ELA 7 Review

The past two weeks in the blog homework, we've been working on writing reviews. This week will continue that work, but the subject won't be a book, it will be this class.

Assignment: For homework this week, I'd like you to write a review of your experience in ELA 7. Please be honest, but don't be mean. I will consider your feedback when I work on planning for next year. So the more you can support your ideas with specific details and thoughtful reasoning, the more likely it is that I will use your ideas when planning next year.

The Outsiders Review

For this week's homework, you will write a review of The Outsiders.

A book review is a genre that involves some summary and some critique. You may discuss aspects of the plot, the characters, the conflict, the setting that were positive and contributed to the book, or aspects of those elements that were negative and detracted from the book.

I will expect your book review to be detailed, thoughtful, and specific. I will expect that you use formal English and elevated vocabulary.

Some examples of book reviews (good and not so good) can be found here:

http://www.teenink.com/reviews/book_reviews

The Pigman Review

For this week's homework, you will write a review of The Pigman.

A book review is a genre that involves some summary and some critique. You may discuss aspects of the plot, the characters, the conflict, the setting that were positive and contributed to the book, or aspects of those elements that were negative and detracted from the book.

I will expect your book review to be detailed, thoughtful, and specific. I will expect that you use formal English and elevated vocabulary.

Some examples of book reviews (good and not so good) can be found here:

http://www.teenink.com/reviews/book_reviews

Character Contrast

This week, you will submit one response and comment to one other student.

For your response, you will select one character from each of our book club novels. You will write a contrast of these characters. Remember, contrast is how they are different. The contrast will be complete and will use specific details from both novels to show they ways you think the characters differ.

For the comment to another student, you will NOT say something like, "Billy, that was a really good contrast" or "I agree with Billy." You will comment in a way that shows that you are thinking about the characters, add details to support the student's point, or offer details that challenge the contrast.

Character Comparison

This week, you will submit one response and comment to one other student.

For your response, you will select one character from each of our book club novels. You will write a comparison of these characters. Remember, comparison is how they are alike. The comparison will be complete and will use specific details from both novels to show they ways you think the characters are alike.

For the comment to another student, you will not say something like, "Billy, that was a really good comparison." You will comment in a way that shows that you are thinking about the characters, add details to support the student's point, or offer details that challenge the comparison.

Author's Craft

We have just started a new reading unit called "Examining Author's Craft." To examine an author's craft means to look at how the author put the words and phrases and sentences together -- looking at the craft - the actual building or construction - of the writing. For examples, you may notice interesting use of sentence length or sentence structure, use of puncutation or lack of it, the decision to make one section heavy in dialogue and another void of (without) dialogue, or particularly short or long paragraphs or chapters.

This week's homework will require two (2) responses and no (0) comments. For your responses, please describe a section of your book that contains a writing craft move or decision that you notice your author has made. Ideally, you can put the section in your response the way I do in the Stargirl tests. Then, describe what the author did in her/his writing that you observed and why or how this affects the reading of the text.

PLEASE NOTE: Author's craft is not, "He made the narrator speak." In fiction writing, an author makes everything happen. I want you to talk about the writing, not the content of the story.

Sales Pitch

Have you ever seen the sales guys on TV? I'm sure you have... They're loud and in your face, and they always have the best mop or knife or whatever.

For your response this week, I'd like you to write a "script" for one of these TV guys. He'll be selling an IRB you've read. Make sure to include plenty of details to "make the sale."

For your comment back, please let the person know:
1. Whether you'd buy the book based on the sales pitch.
2. Why you would or wouldn't buy the book using specific details from the sales pitch.
3. What other details you think should be included to help make the sales pitch stronger.

Characterization

Authors make characters come to life through a literary device called characterization. Characterization means that an author has shown readers what the character is like through what the narrator says about the character, what other characters say about the character, what the characters says, and/or what the character does.

For this week's assignment, please:

1. Write a brief description of a favorite fictional character.
2. Tell me a detail from the text that let you create that description.
3. Identify whether the detail is the narrator saying something about the character, another character saying something about the character, what the character said, or what the character did.

Strategies

Please complete the following and add appropriate details to support your thinking.

One reading strategy I find myself using often is... I think I use this strategy so much because... For example,...

One reading strategy I know I don't use enough is... I think I don't use this strategy much because... Maybe it would help me to... and then I would use this strategy more.

Empathy

This week in class, we're talking about empathizing with your character, which simply means to develop a feeling about the character and/or the situation she or he is in. The feeling can be negative or positive.

For this response, please describe in detail a moment when you developed a feeling for the character and/or the situation and why.

Then, describe how it influenced your reading/perception of the book.

No New Post for the Week of 9/29

To those of you who commented on Tuesday, September 29th: There is no new post this week. Please go to the Writers and Read Aloud blogs to get the assignment for the week. Thanks!

Book Share

Take some time to let everyone know what your favorite book is and why it's your favorite. Pretend that you're selling the book, and use all the descriptions and persuasion you can to influence everyone to try your book. Remember, you must not only respond to this, but you must also respond to one of your classmate's responses.

Welcome

Hello to all of my students!! Do me a favor: if you're checking this out, take the next step and figure out how to leave a comment on this post. Then, take the next step and figure out how to leave a comment on someone else's reply...