Independent Reading Project
Students will select a novel of their choice on their reading level. The novel needs to be
fictional so that it contains the story elements we are learning in class.
Along with reading the book, students will complete an interactive reading log.
Students will divide their book into 10 equal sections. For each section, students write
an entry that includes a summary of the most important events in the section and an
interaction with the text. On the back side of this paper is a list of sentence starters for
interactions. See the separate handout for a sample entry.
Interactive reading log assignment is due: __________________________
- I will only check the students’ first entry to make sure they are doing the
assignment correctly. Then it is their responsibility to be working on it and
have it completed by the due date.
Interactive Reading Log Assignment Scoring:
Each entry is worth 10 points.
- 5 points for each summary and 5 points for each interaction = 100 points
Total project is worth 100 points.
I will check the students’ book selection to be sure it is the correct type of novel.
Parents, review your child’s book choice and indicate below that you give permission
for them to read it. Please make sure it is a book they have not read before. Detach
this bottom portion and return to Miss Capal.
_________________________________________________________(student name)
_________________________________________________________(book title)
_________________________________________________________(parent signature)
Sample Interaction Sentence Starters
I really don’t understand the part where…
I really like/dislike this idea because…
This character reminds me of somebody I know because…
This character reminds me of myself because…
I think this setting is important because…
This scene reminds me of a similar one I’ve seen in…
I like/dislike this part because…
This part was very realistic/unrealistic because…
I think the relationship between ____ and ____ is interesting beucase…
This section makes me thing about…
I like/dislike (character name) because…
This situation reminds me of a similar situation in my own life. What happened
was…
If I were (character name) at this point, I would…
I began to think of…
I love the way…
I can’t believe…
I wonder why…
I noticed…
I think…
I’m not sure…
My favorite character is…
I like the way the author…
I felt sad when…
I wish that…
I was surprised when…
It seems like…
I’m not sure…
I want to know more about…
I predict…
Information
Date: 8/31/11
Chapter: 5
Pages Read:
266-276
Interactive Reading Log Example
Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul
Excerpt by: Susan Doenim
Summary
Interaction
There was an unwritten rule at
Monroe High School. Everybody
knew about it, everybody, except
the new girl, Lisa. The rule was,
don’t walk across the quad. The
quad was a large, treeless spare of
concrete in the center of campus.
Even though it would make your
journey quicker to walk across it,
you just didn’t. As Lisa juggled her
heavy load of books she took the
most direct route to her next class,
across the quad. Everyone was
staring, thinking, “what is she
doing?” Then, all of a sudden, she
fell. Laugher ensued from all
around. What happened next
would change Monroe High
forever. A boy walked directly
toward Lisa and helped her up;
everyone watched, speechless.
And from that day on, it was
perfectly acceptable to walk across
the quad.
I wonder how the unwritten rule
came to be. Why didn’t kids walk
across the quad? Why was it such
a big deal?
I felt sad for Lisa when she fell. I’m
always afraid of doing something
embarrassing at school like that.
The boy who helped her reminded
me of a kid I went to high school
with. He did care what people
thought about him; he always did
what he thought was right.
I wish that I could be more like the
boy who helped Lisa. I admire his
strength, compassion, and
kindness.