READING LOG
Throughout the semester, students are expected to read novels on their own. Each day we have ten minutes dedicated to Sustained Silent Reading (SSR). During this time students are to read or complete log entries. Logs are collected and perused every two weeks. FIve Progress Entries (five chapters) must be completed at each collection time. The following are the three kinds of entries that must be completed:
ANTICIPATIONENTRYIn one complete paragraph, and after examining the book, you are required to respond to the following question: What are your expectations of what the book will be about and what do you think will happen in it?
PROGRESSENTRY(numbered for each chapter) Students will be required to complete the following tasks for each chapter of the novel: 1) Identify the key character(s) of the chapter.
2A) Describe what each character is hoping to achieve in the
chapter and explain why it is a challenge; or,
2B) If it’s not a challenge, explain what the value of it is for
the story.
3) Provide one quote (with page number) that you feel
best expresses the protagonist’s overall status in the
chapter.
4) Describe what you think will happen in the next chapter.
CLOSURE ENTRYAfter completing the book, you are to compose an entry made up of two complete paragraphs. Paragraph 1: How did the story end? Paragraph 2: Explain if the story fulfilled or did not fulfill your expectations.
Each log entry must include the following:
1) Identification of what kind of journal entry it is: Anticipation, Progress, or Closure.
2) The date the entry is being written
3) The title of the book and the book's author
4) The text of the entry
BOOK / AUTHOR TALKS
It is up to the student to decide how many books s/he reads during each quarter, but each student must complete one Book / Author Talk each quarter on one book / author read. The Talk will consist of a thorough explanation and description of the story and the varying literary elements found in the book as well as biographical research on the author. A presentation of this information, with a visual element (poster), will be required of each student during the last week of each semester.
CHALLENGE MODE
For students who are interested in more of a rewarding literary challenge, students may choose to go beyond what is normally expected with sustained silent reading. The guidelines remain mostly the same, but there are three unique differences: 1) the selected novel must be an approved classic piece of literature; 2) students will be expected to submit ten Progress Entries at each collection time; 3) when the time comes for the book talk, the student must also submit a literary analysis essay to be assigned a month ahead of the due-date.
The benefits of the challenge mode is that it encourages students to explore the groundwork of all modern literature, and the literary analysis essay is a unique graded assignment that only a student taking the challenge option is entitled to.
