Reading Response Journal Instructions
Our Reading Response Journals provide us with an opportunity to evaluate and present information that we gather from the books that we read. We want to read with “purpose” in mind. We never want to just “slide” through a book. This year – we are going to be “Master Analysts” of literature!!!
As you read your Accelerated Reader books this year, you will respond to the book once a week in your Responsive Reading Journal. YOU WILL NOT SKIP LINES IN YOUR JOURNAL! YOU MAY EVEN WRITE ON THE BACK OF THE PAGE, IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO SO. Please use black or navy blue ink only. Your response should be a full page – at a minimum. However, you may write as long as you choose. The first two assignments have due dates. The others are to be done at a rate of one per week. You may choose the order in which you do them. Fill in the date you complete them. You will follow the assignment order below:
1. Due September 15th: Discuss the author’s purpose for writing this book. What do you think the author was attempting to accomplish by writing this book? What does the author say in the book that makes you believe that this is his purpose? We want to use specific TEXTUAL EVIDENCE. Point out and discuss at least two features from the book (details that the author supplies in the book) that supports your belief in his purpose for writing the book. Do you believe that the author achieved his purpose for writing the book? Why? Explain your feelings.
a. Example: I believe that Thomas Evans’ purpose in writing White Sharks Are Friendly is to encourage the general public to see these sea creatures in a more positive light. In chapter one of his book, Mr. Evans tells the reader…When I read that information, it did make me start thinking of these sharks in a different way. It began to make sense to me that they only eat other fish out of a need to take care of themselves and their babies…
2. Due September 29th: Find a YouTube or other video that is presenting information that is related to the book that you are reading. Watch the video and then write a comparison of the information gained from both the video and the book. Discuss how the two are similar and how they are different. Do you think that the two ways of presenting the information both met their goals? Which way of presenting the information worked best for you? What is your learning style? Create a “Double Bubble Map” to present the information.
3. _________________ Discuss the main character in your fiction book that you have read. (Is he/she shy? Is he/she helpful to others? Does he/she have something that she/he really wants? Is he/she afraid of something? Does he/she try to please others and fit in or be accepted? Many other qualities can be discussed.) Make a Character Web that displays this information. You can present appearance qualities, family relationships, actions… Now that you have completed the book, discuss how this character has changed from the way they were at the beginning of the novel. What has the character learned? What happened in the story that caused the character to change? Make a Double Bubble Map to display what the character was like at the beginning of the book and what he/she is like at the end of the story. Are there any things that you could learn from this character’s experience?
4. __________________Write a summary of the book which you have just read. Be sure to include the major details or events that happened. If the book is fiction, introduce the main characters and tell us something about each of them. From your fiction book, tell us what the primary conflict is in the story. What did the author tell you that lead you to know this was the primary conflict? Give at least two examples of textual evidence. How was the conflict resolved? Were there other minor conflicts that needed to be resolved? If so, please tell us about at least one of those. What is the main focus or theme of the book? What does the writer say in the book that lets you know that this is the theme? Provide at least two quotes from the book (textual evidence) that support your decision about the theme.
5. __________________Create a Mind Map of the book you read. If it is a fiction book, create a Flow Map. If it is a nonfiction book create either a Cause and Effect Map or a Tree Map. Write a paragraph discussing the Mind Map that you created and how it represents the information in the book.
6. __________________For this activity, write the letter in your journal and then type it so that we may mail it. Write an actual letter to the author of the book you read. This letter will be sent to the author. In your letter be sure to pay close attention to your grammar, punctuation, capitalization, form, etc. In your letter:
a. Be sure to give the title of the book.
b. Share your opinion of the book providing at least two detailed examples from the book that impacted your opinion.
c. Tell how this book impacted you as you read it and explain why you were impacted in this manner.
d. Ask at least one question that you would like to have the author explain.
e. Close by thanking the author for writing the book and tell him/her why you are thankful for the book.
f. Thank the author for taking time to read and respond to your letter.
7. ________________Write a fictitious letter to the main character in your fiction book. In your letter, tell the character who you are and why you were reading the book. Give the name of the book and the author’s name. Tell them some of the things that you read about him/her and how those things made you think about him/her. Discuss the conflict that the character had to face. Make a connection to the conflict using your own life experiences or that of someone that you know. Talk about how the character handled the experience in the book and how the conflict was resolved. Maintain your comparison between how the character experienced and resolved the conflict and how you or your friend handled the issue that you/he/she faced. Thank the character for allowing you to share in his/her life through the story. Ask her/him any questions that you may want answered.
Our Reading Response Journals provide us with an opportunity to evaluate and present information that we gather from the books that we read. We want to read with “purpose” in mind. We never want to just “slide” through a book. This year – we are going to be “Master Analysts” of literature!!!
As you read your Accelerated Reader books this year, you will respond to the book once a week in your Responsive Reading Journal. YOU WILL NOT SKIP LINES IN YOUR JOURNAL! YOU MAY EVEN WRITE ON THE BACK OF THE PAGE, IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO SO. Please use black or navy blue ink only. Your response should be a full page – at a minimum. However, you may write as long as you choose. The first two assignments have due dates. The others are to be done at a rate of one per week. You may choose the order in which you do them. Fill in the date you complete them. You will follow the assignment order below:
1. Due September 15th: Discuss the author’s purpose for writing this book. What do you think the author was attempting to accomplish by writing this book? What does the author say in the book that makes you believe that this is his purpose? We want to use specific TEXTUAL EVIDENCE. Point out and discuss at least two features from the book (details that the author supplies in the book) that supports your belief in his purpose for writing the book. Do you believe that the author achieved his purpose for writing the book? Why? Explain your feelings.
a. Example: I believe that Thomas Evans’ purpose in writing White Sharks Are Friendly is to encourage the general public to see these sea creatures in a more positive light. In chapter one of his book, Mr. Evans tells the reader…When I read that information, it did make me start thinking of these sharks in a different way. It began to make sense to me that they only eat other fish out of a need to take care of themselves and their babies…
2. Due September 29th: Find a YouTube or other video that is presenting information that is related to the book that you are reading. Watch the video and then write a comparison of the information gained from both the video and the book. Discuss how the two are similar and how they are different. Do you think that the two ways of presenting the information both met their goals? Which way of presenting the information worked best for you? What is your learning style? Create a “Double Bubble Map” to present the information.
3. _________________ Discuss the main character in your fiction book that you have read. (Is he/she shy? Is he/she helpful to others? Does he/she have something that she/he really wants? Is he/she afraid of something? Does he/she try to please others and fit in or be accepted? Many other qualities can be discussed.) Make a Character Web that displays this information. You can present appearance qualities, family relationships, actions… Now that you have completed the book, discuss how this character has changed from the way they were at the beginning of the novel. What has the character learned? What happened in the story that caused the character to change? Make a Double Bubble Map to display what the character was like at the beginning of the book and what he/she is like at the end of the story. Are there any things that you could learn from this character’s experience?
4. __________________Write a summary of the book which you have just read. Be sure to include the major details or events that happened. If the book is fiction, introduce the main characters and tell us something about each of them. From your fiction book, tell us what the primary conflict is in the story. What did the author tell you that lead you to know this was the primary conflict? Give at least two examples of textual evidence. How was the conflict resolved? Were there other minor conflicts that needed to be resolved? If so, please tell us about at least one of those. What is the main focus or theme of the book? What does the writer say in the book that lets you know that this is the theme? Provide at least two quotes from the book (textual evidence) that support your decision about the theme.
5. __________________Create a Mind Map of the book you read. If it is a fiction book, create a Flow Map. If it is a nonfiction book create either a Cause and Effect Map or a Tree Map. Write a paragraph discussing the Mind Map that you created and how it represents the information in the book.
6. __________________For this activity, write the letter in your journal and then type it so that we may mail it. Write an actual letter to the author of the book you read. This letter will be sent to the author. In your letter be sure to pay close attention to your grammar, punctuation, capitalization, form, etc. In your letter:
a. Be sure to give the title of the book.
b. Share your opinion of the book providing at least two detailed examples from the book that impacted your opinion.
c. Tell how this book impacted you as you read it and explain why you were impacted in this manner.
d. Ask at least one question that you would like to have the author explain.
e. Close by thanking the author for writing the book and tell him/her why you are thankful for the book.
f. Thank the author for taking time to read and respond to your letter.
7. ________________Write a fictitious letter to the main character in your fiction book. In your letter, tell the character who you are and why you were reading the book. Give the name of the book and the author’s name. Tell them some of the things that you read about him/her and how those things made you think about him/her. Discuss the conflict that the character had to face. Make a connection to the conflict using your own life experiences or that of someone that you know. Talk about how the character handled the experience in the book and how the conflict was resolved. Maintain your comparison between how the character experienced and resolved the conflict and how you or your friend handled the issue that you/he/she faced. Thank the character for allowing you to share in his/her life through the story. Ask her/him any questions that you may want answered.