An Independent Reading Notebook is a combination of personal reflections and a reading log for books you read independently. By having to think about what you’re reading, you will become a stronger reader and writer. You are to have 2 entries per week. Each entry should be for 30 minutes of reading. You will present these books to the class in your book jackets and booktalks.
How to set up the notebook?
Leave the first 4 pages of the spiral notebook for the Table of Contents. The Table of Contents should look like this:
page # (of the notebook) date name of the book pages read total # of minutes
Number the rest of the pages on the top, right-hand corner, starting with page 1. Keep the left side (or back of the page) blank for my comments.
What goes in an entry?
Each entry should have the title of the book (the first time include the author and genre) and the date at the top. Then write:
TS: (Time started) PS: (Page started)
TF: (Time finished) PF: (Page finished)
Each entry should consist of a summary, reflections, and vocabulary words, and should be at least 5 sentences long.
Summary
The summary can be as short as one sentence. I just need to know what’s going on so I can follow your entries.
Personal reflections can include:
Predictions
Connections to personal life
Connections to what you’re learning in school
Connections to other books, movies, songs, etc.
Questions (maybe I can answer them)
Great Quotes (always write the page #)
Favorite Parts
Examples of author’s style you particularly like
Drawings
Vocabulary Words
Just write the word and page #. Don’t stop to look it up in the dictionary.
Showing posts with label Handouts: Reading Writing Workshop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Handouts: Reading Writing Workshop. Show all posts
Monday, April 27, 2009
Vocabulary Flip Book
1) As you read, circle the words you don’t know, or write them in your independent reading notebook with their page numbers.
2) Write a sentence guessing what the words mean.
3) On the back of an index card, write the sentence from the book where the word is found. Put it in quotes and underline the vocabulary word. If the sentence is too long, sum it up. Write the title of the book and the page #.
4) Look up the word in the dictionary and write the shortest possible definition. Under that, write antonyms and/or examples.
5) On the front of the flashcard, write the word as word art or write the word and draw a picture that will help you remember the word’s meaning.
6) Punch a hole in the corner, put them on a large binder ring, and organize them in alphabetical order.
7) Consistently study and review the words. We will have periodic vocabulary quizzes based on the vocabulary you find in your independent reading.
2) Write a sentence guessing what the words mean.
3) On the back of an index card, write the sentence from the book where the word is found. Put it in quotes and underline the vocabulary word. If the sentence is too long, sum it up. Write the title of the book and the page #.
4) Look up the word in the dictionary and write the shortest possible definition. Under that, write antonyms and/or examples.
5) On the front of the flashcard, write the word as word art or write the word and draw a picture that will help you remember the word’s meaning.
6) Punch a hole in the corner, put them on a large binder ring, and organize them in alphabetical order.
7) Consistently study and review the words. We will have periodic vocabulary quizzes based on the vocabulary you find in your independent reading.
Integrating Sources into your Paper: A Brief Overview
Options for Using Sources
• You can refer to the source
• Summarize the source
• Paraphrase the source or a passage from it
• Quote directly from a source
Major Principles to Consider (from Writing With Sources)
1. Use sources as briefly as possible, so your thinking isn’t crowded out by your presentation of other people’s thinking/voices
2. Never leave your reader in doubt as to when you are speaking and when you are using material from another source
3. Always make clear how the source is related to your argument
When to Cite
• When you use factual information or data from a source
• When you quote word for word
• When you summarize, paraphrase or use ideas/opinions or conclusions that another person has already arrived at
When Not to Cite
o You do NOT have to cite information that is considered common knowledge
o You do NOT have to cite when you use ideas that aren’t published such as ideas from friends or classmates
Rules for Quoting
A. Quote only what you really need or what is very striking (powerful)
B. Construct your own sentence so that the quote fits into it.
For example:
Original Quote “When we heard that the man with the white flesh was journeying down the Lualaba we were. . . “
Quote in Sentence According to Chief Mojimba, a “man with white flesh was journeying down the Laulaba.”
C. Quote verbatim (do not change words)
o If the quote is more than 5 lines, indent the entire passage
o If you omit words use the dot dot dot (. . .) to indicate this
o If you need to add a word to make the quote more clear use the brackets [ ]
Parenthetical Citations
When you do quote a source, you can use this format to indicate the source to which you are referring (Author, page #)
For the above example, (Clark, p. 129)
• You can refer to the source
• Summarize the source
• Paraphrase the source or a passage from it
• Quote directly from a source
Major Principles to Consider (from Writing With Sources)
1. Use sources as briefly as possible, so your thinking isn’t crowded out by your presentation of other people’s thinking/voices
2. Never leave your reader in doubt as to when you are speaking and when you are using material from another source
3. Always make clear how the source is related to your argument
When to Cite
• When you use factual information or data from a source
• When you quote word for word
• When you summarize, paraphrase or use ideas/opinions or conclusions that another person has already arrived at
When Not to Cite
o You do NOT have to cite information that is considered common knowledge
o You do NOT have to cite when you use ideas that aren’t published such as ideas from friends or classmates
Rules for Quoting
A. Quote only what you really need or what is very striking (powerful)
B. Construct your own sentence so that the quote fits into it.
For example:
Original Quote “When we heard that the man with the white flesh was journeying down the Lualaba we were. . . “
Quote in Sentence According to Chief Mojimba, a “man with white flesh was journeying down the Laulaba.”
C. Quote verbatim (do not change words)
o If the quote is more than 5 lines, indent the entire passage
o If you omit words use the dot dot dot (. . .) to indicate this
o If you need to add a word to make the quote more clear use the brackets [ ]
Parenthetical Citations
When you do quote a source, you can use this format to indicate the source to which you are referring (Author, page #)
For the above example, (Clark, p. 129)
Strategies to support struggling writers
Orally plan stories in pairs and groups so that students know what they are going to write about before they write.
Write with children as well as for them e.g. help them with their story plan and ‘open out the story’ where possible. If the story falters, ask the student to dictate that section to you and then you leave them to finish off the story according to the discussed plan.
Encourage students to write stories that are close versions of known stories. This allows them to get into the habit of writing without also having to think too much about what to write.
Suggest students write themselves into an existing plot. How do the other characters react? What role do they play in the unfolding of the plot?
Set the task of writing the dialogue for a scene which is told in authorial voice.
Encourage ‘writing partners’ who write for and with one another, becoming the ‘absent audience’ that young writers find so difficult to cater for.
Give students the experience of orally creating a story and recording it. (This is where their phones might come in handy.) They, can then write their story as a dictation from the recording.
They should complete a story plan (with your support) and use the plan as a prompt for the storytelling. If the storytelling falters you could prompt with questions e.g. So what did you do then?
Give very short writing tasks (e-mails, postcards, memos) which stress the communication rather than the entertainment aspects of writing.
Give clear guidance about the importance (or lack of importance) of spelling in any particular writing task. If it is a learning objective then ensure writers are equipped with spelling support – useful subject words, high frequency word lists, a bank of useful phrases. Also give the child strategies for indicating a spelling attempt e.g. leaving a line. Encourage the use of invented spelling.
Write with children as well as for them e.g. help them with their story plan and ‘open out the story’ where possible. If the story falters, ask the student to dictate that section to you and then you leave them to finish off the story according to the discussed plan.
Encourage students to write stories that are close versions of known stories. This allows them to get into the habit of writing without also having to think too much about what to write.
Suggest students write themselves into an existing plot. How do the other characters react? What role do they play in the unfolding of the plot?
Set the task of writing the dialogue for a scene which is told in authorial voice.
Encourage ‘writing partners’ who write for and with one another, becoming the ‘absent audience’ that young writers find so difficult to cater for.
Give students the experience of orally creating a story and recording it. (This is where their phones might come in handy.) They, can then write their story as a dictation from the recording.
They should complete a story plan (with your support) and use the plan as a prompt for the storytelling. If the storytelling falters you could prompt with questions e.g. So what did you do then?
Give very short writing tasks (e-mails, postcards, memos) which stress the communication rather than the entertainment aspects of writing.
Give clear guidance about the importance (or lack of importance) of spelling in any particular writing task. If it is a learning objective then ensure writers are equipped with spelling support – useful subject words, high frequency word lists, a bank of useful phrases. Also give the child strategies for indicating a spelling attempt e.g. leaving a line. Encourage the use of invented spelling.
How to Give a Booktalk
Your task is to create an exciting booktalk, one which will get your classmates interested in the book you recommend. A booktalk is a 3-5 minute talk about a book you want to motivate others to read.
1) Think about what gets you excited about reading. Is it the characters? Or, is it the setting, an exciting plot, interesting themes, or a personal connection you have with the story?
2) Find a great book to share.
3) Take notes as you analyze the book's characters, setting, and plot to determine the theme
4) Prepare an exciting script for your booktalk by:
Including an interesting hook
Thoroughly and vividly describing the setting and main characters
Explaining how the themes address problems that your listeners are facing
Alluding to an exciting part of the story without revealing the ending
Using props where appropriate to build interest
Restating the title and author at the end of your booktalk
Leaving your listeners with a compelling reason for checking out the book you recommended
Rehearse it by yourself and in front of others
5) Deliver your booktalk to your audience. Remember to:
Speak loudly and clearly.
Make frequent eye contact with your audience.
Speak with enthusiasm. Remember it's your job to hook your reader.
1) Think about what gets you excited about reading. Is it the characters? Or, is it the setting, an exciting plot, interesting themes, or a personal connection you have with the story?
2) Find a great book to share.
3) Take notes as you analyze the book's characters, setting, and plot to determine the theme
4) Prepare an exciting script for your booktalk by:
Including an interesting hook
Thoroughly and vividly describing the setting and main characters
Explaining how the themes address problems that your listeners are facing
Alluding to an exciting part of the story without revealing the ending
Using props where appropriate to build interest
Restating the title and author at the end of your booktalk
Leaving your listeners with a compelling reason for checking out the book you recommended
Rehearse it by yourself and in front of others
5) Deliver your booktalk to your audience. Remember to:
Speak loudly and clearly.
Make frequent eye contact with your audience.
Speak with enthusiasm. Remember it's your job to hook your reader.
Process Paper and Evaluation
Tell me everything you can about how this writing came to be.
1) How did you come up with the idea for this piece?
2) What did you do differently (to revise or edit this piece of writing) as you went from each draft to the final draft, and why did you make, or not make changes?
3) What kind of problems did you encounter and how did you solve them?
4) What helped you the most to make the piece as strong as it could be?
5) What do you want me to know about the writing of this that I might not know just from reading it?
6) What parts of this writing are done especially well? (What qualities or characteristics make it an effective piece of writing?
7) What have you learned to do as a writer from doing this piece?
8) What did you learn/notice/pay attention to with regard to editing comments given to you (or done on your own) about spelling, punctuation, paragraphing, and the construction of sentences in order to write this piece carefully?
From: Rief, Linda. Adolescent Literacy. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1991, p. 269 found in Seeking Diversity. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
1) How did you come up with the idea for this piece?
2) What did you do differently (to revise or edit this piece of writing) as you went from each draft to the final draft, and why did you make, or not make changes?
3) What kind of problems did you encounter and how did you solve them?
4) What helped you the most to make the piece as strong as it could be?
5) What do you want me to know about the writing of this that I might not know just from reading it?
6) What parts of this writing are done especially well? (What qualities or characteristics make it an effective piece of writing?
7) What have you learned to do as a writer from doing this piece?
8) What did you learn/notice/pay attention to with regard to editing comments given to you (or done on your own) about spelling, punctuation, paragraphing, and the construction of sentences in order to write this piece carefully?
From: Rief, Linda. Adolescent Literacy. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1991, p. 269 found in Seeking Diversity. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Formal Class Discussion
1) In their journals, students write an opening question based on their shared reading. Their previous night's homework was to read and prepare a question.
2) They engage in dialogue journals with their partners. They switch their journals and answer the question, posing a new question. They pass their journals back and forth, silently. (I say it's like text messaging. Pretend the person is not in the room.) They end up having two conversations at the same time.
3) Review the Discussion Rubric. This was created during a mini-lesson after the students individually answered the question, “What makes for a good class discussion?”
4) Split the class in two in a fishbowl format.
5) The inside circle discusses first. The outside circle takes notes following the Discussion Rubric. They note how people are listening and responding to each other, and to what extent they are referring to the text. They make a discussion map.
6) Going around in a circle, each person reads her opening question. Nobody answers or makes any comments.
7) The moderator (teacher or student) chooses the question to start with.
8) After a designated amount of time, about 15-20 minutes, the inner circle switches with the outer circle.
9) After the same amount of time, the discussion stops. The students write their debriefing comments and thoughts in their journals.
10) Allow 5 minutes to debrief the discussion. What worked? As a class, set 2 goals for the next discussion.
HOMEWORK: Write an essay answering their original question.
2) They engage in dialogue journals with their partners. They switch their journals and answer the question, posing a new question. They pass their journals back and forth, silently. (I say it's like text messaging. Pretend the person is not in the room.) They end up having two conversations at the same time.
3) Review the Discussion Rubric. This was created during a mini-lesson after the students individually answered the question, “What makes for a good class discussion?”
4) Split the class in two in a fishbowl format.
5) The inside circle discusses first. The outside circle takes notes following the Discussion Rubric. They note how people are listening and responding to each other, and to what extent they are referring to the text. They make a discussion map.
6) Going around in a circle, each person reads her opening question. Nobody answers or makes any comments.
7) The moderator (teacher or student) chooses the question to start with.
8) After a designated amount of time, about 15-20 minutes, the inner circle switches with the outer circle.
9) After the same amount of time, the discussion stops. The students write their debriefing comments and thoughts in their journals.
10) Allow 5 minutes to debrief the discussion. What worked? As a class, set 2 goals for the next discussion.
HOMEWORK: Write an essay answering their original question.
Prompts to support the use of reading strategies
Resist immediately supplying the word for any reader who gets stuck. Instead remind them of things they can do to sort out the problem for themselves e.g.
To support the control of early reading behaviors:
Read it with your finger
Did you have enough (or too many) words?
Try ….. Would that make sense?
Try ….. Does that sound right?
Do you think it looks like ……?
Can you find …….? ( a known or new word)
To support the reader’s use of self-monitoring or checking behavior:
Were you right?
Where’s the tricky word? (after an error)
What did you notice? (after hesitation or stop)
What’s wrong?
Why did you stop?
What letter would you expect to see at the beginning?
Would ……. fit there?
Would …… make sense?
Do you think it looks like ……?
It could be ……, but look at ……
Check it. Does it look right and sound right to you?
You almost got that. See if you can find what is wrong.
To support the reader’s use of all sources of information:
Check the picture.
Does that make sense?
Does that look right?
Does that sound right?
You said ……. Does that make sense?
Try that again and think what would make sense.
Do you know a word like that?
Do you know a word that ends with those letters?
What can you do to help yourself?
To support the reader’s self-correction behavior:
Something wasn’t quite right. Try that again.
You made a mistake. Can you find it?
I liked the way you worked that out.
To support fluent, phrased reading:
Read the words so it sounds like talking.
How might that character say those words?
To support the control of early reading behaviors:
Read it with your finger
Did you have enough (or too many) words?
Try ….. Would that make sense?
Try ….. Does that sound right?
Do you think it looks like ……?
Can you find …….? ( a known or new word)
To support the reader’s use of self-monitoring or checking behavior:
Were you right?
Where’s the tricky word? (after an error)
What did you notice? (after hesitation or stop)
What’s wrong?
Why did you stop?
What letter would you expect to see at the beginning?
Would ……. fit there?
Would …… make sense?
Do you think it looks like ……?
It could be ……, but look at ……
Check it. Does it look right and sound right to you?
You almost got that. See if you can find what is wrong.
To support the reader’s use of all sources of information:
Check the picture.
Does that make sense?
Does that look right?
Does that sound right?
You said ……. Does that make sense?
Try that again and think what would make sense.
Do you know a word like that?
Do you know a word that ends with those letters?
What can you do to help yourself?
To support the reader’s self-correction behavior:
Something wasn’t quite right. Try that again.
You made a mistake. Can you find it?
I liked the way you worked that out.
To support fluent, phrased reading:
Read the words so it sounds like talking.
How might that character say those words?
Literature Discussion Questions
LITERATURE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Characters
1) Which character did you like best? Why?
2) At what point does a character change in the story?
3) Which character would you like to be?
4) What would you have done if you had been in the story?
Plot
1) Which part of the story did you like best?
2) Did you guess the end of the story before you read it?
3) What do you think will happen in the sequel?
Connections
1) Did the story remind you of anything you have done?
2) Does this story remind you of any other story you have read?
Changes
1) If you could change anything in this story what would you change?
2) How would the story be different if the setting was changed to where and when you currently live?
3) How would the story be different if it was told from a different point of view?
4) Do you think the story could have been told better if was told in a different genre--as a play or a poem?
Style
1) Were there any parts that you particularly liked?
2) Did you note any particularly good usages of figurative language, imagery, or diction?
3) Were there any particularly good sentence starters or paragraph openers?
4) Were there any parts that were particularly confusing?
5) Were there any parts where the author gave clues but didn’t tell you explicitly what was happening and you had to infer?
Characters
1) Which character did you like best? Why?
2) At what point does a character change in the story?
3) Which character would you like to be?
4) What would you have done if you had been in the story?
Plot
1) Which part of the story did you like best?
2) Did you guess the end of the story before you read it?
3) What do you think will happen in the sequel?
Connections
1) Did the story remind you of anything you have done?
2) Does this story remind you of any other story you have read?
Changes
1) If you could change anything in this story what would you change?
2) How would the story be different if the setting was changed to where and when you currently live?
3) How would the story be different if it was told from a different point of view?
4) Do you think the story could have been told better if was told in a different genre--as a play or a poem?
Style
1) Were there any parts that you particularly liked?
2) Did you note any particularly good usages of figurative language, imagery, or diction?
3) Were there any particularly good sentence starters or paragraph openers?
4) Were there any parts that were particularly confusing?
5) Were there any parts where the author gave clues but didn’t tell you explicitly what was happening and you had to infer?
Questions to develop Inferential and Evaluative Comprehension
INFERENTIAL (Answers to inferential questions are found between the lines and can only be decided by searching for clues and inferring their meaning.)
What makes you think that?
What do you think?
What words give you that impression?
Can you explain why….?
I’m not sure what I think about ….. I wonder what the writer intended?
I wonder why the writer has decided to …..
EVALUATIVE (Answers to evaluative questions are beyond the lines, requiring the reader to draw on personal knowledge.)
How do you feel about…..?
Do you agree with …’s opinion?
Do you like the bit where……?
I wonder why…..?
Is there anything that puzzles you?
What makes you think that?
What do you think?
What words give you that impression?
Can you explain why….?
I’m not sure what I think about ….. I wonder what the writer intended?
I wonder why the writer has decided to …..
EVALUATIVE (Answers to evaluative questions are beyond the lines, requiring the reader to draw on personal knowledge.)
How do you feel about…..?
Do you agree with …’s opinion?
Do you like the bit where……?
I wonder why…..?
Is there anything that puzzles you?
Questions for Guided Reading
Part of the preparation for guided reading involves devising questions to ask at key places in the text. To prevent teacher questioning from becoming interrogative and inhibiting discussion, the emphasis is on focused questioning that requires reading between and beyond the lines.
LITERAL QUESTIONS
The answers to these questions can be found in the text. It is simply a matter of locating them e.g.
What did Mum say was NOT to be bought with the money?
What colour was the pet?
INFERENTIAL QUESTIONS
Answers to inferential questions are found between the lines, and can only be decided by searching for clues and inferring their meaning e.g.
What sort of pet was it? How do you know?
Do you think it was wise of Mum to say that the money could be spent on anything except sweets?
EVALUATIVE QUESTIONS
Answers to evaluative questions lie beyond the text and require readers to draw on their personal knowledge and experience e.g.
Would you like to have a pet like that?
Why was the pet so special?
What do you think would happen if you took a pet home without asking first?
Skilled questions maximise the potential of the reading material and generate high-level thinking and discussion. They also provide an excellent model for pupils who need to adopt self-questioning strategies and learn how to read ‘into’ a text to answer different types of questions. Generally, inferential and evaluative questions are open-ended and therefore the pupils may give a range of answers.
Pupils also need to justify their opinions by referring both to the text and to their own life experience.
Question prompts to cue inferential and evaluative answers
I wonder why ……………..
I liked this part because ……….
I don’t like this part because ……….
If I had written this book I would have …………..
This bit reminds me of ………………………..
LITERAL QUESTIONS
The answers to these questions can be found in the text. It is simply a matter of locating them e.g.
What did Mum say was NOT to be bought with the money?
What colour was the pet?
INFERENTIAL QUESTIONS
Answers to inferential questions are found between the lines, and can only be decided by searching for clues and inferring their meaning e.g.
What sort of pet was it? How do you know?
Do you think it was wise of Mum to say that the money could be spent on anything except sweets?
EVALUATIVE QUESTIONS
Answers to evaluative questions lie beyond the text and require readers to draw on their personal knowledge and experience e.g.
Would you like to have a pet like that?
Why was the pet so special?
What do you think would happen if you took a pet home without asking first?
Skilled questions maximise the potential of the reading material and generate high-level thinking and discussion. They also provide an excellent model for pupils who need to adopt self-questioning strategies and learn how to read ‘into’ a text to answer different types of questions. Generally, inferential and evaluative questions are open-ended and therefore the pupils may give a range of answers.
Pupils also need to justify their opinions by referring both to the text and to their own life experience.
Question prompts to cue inferential and evaluative answers
I wonder why ……………..
I liked this part because ……….
I don’t like this part because ……….
If I had written this book I would have …………..
This bit reminds me of ………………………..
Portfolio Self-Evaluation
1) What is the topic or subject area of this portfolio?
2) What is your main purpose in putting a portfolio together?
3) Describe the contents of your portfolio.
4) What criteria did you use in selecting work for your portfolio?
5) What do you think is the best piece of work in your portfolio? Explain why.
6) What is the piece of work with which you are least satisfied? Explain why.
7) As you look at all the work in your portfolio, what areas do you think most need improvement?
8) What do you think your portfolio shows about your strengths and growth as a student?
2) What is your main purpose in putting a portfolio together?
3) Describe the contents of your portfolio.
4) What criteria did you use in selecting work for your portfolio?
5) What do you think is the best piece of work in your portfolio? Explain why.
6) What is the piece of work with which you are least satisfied? Explain why.
7) As you look at all the work in your portfolio, what areas do you think most need improvement?
8) What do you think your portfolio shows about your strengths and growth as a student?
Reading Conference
1) What book have you chosen?
2) What kind or genre of book is it?
3) Did you choose this book because you like the genre or because of the subject of the story?
4) Have you read anything by this author before? Is it similar to his or her other works?
5) Has the book held your interest? How did the book start?
6) Did this author begin her book in a way that you might like to begin a piece of writing?
7) What has been the most interesting part?
8) Have you read any other books that are like this one?
9) Can you share with me a section that you particularly like?
Tankersley, Karen. The Threads of Reading: Strategies for Literacy Development (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development: Alexandria, 2003), p. 106.
2) What kind or genre of book is it?
3) Did you choose this book because you like the genre or because of the subject of the story?
4) Have you read anything by this author before? Is it similar to his or her other works?
5) Has the book held your interest? How did the book start?
6) Did this author begin her book in a way that you might like to begin a piece of writing?
7) What has been the most interesting part?
8) Have you read any other books that are like this one?
9) Can you share with me a section that you particularly like?
Tankersley, Karen. The Threads of Reading: Strategies for Literacy Development (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development: Alexandria, 2003), p. 106.
Writing Inventory
1) How often do I write?
2) What types of writing do I do?
3) Do I like to write?
4) Why or why not?
5) How good a writer am I?
6) Why do I think this?
7) What topics do I like to write about?
8) Why do I like to write about these topics?
9) Do I write outside of school?
10) What kind of writing do I do outside of school?
11) Of the things I have written, I like these best:
12) Why do I like them best?
13) How important is writing?
14) Why do I think this?
15) What is easiest about writing for me?
16) Why do I think it is easiest?
17) Is anything about writing difficult for me? What?
18) Why do I think it is difficult?
19) What specific things can I improve about my writing?
20) How will I go about improving them?
2) What types of writing do I do?
3) Do I like to write?
4) Why or why not?
5) How good a writer am I?
6) Why do I think this?
7) What topics do I like to write about?
8) Why do I like to write about these topics?
9) Do I write outside of school?
10) What kind of writing do I do outside of school?
11) Of the things I have written, I like these best:
12) Why do I like them best?
13) How important is writing?
14) Why do I think this?
15) What is easiest about writing for me?
16) Why do I think it is easiest?
17) Is anything about writing difficult for me? What?
18) Why do I think it is difficult?
19) What specific things can I improve about my writing?
20) How will I go about improving them?
Reading Inventory
1) Do you like to read?
2) What are you favorite books?
3) Who are you favorite authors?
4) What are the last two books you chose to read?
5) What interested you about each book?
6) What topics or subjects do you like to read about?
7) What genre do you enjoy reading the most?
8) What genre do you usually avoid?
9) Why do you avoid these genres?
10) What kind of writing do you like to read other than fiction books (history, magazine, newspaper. Be specific.)
11) What makes a book good?
12) Who do you know that is a good reader?
13) What makes that person a good reader?
14) At what time of day do you usually like to read?
15) What do you usually like to have around when you read? (nothing, other people, silence, music, etc.)
16) How would you describe or rate yourself as a reader?
2) What are you favorite books?
3) Who are you favorite authors?
4) What are the last two books you chose to read?
5) What interested you about each book?
6) What topics or subjects do you like to read about?
7) What genre do you enjoy reading the most?
8) What genre do you usually avoid?
9) Why do you avoid these genres?
10) What kind of writing do you like to read other than fiction books (history, magazine, newspaper. Be specific.)
11) What makes a book good?
12) Who do you know that is a good reader?
13) What makes that person a good reader?
14) At what time of day do you usually like to read?
15) What do you usually like to have around when you read? (nothing, other people, silence, music, etc.)
16) How would you describe or rate yourself as a reader?
Resources for Reading/Writing Workshop
1) Book Links (imprint of the American Library Association) For subscription. (www.ala.org/BookLinks)
2) Middle School Journal (National Middle School Association) (www.nmsa.org/services/midjournal.htm)
3) The Reading Teacher and Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy (International Reading Association) (www.reading.org/publications)
4) Voices from the Middle (National Council of Teachers of English) (www.ncte.org/pubs/journals/vm)
5) English Journal (www.ncte.org/pubs/journals/ej)
6) The Horn Book (www.hbook.com)
7) The ALAN Review Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of NCTE (www.alan-ya.org)
8) American Library Association: Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) (www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists/index.html)
9) Children’s Literature Web Guide (www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown)
10) Database of Award Winning Children’s Literature (www.dawcl.com)
11) International Reading Association: Young Adults’ Choices (www.reading.org/choices)
12) Literature Circles Resource Center (http://fac-staff.seattleu.edu/kschlnoe/LitCircles)
13) School Library Journal (www.schoollibrary.com)
14) Booklist (www.booklist.com)
15) Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) (www.voya.com)
16) Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy (www.reading.org/publications/journals/jaal/index.html)
2) Middle School Journal (National Middle School Association) (www.nmsa.org/services/midjournal.htm)
3) The Reading Teacher and Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy (International Reading Association) (www.reading.org/publications)
4) Voices from the Middle (National Council of Teachers of English) (www.ncte.org/pubs/journals/vm)
5) English Journal (www.ncte.org/pubs/journals/ej)
6) The Horn Book (www.hbook.com)
7) The ALAN Review Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of NCTE (www.alan-ya.org)
8) American Library Association: Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) (www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists/index.html)
9) Children’s Literature Web Guide (www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown)
10) Database of Award Winning Children’s Literature (www.dawcl.com)
11) International Reading Association: Young Adults’ Choices (www.reading.org/choices)
12) Literature Circles Resource Center (http://fac-staff.seattleu.edu/kschlnoe/LitCircles)
13) School Library Journal (www.schoollibrary.com)
14) Booklist (www.booklist.com)
15) Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) (www.voya.com)
16) Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy (www.reading.org/publications/journals/jaal/index.html)
Writing Words
Description Words
like
for instance
for example
such as
includes
especially
to illustrate
in addition
most importantly
another
furthermore
first, second,. . .
Is an example of
one type of
is included in
belongs to
looks like
sounds like
feels like
smells like
tastes like
appears
seems
these traits
characteristics
Restating Words
or
also called
which is
also known as
that is
in other words
Comparing Words
like
likewise
as related
similar to
similarly
as
also
resembling
in the same way
same as
compared with
as well as
resembles
reminds me of
too
Contrast Words
but
unlike
rather than
although
however
except
not only
while
on the other hand
instead
in contrast
contrasts with
is the opposite of
differs from
is not like
different from
as opposed to
either . . . or
unless
but also
Sequential Order
not long after
next
then
later
after
following
over the years
when
on (date)
today
eventually
suddenly
meanwhile
during
before
first
initially
preceding
last
finally
once
In the beginning
On (date)
First
To begin with
The start of
It started when
It began on (date)
Not long after
Second
Next
Then
The second thing
And then
Next
Third . . . fourth. . .fifth
Now
Then
As
And then
After
Finally
Last
At the end
And the last thing
After everything
In conclusion
Cause-and-Effect Order
as a result
because
caused by
consequently
due to
for this reason
if . . . then
as a result
since
thus
therefore
accordingly
as a consequence
this led to. . . so
nevertheless
in order to
may be due to
not only . . . .but
so that
Order of Degree
even less
even more
finally
first
last
from. . . to
furthermore
least
most
to
mainly
strongest
weakest
more/most important
less/least important
best
worst
Problem-Solution
Because
Since
The problem is
Therefore
As a consequence
This led to
So that
Nevertheless
Accordingly
The result is
If
So
Then
Thus
Perhaps
Possibly
A solution is
Solutions are
This resulted in
My conclusion is
The answer is
One answer is
like
for instance
for example
such as
includes
especially
to illustrate
in addition
most importantly
another
furthermore
first, second,. . .
Is an example of
one type of
is included in
belongs to
looks like
sounds like
feels like
smells like
tastes like
appears
seems
these traits
characteristics
Restating Words
or
also called
which is
also known as
that is
in other words
Comparing Words
like
likewise
as related
similar to
similarly
as
also
resembling
in the same way
same as
compared with
as well as
resembles
reminds me of
too
Contrast Words
but
unlike
rather than
although
however
except
not only
while
on the other hand
instead
in contrast
contrasts with
is the opposite of
differs from
is not like
different from
as opposed to
either . . . or
unless
but also
Sequential Order
not long after
next
then
later
after
following
over the years
when
on (date)
today
eventually
suddenly
meanwhile
during
before
first
initially
preceding
last
finally
once
In the beginning
On (date)
First
To begin with
The start of
It started when
It began on (date)
Not long after
Second
Next
Then
The second thing
And then
Next
Third . . . fourth. . .fifth
Now
Then
As
And then
After
Finally
Last
At the end
And the last thing
After everything
In conclusion
Cause-and-Effect Order
as a result
because
caused by
consequently
due to
for this reason
if . . . then
as a result
since
thus
therefore
accordingly
as a consequence
this led to. . . so
nevertheless
in order to
may be due to
not only . . . .but
so that
Order of Degree
even less
even more
finally
first
last
from. . . to
furthermore
least
most
to
mainly
strongest
weakest
more/most important
less/least important
best
worst
Problem-Solution
Because
Since
The problem is
Therefore
As a consequence
This led to
So that
Nevertheless
Accordingly
The result is
If
So
Then
Thus
Perhaps
Possibly
A solution is
Solutions are
This resulted in
My conclusion is
The answer is
One answer is
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