Mr. Chantler’s Reading Inventory
*Please answer all questions with the needed information. Pay careful attention to any directions or
suggestions given on this form.
1. What was the last book you read for a class (in class requirement or independent assignment)?
2. What was the last book you read on your own, just for fun? When was that? (A round-about age
or year if not 100% sure)
3. What genres of books do you typically like to read? Why? *Please be as detailed/thoughtful as
you can about the why
4. What genres of books to you typically avoid/don’t enjoy reading? Why?
*Please fill out ONE of the following 2 sentence starters with as much reasoning as you can. Please don’t
simply say “just because . . .” or “it’s boring/good”
I enjoy reading because . . .
I struggle with reading because . . .
Superman and Me by Sherman Alexie article questions and prompts
Please answer all the questions to the best of your ability. Follow all directions carefully and pay close
attention to any suggestion provided by the paper. Please use your own sheet of paper to answer these
questions and staple it to this form when you turn it in.
1. In what ways does the description of Sherman Alexie’s father play against the stereotype?
2. What is the effect of Alexie’s analogy of a paragraph to a fence? Why would he compare a
paragraph to a fence?
3. In paragraph 7, Alexie uses a number of short, simple sentences. What is he trying to achieve
with this?
4. Who is the audience for this essay? Cite specific passages to support your response.
5. Do you yourself associate being literate with being successful? Why or why not?
Writing Task – Now that you have read this essay, you will write two well-developed paragraphs
involving it.
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Paragraph 1 – A summary paragraph of the essay
Paragraph 2 – A response paragraph that develops some personal connection or shared
experience with the source essay
It is essential that you know a personal response paragraph is not you giving me your critique of the
essay. Don’t tell me you like or disliked it. Simply find some connection between his
experiences/thoughts/ideas/etc. and your own and develop that connection.
Structure your summary paragraph in the following way:
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TOPIC SENTENCE: Introduce the paragraph by stating the title, author, and – in your own words
– the main idea of the essay. (In his essay “Superman and Me,” Sherman Alexie talks about the
importance of . . . )
SUPPORTING SENTENCES: Use “summary phrases” and words that remind your reader that you
are writing about another person’s writing. “Alexie explains . . .” “He illustrates . . .” “Alexie
shows . . .”)
Structure your response paragraph in the following way:
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TOPIC SENTENCE: Create a sentence that shows some type of obvious connection between the
writing and your own life. It will also help show the reader that you will begin exploring your
own life. (“Reading ‘Superman and Me’, reminded me of my own education in elementary
school . . .”)
SUPPORTING SENTNECES: Develop your response paragraph using the paragraph skills you have
developed over the course of your education. Remember your concluding statement!!!
**Try your best to maintain proper punctuation and grammar!!!