1. Journal prompts: Once I share the prompt (which I’ll try to do a day or two before we write), start to sticky note places in your book that matter!

2.  Which book are you reading?  What is the theme of the book you’re reading?  Recreate the graphic organizer in your response journal (Put the Theme on a line and the bubbles below it), prove the theme with at least 5 pieces of dialogue or quotes from story: Theme:

3.  Let’s read “A Blind Man Catches a Bird” on page 566. We are searching for theme/moral…remember that as we read.  In your journal: Write down the theme of A Blind Man Catches a Bird- we’ll discuss in a minute…  Get into iPad groups and discuss the themes that each of you wrote down. Agree on the best one (via vote if necessary). Write it down in your response journal.  As a group, select a scene from the story that demonstrates or illustrates the theme your group chose. On an iPad illustrate that scene! Be creative and interesting.  Include the best quote from the story that demonstrates/illustrates the theme.

4.  In what ways does the character rebel, and what does he/she rebel against? How does this show itself outwardly, inwardly or both? Does rebelling accomplish something important?  Write about a time when you openly rebelled against something, then write about a time when you secretly rebelled. How did you feel afterward? What were the differences?

5.  Go back and identify examples of conflict, using post-its. Continue to find more examples as you read.  What are two types of conflict for the main character in your story? Label the type of conflict, and then describe how the character’s problem fits.  What choices could the character make to resolve the conflict? What are the pros and cons of these choices?  What is a conflict YOU are dealing with? What choices can you make to resolve the problem? Pros and cons of each choice?

6.  As children, we are sometimes unaware of issues such as gender roles, race, class, or other political realities. A common theme in many coming-of-age works is a dawning understanding of these issues. Chew on these ?s in your journal: At what point do the characters in the story begin to understand the political and/or social boundaries that define their lives? What incidents set off this understanding? How does it shape them?

7.  What to do: Choose the character who has changed the most over the course of your book (probably the main character). Compare and contrast the character at the beginning of the novel to how they are now (hopefully you’re in the middle or near end)  How to do it: describe your character at the beginning of the novel with a few adjectives. Find one piece of dialogue from your book to back up our description. Then describe your character in middle/end of book with a few adjectives, and find dialogue that proves the change.  See my example in next slide

8. In the beginning of the story, Rainsford was confident, arrogant, and lacked empathy for the animals he hunted. Quote: “Who cares how the jaguar feels?” By the end, Rainsford was challenged, humbled, and learned to feel empathy for other animals who have been hunted. Quote: “Nerve, nerve, nerve, he panted.”

9.  How does the main character in the story you’re reading define “home?” Is it the place the character comes from, or somewhere of his/her own making? What about this character’s “home” seems to stay with the person wherever he/she goes?  How do YOU define “home?”

10.  Let’s read Pandora’s Box pg. 454 from your lit book. As you read, be cognizant of the similarities and differences between this story and the novel you’re reading…  When you’re done reading, draw a Venn diagram on one of the blank pages at the end of your journal. Compare the characters from both stories. Try for at least three ideas in each section of your Venn.

11.  Come up with 2-5 things that happen in the book as a direct result of something your character did. Your response journal should have:  What character did  Who was affected  What happened as result

12.  Choose famous actors to play several of the characters from your book. List the book character, the actor who you think should play them, and tell good reasons WHY!  Example: Rainsford: Daniel Craig because he plays strong, physical characters (like James Bond!). He’s an actor that’s had roles playing both good and bad characters– Rainsford embodies both. He’s also proven himself in the action genre; he’s tough and believable Zaroff: Donald Sutherland (he plays President Snow in the Hunger Games) because he’s older, can easily look crazy (like Zaroff), and has played multiple bad guy roles very well. If you hate this prompt, do this instead: What inference can you make about a character or event in your book? What clues led to the inference?

13.  How does your book’s character deal with problems? Does the character have an outlet to deal with feelings/problems? Explain.  How do YOU deal with problems? What is your outlet?