Name: ________________________________________________________________________
“Flowers for Algernon” Dialectical Journal
Section 1: pages 190 – 201 / Progress Reports 1 – 9 / March 5 – April 20
Page
192
195
196
Quote from Text
Progress Report 3 – March 7
“They said why did you want to. I told them
because all my life I wantid to be smart
and not dumb. But its very hard to be
smart.”
Commentary
Describe Charlie at this point.
Progress Report 7 – March 19
“Nothing is happening…I think writing these
progress reports are stupid too.”
Why is Charlie angry?
Progress Report 8 – March 25
“He said Ernie for godsake what are you
trying to be a Charlie Gordon. I dont
understand why he said that.”
What do you think this means?
(E)
(C) / (E)
(P)
KEY:
(Q) Question
(C) Connect
(P) Predict
(CL) Clarify
(R) Reflect
(E) Evaluate
199
201
Progress Report 9 – April 15
“Then [Miss Kinnian] got something in her
eye and she had to run out to the ladys
room.”
Was something really in her eye? What happened?
Progress Report 9 – April 20
“Now I know what it means when they say
‘to pull a Charlie Gordon.’ I’m ashamed.”
Confirm or disaffirm your prediction from Progress Report 8.
Summary (required):
Questions I Have (optional):
(C) / (R)
(CL)
Section 2: pages 201 – 208 / Progress Reports 10 – 11 / April 21 – May 20
Page
201
Quote from Text
Progress Report 10 – April 21
“Anyway, now I know I’m getting smarter
every day.”
Commentary
Do you think getting smarter will solve Charlie’s problems? Why or why
not?
(P)
204
Progress Report 10 – April 28
“She frowned. ‘I hope…I just hope to God-‘
/ ‘What?’ / ‘Never mind, Charles. I just
hope I wasn’t wrong to advise you to go
into this in the first place.’”
207
Progress Report 11 – May 18
“I am unable to communicate…I am alone
in my apartment at Mrs. Flynn’s boarding
house most of the time and seldom speak
to anyone.”
Summary (required):
Questions I Have (optional):
Section 3: pages 208 – 215 / Progress Report 12 / May 23 – July 28
Page
Quote from Text
Commentary
Summary (required):
Questions I Have (optional):
Rubric
Literal
Reader
Thoughtful
Reader
Connected
Reader
Critical
Reader
Passages
Insight
Reflection
Connection
Summary
5
Passages (quotes) are
well chosen and are
of great significance.
You can “read
between the lines” of
the text.
You think about the
meaning of the text in
terms of a larger or
universal significance,
as aspect of self or life
in general.
You create your own
meaning through
personal connections
and references to
other texts.
Your summary
includes main ideas,
relevant details, and
no elaborative
details. It is briefly
stated in your own
words.
4
Passages (quotes) are
significant to the
analysis of the story.
You can construct a
thoughtful, believable
interpretation of the
text.
You fill in gaps in the
text and show some
ability to make
meaning from what
you read.
You create your own
meaning through
some personal
connections.
Your summary
includes main ideas
and relevant details,
briefly stated in your
own words.
Significance of quotes
is not apparent.
You make
connections to your
own past
experiences, feelings,
or knowledge, but
don’t explain in
enough detail.
You rarely change
your ideas about the
text even after you reread it.
You may agree or
disagree with ideas in
the text, but you
don’t thoroughly
explain or support
your opinions.
Your summary
includes main ideas
and relevant details,
but uses the exact
language of the text.
You don’t reach
beyond the obvious
to make connections
to the text; you make
few or no
connections.
Your summary
includes some main
ideas and relevant
details, but mostly has
elaborative or
insignificant details. It
may use the exact
language of the text.
3
2
Passages (quotes)
lack any real
significance, seem
random.
Your score: ________ / 25
You accept the text
literally without
thinking of different
possibility in meaning.
You may be
confused.
You are reluctant to
change your ideas
about the text, even
after re-reading it.