Second Quarter Outside Reading Overview

Outside Reading—2nd Quarter, 2007-08

Even as technology spreads, the world of books continues to flourish. In the United States last year, more than 175,000 new books were published—the highest number ever. Actually, because of advances in technology in the publishing world, the ability to release new books is easier than ever. For your outside reading second quarter, I’d like you to dabble in the contemporary world of books.

You must have your book choice approved no later than November 7. Bring your book and explanation (below, on a separate sheet of paper) to class on November 7.

To have your choice approved, you must write out and submit the following information:

The name of the book and author

The year the book was published (The book must have been first published in 2006 or 2007.

Check the copyright date on the publisher’s page to determine the publishing date.)

Whether the book is fiction or nonfiction.

The number of pages (The book must be at least 250 pages long.)

Evidence that the book is sufficiently challenging for a high school sophomore

A brief explanation of why you chose the book

As was true first quarter, each Wednesday we will dedicate some time to your independent reading. Make sure you bring your book to class. You will receive points each week for bringing your book and actively reading during class.

If, after you get a few chapters into your book, you decide you don’t like the book and would like to change (and changing because you don’t care for a book is a respectable action), you must let me know, and I must approve your new title. You will need to submit a new choice overview.

After you have read your book, complete the following:

Create a “Top 10” list for the book

This list should identify the top 10 things to know about the book, with the expectation that the list include things about plot, character, conflict, theme, and style. For each item on the list, write a paragraph of 50-75 words explaining the choice and its importance. This must be typed, double-spaced, and reflect your thinking about the book as a whole. Your job is to demonstrate that you have read the entire book and have thought about its meaning.

Your Top 10 list will be due January 11. On this day we will also have an in-class writing assignment related to your book.

The Blogging (aka the good stuff!)
You must post twice a week (for our purposes a week is from Wednesday to Wednesday or from silent reading in class to next week's silent reading in class). I've explained below what should go in each of the posts per week. You can do them in any order, but EACH WEEK YOU NEED TWO POSTS. ONE SHOULD LOOK LIKE POST A AND ONE SHOULD RESEMBLE POST B. You should have 14 posts in total, i.e., 7 weeks of posting. Posts are due Wednesdays in the am (i.e. before school) on 11/14, 11/20 (TUESDAY), 11/28, 12/5, 12/12, 12/19, and 1/9.
Post A
* 2 vocabulary words that you found in the book (with page numbers). Define them in the blog.
* 3 examples of figurative language (irony, personification, imagery, metaphor, symbol, simile, onomatopoeia, etc.) and how you know it is that literary element.
* Pick a quote from the reading and explain its significance (include page number).
* Write a sentence in which you describe one emerging theme of the book.
Post B

A thoughtful response to the book of approximately 250 words. You must cite the page you're referring to as well. Some possible ways to respond to literature include: pick a quote and comment on its significance make connections to the book (self, text, world, media), analyze the protagonist (or author if it’s nonfiction), pretend you're writing a letter to the author or main character, etc. There are many many ways you can do this.

GRADING

Here's how the grading will work out of 100 points. A - You have all of the posts.You have always posted on time.You have always done what was asked of you in Post A.Your Post B response was always highly thoughtful and reflective.B - You have all of the posts.You mostly posted on time.You have mostly done what was asked of you in Post A.Your Post B responses were mostly thoughtful and reflective.C - You have 10-13 of the posts.You sometimes posted on time.You sometimes did what was asked of you in Post A's.You responded to the book in Post B's.D - You have about 6-9 posts total.You rarely posted on time.You rarely did what was asked of you in Post A's.You responded to the book in Post B's.F - You have 0-5 posts.You did not do what was asked of you in either Post A or Post B.