READING NOTES INSTRUCTIONS

DIRECTIONS FOR POSTING YOUR READING NOTES

Write one post after every Reading Notes assignment. In each post, you must respond to 3 of the 7 possible prompts.

Clearly title each post with the CHAPTER OR CHAPTERS you are responding to. Add a creative title as well. E.g. CHAPTER 1: The Family Feud Goes On

Answer 3 prompts out of 7 for each reading notes assignment

For every reading assignment, create a post on our blog.

Complete responses to AT LEAST 3 OF the following 7 prompts. Your choice.

PROMPT A

Summarize the chapter in your own words (approximately 5-10 sentences).

PROMPT B

Comment in ONE SENTENCE on what you think the theme of this scene is. Remember, a "theme" is the important, underlying message -- not the plot summary.

PROMPT C

Ask 5 interesting questions about the reading OR address 5 questions to one or more of the characters from this section of the reading, as if you were interviewing him or her. Here is an example of a student responding to this prompt for Hamlet. Remember, just ask; you do not have to answer!

Example student response

Questions for Scene 2: Polonius—what’s your problem with Hamlet? Reynaldo—are you going to spread the bad word about Laertes? Ophelia—how strongly do you feel about Hamlet? Hey, Hamlet—what are your feelings about Ophelia? Do you care about her, or are you just using her as an excuse?

PROMPT D

Quote lines from the scene that you enjoyed and comment on them. Again, here is an example post from a student reading Hamlet.

Example student response

Scene 1.1—Horatio says, “Most like. It harrows me with fear and wonder.” This line really explains to us what all three of the guards are feeling when they see this ghost. They are all frightened by it, yet they wonder why it came to them and why it is dressed the way it is. It really sets the mood for the whole scene, because it lets us know that they are anxious. The first few lines of this scene shocked me, because we didn’t know anything about these characters and yet they were all so nervous and jumpy.

PROMPT E

Find an image (photograph, painting, etc.) online that you think is a good symbolic representation of the scene as a whole. Insert the image and then discuss why you chose it and how it represents the scene. (1-3 sentences). Do not find images that are literal representations. In other words, a picture of fighting does not symbolically represent fighting. 

PROMPT F

Discuss the relationships between two or more characters. Assert an opinion about the relationship and back it up with some text evidence from the novel. (5-10 sentences).

PROMPT G

Pretend you are a character in the scene. Get inside that character’s mind. Tell how the character feels about himself or herself.  How does he or she feel about the other characters? About the situation? Remember, you are pretending to BE this character. Write a brief paragraph/monologue in the character’s voice. Think Reality TV Confessional. (5-10 sentences). If you’re feeling brave, record it and post the video.

READING NOTES SCORING

Your reading notes are the basis of your Unit Work grade for the Gatsby/Speech Unit.

Review these expectations:

Your Notes

Be sure that you do quality control: proofread your work.

Be sure your writing is formal and academic. Texting language – omitting capitalization and punctuation, using acronyms and shorthand, writing unfinished sentences – is fine when you are texting. But you are not texting. You are completing an English assignment. Know the difference.

Be sure to check the instructions for your prompt and make sure you have responded accordingly.

Comments and Answering Comment Questions

You are expected to comment on at least THREE other posts (from your classmates) each time we do reading notes.

Your comments should be thoughtful, written in complete, grammatical sentences, and show that you are responding to something specific in your classmate's writing and/or asking a serious follow-up question.

You are expected to ANSWER all comments that include questions. Check your posts frequently to be sure you are responding.

Accountability

Remember, you can reply with comments and respond to comment questions on the Gatsby blog at any time. You do not have to wait until we are in class. While large amounts of class time are being given to complete the work, you are expected to use outside-of-class time if you need it in order to get the work done.

THE SCORING RUBRIC IS AVAILABLE IN THE ROMEO AND JULIET FOLDER ON EDMODO.