Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Sometimes you read a book so special that you
want to carry it around with you for months after
you've finished just to stay near it. – Markus
Zusak
Table of Contents
Writer’s Notebook
1
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Assignment
Introduction to the Task
Task Analysis
Samples of Analytical Writing
LDC Essay Rubric
Rubric Translation
Reading Guide – Prologue, Part One
Reading Guide – Parts Two and Three
Reading Guide – Part Four
Reading Guide – Part Five
Reading Guide – Part Six
Reading Guide – Part Seven
Reading Guide – Part Eight
Reading Guide – Part Nine
Reading Guide – Part Ten and Epilogue
Diction Activity
Developing a Thesis
Steps to Crafting Assertions
Selecting Relevant Evidence and Creating Compelling Commentary
Outline/Rough Draft
Page
Number
3
4
5
6
7
8-11
12-14
15-16
17-20
21-22
23-25
26-27
28-29
30-32
33
34-35
36-37
38-39
40-42
Due Date*
TAR
10/10/14
10/13/14
10/13/14
10/14/14
10/14/14
10/20/14
10/29/14
11/3/14
11/5/14
11/10/14
11/12/14
11/17/14
11/19/14
12/1/14
11/21/14
12/3/14
12/4/14
12/5/14
12/8/14
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
*All due dates are approximate and are subject to change, it is the student’s responsibility to keep up with the calendar.
Writer’s Notebook
2
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Introduction to the Task
Directions: Silently and independently answer the essential questions to the best of your ability. Then view the movie
trailer for The Book Thief and brainstorm possible subjects and themes that you think will emerge over the course of the
text.
Essential Questions
1. How can literature give one
power?
2. How can our opinion of an
event change as we
enlighten ourselves though
immersion in literature?
3. What are the dangers of
censorship? How can we
use this understanding to
better protect ourselves?
4. How can we manipulate
language to better express
ourselves and what we
want?
List of Subjects/Topics
Possible Theme Statements
Writer’s Notebook
3
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Task Analysis
Task: Determine and analyze a theme of The Book Thief. Select the literary element (e.g., characters, setting, conflicts,
etc.) or device (e.g., figurative language, symbolism, imagery, etc.) you think most strongly conveys the theme. How is
the theme shaped by the element or device you selected? Write a multi-paragraph analytical essay that examines how a
specific element or device conveys a theme of The Book Thief. Use proper grammar, conventions, spelling, and gradeappropriate words and phrases. Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support the analysis, including direct
quotations and page numbers.
Step 1: Define difficult and academic vocabulary.
Determine
Analyze
Theme
Literary Elements
Literary Device
Analytical
Step 2: Rewrite the prompt in your own words.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Step 3: Switch prompts with your partner and have them critique your version of the prompt in red pen
Name of critic: ___________________________________________
Step 4: Rewrite the prompt in your own words, BE SURE TO INCLUDE THE FEEDBACK FROM YOUR PEER.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Step 5: Who is your audience and what voice should you use?
Audience
Voice
Writer’s Notebook
4
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Samples of Analytical Writing
Setting: A Streetcar Named Desire:
Task – What impact does the historical and geographical location of the play have on the characters and plot?
Sample Response:
The play is set in the 1940s in a post-war society; the rise of the “New South” is taking place and New Orleans has
become a major city because of new industry brought on by the war and the importance of the city’s port. The play works in
New Orleans because, as Williams says, “New Orleans is a cosmopolitan city where there are relatively warm and easy
intermingling of the races” (6). This atmosphere allows for Eunice to share the porch with a negro woman as the play opens.
It also allows for Stella and Stanley to marry even though background is “obviously quite different from that of her husband’s”
(10). Since New Orleans has always had a more laissez-faire attitude towards race, it was the perfect setting for Williams’ play
to make the death of the “Old South.”
Plot Structure: “Jean-ah Poquelin”:
Task – How are the events in the story arranged? Why are they arranged this way?
Sample Response:
The story begins with a brief look back into Jean and Jacques’ lives before they travelled to Guinea; the story then
proceeds in chronological order to take the reader on a journey. The author arranges the story this way to build the mystery
of who Jean Poquelin really is in the minds of the readers to mirror the mystery and confusion the townspeople had about
Poquelin’s character. By excluding the facts of the family history, the author forces the reader to rely only upon the rumors
that circulate the town when evaluating the character of Jean Poquelin. This trick of omission allows readers to make their
own assumptions about Poquelin and determine whether or not they would like to be a part of the mob, that goes to attack
Poquelin, or team up with Little White, in avoiding Poquelin. In conclusion, the author’s structure of the text makes the
reading more interactive and enjoyable for the reader.
Point of View: Almost Innocent:
Task – How does the point of view of the narrator(s) impact the story?
Sample Response:
The two narrators, Felicity and Clay-Lee are used to offer characterization of Clay-Lee’s mother, Constance. Felicity
tells Clay-Lee the history of her mother and father before she was born; Clay-Lee then picks up the story where Felicity leaves
off, by searching back through her memories and evaluating certain experiences from her childhood with a new, mature
perspective. The motivation to tell the story comes from Clay-Lee’s desire to better understand who her mother really was.
Felicity’s purpose is to reveal Constance’s personal history in order to make Clay-Lee understand why her mother betrayed her
father. When Clay-Lee picks up the narration, it seems as if the intended audience is herself. The reader is aware that he is
observing Clay-Lee telling herself the story of her childhood with the added benefit of new information, in order to evaluate
what really happened for the first time. Felicity seems to be a reliable narrator, because she is an objective third party, and
Clay-Lee, despite the fact that she is a child during the course of the story, seems to be a reliable narrator. Since the author
uses a flashback to tell the story, Clay-Lee is now able to make sense of the events that didn’t quite make sense to her as a
child. The use of the two narrators, work well to give the reader and Clay-Lee insight to who Constance really was.
Character: “The Awakening”
Task – What characters are fully developed and complex, and what do they seem to represent?
Sample Response:
Robert is the most fully developed complex character and seems to represent the ideal Southern gentleman. He flirts
with all the ladies, and they seem to really enjoy his company. Ironically, the husbands do not seem to mind the time that
Robert spends with their wives. In fact, in the case of Edna and Leonce, it seems as if Leonce is somewhat relieved that Robert
chooses to stay with Edna rather than joining him with the men. Robert takes himself seriously; however, when Adele asks
him to back away from Edna because she is different and might take his flirtatious advances seriously, he tells Adele that he is
serious. At this time, Robert doesn’t realize that he is truly falling for Edna, because the moment he realizes this, he runs
away. He never pushes Edna to betray her marriage vows when that option becomes a reality to him. He refuses to disgrace
Edna and himself and runs away to avoid hurting her. One can only wonder if he would have reacted the same way if he
realized she was willing to take her life over it. Robert’s charm and gentility are made clear when he sacrifices his wishes in an
attempt to save Edna’s reputation.
Writer’s Notebook 5
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
LDC Essay Rubric
INFORMATIONAL/EXPLANATORY TEACHING TASK RUBRIC (TEMPLATE TASK COLLECTION
VERSION 2.0)
Scoring Elements
Not Yet
1
Attempts to
address prompt,
but lacks focus or is
off-task.
Approaches Expectations
1.5
2
Addresses prompt
appropriately, but
with a weak or uneven
focus.
Controlling Idea
Attempts to
establish a
controlling idea, but
lacks a clear
purpose.
Establishes a
controlling idea with a
general purpose.
Establishes a controlling idea
with a clear purpose
maintained throughout the
response.
Advanced
4
Addresses all aspects of prompt
appropriately and maintains a
strongly developed focus. D:
Addresses additional demands with
thoroughness and makes a
connection to controlling idea.
Establishes a strong controlling
idea with a clear purpose
maintained throughout the
response.
Reading/
Research
Attempts to
present information
in response to the
prompt, but lacks
connections or
relevance to the
purpose of the
prompt.
Presents information
from reading materials
relevant to the
purpose of the prompt
with minor lapses in
accuracy or
completeness.
Presents information from
reading materials relevant to
the prompt with accuracy and
sufficient detail.
Accurately presents information
relevant to all parts of the prompt
with effective selection of sources
and details from reading materials.
Development
Attempts to
provide details in
response to the
prompt, including
retelling, but lacks
sufficient
development or
relevancy.
Attempts to
organize ideas, but
lacks control of
structure.
Presents appropriate
details to support the
focus and controlling
idea.
Presents appropriate and
sufficient details to support
the focus and controlling idea.
Presents thorough and detailed
information to strongly support the
focus and controlling idea.
Uses an appropriate
organizational
structure to address
the specific
requirements of the
prompt, with some
lapses in coherence or
awkward use of the
organizational
structure
Maintains an appropriate
organizational structure to
address the specific
requirements of the prompt.
Maintains an organizational
structure that intentionally and
effectively enhances the
presentation of information as
required by the specific prompt.
Conventions
Attempts to
demonstrate
standard English
conventions, but
lacks cohesion and
control of grammar,
usage, and
mechanics. Sources
are used without
citation.
Demonstrates an
uneven command of
standard English
conventions and
cohesion. Uses
language and tone
with some inaccurate,
inappropriate, or
uneven features.
Inconsistently cites
sources.
Demonstrates a command of
standard English conventions
and cohesion, with few errors.
Response includes language
and tone appropriate to the
audience, purpose, and
specific requirements of the
prompt. Cites sources using an
appropriate format with only
minor errors.
Demonstrates and maintains a
well- developed command of
standard English conventions and
cohesion, with few errors.
Response includes language and
tone consistently appropriate to
the audience, purpose, and specific
requirements of the prompt.
Consistently cites sources using an
appropriate format.
Content
Understanding
Attempts to include
disciplinary content
in explanations, but
understanding of
content is weak;
content is
irrelevant,
inappropriate, or
inaccurate.
Briefly notes
disciplinary content
relevant to the
prompt; shows basic
or uneven
understanding of
content; minor errors
in explanation.
Accurately presents
disciplinary content relevant to
the prompt with sufficient
explanations that demonstrate
understanding.
Integrates relevant and accurate
disciplinary content with thorough
explanations that demonstrate indepth understanding.
0
Focus
Organization
2.5
Meets Expectations
3
Addresses prompt
appropriately and maintains a
clear, steady focus. D:
Addresses additional demands
sufficiently.
3.5
Writer’s Notebook
6
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Rubric Translation
Directions: Think about the task and use the space below to translate the rubric rows into your own words, keeping it
very specific to the prompt.
Focus
Controlling Idea
Reading/Research
Development
Organization
Conventions
Content
Understandings
Writer’s Notebook
7
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Reading Guide
Prologue, Part One
Vocabulary: Write the sentence from the text in which you found the vocabulary word, be sure to include the page
number. Once you have encountered all of the words, use the context clues to help you connect the word to its
meaning.
1. affable: ____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. lethal: ______________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
3. vehement: __________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
4. auspicious: __________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
5. raucous: ____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
6. catalyst: ____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
7. abducted: __________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
8. morbidity: __________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
9. berate: _____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
10. frigid: ______________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
……………………………………..
Word
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
affable
lethal
vehement
auspicious
raucous
catalyst
abducted
morbidity
berate
frigid
Meaning
a. showing intensity of feeling
b. promising; favorable
c. harsh; grating; disorderly
d. scold
e. state of disease, death, or unwholesomeness
f. fatal; deadly
g. without warmth of feeling
h. carried off unlawfully
i. agent that stirs a person or thing to action
j. easy to approach
Writer’s Notebook
8
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Questions (In “Reading Notes” section of your notebook):
1. What did Death find painful about his duties?
2. What mistake did Death make at the train line?
3. What tragedy struck Liesel’s family while aboard the train?
4. Why were Liesel and her brother Werner supposed to be placed in foster care in January 1939?
5. Why did Death think it was foolish for the poor to travel to escape poverty?
6. Why was the book about grave digging significant to Liesel?
7. What helped Liesel adjust to her foster home?
8. Why was school a failure for Liesel?
9. What was Rudy’s father trying to teach his son on the night of the Jesse Owens incident?
10. Why did Liesel insist on participating in the reading examination? Why did it end in disaster?
11. Why did the narrator’s workload increase in the beginning of September 1939?
Questions for Discussion:
1. Why do you suppose that Death saw life in terms of color and referred to color in terms of taste? What tastes
would you assign to colors such as red, blue, green, yellow, and purple?
2. Why do you think the Hubermanns insisted that Liesel call them “Mama” and “Papa”?
3. Do you think German citizens, such as Alex Steiner or Hans Hubermann, were justified in showing passive
acceptance to the Nazi regime? What else might they have done?
4. Do you think Liesel’s hostility toward Ludwig Schmeikl was justified? In your opinion, what was the primary
cause of her attack?
Literary Devices:
I.
Point of View—Point of view in literature refers to the person telling the story. This person is called the
narrator. The story may be told by the author (first-person narrative) or by a character in the story (thirdperson narrative). From what point of view is this story told?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Why do you think the author chose this point of view? Is the narrator objective or opinionated? Are the
narrator’s frequent comments thought-provoking or intrusive?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
II.
Personification—Personification is a device in which an author grants human qualities to nonhuman objects
or concepts. For example, in this novel, death is personified and given the attributes of thoughts and
emotions:
I buckled—I became interested. In the girl. Curiosity got the better of me, and I resigned myself to
stay as long as my schedule allowed, and I watched.
How does the use of personification shape the reader’s reactions to Death? What is surprising or
unexpected about the author’s personification of this universal condition?
Writer’s Notebook
9
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
III.
Metaphor—A metaphor is a suggested or implied comparison between two unlike objects. For example:
On the footpath, Liesel stood with her papa and Rudy. Hans Hubermann wore a face with the shades
pulled down.
What is being compared?
__________________________________________________________________________________
What does this reveal about Hans Hubermann’s reaction to the Nazi rally?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
IV.
Irony—Irony refers to the difference between the way things seem to be and the way things are. What was
ironic about the first book that Liesel “stole”?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Literary Elements:
I.
Setting—Setting refers to the time and place where the events of a novel occur. What is the setting of The
Book Thief?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
How does the setting shape the events in the novel?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Writer’s Notebook 10
Kipker
English I
II.
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Characterization—Compare the characters of Liesel and Rudy in the Venn diagram below. Record the ways
they are alike in the overlapping part of the circles. Add information as you continue to read the book.
Liesel
Rudy
Writer’s Notebook 11
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Parts Two and Three
Vocabulary: Write the sentence from the text in which you found the vocabulary word, be sure to include the page
number. Once you have encountered all of the words, use the context clues to help you connect the word to its
synonym.
1. flippant: ____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. culminate: __________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
3. prolific: _____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
4. agitation: ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
5. animosity: ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
6. transgressor: ________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
7. benign: _____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
8. pensive: ____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
……………………………………..
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Word
flippant
culminate
prolific
agitation
animosity
transgressor
benign
pensive
Synonym
a. showing intensity of feeling
b. promising; favorable
c. harsh; grating; disorderly
d. scold
e. state of disease, death, or unwholesomeness
f. fatal; deadly
g. without warmth of feeling
h. carried off unlawfully
Writer’s Notebook 12
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Questions:
1. How did Hans Hubermann’s Christmas gift to Liesel reveal the depth of his feelings for her?
2. How did the Hubermann’s financial situation reflect the general state of Germany’s economy in the 1930s?
3. Why did Mama Hubermann decide to risk sending Liesel on the important business of laundry pickup and
delivery?
4. Why did the Hubermanns avoid any discussion of Liesel’s mother in front of her daughter?
5. In what important respect did Hans Junior differ from his father?
6. Why did Hans Junior accuse his father of cowardice? What was the “mistake” Papa Hubermann had committed?
7. Why did the people of Molching hold a bonfire? What shocking realization met Liesel when she listened to the
speaker at the bonfire?
8. Why did Papa Hubermann slap Liesel?
9. Why did Papa Hubermann buy a copy of Hitler’s Mein Kampf ?
10. Why did Liesel avoid the mayor’s house for some time? And then, why did she change radically and look
forward to delivering laundry to the mayor’s house?
11. Why did Max Vandenburg read a copy of Mein Kampf on the train?
Questions for Discussion:
1. Do you think Liesel deserved to be punished for taking money to mail letters to her mother? Was Rosa justified
in meting out such a harsh punishment?
2. Do you think there was some way that Hans could have made peace with his son? Why didn’t he?
3. In what ways might Hans Hubermann have been considered a hero and not a coward as he had been accused by
his son?
4. What silent understanding do you think passed between Liesel and the mayor’s wife? Why do you suppose Ilse
Hermann allowed Liesel to browse through her library?
5. Do you think that the thievery practiced by Rudy, Liesel, and the other children was justified?
6. What do you think is the relationship between Max and Hans Hubermann?
7. How is each of Liesel’s book titles an ironic comment on the times? What is ironic about the title of Max
Vandenburg’s book?
Literary Devices:
I.
Symbolism—A symbol in literature is a person, object, or event that stands for an idea or a set of ideas.
What does the book The Grave Digger’s Handbook symbolize?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
What does the conclusion of reading the book symbolize?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
II.
Verbal irony—Verbal irony is a figure of speech in which the speaker says one thing, but intends something
quite different. The device of verbal irony may include sarcasm, overstatement, and understatement. For
Writer’s Notebook 13
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
instance, the narrator says that World War II was the result of the Germans’ love of burning things. What
tells you that this statement should not be taken literally, at face value?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
III.
Flashback and Flash Forward—A writer can play with time sequence to achieve particular effects. A
flashback is a scene which takes the narrative back to a time before the current point in the plot. A flash
forward reveals what will happen at some future point in the story. What instances of flashback and flash
forward can you find in this section of The Book Thief ? What do you learn from these interruptions to the
normal sequence of the plot?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
IV.
Cliffhanger—A cliffhanger is a device borrowed from silent serialized films in which an episode would end
abruptly at a moment of heightened tension or suspense. In a book it usually appears at the end of a
chapter to encourage the reader to continue on in the book. What is the cliffhanger at the end of Part
Three?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Writer’s Notebook 14
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Part Four
Vocabulary: Write the sentence from the text in which you found the vocabulary word, be sure to include the page
number. Once you have encountered all of the words, use the context clues to help you connect the word to its
antonym.
1. malignant: __________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. ostracism: __________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
3. capitulate: __________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
4. morose: ____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
5. dormant: ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
6. abrasive: ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
7. trepidation: _________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
8. blatant: ____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
……………………………………..
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Word
malignant
ostracism
capitulate
morose
dormant
abrasive
trepidation
blatant
Antonym
a. cheerful
b. confidence
c. gentle
d. benign
e. subtle
f. acceptance
g. resist
h. active
Writer’s Notebook 15
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Questions:
1. How did Erik Vandenburg save Hans Hubermann’s life in the first World War?
2. How was a relationship forged between Hans Hubermann and Erik Vandenburg’s son Max? Why did Hans feel
compelled to help Max?
3. Why did Hans’s business go into decline after 1933?
4. Why were Max’s adolescent peers surprised by his aggressiveness?
5. What burden of guilt did Max Vandenburg bear?
6. Why did Hans risk frightening Liesel terribly?
7. What factors helped to create the bond between Max and Liesel?
Questions for Discussion:
1. What qualities do you think Rosa Hubermann demonstrated after Max’s arrival? Were you surprised by her
behavior under these challenging circumstances?
2. Do you think Hans and Rosa should have required Max to leave after the hand-holding episode with Liesel?
3. How do you suppose Max’s years of street fighting helped him during the years before and during World War II?
4. Do you think Hans was more motivated to help Max for political reasons or his need to keep a promise?
5. Why do you think Max created The Standover Man for Liesel? What was significant about the materials he used
to make the book?
Literary Devices:
I.
Symbolism—What do you think the accordion symbolizes?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
II.
Flashback—Why do you think the narrator provided a flashback to Hans Hubermann’s World War I
experiences?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
III.
Metaphor—What implied comparison is being made in the following comment about war? The
conversation of bullets.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
IV.
Simile—A simile is a figure of speech in which two unlike objects are compared using the words “like” or
“as.” For example: Sometimes there was humor in Max Vandenburg’s voice, though its physicality was like
friction—like a stone being gently rubbed across a large rock. What is being compared?
__________________________________________________________________________________ Why is this an apt comparison?
__________________________________________________________________________________
Writer’s Notebook 16
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Part Five
Vocabulary: Write the sentence from the text in which you found the vocabulary word, be sure to include the page
number. Once you have encountered all of the words, use the context clues to help complete the crossword puzzle.
1. admonish: __________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. amiable: ____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
3. audible: ____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
4. commence: _________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
5. diminutive: _________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
6. frail: _______________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
7. frugal: _____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
8. hypocrite: ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
9. hypothermia:________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
10. malice: _____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
11. rebate: _____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
12. venom: _____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Writer’s Notebook 17
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Writer’s Notebook 18
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Questions:
1. Why did Liesel scavenge from garbage pails on the days she went on her laundry route?
2. How did Max make time pass as he spent days and weeks in the Hubermanns’ basement?
3. Why was Liesel outraged against the mayor’s wife?
4. Why didn’t Rosa Hubermann punish Liesel after learning how Liesel had insulted the mayor’s wife?
5. Why had Viktor Chemmel assumed the leadership of the gang of thieves?
6. Why was Tommy Müller punished during the Hitler Youth drill? Why was Rudy Steiner punished along with him?
7. Why did Lisa and Rudy feel compelled to commit a significant robbery by themselves?
8. What evidence showed that almost all of the German population was suffering under the Nazi regime?
Questions for Discussion:
1. Why do you suppose the narrator flashed forward to Rudy Steiner’s death? Do you think this knowledge
improves or lessens your appreciation of the book?
2. How do you think Max and Liesel felt about one another?
3. In your opinion did Ilse Hermann deserve Liesel’s anger?
4. Do you think Rudy deserved the punishment he received at Franz’s hands? Could he have avoided it?
5. In what ways did Franz Deutscher embody the attitude of Hitler’s regime? How did his surname confirm this?
6. What do you think was significant about the book entitled The Whistler? Is there a common theme that
connects the books Liesel has stolen?
Literary Devices:
I.
Symbolism—What did the dream of Max fighting with the Führer symbolize?
II.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
What did Max’s over-written pages of Mein Kampf symbolize?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
III.
Personification—What is being personified as Liesel thinks about Max while she is visiting the mayor’s wife?
As the book quivered in her [Liesel’s] lap, the secret sat in her mouth. It made itself comfortable, it
crossed its legs.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Why was this better than saying, “Liesel kept her secret about Max to herself”?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Notice how time is personified at the beginning of the chapter titled “The Boxer: End of May.” How does
Max characterize “time”?
__________________________________________________________________________________
Writer’s Notebook 19
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Predictions:
Write your predictions in response to each of the following questions. Give one reason for your prediction from the
text.
1. Will Rosa and Hans survive the war?
2. Will the Nazis capture Max?
3. Will Liesel accidentally betray the presence of Max in the Hubermann home?
4. Will Rudy turn out to be a heroic figure?
5. Will there be serious consequences from Liesel’s last encounter with the mayor’s wife?
Writer’s Notebook 20
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Part Six
Vocabulary: Write the sentence from the text in which you found the vocabulary word, be sure to include the page
number. Once you have encountered all of the words, use the context clues to help complete the analogies.
1. amble: _____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. delicate: ____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
3. immense: ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
4. interior: _________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
5. paradox: _________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
6. retreat: _____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
7. verge: _____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
8. vigilance: ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Writer’s Notebook 21
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Questions:
1. How did “Death” characterize the year 1942?
2. Why was Christmas Day 1942 a special time for those who resided in Hans Hubermann’s home?
3. Why did Max wait so long to reveal his illness to the family?
4. Why did Liesel blame herself for bringing snow into the basement in order to build the snowman?
5. What did Liesel hope to accomplish by bringing presents to the unconscious Max?
6. Why did Rosa Hubermann make an unplanned visit to Liesel’s school?
7. Why did Liesel deliberately injure her leg while playing outdoors?
8. Why did Death say that the sky was “the color of Jews”? How did Death respond to the mass destruction of
human lives?
Questions for Discussion:
1. Why do you think the author has “Death” narrate this tale, using a chatty, somewhat ironic tone? Do you think
this adds or detracts from the book’s serious themes?
2. Why do you think Rosa Hubermann always wanted to appear tough and unemotional?
3. In what ways did this book offer an unusual characterization of “Death”?
4. Why do you think Liesel was able to enter the mayor’s house with ease and rob books each time?
5. How did Liesel’s dream about her brother and Max Vandenburg mirror the conflicts in her own life?
Literary Devices:
I.
Simile—What is being compared in the following passage? . . . she [Liesel] stood on Munich Street and watched a single giant cloud come over the hills like a
white monster. . . . The sun was eclipsed, and in its place, a white beast with a gray heart watched
the town.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________ Why is this better than saying, “A cloud crossed the sky”?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
II.
Cliffhanger—What is the cliffhanger at the end of page 324?
III.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Symbolism—What was the symbolic importance of the last book Liesel obtained, The Dream Carrier?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Writer’s Notebook 22
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Part Seven
Vocabulary: Write the sentence from the text in which you found the vocabulary word, be sure to include the page
number. Once you have encountered all of the words, use the context clues to help you connect the word to its
meaning.
1. depleted: ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. trilogy: _____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
3. formidable: __________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
4. loathsome: __________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
5. apprehension: _______________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
6. feign: ______________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
7. immutable: __________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
8. futile: ______________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
……………………………………..
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Word
depleted
trilogy
formidable
loathsome
apprehension
feign
immutable
futile
Meaning
a. fear of future trouble or evil
b. used up
c. pretend
d. dreadful; menacing
e. useless
f. unchangeable
g. three-part work of literature
h. offensive; disgusting
Writer’s Notebook 23
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Questions:
1. What caused the brief period of contentment for Liesel and Papa Hubermann during the summer of 1942?
2. Why did Rudy want to excel at athletic competition?
3. Why did Liesel conclude that she was a criminal even though Ilse Hermann gave her permission to steal books?
4. Why didn’t Death feel sympathy for the Germans who hid in their basements during the air raids?
5. Why did the possible bombing of Molching place Max in particular danger?
6. What service did Liesel perform during the second air raid on Molching?
7. Why did Max have to leave 33 Himmel Street?
8. Why was Hans Hubermann guilt-ridden days after the incident at the march?
Questions for Discussion:
1. Why do you suppose Rudy got himself disqualified from the final race of the day and then left his medals
behind?
2. Why do you think the author included entries from the dictionary/thesaurus given Liesel by Ilse Hermann?
3. Why do you think the author placed the parade of Jews on their way to Dachau in the unfolding story of The
Book Thief ?
4. Why might Death have agreed with Hans Hubermann that his act of compassion was “stupid”?
Literary Devices:
I.
Irony—Why is it ironic that a book helped the Germans live through the second air raid in Molching?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Why is it ironic that Frau Holtzapfels wanted Liesel to continue reading that same book to her?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Why is it ironic that Hans suffered feelings of guilt after giving the dying Jewish man a piece of bread?
II.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Allusion—An allusion is a literary reference to a familiar person, place, or event. Allusions may give readers a
common reference point and also confer authenticity on a work of literature. For example, in this section of
the novel, the narrator explains that the Jewish prisoners were being marched through the streets of
Molching to demonstrate the efficiency of the Dachau work camp. If you are not familiar with the name
Dachau, do some research to learn about what happened to prisoners of that camp.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
III.
Extended Metaphor—An extended metaphor is a suggested or implied comparison that continues on. The
Writer’s Notebook 24
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
chapter “The Long Walk to Dachau” begins with the events of the day being compared to “an ocean sky,
with whitecap clouds.” Scan the chapter and find other examples of events being compared to stormy
waters.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
IV.
Personification—What is being personified as Liesel contemplates the glorious summer with Papa that is
coming to an abrupt end?
The brightness had shown suffering the way.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Writer’s Notebook 25
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Part Eight
Vocabulary: Write the sentence from the text in which you found the vocabulary word, be sure to include the page
number. Once you have encountered all of the words, use the context clues to help you connect the word to its
meaning.
1. perilous: ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. smoldering: _________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
3. oblivious: ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
4. anxiety: ____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
5. partial: _____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
6. temporary: __________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
7. vacant: _____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
8. ludicrous: ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
……………………………………..
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Word
perilous
smoldering
oblivious
anxiety
partial
temporary
vacant
ludicrous
Meaning
a. a feeling of worry or unease typically about an uncertain outcome or event
b. existing only in part; incomplete; favoring one side in a dispute
c. full of risk or danger
d. having or showing no intelligence or interest
e. not aware of or not concerned with what is happening
f. so foolish or out of place as to be amusing; ridiculous
g. burning slowly with smoke but no flame; showing or feeling suppressed anger
h. lasting for only a limited period of time; not permanent
Writer’s Notebook 26
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Questions:
1. Why did “the coat men” visit Alex Steiner’s house?
2. Why was Rudy selected for examination by the Nazi medical authorities? What was ironic about his selection?
3. Why were the middle-aged Alex Steiner and Hans Hubermann drafted?
4. How did Hans Hubermann’s job in the German army suit him?
5. Why did Liesel and Rudy go to observe the third march of the Jews to Dachau?
6. Why did Liesel take Rudy to his father’s abandoned shop on Christmas night?
Questions for Discussion:
1. What do you suppose transformed Rudy Steiner from an apple thief into a bread giver?
2. Why do you think Hans Hubermann’s letters home were so brief?
3. Why do you think the author showed German soldiers, such as Hans Hubermann, performing civilian tasks
instead of being shown on a battlefield? And why did he focus on ordinary German civilians during wartime?
4. What do you think Max’s book revealed about the power of words? How might words represent both beauty
and evil? What message do you think the story imparted?
5. Why do you think Liesel did not seize the opportunity to kiss Rudy inside his father’s shop on Christmas night?
Literary Devices:
I.
Personification—What is being personified in the following passage? Even when they made it around the corner, away from the center of the wreckage, the haze of the
collapsed building attempted to follow. It was white and warm, and it crept behind them.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Why is it better than saying, “smoke from the collapsed buildings filled the air”?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
II.
Allegory—An allegory is a work in which characters, events, or settings symbolize, or represent, something
else. Max Vandenburg’s illustrated story for Liesel is allegorical because the events and actions are symbolic
and not intended to be taken literally. For instance: Soon, the demand for the lovely ugly words and symbols increased
to such a point that the forests
grew. Many people were needed to maintain them. Some were employed to climb the trees and
throw the words down to those below. They were then fed directly into the remainder of the
Fuhrer’s people, not to mention those who came back for more. How do the words and symbols that sprout from these trees relate to the political situation in Hitler’s
Germany?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
III.
Symbolism—What did Rudy’s lined-up dominoes, described at the beginning of Part Eight, symbolize?
__________________________________________________________________________________
Writer’s Notebook 27
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Part Nine
Vocabulary: Write the sentence from the text in which you found the vocabulary word, be sure to include the page
number. Once you have encountered all of the words, use the context clues to help you connect the word to its
synonym.
1. protrude: ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. innocuous: __________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
3. semblance: __________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
4. reprimand: __________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
5. consecutive: _________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
……………………………………..
Word
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
protrude
innocuous
semblance
reprimand
consecutive
Synonym
a. harmless
b. scold
c. poke out
d. guise
e. uninterrupted
Writer’s Notebook 28
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Questions:
1. How did Ilse Hermann prepare for Liesel’s next visit?
2. What disturbing news did Michael Holtzapfel bring to Himmel Street? Why did this news devastate Rosa
Hubermann as well as his own mother?
3. What finally laid the ghost of Liesel’s brother to rest?
4. Why did Hans Hubermann change seats on the military vehicle?
5. Why was Hans Hubermann allowed to return home?
Questions for Discussion:
1. Do you think Ilse Hermann was a Nazi sympathizer?
2. Why do you suppose Liesel didn’t discuss the mayor’s wife with Rudy?
3. Why do you think the author evoked sympathy for wounded German soldiers?
4. Why do you think Michael Holtzapfel killed himself?
5. Why do you think Rudy’s attitude toward thievery changed?
6. What did Death mean when he commented about Liesel as she observed the dying survivor of the plane crash,
“She did not back away or try to fight me, but I know that something told the girl I was there . . . she knew me
and she looked me in my face and she did not look away . . . we both moved on”?
7. Do you think that Rudy and Liesel tried to aid the downed “enemy” pilot?
Literary Devices:
I.
Metaphor—What is being compared in the following passages that described Michael Hotzapfel’s wound? A bandaged hand fell out of his coat sleeve and cherries of blood were seeping through the
wrapping . . . the cherries of blood had grown into plums.
__________________________________________________________________________________ Why is it better than just saying that “his hand bled”?
II.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Irony—What was ironic about the death of Reinhold Zucker?
__________________________________________________________________________________
Literary Element:
I.
Characterization—How would you characterize Death as he appears in this novel? Select five adjectives that
epitomize this character and give an example of his commentary that illustrates each character trait.
Writer’s Notebook 29
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Part Ten & Epilogue
Vocabulary: Write the sentence from the text in which you found the vocabulary word, be sure to include the page
number. Once you have encountered all of the words, use the context clues to help you connect the word to its
meaning.
1. overcast: ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. unkempt: ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
3. threshold: ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
4. pensive: ____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
5. accurate: ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
6. bereaved: __________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
7. calculate: ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
8. resolute: ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
……………………………………..
Word
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
overcast
unkempt
threshold
pensive
accurate
bereaved
calculate
resolute
Meaning
a. free from error
b. person or persons saddened by death
c. determine by reasoning
d. overspread or covered with clouds
e. expressing thoughtfulness, usually marked by sadness
f. firmly resolved or determined
g. place of entering or beginning
h. untidy; messy
Writer’s Notebook 30
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Questions:
1. How did Liesel survive the air strike on Himmel Street? How did words once again save her life?
2. Why did Liesel attend each time Jews were marched through Molching?
3. How did Rudy save Liesel’s life?
4. How did Ilse Hermann inspire Liesel to write her own story?
5. What did Liesel realize when she found Rudy’s body after the bombing? How did she attempt to reach him?
6. Who took care of Liesel after she was orphaned for the second time?
7. Who was the unexpected survivor of the war?
Questions for Discussion:
1. How did the author show the random quality of death during war time?
2. Do you think those who observed Liesel’s whipping at the hands of the German soldiers should have offered
their help?
3. Why do you think Liesel destroyed the book in Ilse Hermann’s library?
4. Toward the end of the book, how had Liesel developed a love-hate relationship with words?
5. Whose death had the greatest effect upon you?
6. What were the qualities that Hans Hubermann possessed that made Death con- sider him one of the best of
men?
7. Why do you suppose the narrator did not reveal what happened to Liesel in the years between her reunion with
Max and the time of her death?
Literary Devices:
I.
Metaphor—What two comparisons are being made in the following passage:
. . . I looked up and saw the tin-can planes. I watched their stomachs open and the bombs drop
casually out.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Why are these apt comparisons?
____________________________________________________________________________________
II.
Dramatic Irony—Dramatic irony, used more often in plays than in prose fiction, refers to a situation in which
the audience or the reader is aware of something that a character does not know. Why is the first short,
poetic episode about Michael Holtzapfel an example of dramatic irony? Who was unaware of the event at
this point?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
III.
Symbolism—What Christian symbolism surrounded the figure of Max? In what ways was Max a Christ-like
figure?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Writer’s Notebook 31
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Literary Element:
I.
Narrative Technique— There are various ways of manipulating time sequence when telling a story. Consider
how flashback and flash-forward have been used throughout the novel. In this section, the narrative shifts
rapidly between past, present, and future. What effect does this have on the story?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Writer’s Notebook 32
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Diction Activity
Directions: The following passage has been taken from Part Ten. Read it through completely. Then fill in each blank with
a word that makes sense. Afterwards, you may compare your language with that of the author.
Writer’s Notebook 33
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Developing a Thesis
1. Determine the passage’s strongest topic: _________________________________________________________
2. Determine if the author is saying something positive or negative about the determined topic:
Positive
Negative
3. Determine the message or lesson the author is trying to convey about the topic:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Does your statement pass the checklist? If not, revise below until it does.
Criteria
Theme is easy to understand.
Theme is not stated as an order.
Theme is not cliché.
Theme is not restricted to the
characters themselves.
Theme is not stated as an absolute.
Guiding Questions
 Does the statement make sense?
 Is the sentence grammatically correct?
 Is the statement commanding people to do or
believe something?
 Is the statement cliché (an overused idea that
has lost its real meaning over time?
 Is the statement universal (can it apply to all
people everywhere)?
 Is the statement stereotypical or creating a
generalization?
Yes
or
No
Drafting and Revising Space
Writer’s Notebook 34
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Generic Thesis Statement Sentence Stem
In the (Insert Genre), (Insert Title), (Insert Author’s Full Name) uses (Insert Craft and Structure
Tool/s) in order to develop the theme that (Insert Theme Statement).
Final Thematic Thesis: _______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Teacher’s Approval: __________
Date: ________________
Writer’s Notebook 35
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Steps to Crafting Assertions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Build a question from your thesis.
Restate the question.
Add your original answer to the question.
Add a short and concise reason as to why your answer is correct.
Does your assertion pass the checklist? If not, revise it below until it does.
Does your assertion pass the checklist?
Based solely on the assertion…
Yes
or
No
Could the reader guess what the prompt or task was?
Could the reader know what your answer to the question or task is?
Could the reader understand why your answer is correct?
Could another student give a different answer to the prompt or task?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Paragraph 1:
1. Build a question from your thesis.
2. Restate the question.
3. Add your original answer to the question.
4. Add a short and concise reason as to why your answer is correct.
5. Does your assertion pass the checklist? If not, revise it below until it does.
Based solely on the assertion…
Could the reader guess what the prompt or task was?
Could the reader know what your answer to the question or task is?
Could the reader understand why your answer is correct?
Could another student give a different answer to the prompt or task?
Yes
or
No
Assertion 1: _______________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Paragraph 2:
1. Build a question from your thesis.
2. Restate the question.
3. Add your original answer to the question.
4. Add a short and concise reason as to why your answer is correct.
Writer’s Notebook 36
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
5. Does your assertion pass the checklist? If not, revise it below until it does.
Based solely on the assertion…
Could the reader guess what the prompt or task was?
Could the reader know what your answer to the question or task is?
Could the reader understand why your answer is correct?
Could another student give a different answer to the prompt or task?
Yes
or
No
Assertion 2: _______________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Paragraph 3:
1. Build a question from your thesis.
2. Restate the question.
3. Add your original answer to the question.
4. Add a short and concise reason as to why your answer is correct.
5. Does your assertion pass the checklist? If not, revise it below until it does.
Based solely on the assertion…
Could the reader guess what the prompt or task was?
Could the reader know what your answer to the question or task is?
Could the reader understand why your answer is correct?
Could another student give a different answer to the prompt or task?
Yes
or
No
Assertion 3: _______________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Teacher’s Approval: __________
Date: ________________
Writer’s Notebook 37
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Selecting Relevant Evidence and Creating Compelling Commentary
Steps for Citing Textual Evidence:
1. Determine the central idea or theme of the passage.
2. Identify all evidence that supports that central idea or theme.
3. Evaluate the selected evidence for validity and relevance to the central idea or claim.
Steps for Creating Commentary:
1. Determine whether or not the evidence needs to be interpreted using the checklist.
2. All commentary needs to EXPLAIN how the evidence proves the assertion.
3. Check the commentary by seeing if it could stand alone with the assertion if the evidence were removed.
Thesis:
Assertion 1:
Evidence
Type of Evidence






Interpretation
Necessary?
Can it stand
alone?
Commentary
Interpretation
Necessary?
Can it stand
alone?
Commentary
Is it figurative
language or
imagery?
Is it
Shakespearean or
Old English
Language?
Is a complex idea
that requires an
interpretation?
Is it figurative
language or
imagery?
Is it
Shakespearean or
Old English
Language?
Is a complex idea
that requires an
interpretation?
Assertion 2:
Evidence
Type of Evidence



Is it figurative
language or
imagery?
Is it
Shakespearean or
Old English
Language?
Is a complex idea
that requires an
interpretation?
Writer’s Notebook 38
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief



Is it figurative
language or
imagery?
Is it
Shakespearean or
Old English
Language?
Is a complex idea
that requires an
interpretation?
Assertion 3:
Evidence
Type of Evidence






Interpretation
Necessary?
Can it stand
alone?
Commentary
Is it figurative
language or
imagery?
Is it
Shakespearean or
Old English
Language?
Is a complex idea
that requires an
interpretation?
Is it figurative
language or
imagery?
Is it
Shakespearean or
Old English
Language?
Is a complex idea
that requires an
interpretation?
Teacher’s Approval: __________
Date: ________________
Writer’s Notebook 39
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Outline Format/Rough Draft
Directions: You will complete this outline as you complete each lesson and develop finished products. You should use
this space to write in full sentences so that you can just type it to submit your first draft.
Introduction
Hook
Transition (Relevant Information)
Thesis
Body Paragraph 1 (Character)
Assertion
Evidence (cite with page numbers) TLQ
Commentary (Interpret)
Commentary (Explain)
Evidence (cite with page numbers) TLQ
Commentary (interpret)
Writer’s Notebook 40
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Commentary (Explain)
Restatement
Body Paragraph 2 (Conflict)
Assertion
Evidence (cite with page numbers) TLQ
Commentary (Interpret)
Commentary (Explain)
Evidence (cite with page numbers) TLQ
Commentary (interpret)
Commentary (Explain)
Restatement
Body Paragraph 3 (Setting)
Assertion
Writer’s Notebook 41
Kipker
English I
Name: ______________________________________
Unit 2 Assessment: The Book Thief
Evidence (cite with page numbers) TLQ
Commentary (Interpret)
Commentary (Explain)
Evidence (cite with page numbers) TLQ
Commentary (interpret)
Commentary (Explain)
Restatement
Conclusion
Revisit Thesis
Universal Connection: Why should any of this matter?
Teacher’s Approval: __________
Date: ________________
Writer’s Notebook 42