Ms. Flagg’s Comments (group member since Sep 10, 2012)

Ms. Flagg’s comments from the What's 811 Reading? group.

hat advice would you give to your protagonist about a problem he/she is having?

Make sure you follow the reading response checklist:

For a “4”: Did I….
• Write a topic sentence that provided the title, author, and genre of my text?
• Provide context of what is happening in the text, so my reader understands what I’m talking about?
• Find a direct quote from the text that proves my idea?
• Thoroughly explain the significance of my quote/how it proves my idea?
• Check for correct punctuation and spelling?

What advice would you give to your protagonist about a problem he/she is having?

Make sure you follow the reading response checklist:

For a “4”: Did I….
• Write a topic sentence that provided the title, author, and genre of my text?
• Provide context of what is happening in the text, so my reader understands what I’m talking about?
• Find a direct quote from the text that proves my idea?
• Thoroughly explain the significance of my quote/how it proves my idea?
• Check for correct punctuation and spelling?

Who is a “monster” in your book? How does he/she/it affect your protagonist?

Make sure to consult your reading response checklist.


Did I….
-Write a topic sentence that provided the title, author, and genre of my text?
-Provide context of what is happening in the text, so my reader understands what I’m talking about?
-Find a direct quote from the text that proves my idea?
-Thoroughly explain the significance of my quote/how it proves my idea?
-Check for correct punctuation and spelling?

Choose a trait that describes your protagonist or a secondary character in your IR book.

Remember the criteria for what makes a "4" or exemplar reading response!

Did I….
• Write a topic sentence that provided the title, author, and genre of my text?
• Provide context of what is happening in the text, so my reader understands what I’m talking about?
• Find a direct quote from the text that proves my idea?
• Thoroughly explain the significance of my quote/how it proves my idea?
• Check for correct punctuation and spelling?

Based on our conversations in class, Arnold Spirit, the protagonist of our text, has many things about himself that he would like to change.

This weekend, we want you to discuss what your protagonist would change about him/herself. Make sure to specifically explain what he/she does not like and how it has affected his/her life.

Did I….
• Write a topic sentence that provided the title, author, and genre of my text?
• Provide context of what is happening in the text, so my reader understands what I’m talking about?
• Find a direct quote from the text that proves my idea?
• Thoroughly explain the significance of my quote/how it proves my idea?
• Check for correct punctuation and spelling?

Reflecting on our conversation today about characterization, choose a trait that describes your protagonist. Find EVIDENCE to support your idea and explain how it proves the trait.

In case you're stuck, think about our "chart" example from class and how you could write it as a paragraph.

In Sherman Alexie's realistic fiction novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, the trait that best describes Arnold Spirit is hopeful. Arnold is a fourteen year-old Native American who has grown up on the poverty stricken Spokane reservation in Washington state. Arnold, unlike many people on the "rez," loves learning, even professing himself to be a "book kisser." Unfortunately, due to a lack of money and overall feeling of helplessness, the reservation schools are filled with old textbooks and negligent teachers. After a fit of disgust over receiving his mother's thirty year old text book, Arnold decides he wants to go to Reardan High School, a school that has many educational resources and opportunities that he would never get at the rez. He bravely and firmly tells his parents, "I want to go to Reardan" (45). This statement shows that he is hopeful, because instead of accepting a bleak future in which his spirit and love of learning is "killed," Arnold instead decides that he deserves better and hopes that by going to Reardan, he will achieve the bright future of which he has dreamed. Therefore, a trait that describes Arnold is hopeful.

Did I….
• Write a topic sentence that provided the title, author, and genre of my text?
• Provide context of what is happening in the text, so my reader understands what I’m talking about?
• Find a direct quote from the text that proves my idea?
• Thoroughly explain the significance of my quote/how it proves my idea?
• Check for correct punctuation and spelling?

Which role (either born or chosen) is most influential in your protagonist's life? Provide specific examples from your text to support your answer.

For full credit: Did I….
• Write a topic sentence that provided the title, author, and genre of my text?
• Provide context (background info) of what is happening in the text, so my reader understands what I’m talking about?
• Find at least two specific examples that prove my idea?
• Thoroughly explain the significance of my evidence and how it proves my idea?
• Check for correct punctuation and spelling?

In your independent reading book, identify a meaningful/important experience that your protagonist went through. Explain how it affected him/her.

Stuck on where to begin?:
-Identify your title and author
-Describe the meaningful/important experience (2-3 sentences)
-How did it affect him her? Did he/she learn anything? (2-3 sentences)

This should be at least seven sentences!

In your independent reading book, identify a meaningful/important experience that your protagonist went through. Explain how it affected him/her.

Stuck on where to begin?:
-Identify your title and author
-Describe the meaningful/important experience (2-3 sentences)
-How did it affect him her? Did he/she learn anything? (2-3 sentences)

This should be at least seven sentences!