IR Quarter 4:

Name: _____________________________Period: ______

ELA 7April, to say the least, is very busy. The schedule is changed often due to six days of state testing and

five days I will be absent because of scoring. So, to make this the most productive and fun month that we can, you will be participating in a book club to prepare for some very exciting projects in May that will let your creativity explode!

Here’s how it works:***Note: Italicized words indicate graded work and

due dates***

STEP 1: Intro to the book club & forming book clubs

March 30: Book Club Overview/Intro March 31: Mrs. Brew’s Preview of Book

Selections in Library April 1: Choose/check out books & form clubs in

Library; divide books into thirds; choose roles for graded discussions

STEP 2: Read, log, discuss, & respond to your book

April 5-7 (ELA assessment): silent reading/log April 8: Graded Discussion #1 (1/3 of book due) April 11: Glossary Assignment (in class) April 12: Real Life Connections Journal &

Discussion (in class) April 13-15 (Math assessment): silent reading/log

o April 15: (2/3 of book due) April 18-19: Point of View Writing Assignment &

group response (in class) April 20-22: Conference Days & silent

reading/log April 25: Graded Discussion #2 (entire book due)

Step 3: Major Writing Assignment

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April 26-29: Write an essay based on the book you finishedo Final Draft DUE Weds, 5/4

Step4: Technology-based Book Talk May 2: Overview to assignment and technology

options May 3-6: project workdays (with laptops in

classroom) May 9-13: Book Talk Presentations

FAQ’s What are “reading/log days”?

This means that you’ll be SILENTLY reading your chosen text. You should be taking notes as you read. You can use whatever method you want, but sticky notes are a good idea. I won’t be collecting the notes, but it will greatly help your discussion days.

Also, you will be completing a mandatory reading log each day that you read in class (just like IR). You must track which pages you read on those days, as well as provide a summary of those pages. These WILL BE GRADED.

What are the “graded discussions”?Each group will be given sets of “roles.” You’ll

then decide who is playing each role in each of the 2 discussions. The assignments are self-explanatory, and they must be completed (in writing) before the day of the planned discussions in order to talk about them with your book club members on each designated day. I’ll circulate and listen in on your discussions, as well as collect your prepared role

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sheets. These are class participation grades. You will be having 2 discussions, one after reading a third of the book and the other once you’ve finished reading. Your role in each discussion will be different.

What are the conference days?I will meet with you one-on-one at some point

during those 3 days and discuss the book with you. You should bring your book and reading log, and be prepared to discuss both what you’re reading and how your book club experience is going. It will be graded (on the part of the discussion dealing with your book), and the rest of the discussion is an informal way for me to touch base with you and your group members and be sure you’re on track.

What is a “book talk”? A book talk is a multimedia project you

create/present that is meant to interest the audience in the book you read. You can create a commercial/trailer for the book, do an online book review where each member focuses on a different aspect of the book and your opinion of it, create an interview with the character(s), etc. Think IR project but with a group of people (so, on a much grander scale). Your book club will present this to the class, hopefully enticing them to read the book. Just remember not to spoil the ending!

Book talks are meant to be persuasive, so think about your audience and be prepared to spend 5 minutes in front of the class presenting your book in a creative way. If you need anything (class handouts, specific technology, etc) for the

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presentation, please see me at least 3 days before your book talk.

This project and presentation must be technology-based and I have already secured laptops for your use during the week leading up to the book talk presentations. You are encouraged to use Google Slides to “frame” your project (i.e. use this program to set up your book talk and incorporate images/videos/games within it), and I will gladly give the class a quick intro to the program so you become familiar with it. However, if you have other technology programs in mind (Powerpoint/Prezi/iMovie), I can be flexible.

Group members will have the same grade for the book talk contents, but individual grades for the presentation. Be sure that everyone has a significant role in the presentation of this assignment, so you each have an opportunity to earn a high score. Seeing as the project should be 5 minutes, each person should be “leading” the presentation for at least one minute. Plan accordingly.

What happens if we hate the book? You can abandon the book in the first week, no

worries. After that, your group will need to decide to either a) find a new book together b) break up, some stay with it, some get another book, or c) you can go off on your own. You will hand in the tasks that you have already done on the one book, then switch to the other book.

However, it is your responsibility to make up lost time reading the new book. I strongly encourage you to stick to the original plan for this reason.

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What happens if I want to work alone? That’s totally cool with me. On group discussion

days, I will check your role sheets (you’ll need to do them all), and you’ll get to go to the library since you’ve already “discussed” it on paper with yourself.

What happens if I want to quit my group? You will need to let me know, and you can

proceed from there. You will still be required to do the same amount of work.

How will you know if someone is slacking in our groups?

During the conference days, I expect students to keep me informed about group members pulling their weight and getting along. In addition, at the end of the module, you will be grading your book club members ANONYMOUSLY on their effort. This will become a participation grade once combined with the rest of your book club members’ scores. My hope is that issues are addressed and cleared up before this point.

What happens when I am absent? That’s the awesome part—you can work on all of

this from anywhere, whenever you want. If you end up finishing your reading, assignments and book talk, you may get a library pass or work on other homework.

What if I have questions and you aren’t here? Email is the best method:

amilitello@frontiercsd.org, but you can also come see me during periods 2 and/or 4/5 (Day 1), or after

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school. Please let me know ahead of time if you want to meet, so I can make myself available to you.

What if we need extra time or a place to work?When I am in school, you can get a pass to work in my room during my free periods. Mrs. Brew is also really flexible about letting you work there. Just get passes!

A few more “rules”:-Don’t hand work in to a sub. Ever. -If your name is written down by a sub, I write a

referral.-You are to self-monitor; this only works if everyone collaborates.-Have fun! This is supposed to be a chance to be your best self.

--Mrs. Militello

How Will I Be Graded?

Grading Category

Assignment Points

Due Date

MAJOR GRADES

Essay 50 5/4“Book Talk” 50 5/9

MINORGRADES

Graded Discussion Role Sheet #1

5 4/8

Glossary 10 4/13Journal: Point of View 10 4/20Conference with Mrs. Militello 5 4/20-22Graded Discussion Role Sheet #2

5 4/25

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PARTIC-IPATIONGRADES

Graded Discussion #1 5 4/8Journal: Making Connections 5 4/13Reading Log 10 4/25Graded Discussion #2 5 4/25“Book Talk” Presentation 10 5/9-13Book Club Group Effort Grade 5 5/13

Your Name: _________________________________ Period: ____ Book Title: _____________________________________ ELA 7, Quarter 4

Reading LogDirections:

Each day that you are assigned silent reading, mark the page numbers you read and summarize.

Date Pages Read

Summary

4/5

7

4/6

4/7

Date Pages

Summary

4/13

8

4/14

4/15

4/20

9

4/21

4/22

Journal Assignments: Record all responses on a separate sheet of paper with

a heading denoting the date/topic. Journals should be well-written, proofread and revised

for errors. This means complete sentences and organized paragraphing when applicable.

Illegible assignments will be marked as zeroes. Be prepared to share your responses with your book

club members.

4/12: Making Connections Describe one aspect of the book that you made a

connection to.o Connections can be made to other texts OR

personally (to you and your life). The subject could be…

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o a character.o the setting.o a conflict.o a plotline.

Be specific in your comparisons in order to receive full credit.

4/18-19: Point of View With your book club members, determine the point of

view of the story. Then, choose 4 characters whose voices/points of view

are NOT included at some point in the plot thus far whom you wish you could hear tell that part of the story.

Each person should then choose one of the four characters mentioned and rewrite that part of the story from their point of view.

Consider the character’s age, personality, & role in the book when writing, so that the tone is both believable and true to the original characterization.

Name: ____________________ Per: ____Book Club Module ELA 7

Glossary Assignment:Directions:

Identify 5 words from the book that you are unfamiliar with & their page numbers.

Using a dictionary, define each word and identify the part of speech (as it is used in your book).

o If the definition has words you don’t understand, look them up so that the definition you write down is helpful & easy to understand.

Copy the sentence in which the word is originally used in the book, underlining the word itself.

Write a new sentence (not pertaining to the book’s plot) using the word in a meaningful way.

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Rubric: PossiblePoints

PointsEarned

5 correctly spelled words with page #s 15 correctly identified Parts of Speech 15 easy to understand definitions 35 sentences copied from the book (using glossary words)

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5 new sentences in which glossary words are used meaningfully & correctly

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TOTAL: 10

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Word & Page #)

Part of Speech Definition Sentence from Book New Sentence

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