Independent Reading

Overview

Eachquarteryouwillberesponsibleforreadingatleastonebookofyourchoice.Throughoutthequarteryou
willcompletevariousshortassignmentsbasedonthisbook.Forexample,youmightdiscussthecharactersin
yourWritersNotebook,pullexamplesoffigurativelanguageforlanguagepractice,orrewriteaspectsofyour
bookforacreativewritingexercise.Attheendofthequarter,
yourfinalassignmentforindependent
readingwillbetocreateablogentryevaluatingthebook
.

Expectations

Youareexpectedtohaveyourbookwithyou
inclasseveryday
.Thiscanbeagoodolpaperboundversion
oranelectroniccopy.Youwillbegiventimeinclassweeklytoread.Also,youareexpectedtoreadfromyour
independentbookwhenyouhavefinishedyourworkinclass.Insteadofkeepingareadingjournal,expect
regularshortWritersNotebookpieces.

Suggestions

Read20minutespernight.Ifyouwanttogetthroughyourbookanditnotbeanoverwhelmingburden,give
yourself20uninterruptedminutespernighttoread.Youwillhaveyourbookreadbeforetheendofthequarter
andavoidstress,andyouwillenjoyitmoreandunderstandbetterwhatyouarereading.

Keepsomenotes.Remember,attheendofthequarter,youwillwriteablogonyourbook.Ifyouhavekept
stickynotesornotesinanotebookasyouread,youwillbeabletomoreeasilyprovidedetailsandexamples
toyourblogentrythatwillmakeitmoreinteresting.

Prompt:
Youhavejustfinished(hopefully)agreatbook.Nowitisyourturntoshareyouropinion.

Write a summary of the novel and explain why the book is relevant and worth reading...or not.

Turnitin:
PostyourfinaldrafttoyourWeeblyblogandsubmitthelinktoSchoology(assignment:
IndependentReadingBlog).

Follow these steps

Title:
The title of your blog entry should be the title of your book OR include the title of your book
For example:
The Maze Runner
The Maze Runner
: best summer reading ever
An Amazing Review of
The Maze Runner
1st Paragraph: Write a brief summary that includes the following:
Title
Author
Setting
Main characters
Brief synopsis of the plot and main conflict
2nd Paragraph: Write a complete paragraph evaluating the story. Include the following:
Reasonsthebookisworthreadingornot.Hereyouwanttodiscussathemeofthestoryandifyouthinkthe
authordidagoodjobofrelatingthethemeORifyouthinkthethemeissomethingthatmattersinlife.*Include
specificexamplesfromthestory.
Towhomwouldyourecommendthebookandwhy?

Image/Video:

Allblogpostsshouldincludearelevantphotoorvideoattachedorembedded.

**Youmaychangetheorganizationofyourblog.Justmakesureyouhavealltheinfo.youneedandusea
logicalorganization.

Student Checklist
Use this checklist before submitting your final draft of your blog entry. Read over your post
and check off all boxes that you can. Look at any boxes that are left unchecked. Add and
correct those items before posting your blog entry.
Title
I have a title for my blog post and it includes the title of the book I am reviewing.
The Review
I have

a paragraph that includes:

the title of the novel
the author of the novel
the setting of the novel
the main characters of the novel
a brief summary of the plot and main conflict

I have a separate paragraph that includes:

Reasons the book is worth reading (or not worth reading)
Specific examples from the book to support my view
To whom I would recommend this book and an explanation for why
I have a relevant image or video attached or embedded in the post.
The Organization and Writing
I have set a clear focus for my reader (they can tell what the book is, who wrote it, what it is
about, if I like it and why)
I have clearly organized the post so it is easy to follow and is logical.
I have used examples, details, and quotations from the novel to support my thoughts about the
book.
I have used different types of sentences.
I have used different length of sentences.
I have checked and had others check for spelling mistakes, and I have corrected them.
I have checked and had others check for capitalization mistakes, and I have corrected them.
I have checked and had others check for punctuation mistakes, and I have corrected them.
I have used academic and narrative specific vocabulary in my post correctly.

GRADINGRUBRIC

Criterion

5Advanced
(abovegradelevel)

4Proficient
(atgradelevel)

3Basic

2BelowBasic

1FarBelow
Basic

Focus
W7/82a

*Insightfully
addressesall
aspectsofthe
assignmentprompt.

*Competently
addressesall
aspectsofthe
assignmentprompt

*Superficially
addressesall
aspectsofthe
assignmentprompt

*Partiallyaddresses
allaspectsofthe
assignmentprompt

*Minimally
addressesall
aspectsofthe
assignmentprompt

Organization/ *Skillfullyorients
Structure
thereadertothe
W7/82a,2c
topicoftheblog
post
*Thoroughly
developsthepost
withinmultiple
relativeparagraphs.

*Orientsthereader
tothetopicofthe
blogpost
*Developsthepost
withinmultiple
relativeparagraphs.

*Partiallyorients
thereadertothe
topicoftheblog
post
*Superficially
developsthepost
withinmultiple
relativeparagraphs.

*Inadequately
orientsthereaderto
thetopicoftheblog
post
*Inadequately
developsthepost
withinone
paragraph.

*Failstoorientthe
readertothetopic
oftheblogpost
*Failstodevelop
thepostwithina
paragraph.

Development
W7/82b,9

*Skillfullydevelops
theblogtopicusing
wellchosen
examples,details,
orquotationsthat
arenecessary.
*Showsinsightful
understandingofthe
topicoftheblog.

*Developstheblog
topicusing
wellchosen
examples,details,
orquotationsthat
arerelevant.
*Showscompetent
understandingofthe
topicoftheblog.

*Developstheblog
topicusing
examples,details,
orquotationsthat
arelimitedor
superficial.
*Showssuperficial
understandingofthe
topicoftheblog.

*Providesminimal
and/orirrelevant
examples,details,
orquotationsto
developtheblog
topic.
*Showslimitedor
flawed
understandingofthe
blogtopic.

*Provides
inaccurate,little,or
noexamples,
details,or
quotationsto
supportthetopic.
*Showsnoand/or
inaccurate
understandingofthe
topic.

Language
L7/81,2,3,4

*Usespurposeful
andvariedsentence
structure.
*Containsminimal
tonoerrorsin
conventions
(grammar,
punctuation,
spelling,
capitalization)
*Strategicallyuses
academicand
domainspecific
vocabularyclearly
appropriateforthe
audienceand
purpose(Narrative
vocabulary)

*Usescorrectand
variedsentence
structure.
*Containsfewerrors
inconventions.
*Competentlyuses
academicand
domainspecific
vocabularyclearly
appropriateforthe
audienceand
purpose(Narrative
vocabulary)

*Usesmostly
correctandsome
variedsentence
structure.
*Containssome
errorsin
conventions.
*Usuallyuses
academicand
domainspecific
vocabularyclearly
appropriateforthe
audienceand
purpose(Narrative
vocabulary)

*Useslimited
and/orrepetitive
sentencestructure.
*Containsnumerous
errorsin
conventionswhich
causeconfusion.
*Inadequatelyuses
academicand
domainspecific
vocabularyclearly
appropriateforthe
audienceand
purpose(Narrative
vocabulary)

*Lackssentence
mastery(e.g.,
fragments/runons)
*Containsserious
andpervasiveerrors
inconventions.
*Failstouse
academicand
domainspecific
vocabularyclearly
appropriateforthe
audienceand
purpose(Narrative
vocabulary)