1. Student Journals and Group Discussion

2. What is a Student Journal? A Place to gather notes and ideas Document personal response Entertain possible questions Document ideas raised in class Document critical response Promotes formal responses for future discussions

3. Journal Writing and Exploring Poetry Poetry can compress meaning into few words. Can be confusing and hard to decipher Requires more concentration Requires you to reread selection Requires discussion Journals help to organize your ideas and the ideas of others

4. Journal Organization Journal will be divided by three subtitles Include the date and topic Subtitles include: -Unknown words -Point of View -Literary devices / conflicts -Mood/tone -Theme/message -Quotes -Questions -Opinion/ personal connection -Group discussion** -Teacher’s Notes

5. Sample of Journal Writing Unknown words indentify 3 and define them Point of view First/second/third Literary Devices Identify three (minimum) Conflicts Internal/interpersonal/external Mood/tone Happy, sad, sarcastic, etc. Theme/message Anybody can be a hero. Quotes Identify 2 quotes related to theme, mood, etc Author Title Date Questions 2 questions you have about the selection Connections/Opinions Something you experienced, saw on tv, etc * Group discussion What did others think about the selection and did find anything different. Illustration Draw a scene to illustrate the Reading

6. Group Discussion – Note Taking Notes that are written down while you are listening to others. What are others saying about the poem? How are they saying it? Isolate and sift relevant information Share your ideas, information, and reactions with others. Compare the appreciate different ideas Use other’s ideas to promote your understanding Re-think your position

7. Sample of Note Taking Based on Group Response English Poem Every Grain of Sand Sept 2, 2003English Poem Every Grain of Sand Sept 2, 2003 Group Discussion Berkley said that he thinks the poem is about someone dying. He also said the Poem is filled with metaphors and we identified several of them such as... Lewis thought that the dog barking was Also symbolic and we found that writer was trying to capture time as it is because He no longer wanted to interfere with life.

8. Use a Check List Make a list of interesting words and ideas. Make observations about setting, plot, and character. Describe connections from your own life to specific events, characters, and points of interests in the text. Draw images and scenes that illustrate the text. Collect interesting quotations from the text. Raise questions to ask yourself, your teachers, and your Classmates. Who, what, when, where, and why.