts of the book have come to life in your mind most? As you read, are you watching a movie that plays in your head? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Rubric: 1 = Please read thoughtfully Ideas - Thoughtful reflection that incorporates specific textual evidence - Answers the question completely and thoughtfully - Makes insightful statements and observations by drawing on text 1 2 3 2 = Almost There Organization - Paragraphs are used effectively - Transitional words and phrases help ideas to flow smoothly - Ideas are written about in a logical order - The ideas are easy to follow due to the response’s solid organization 1 2 3 3 = Excellent Grammar/Mechanics - Fragments & run-ons are avoided - Capitalization is used correctly - Punctuation is used correctly - Spelling and common usage errors are minimal - Student demonstrates mastery of grade-level grammar proficiency 1 2 3 Reading Journal Name: Class: Date: There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them. – Joseph Brodsky Directions: Reflect on the part of your novel you have just read. Then, in organized paragraphs, respond to the following prompt. Make sure you use an abundance of textual evidence to support your answer. Feel free to use an additional sheet of paper to brainstorm or to extend your response. Prompt 16: In order, write about ten memorable events that have occurred in your book so far. If you are not far enough in your novel to write about ten memorable events, then at least write about ten average events. This is a sequencing prompt, so recalling events in order is the goal. ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Rubric: 1 = Please read thoughtfully Ideas - Thoughtful reflection that incorporates specific textual evidence - Answers the question completely and thoughtfully - Makes insightful statements and observations by drawing on text 1 2 3 2 = Almost There Organization - Paragraphs are used effectively - Transitional words and phrases help ideas to flow smoothly - Ideas are written about in a logical order - The ideas are easy to follow due to the response’s solid organization 1 2 3 3 = Excellent Grammar/Mechanics - Fragments & run-ons are avoided - Capitalization is used correctly - Punctuation is used correctly - Spelling and common usage errors are minimal - Student demonstrates mastery of grade-level grammar proficiency 1 2 3 Reading Journal Name: Class: Date: No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally – and often far more – worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond. – C.S. Lewis Directions: Reflect on the part of your novel you have just read. Then, in organized paragraphs, respond to the following prompt. Make sure you use an abundance of textual evidence to support your answer. Feel free to use an additional sheet of paper to brainstorm or to extend your response. Prompt 17: Main characters are often likable. Think about what qualities make someone a friend. Then, evaluate one of the main characters in terms of their “likability factor.” ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Rubric: 1 = Please read thoughtfully Ideas - Thoughtful reflection that incorporates specific textual evidence - Answers the question completely and thoughtfully - Makes insightful statements and observations by drawing on text 1 2 3 2 = Almost There Organization - Paragraphs are used effectively - Transitional words and phrases help ideas to flow smoothly - Ideas are written about in a logical order - The ideas are easy to follow due to the response’s solid organization 1 2 3 3 = Excellent Grammar/Mechanics - Fragments & run-ons are avoided - Capitalization is used correctly - Punctuation is used correctly - Spelling and common usage errors are minimal - Student demonstrates mastery of grade-level grammar proficiency 1 2 3 Reading Journal Name: Class: Date: Books are the plane, the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home. – Anna Quindlen Directions: Reflect on the part of your novel you have just read. Then, in organized paragraphs, respond to the following prompt. Make sure you use an abundance of textual evidence to support your answer. Feel free to use an additional sheet of paper to brainstorm or to extend your response. Prompt 18: Make some detailed predictions about what is going to happen in your novel next. Make sure to base your predictions off of textual evidence from your novel. Think about clues the author has provided, what you know about the characters, and what has already happened. ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Rubric: 1 = Please read thoughtfully Ideas - Thoughtful reflection that incorporates specific textual evidence - Answers the question completely and thoughtfully - Makes insightful statements and observations by drawing on text 1 2 3 2 = Almost There Organization - Paragraphs are used effectively - Transitional words and phrases help ideas to flow smoothly - Ideas are written about in a logical order - The ideas are easy to follow due to the response’s solid organization 1 2 3 3 = Excellent Grammar/Mechanics - Fragments & run-ons are avoided - Capitalization is used correctly - Punctuation is used correctly - Spelling and common usage errors are minimal - Student demonstrates mastery of grade-level grammar proficiency 1 2 3 Reading Journal Name: Class: Date: Reading one book is like eating one potato chip. – Diane Duane Directions: Reflect on the part of your novel you have just read. Then, in organized paragraphs, respond to the following prompt. Make sure you use an abundance of textual evidence to support your answer. Feel free to use an additional sheet of paper to brainstorm or to extend your response. Prompt 19: Let’s get musical. Think about your book as a whole (or at least what you’ve read so far). What song would make the perfect anthem for this novel? Explain your choice in detail. ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Rubric: 1 = Please read thoughtfully Ideas - Thoughtful reflection that incorporates specific textual evidence - Answers the question completely and thoughtfully - Makes insightful statements and observations by drawing on text 1 2 3 2 = Almost There Organization - Paragraphs are used effectively - Transitional words and phrases help ideas to flow smoothly - Ideas are written about in a logical order - The ideas are easy to follow due to the response’s solid organization 1 2 3 3 = Excellent Grammar/Mechanics - Fragments & run-ons are avoided - Capitalization is used correctly - Punctuation is used correctly - Spelling and common usage errors are minimal - Student demonstrates mastery of grade-level grammar proficiency 1 2 3 Reading Journal Name: Class: Date: Reading one book is like eating one potato chip. – Diane Duane Directions: Reflect on the part of your novel you have just read. Then, in organized paragraphs, respond to the following prompt. Make sure you use an abundance of textual evidence to support your answer. Feel free to use an additional sheet of paper to brainstorm or to extend your response. Prompt 20: Symbols are important. They encourage us to peel back layers of meaning and think at a deeper level. If you had to select one object that represents your novel, what would it be? Talk about how this object symbolizes your book, and in your response, don’t forget to tie in plenty of textual evidence. ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Rubric: 1 = Please read thoughtfully Ideas - Thoughtful reflection that incorporates specific textual evidence - Answers the question completely and thoughtfully - Makes insightful statements and observations by drawing on text 1 2 3 2 = Almost There Organization - Paragraphs are used effectively - Transitional words and phrases help ideas to flow smoothly - Ideas are written about in a logical order - The ideas are easy to follow due to the response’s solid organization 1 2 3 3 = Excellent Grammar/Mechanics - Fragments & run-ons are avoided - Capitalization is used correctly - Punctuation is used correctly - Spelling and common usage errors are minimal - Student demonstrates mastery of grade-level grammar proficiency 1 2 3
