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West Sylvan Middle School
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Reading

1st & 2nd Quarters

Daily Reading

I expect students to read for twenty to thirty minutes at home every day.  Generally, we begin each core session with time to read.  Students should bring reading material of their choice to class, but I do have a meager classroom library for them to peruse.  Students are more than welcome to bring electronic readers to the classroom, with parental permission.  They are expected to read during the provided time.

Reading Projects

Students will also have to complete two projects during the first semester in addition to the reading log.  The first project is a “Cereal Box” reading project and it is due at the beginning of class October 15th.  The second project is a “Bookmarks” project that is due shortly after Winter Break.  It is due at the beginning of class on January 16th.  Time will be spent in class reviewing the guidelines and producing drafts.

There are 42 days from the start of the semester and the first project due date (“Cereal Box” on 10/15).  There are an additional 93 days from the first project’s due date to the second’s (“Bookmark” 1/16).  Each project should represent 250+ pages of reading.  Time will be given in class to review the project expectations and produce drafts—for points and feedback.

cereal box book project [PDF]
bookmarks [PDF]


SHORT STORIES

I will present ten (or more) short stories during the first semester.  Most stories are in pairs—two stories from the same author.  Author pairs are presented in successive weeks with an alternating read aloud and individual read format.  There are several “stand alone” stories.

This semester we are focusing on short stories with lessons or unexpected outcomes.  We began with WW Jacobs. I read, “The Monkey’s Paw”, aloud to the students last week (9/2-4).  We reviewed and discussed the story on Friday (9/5).  This is a format we will follow throughout the first semester (parsing the story into section for reading and reviewing with a final discussion towards the end of the week).

Students will be asked answer a question or questions about the readings in both a written and artistic format.  Written answers should be focused (not rambling) and clearly explained.  The written answers should not be first drafts.  Students should revise, edit, process, and proofread their answers.  Artistic responses should demonstrate effort but not hours of work.  The artistic side should employ a draft and a finalized product of the student’s “best” skills.  Overall, each side should take at least 30 minutes of time and effort.  Please refer to upcoming newsletters for due dates of reading journals and for authors we will be reading.


reading response example--summarizing
blank reading response--summarizing [PDF]
blank reading response--summarizing [WORD]

reading response example--analysis & synthesis
blank reading response--analysis & synthesis [PDF]
blank reading response--analysis & synthesis [WORD]

reading response example--interpretation & extension
blank reading response--interpretation & extension [PDF]
blank reading response--interpretation & extension [WORD]

example student response
response #2 alexis cannard


"The Monkey's Paw" by WW Jacobs
"The Monkey's Paw" video link

"The Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury
"The Sound of Thunder" video link (it is in 3 parts)

"There Will Come Soft Rains" by Ray Bradbury

reading response #1: Bradbury & Jacobs [PDF]
example reading response #1: Bradbury & Jacobs [PDF]

"The Last Night of the Word" by Ray Bradbury--alternative for those who have read "The Sound of Thunder"

"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce
"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" link to "Twilight Zone" episode

"The Bet" by Anton Chekhov
"The Witch" by Anton Chekhov

"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson
"The Lottery" video link (short film)
"The Lottery" video link (last segment of full-length movie)

"Charles" by Shirley Jackson

"Lamb to the Slaughter" by Roald Dahl
"Lamb to the Slaughter" video link to "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" episode

"The Man from the South" by Roald Dahl
"The Man From the South" video link to "Alfred Hitchcock Present" episode

reading response #4 "Dahl on Trial" [PDF]

"The Telltale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe
"Squeaky Boots" SpongeBob SquarePants episode
"The Tell-Tale Heart" #1 short film
"The Tell-Tale Heart" #2 animated short

"The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe
"The Cask of Amontillado" #1 short film
"The Cask of Amontillado"  #2 John Carroll short film
"The Cask of Amontillado" #3 animated short

reading response #5 "Poe's Revenge" [PDF]

"The Last Leaf" by O Henry
"The Last Leaf exposition" reading response
"The Last Leaf initial rising action" reading response
"The Last Leaf middle rising action" reading response
"The Last Leaf climax-resolution" reading response
"The Last Leaf" short film link

"The Ransom of Red Chief" by O Henry
"The Ransom of Red Chief" video link

"The Big Trip Up Yonder" by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
"The Big Trip Up Yonder" unabridged audiobook and full length videobook link

"2BR02B" by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
"2BR02B" video link
After reading the short story and watching an adapted short film based on Kurt Vonnegut's "2BR02B", students responded to the following:

List 3 similarities and 3 differences between the short story and the short film adaptation--be clear in what the differences are.  Then, explain which version (short story or film) was your favorite and why? 


"Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
"Harrison Bergeron" 7th grade study guide
"Harrison Bergeron" 8th grade study guide

"Harrison Bergeron" link to movie adapted from Kurt Vonnegut's story

The Westing Game
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (the complete novel via an online source)
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (PDF)

The Westing Game chapter 13
     *for reading 11/6
chapter 13 review assignment
     *due 11/12

The Westing Game chapter 15-20
     *for weekend reading 11/8-9
chapters 15-20 review assignment
     *due 11/13

The Westing Game chapters 21-22
     *in-class reading 11/12

The Westing Game chapter 23
     *homework reading 11/12 (needs to be completed by class 11/13)
chapters 21-23 review assignment
     *due 11/14

The Westing Game chapters 24-27
     *homework reading 11/13 during "snow day" (needs to be completed by class 11/14

The Westing Game chapters 28-30
     *in-class reading or homework 11/14

The Westing Game Character Detective Log

3rd Quarter

Discussions:

Discussions begin second semester.  Before participating in the discussions, students will complete a job.  Novel discussions will be held at the end of every other week.  The meeting schedule is:  2/8, 2/22, 3/8, and 3/22 for the 3rd quarter.  During the 4th quarter the meetings will be 4/20, 5/4, 5/18, and 6/1.

Discussion Group Bookmarks:
3rd Quarter 7th
3rd Quarter 8th
--listing the group members, dates of discussion, jobs, and pacing.

90 Second Newbery:
Overview and Guidelines
student handout

link to example 90 Second Newbery films

JOBS:A few groups are completing individual jobs for discussions during the third quarter, but all groups will be completing them during the fourth quarter.
  • Riddler—asks thought provoking questions & leads the discussion
  • Summarizer—summarizes the assigned section of reading and presents a plot line
  • Story Elements II—keeps track of 2 major characters and how they change through the assigned reading
  • Illustrator—provides a cover and teaser for the assigned section of reading
  • Illustrator II—creates 3 drawings with captions for the assigned section of reading
  • Story Elements—draws and describes the effects of the setting on the assigned section of reading 
  • Literary Luminary—provides examples of 4 quotes with different literary techniques from the assigned section of reading

Please read and follow directions for the response and reflection sections.


literary techniques—a list and description of various literary devices to help the literary luminary

SHMOPSI & Stories

"SHMOPSI" explanation and form

"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant [PDF]
"Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. [PDF]
"The Cold, Cold Box" by Howard Fast [PDF]
"The Landlady" by Roald Dahl [PDF]

Much Ado About Nothing

"Much Ado, Shakespeare, and Theater" presentation [PDF]

"Flocabulary: Much Ado" video 
"Flocabulary: Much Ado" lyrics [PDF] 

"Which Character Are You" Much Ado  anticipation activity [PDF]

"Shakespeare" biography [PDF]
"Shakespeare Illustrated Biography" [PDF]

"Illustrated Globe Theater" [PDF]

"Why Shakespeare Loved Iambic Pentameter" video


4th Quarter

Literary Scrapbook:
Literary Scrapbook handout [PDF]

Discussion Group Bookmarks:
4th Quarter 7th [PDF]
4th Quarter PM [PDF] 
*each is a large file and will take a while to download
--listing the group members, dates of discussion, jobs, and pacing.


JOBS:  Each group member has the same "back side" to their reading assignment.  Each group member must come up with 2 generic and 2 specific questions; as well as list, explain, and evaluate 2 quotes from the assigned section of reading. 

Quotes & Questions for each group member [PDF]
*already on the back side of each assignment page for each job
  • Summarizer—summarizes the assigned section of reading and in written or cartoon panel form
  • Wordsmith—lists and defines 10 meaningful words or phrase from the assigned section and reading and evaluates the word choice of the novel
  • Reflector—lists and explains 3 connection for the novel: a text to self, text to text, and text to world
  • Story Mapper Map & Quotes and Questions—provides a visual mapping of the settings for the assigned section of reading (sorry, due to page layout issues it saves it as two separate pages, but they are part of the same assignment)
  • Data Digger—researches topics brought up in the assigned section of reading and presents the information to the group to help provide a context for the reading
  • Illustrator—creates 3 drawings with captions for the assigned section of reading (one from the beginning, another from the middle, and the third from the end of the section)

Please read and follow directions for the response and reflection sections.


literary techniques—a list and description of various literary devices to help the literary luminary