Reading Response Journals
Mrs. Terry
Language Arts
Reading Texts and Materials
7th Grade
• “Seventh Grade” by Gary
Soto
• Poetry collection websites
• Various picture books
• Song lyrics
• The Twilight Zone on
Hulu.com
8th Grade
• “The Story of an Hour” by
Kate Chopin
• “All the Years of Her Life” by
Morley Callaghan
• Poetry collection websites
• Various picture books
• Song lyrics
• The Twilight Zone on
Hulu.com
Lesson 1 Objective
• By the end of the lesson, each student will be
able to connect information and events in the
story to their own experiences in a response
journal entry that will be evaluated using a
standards-based rubric.
• AZ State Standard: Reading 1.6.5 and 1.6.7
Lesson 1 Materials
7th Grade
• “Seventh Grade” by Gary
Soto
• Reading Response Journal
and Standards-Based rubric
handouts
• Composition Books
8th Grade
• “The Story of an Hour” by
Kate Chopin
• Dialectic Journal and
Standards-Based Rubric
handouts
• Composition Books
7th Grade, Lesson 1 Opener
Respond to one of the following prompts in your composition book:
• Option 1: Think back to your first day of seventh
grade. How did you feel? What did you think?
What happened? How have you changed since
then?
• Option 2: Have you ever done anything to
impress a boy or a girl you liked? What did you
do? Did it work?
• Option 3: Write about a time you felt
embarrassed. What happened and how did you
get over it?
8th Grade Lesson 1 Opener
Respond to the following prompt in your composition book:
• Have you ever felt like your parents, teachers,
society, etc. limit your choices? Do you feel
like you should be given more freedom and
respect? Or do you feel like you are treated
appropriately for your age and maturity level?
Should our society change the way we
perceive and treat teenagers? Why or why
not? Can you think of any specific examples
from your personal experience to support
your ideas?
Lesson 1 Instructional Content
• Discuss opening activity
• Read the story
• During reading: point out areas that students
may relate to/connect with.
• Ask questions to help students make
connections.
• Post reading: model journaling process
(examples on the following slides)
7th Grade Journal Example 1.6.5
Text
“In homeroom, roll was taken,
emergency cards were passed
out, and they were given a
bulletin to take home to their
parents. The principal, Mr.
Belton, spoke over the crackling
loudspeaker, welcoming the
students to a new year, new
experiences, and new friendships.
The students squirmed in their
chairs and ignored him”
(Soto, 12).
Standard 1.6.5
Response
I chose this passage because
Victor’s homeroom experience
reminds me of the first day of
school this year. Even though
Victor is describing it from a
student’s perspective, I can relate
to the chaos and the excitement
of the first day of school, even as
a teacher. My students often
wiggle and squirm in their seats
and ignore me when I’m talking. I
don’t take it personally; I know
that they are just nervous and
excited.
8th Grade Journal Example 1.6.5
Text
“There would be no one to live
for during those coming years;
she would live for herself. There
would be no powerful will
bending hers…” (Chopin, 2)
Standard 1.6.5
Response
I connect to this story because as
a teenager, I too often feel
restricted by my parents and
society. Mrs. Mallard is repressed
by her husband and the
expectations for women at this
time. She is forced to stay at
home to fulfill her domestic
duties. She is essentially living
the way someone else wants her
to live. Even though I know that
it is usually in my best interest, I
sometimes feel repressed by the
expectations and limits imposed
on me.
Lesson 2 Objective
• By the end of the lesson, each student will be
able to describe a character from the story in
their reading response journals based on the
thoughts, words and actions of the character,
the narrator’s description of the character,
and the thoughts, words and actions of other
characters in the story. Responses will be
evaluated using a standards-based rubric.
• AZ State Standard: Reading 2.1.3 and 1.6.7
Lesson 2 Materials
7th Grade
• “Seventh Grade” by Gary
Soto
• Reading Response Journal
and Standards-Based rubric
handouts
• Composition Books
8th Grade
• “All the Years of Her Life” by
Morley Callaghan
• Dialectic Journal and
Standards-Based Rubric
handouts
• Composition Books
Lesson 2 Opener
• Answer the following question in your
composition book:
• After reading the story, what are 10 things you
can tell me about the protagonist? Go beyond
physical description and tell me about the
character’s personality, thoughts, feelings, etc.
Opening Activity
• Get out your character bubble map for Victor
• Choose three of your descriptive adjectives
• Find a quote from the story to support each of
the three adjectives that you chose.
• Write them next to or below your bubble
map.
• If you know the difference, label each quote
either “direct” or “indirect” characterization.
Lesson 2 Instructional Content
• Discuss opener, asking students to find evidence
from the story to support their claims about the
character.
• Go over characterization notes in the slides that
follow.
• Discuss whether the textual evidence that they
found to support their claims was direct or indirect.
• Discuss whether they believe the character is
dynamic or static.
• Model the journaling process.
Lesson 2 Characterization
• Characterization is the process by which the
writer reveals the personality of a character.
Characterization is revealed through direct
characterization and indirect characterization.
Types of Characterization
Direct Characterization tells the
audience what the personality of
the character is.
Example: “The patient boy and
quiet girl were both well
mannered and did not disobey
their mother.”
Explanation: The author is
directly telling the audience the
personality of these two children.
The boy is “patient” and the girl is
“quiet.”
•
•
•
•
•
Indirect Characterization shows
things that reveal the personality
of a character in the following
ways:
The things they say
The things they do
Through their thoughts
How they look
The way other characters react
to them
Types of Characters
Characters experience varying amounts of change
over the course of a story.
• Static characters that do not experience basic
character changes during the course of the story.
• Dynamic characters that experience changes
throughout the plot of a story. Although the change
may be sudden, it is expected based on the story’s
events.
A story’s characters fall within a range—from very static
characters that experience no change to very dynamic
characters that undergo one or more major changes.
7th Grade Journal Example 2.1.3
Text
“Great rosebushes of red
bloomed on Victor’s cheeks. A
river of nervous sweat ran down
his palms. He felt awful. Teresa
sat a few desks away, no doubt
thinking he was a fool. Without
looking at Mr. Bueller, Victor
mumbled, “Frenchie oh wewe
gee in September” (Soto, 17)
Standard 2.1.3
Response
This is an example of indirect
char. The first thing this passage
tells us about Victor is that he
obviously doesn’t know French.
It also shows that he gets nervous
very easily, especially around
Teresa, the girl he has a crush on.
In this scene, Victor is trying to
impress Teresa by pretending to
be something he’s not. This
shows us that he is willing to risk
embarrassment to get her
attention. This behavior seems
pretty normal for a teenaged boy
with his first crush.
8th Grade Journal Example 2.1.3
Text
“When she reached out and lifted
the kettle to pour hot water in
her cup, her hand trembled and
the water splashed on the stove.
Leaning back in the chair, she
sighed and lifted the cup to her
lips”
(Callaghan, 3).
Standard 2.1.3
Response
This passage shows that Mrs.
Higgins has been aged by caring
for her children and dealing with
their problems.
When she leans back in her chair
and sighs, she is thinking about all
of the times that she has had to
help her children and be strong
for them. Even though she acted
so calm and confident in the drug
store, when she is alone here and
her hand trembles, it shows that
she is actually very worried and
anxious about her son’s future.
Lesson 3 Objective
• By the end of the lesson, each student will be
able to identify the point of view of the story
and analyze this perspective in a reading
response journal entry that will be evaluated
using a standards-based rubric.
• AZ State Standard: Reading 2.1.4 and 1.6.7
Types of Point of View
Objective Point of View
With the objective point of view, the writer tells what happens without stating more than
can be inferred from the story's action and dialogue. The narrator never discloses
anything about what the characters think or feel, remaining a detached observer.
Third Person Point of View
Here the narrator does not participate in the action of the story as one of the characters,
but lets us know exactly how the characters feel. We learn about the characters through
this outside voice.
First Person Point of View
In the first person point of view, the narrator does participate in the action of the story.
When reading stories in the first person, we need to realize that what the narrator is
recounting might not be the objective truth. We should question the trustworthiness of
the accounting.
Omniscient and Limited Omniscient Points of View
A narrator who knows everything about all the characters is all knowing, or omniscient.
A narrator whose knowledge is limited to one character, either major or minor, has a
limited omniscient point of view.
As you read a piece of fiction think about these things:
How does the point of view affect your responses to the characters? How is your
response influenced by how much the narrator knows and how objective he or she is?
First person narrators are not always trustworthy. It is up to you to determine what is the
truth and what is not.
8th Grade Journal Example 2.1.4
Text
“While Sam Carr smiled and
stroked the side of his face very
delicately with the tips of his
fingers, Alfred began to feel that
familiar terror growing in him
that had been in him every time
he had got into such trouble”
(Callaghan, 1).
Standard 2.1.4
Response
This passage demonstrates the thirdperson limited point of view that is
used in the story. The story is told by
an outside narrator who knows only
the thoughts and feelings of Alfred.
We only learn about Sam Carr and
Mrs. Higgins through their actions (as
shown here in the text), the things
they say, and the thoughts that Alfred
has about them. They are developed
indirectly, while Alfred’s character is
developed both indirectly and
directly (shown here). This method is
effective because it allows us to see
and understand Alfred’s epiphany
about his mother and his childhood.
7th Grade Journal Example 2.1.4
Text
“Oh please, don’t say anything, Victor pleaded
with his eyes. I’ll wash your car, mow your
lawn, walk your dog--anything! I'll be
Your best student, and I’ll clean your
erasers after school. Mr. Bueller
shuffled through the papers on his
desk, He smiled and hummed as he
sat down to work. He remembered
his college years when he dated a
girlfriend in borrowed cars. She
thought he was rich because each time he
picked her up he had a different car. It was
fun until he had spent all his money on her
and had to write home to his parents because
he was broke” (Soto, 7). Standard 2.1.4
Response
This passage demonstrates the thirdperson omniscient point of view of the
story. The narrator knows the thoughts
and feelings of Victor, who is worried that
Mr. Bueller will say something in front of
Teresa about his terrible attempt at
pretending to know French. We also
know the feelings of Mr. Bueller, who is
sympathetic to what Victor is going
through. This point of view is effective
because even though the focus of the
story is Victor, this scene also tells us a lot
about Mr. Bueller. The reader, and Victor
discover that he is a pretty good guy who
understands what his students are going
through. So while 7th grade can seem so
scary, Victor learns that it isn’t all bad.
Lesson 4 Objective
• By the end of the lesson, each student will be
able to identify and explain various examples
of figurative language in their reading
response journals. Responses will be
evaluated using a standards-based rubric.
• AZ State Standard: Reading 1.4.4
Figurative Language Scavenger
Hunt
Go to the following website:
http://www.dowlingcentral.com/MrsD/area/literatur
e/LitTerms.html
Read and review the definitions and examples for the
following terms. Then take the quiz at the bottom of
each page.
alliteration, allusion, assonance, hyperbole, imagery
irony, metaphor, onomatopoeia, personification
simile
Scavenger Hunt, continued…
Peruse poetry websites and read several poems.
As you read the poems, look for examples of the types of
figurative language listed in the previous slide.
You will need to find at least five examples. Write these
examples in your composition book.
List the five examples that you have found in responsejournal format. See the example on the following
slide.
Please remember that in your journals, you must find
examples from your independent reading book.
Journal Example 1.4.4
Text
“Hold fast to dreams,
for if dreams die,
life is a broken-winged bird
that cannot fly.”
(From “Dreams”
by Langston Hughes)
Response
This is a metaphor,
comparing a dream that has
been forgotten to a bird
with a broken wing. Just as
the bird with the broken
wing cannot fly, a person
without a dream to believe
in and work toward cannot
rise above life’s challenges.
Homework:
• Using the examples you have been shown,
Write your own journal entries for the book
that you are reading independently.
• Journal Due Dates:
Hours 3,5,6- September 27
Hours 2,4- October 8
You are welcome to turn in your journals early so that you
have time to revise before the end of the quarter.
Lesson 4 Check for Understanding
• Please get out your figurative language
examples from the computer lab. Choose one
example to share with the class.
• Bonus (candy), share one of the figurative
language examples that you wrote in response
to a work of art. Be prepared to tell us the
name of the painting and describe the picture
you chose.
Lesson 5 Opener
• Read the picture book that is on your table as
a group. As you read, think about conflict.
• When you are finished, discuss the conflicts in
the story with your group.
• Select someone to write down the title of the
book and list all of the conflicts that you
found. This can be done in your comp. book.
• In addition, find passages from the text that
demonstrate this conflict.
• Be prepared to share.
Lesson 5 Instructional Content
Types of Conflict
Internal
External
• A struggle that takes place in a
character's mind is called internal
conflict. For example, a character
may have to decide between right
and wrong or between two
solutions to a problem.
Sometimes, a character must deal
with his or her own mixed
feelings or emotions.
•
• Person vs. Self
•
•
•
•
A struggle between a character and
an outside force is an external
conflict. Characters may face several
types of outside forces. The outside
force may be another character. It
may be the character and the
community. The outside force may
also be forces of nature. For example,
a story might be the main character
struggling against the arctic cold.
Person vs. Person
Person vs. Nature
Person vs. Society
Person vs. _______
Text for Plot
“He smiled back and said, “Yeah, that’s me.”
His brown face blushed. Why hadn’t he said
“Hi, Teresa,” or “How was your summer?” or
something nice?” (Soto 13).
Response for Plot
This passage demonstrates an internal conflict. Victor reacts to Teresa’s
friendly salutation with an awkward and nervous response. He
immediately blushes with embarrassment and gets angry with himself for
saying something so lame. This incident, and many other embarrassing
moments in the story contribute to Victor’s lack of confidence and negative
perception of 7th grade.
This conflict is resolved at the end of the story when Teresa asks him to
help her with her French. Victor realizes that even though he felt
humiliated and frustrated, Teresa either hadn’t noticed, cared, or perhaps
thought it was flattering. Regardless, she seems to like Victor for who he
is. Through Victor’s experiences, we learn that it is human nature to
sometimes do and say things that are awkward or embarrassing, but it is
how we respond to these situations that can help us develop selfconfidence and the ability to laugh at ourselves.
Journal Example 2.1.1
Text
Response
• “But now she really had me
thinking about it. I began to
wonder: suppose I won’t like
sleeping without my teddy bear.
Suppose I just hate sleeping
without my teddy bear. Should I
take him?”
(from “Ira Sleeps Over” by
Bernard Waber).
• This passage demonstrates an
internal conflict (person vs.
self)as Ira tries to decide whether
or not he will be able to survive
his first sleep over without his
teddy bear. Ira eventually decides
to go without his bear, but after
being scared and finding out that
his friend also has a bear, he goes
home to get him. Ira learns that
he is not alone and that he
shouldn’t worry so much about
what other people think.
Journal Example 2.1.1
Text
• “We’ve got to get out of
here, he croaked… Take us
back, take us back! Eddie
quacked. I don’t want to be
a bird! I’d rather mop
floors!” (from “Hey, Al” by
Arthur Yorkins and Richard
Egielski).
Response
• This passage demonstrates
the conflict person vs.
society because Eddie and
Al don’t want to be birds,
and to be a part of the
paradise society, they have
to be birds. They eventually
decide that they would
rather be themselves than
change who they are to fit
into society. Even if it
means losing paradise.
Journal Example 2.1.1
Text
Example
• “Now Henry had had his fill, that
night he grumbled never will, live
like the rest of them neat and the
same, I am sorry I came” (from
“Old Henry” by Joan W. Blos).
• This passage is an example of a
person vs. society conflict.
Henry’s neighbors want him to
keep his yard as neat and clean as
theirs, but Henry doesn’t like his
yard that way. To try to solve his
problem, Henry moves away, but
he misses his home and his
neighbors, so he decides to
compromise and conform to his
neighbors’ expectations.
Lesson 6 Objective
• By the end of the lesson, each student will be
able to draw conclusions and make inferences
in their reading response journals that will
help them interpret text. Responses will be
evaluated using a standards-based rubric.
• AZ State Standard: Reading 1.6.7
Lesson 6 Opener
• Answer the following questions in your
composition book, be ready to discuss:
1. What does it mean to infer?
2. What is an inference?
3. What is foreshadowing?
4. What is suspense?
5. How does a writer create suspense?
Lesson 6 Instructional Content
1. To infer (verb) is to draw a conclusion or make a logical
judgment on the basis of textual evidence.
2. an inference (noun) is that conclusion or judgment.
3. Foreshadowing is when an author provides clues for the
reader to help them predict (or infer) what might occur later
on in the story.
4. Suspense is a feeling of uncertainty and anxiety about the
outcome of events in a story.
5. Writers create suspense in a number of ways: through
their description of setting, foreshadowing, their choice of
narrator (POV), their characterization, and the way they
develop the plot of the story.
Lesson 6 Guided Practice
• Students will view “The Waxworks,” an
episode in the television series Alfred
Hitchcock Presents.
• The teacher will pause the show at various
times in the movie to ask students the
questions on the following slides.
• After the show, we will discuss the questions
and complete a sample reading-response
journal entry for standard 1.6.7.
Please answer in your comp. book:
1. Describe the setting of this scene in one or
two complete sentences.
2. How does this setting make you feel? In
other words, how does the setting affect the
mood of the story?
3. List one example of foreshadowing that you
have seen so far in the show.
4. What do you infer will happen next?
“Eye of the Beholder” Strategies
Text
“Miss Janet Tyler, who lives
in a very private world of
darkness, a universe whose
dimensions are the size,
thickness, length of a swath
of bandages that cover her
face” (Twilight Zone).
Response
• This quote foreshadows Janet’s
future life of isolation and
seclusion from the mainstream
society. It also indicates that her
future, just like her outlook from
within her bandages, is very dark
and bleak. The author also uses
the bandages metaphorically to
suggest that this society has
limited their perception of beauty
to conform to unattainable
standards.
“Eye of the Beholder” Theme
Text
• Janet Tyler: Mr. Smith?
Walter Smith: Yes?
Janet Tyler: Why do we have to
look like this?
Walter Smith: I don't know, Miss
Tyler, I really don't know. But you
know something? it doesn't
matter. There's an old saying, a
very, very old saying: "Beauty is in
the eye of the beholder". When
we leave here, when we go to the
village, try to think of that, Miss
Tyler. Say it over and over to
yourself. "Beauty is in the eye of
the beholder".
Response
• See next slide
Response
• This society’s perception of beauty is very different from ours. When
Janet asks Walter why they look the way they do, she shows that she has
been the victim of intense discrimination based on her appearance. The
fact that they must live in a village with “their own kind,” further
emphasizes this discrimination. In this story, the author suggests that
beauty is a subjective and culturally defined concept, and that there is no
absolute definition. When the doctor risks his job, freedom and
reputation to question the norms of his society, and acknowledges that
Janet’s true beauty comes from within, the author is sending us the
message that beauty is only skin deep and it is overrated in our own
society.
Journal Example 1.6.7
Text
“This is the young man that
you had an encounter with
a little while ago. His name
is Bourdette, or was…this
fellow was executed this
morning and so obliged us
in the nick of time. He was
a barber by day, and a
murderer by night, and
always with a razor.
(from Alfred Hitchcock
Presents “The Waxwork”).
Response
I believe that this passage
may be an example of
foreshadowing. From this
passage, I infer that the
statue of Bourdette will be a
part of the story later.
Perhaps his figure will come
alive and murder Mr.
Houston with a razor.
Journal Example 1.6.7
Text
• “He had extraordinary eyes,
a point which was not lost
on the jury. According to
the evidence at the trial, he
was said to hypnotize his
victims [eyes move]” (from
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
“The Waxwork”).
Response
• This passage is an example
of foreshadowing.
Bourdette was known to
mesmerize his victims with
his eyes. Later in the story,
the reader is made to
believe that Bourdette
hypnotized Mr. Houston,
but we later learn that he
was really just a victim of
his own overactive
imagination.
Lesson 7 Objective
• By the end of the lesson, each student will be
able to analyze the relevance of setting to the
mood and tone of the novel they are reading
in their reading response journals. Responses
will be evaluated using a standards-based
rubric.
• AZ State Standard: Reading 2.1.5
Lesson 7 Opener
• How does setting affect the mood of the
story?
• Fill in the blanks on the following slides with
setting details (time, place, description) that
you would expect to find for the given genres
(types, styles) of fiction.
Instructions:
Fill in the
blanks with
setting
details
(time, place,
description)
that you
would
expect to
find for the
given
genres
(types,
styles) of
fiction.
Lesson 7 Instructional Content
Setting: In fiction, setting includes the time, location,
and everything in which a story takes place, and
initiates the main backdrop and mood for a story.
Consider the setting of the murderers den in “The
Waxwork” (look at what you wrote yesterday for
question #2).
How does this setting make you feel? In other
words, how does the setting affect the mood and
tone of the story?
Lesson 7 Instructional Content
• The 7th & 8th grade standard for setting states:
“The student will analyze the relevance of the
setting to the mood and tone of the text.”
• This is a very challenging standard that
involves high-level thinking!
• In order to do this, you must be able to
recognize the difference between mood and
tone.
Mood vs. Tone
• The author’s tone sets the reader’s mood.
• Mood: the feeling created in the reader,
evoked through the language of the text.
• Tone: the attitude the writer takes toward the
subject, the characters, or the audience.
• The 7th & 8th grade standard for setting states:
“The student will analyze the relevance of the
setting to the mood and tone of the text.”
This is a very challenging standard that involves highlevel thinking!
Mood is the feeling created in the reader,
evoked through the language of the text :
Calm
Depressing
Cheerful
Dismal
Chilling
Eerie
Comical
Fanciful
Gloomy
Grim
Grotesque
Heart-breaking Heartrending
Holy
Hopeful
Horrific
Intense
Joyful
Light
Lighthearted
Melancholic
Morbid
Mournful
Mysterious
Ominous
Optimistic
Pessimistic
Powerful
Romantic
Sad
Sinister
Soothing
Sorrowful
Spiritual
Spooky
Terrifying
Threatening
Tranquil
Whimsical
Dark
Foreboding
TONE describes the author’s attitude toward his/her subject.
The attitude may be stated in so many words or implied. Diction is a key to tone.
Tones can be (among other things):
affectionate
aggravated
aloof
amused
angry
apathetic
appreciative
approving
arrogant
bitter
calm
celebratory
condescending
contemplative
critical
cynical
despondent
dark
didactic
dejected
disappointed
depressed
disapproving
desperate
disgusted
disinterested
distant
droll
earnest
ecstatic
emphatic
encouraging
enthusiastic
excited
facetious
formal
intense
happy
ironic
haughty
joyful
hurt
lackadaisical
informal
languid
light-hearted
melancholy
melodramatic
nervous
neutral
nonchalant
optimistic
paranoid
passive
patronizing
pessimistic
plaintive
playful
pleading
proud
romantic
sincere
sad
somber
sarcastic
soothing
scornful
superficial
serious
suspicious
sympathetic
uninterested
whimsical
wistful
wry
Mood vs. Tone Example
• Charlie surveyed the classroom of dolts,
congratulating himself for snatching the
higher test grade, the smug smirk on his face
growing brighter and brighter as he confirmed
the inferiority of his peers."
• The character Charlie's MOOD is: gleeful
superiority
• The author's TONE is: exaggerated, somewhat
cynical
Applying this to your Reading
• Select a section of your book that describes
the setting.
• How does this setting make you feel?
• How does this setting affect the mood and
tone of the story?
• Try to use the words mood and tone in your
2.1.5 journal entry.
Journal Example 2.1.5
Text
“It was high summer coming to
fall and Brian was back in the far
reaches of wilderness– or as he
thought of it now, home. East
edge of a small lake, midday,
there would be small fish in the
reeds and lily pads, sunfish and
bluegills, good eating fish… Sun
high overhead, warm on his back
but not hot…”
(from Brian’s Song by Gary
Paulsen, pages 1 and 3)
Response
This setting creates a mood that is
content, peaceful, contemplative and
observant. Brian is taking in his
surroundings and has accepted his
circumstance. The narrator describes
the scene as “high summer” and
“home” with “small fish” and “lily
pads.” These details create a happy
and positive mood. In addition, the
sun is “warm but not hot” creating a
pleasant feeling in the reader. The
narrator seems sincere and in touch
with nature, and his tone (attitude) is
understanding, light-hearted and
content.
Journal Example 2.1.5
Text
“In the Olympic Peninsula of
northwest Washington State, a
small town named Forks exists
under a near-constant cover of
clouds. It rains on this
inconsequential town more than
any other place in the United
States of America. It was from
this town and its gloomy,
omnipresent shade that my
mother escaped with me when I
was only a few months old” (from
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer,
page 3).
Response
This setting creates a dark, grim,
boring, and gloomy mood. The
tone of the passage is cynical,
sarcastic, melodramatic,
pessimistic, apathetic, dark and
condescending. The narrator
describes Forks as
“inconsequential” and “gloomy”
and she compares it to a prison
when she says “my mother
escaped with me.” She obviously
has a very negative perception of
her home town and is reluctant
to return.
Lesson 8 Objective
• By the end of the lesson, each student will be
able to compare and contrast themes from
their novels with themes from other works of
literature in their reading response journals.
Responses will be evaluated using a standardsbased rubric.
• AZ State Standard: Reading 2.1.2
Instructional Content
• Complete and discuss opening activity
• Discuss what a theme is and is not
• Have students find theme within the song
lyrics and discuss
• Define compare and contrast
• Model journaling process
Opener: In your composition book,
describe any theme(s) that you can
remember for the movies below.
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Lion King
Cinderella
Ratatouille
Up
WALL-E
Finding Nemo
Subjects vs. Themes
Subjects
• Family
• Love
• Pain
• Revenge
• Tradition
• Death
• Suffering
• Heartbreak
• Hope
• Freedom
Themes
No matter how long
traditions have been in
place, there is always room
for change.
It is important for people to
remember and recognize
the traditions of their
culture.
What is a theme?
• A theme is the main idea, or message, of an
essay, paragraph, or a book.
• The message may be about life, society, or
human nature.
• Themes often explore timeless and universal
ideas and may be implied rather than stated.
• A theme is considered one of the fundamental
components of fiction.
What is the difference between a
subject and a theme?
Many students get these confused. A subject can be
expressed in a word or two: courage, survival, war, pride, love,
etc. A theme is the idea the author wishes to convey about
the subject. It is expressed in a sentence and is a general
statement about life or human nature.
Subject: Pride
Thematic statement: Pride can be the downfall of the
greatest people.
OR
When not taken to extremes, pride is
necessary for people to be successful.
Subject vs. Theme
In your composition books, brainstorm a
list of all the subjects your novel explores
(examples: love, pride, parentrelationships, magic, war, basketball,
independence, etc.).
How to Write a Thematic Statement
Start with a subject. Choose one that is abstract (love, jealousy, peace,
friendship, hope) vs. concrete (basketball, school, WWII, dragons) .
Theme is an abstract idea plus a comment or observation which addresses:
human motivation
human condition
human ambition
RULES:
AVOID – clichés– your thematic statement should not sound like a
fortune cookie or the moral of an Aesop’s fable.
INSTEAD – put it into your own words, elaborate, add sophistication
AVOID – absolute words – all, everyone, each, none, always, never, etc…
INSTEAD – sometimes, often, we, adolescents, frequently, etc…
AVOID – specifics of plot, character name and setting
Abstract idea + comment or observation = thematic statement
Thematic Statements
For pop song lyrics
Text
Find one or more lines from
the song to support your
idea
Response
Write the theme of your
song in a one-sentence
thematic statement
Hint: Finding the lyrics first
can help you write the
thematic statement. Focus
on what the author is trying
to tell us in those lyricsWhat is their tone? What is
the message that they are
trying to convey?
Refer to the examples on
the following slides.
Thematic Statements
For pop song lyrics
Text
“I’m a thousand miles away
girl but tonight you look so
pretty… Hey there Delilah,
don’t you worry about the
distance, I’m right here if
you get lonely.”
(from “Hey There Delilah”
by Plain White T’s).
Response
No matter how far away you
are from someone, if you
love them enough, you can
make it work.
Thematic Statements
For pop song lyrics
Text
“My tummy’s turning and
I’m feeling kinda homesick.
Too much pressure and I’m
nervous. That’s when the
DJ dropped my favorite
tune… So I put my hands
up…and the butterflies fly
away.”
(From “Party in the USA” by
Miley Cyrus)
Response
When we are nervous and
feel out of place, letting go
of our fears and focusing on
what is positive in our lives
can change our mood and
our outlook.
Thematic Statements
For pop song lyrics
Text
“You got designer shades to
hide your face and you wear
them around like you’re
cooler than me”
(From “Cooler than Me” by
Mike Posner)
Response
Some people use
materialistic things to hide
their own insecurities. The
way that this character
behaves and is described
suggests that she tries to
make others think that she
is superior, but it really just
a façade.
Thematic Statements
For pop song lyrics
Text
“I know when I compliment
her, she won’t believe me.
And it’s so sad to think she
doesn’t see what I see.”
(from “Just the Way You
Are” by Bruno Mars)
Response
Even if you feel insecure,
there is someone out there
who loves you just the way
you are.
If true love exists between
two people, they will be
beautiful to each other
regardless of how they look
on the outside.
Thematic Statements
For pop song lyrics
Text
“The traffic is stuck and
you’re not moving
anywhere…You’re on the
road, but you’ve got no
destination… It’s a beautiful
day, don’t let it get away.”
(from “Beautiful Day” by
U2)
Response
When we feel like we are
getting nowhere in life, and
when we feel lost and
alone, recognizing and
appreciating the simple
beauty that can be found in
our everyday lives can
change our outlook and get
us back on track.
Thematic Statements
For pop song lyrics
Text
“See the world in green and
blue, see China right in front
of you. See the canyons
broken by cloud… And see
the bird with a leaf in her
mouth, after the flood all
the colors came out. (from
“Beautiful Day” by U2)
Response
If we open our eyes, our
minds, and our hearts, we
will see that the world is full
of hope and beauty.
Thematic Statements
For pop song lyrics
Text
“The wind of change blows
straight into the face of
time, like a storm wind that
will ring the freedom bell
for peace...”
(from “Wind of Change” by
The Scorpions)
Response
Like the wind in a storm,
change is often turbulent,
but with change comes
hope for freedom and
peace.
Thematic Statements
For pop song lyrics
Text
“Take me to the magic of
the moment on a glory
night, where the children of
tomorrow dream away on
the wind of change.”
(from “Wind of Change” by
The Scorpions)
Response
The hopes and dreams of
future generations begin
and end with change.
Homework
• Write at least one thematic statement for your
novel.
• You must also include one or more
lines/passages from your book that
demonstrate this theme.
• Be prepared to read it out loud in class
tomorrow.
Thematic Statement for Ender’s
Game by Orson Scott Card
Text
“Don’t start apologizing for
them Ender. Just because
they didn’t know they were
killing human beings
doesn’t mean they weren’t
killing human beings” (Card,
270).
Response
If people around the world can
communicate with open minds
and open hearts, we can avoid
the atrocities of unnecessary
wars. In this scene, Ender is
starting to realize that the
buggers were not intentionally
killing humans, they were just
trying to protect their queen. If
they could have found a way to
communicate with one another
instead of killing one another,
countless lives would have been
saved.
Compare and Contrast
• Standard 2.1.2 states:
The student will compare and contrast themes
across works of prose, poetry and drama.
• So now that we know how to determine the
theme and write a thematic statement, we
need to take it to the next level.
• To compare is to show how two themes are
the same.
• To contrast is to show how they are different.
Compare and Contrast Themes
• Look at the thematic statement that you
wrote for your novel (last night’s homework).
• Look at the thematic statements that we
wrote for the song lyrics.
• Do any of these themes relate to a theme
from your book? If so, how?
• Tell how these themes are similar and how
they are different.
Journal Example 2.1.2
Response
Text
“…it’s easy to forget why
Earth is worth saving. Why
the world of people might
be worth the price you
pay… So that’s why you
brought me here, to make
me love Earth. Well it
worked” (page 243, Ender’s
Game by Orson Scott Card).
One theme that is common in both
Ender’s Game and the song
“Beautiful Day” by U2 is that when
we feel like we are getting nowhere
in life, and when we feel lost and
alone, recognizing and appreciating
the simple beauty that can be found
in our everyday lives can change our
outlook and get us back on track.
Ender, like the character in this song
feels lost and alone. He has left his
family to attend Battle School, he is
alienated and bullied by his peers,
and he feels like he just wants to give
up. His visit to Earth is a turning
point because it helps him remember
how beautiful it is and that it is worth
fighting for.
Journal Example 2.1.2
Text
“I ain’t making a face, ese.
This is my face.’ Michael
said his face had changed
during the summer. He had
read a GQ magazine… and
noticed that the male
models all had the same
look on their faces… a
scowl” (from “Seventh
Grade” by Gary Soto).
Response
One theme that this story has in
common with the song “Cooler
than Me” by Mike Posner is that
people often do ridiculous things
to look “cool.” Like the character
in the song who uses her designer
sunglasses to hide her face,
Victor’s scowling is probably
masking his own insecurity about
his looks. By emulating the
models, he is trying to be
something he’s not instead of just
accepting and appreciating who
he is and how he looks.
Lesson 9: Vocabulary, Objective
By the end of the lesson, each student will be
able to determine the meaning of unfamiliar
vocabulary words from their independent
reading using roots and affixes, their
knowledge of homonyms, and appropriate
reference resources. Responses will be in the
form of a journal entry that will be evaluated
using a standards-based rubric.
AZ State Standards: 1.4.1, 1.4.3 & 1.4.5
How to infer the meaning of
unfamiliar words
Use context clues:
Murderers are usually incarcerated for longer periods of time
than robbers.
You may infer the meaning of incarcerated by answering the
question "What usually happens to those found guilty of
murder or robbery?“
If you answered that they are locked up in jail, prison, or a
penitentiary, you correctly inferred the meaning of
incarcerated.
More Context Clues
Those who enjoy belonging to clubs, going to parties, and
inviting friends often to their homes for dinner are gregarious.
You may infer the meaning of gregarious by answering the
question "What word or words describe people who belong
to clubs, go to parties a lot, and often invite friends over to
their homes for dinner?“
If you answered social or something like: "people who enjoy
the company of others", you correctly inferred the meaning of
gregarious.
Antonyms
When the meaning of a word is not implied by the general sense of its
context or by examples, it may be implied by an antonym or by a
contrasting thought in a context. Antonyms are words that have opposite
meanings, such as happy and sad. For instance,
Ben is fearless, but his brother is timorous.
You may infer the meaning of timorous by answering the
question "If Ben is fearless and Jim is very different from Ben
with regard to fear, then what word describes Jim?"
If you thought of a word such as timid, or afraid, or fearful,
you inferred the meaning of timorous
Contrasts
A contrast in the following sentence implies the meaning of
credence:
Dad gave credence to my story, but Mom's reaction was one
of total disbelief.
You may infer the meaning of credence by answering the
question "If Mom's reaction was disbelief and Dad's reaction
was very different from Mom's, what was Dad's reaction?“
If you thought that Dad believed the story, you correctly
inferred the meaning of credence; it means "belief."
Vocabulary Journal Sample 1.4.1, 1.4.3. & 1.4.5
from the book Travel Team by Mike Lupica
Word
Page Para#
graph
Student-Created Definition
Dictionary Definition
kamikaze
137
4
This word means fighting in a
suicidal form.
Describes the way soldiers attack
the enemy, knowing that they too
will be killed.
vivid
219
11
This word seems to refer to a
vision.
Producing clear pictures in your
mind.
mutant
86
10
This word describes a nonhuman creature
An inherited physical or biochemical change in genetic
material.
You will need to have 10 words in your vocabulary
journal in order to earn a proficient score.