Previous/Owed Assignments

BE SURE TO INCLUDE THE WEEK # YOU ARE POSTING ABOUT AS WELL AS YOUR BOOK TITLE AS THE HEADING OF YOUR POST.

Week #4:The Power of Words

During this week's reading, I'd like you to focus on the words/voice of the group or character your book represents.  Use your skills of “reading between the lines” and finding great evidence of implicit and explicit clues. Look for gems that illustrate the character traits you've identified as being significant as well as the conflict your character is struggling with. As you read, record several quotes from the book that you feel represent either a trait or their conflict (or both!).  Post the quote that has the most meaning to you using this format:  "Direct Quote" Page #.  I choose this quote because... I think this quote shows...  

 

Week #3: Author's Purpose

This week I want you to focus on the main character, his/her driving characteristics as well as your overall impression of the group of people in history the main character represents (the perspective your book is about—like:an American soldier, a holocaust survivor, or a German who resisted the Nazis).

Please post your thoughts on at least two of these questions:

• What are the external conflicts the protagonist faces? How does the author describe this and make it important?
• What are the internal conflicts he/she is dealing with? What are the author's ideas about this, can you get a sense of their tone or opinion?
• What do you think the main character will or should do? Does the author give any foreshadowing clues?
• What are the most admirable character traits of the main character? What evidence does the author give of these traits?

Please make sure you are reading the other posts and comment on one or two--let this be a forum for dialog, not just posting and leaving.


Week #2: Historical Context Matters

This week we will continue to read our literature circle novels, paying close attention to contextual clues of significant events, places and people.  I would like you to post a little differently this week. You need to do both tasks:

1. During the week: I'd like to you post one question/reaction related to the plot of your story —NO SPOILERS FOR THIS WEEK PLEASE! and to respond to someone else by helping them better understand what's going on or by making a suggestion. Evidence from the text and specific details would be necessary here. You might think abut character traits, an emerging conflict or maybe start to think about relationships between characters.

2. Context: Choose something you noticed last week as being historically significant and do a little research about it. Post the word/topic along with a brief description of what you found out about it.  If you researched the same things as someone else, try to find out different/more info to add what has already been posted. To EXCEED the standard, you would research and post about more than one topic.

Week #1 Assignment:
As you read this week, I want you to be formulating questions about the reading in two ways and then post these questions:

1. What are some things that are confusing to you about the characters, setting, plot. OR Make some predictions as to what you think might unfold regarding the characters, setting, plot as they relate to conflicts arising and relationships.
   
2. I also want you to post at least three topics, terms or proper nouns that you come across that you want/need to know more about in order to better understand what is happening in your book. Remember, these would be things like: terms you don't know (gestapo), important people (Eichman), places and events (The Reichstaag or Krystalnatch). You should be thinking about topics that you could actually research or look into further, not ideas related to fictional characters or plot points.
   

Good examples of appropriate topics if I were reading Witch of Blackbird Pond: Connecticut Charter, Quakers, slavery, Barbados
Poor examples: Hannah Tupper's cat, Matthew Woods's house, why does Mercy have a bum leg...these would be things you would not be able to actually RESEARCH.