The Due Dates

Term I ~~~~~~~ October 21, 2011 / RED CLASS is DUE NOVEMBER 2, 2011

Term II ~~~~~~~ January 6, 2012

Term III~~~~~~ March 16, 2012

Term IV ~~~~~~~ May 23, 2012

READ 24/7 READING PROGRAM

Fine literature has the ability to enhance the lives of all students. As 8^th graders, you will participate in KP's exciting and fulfilling independent reading program, Read 24/7.  With this program, you will learn to become an active reader and will be required to read a minimum of 30 minutes EACH DAY, including weekends. You will fill out personal reading logs to track the number of minutes read each day and hand in your logs at the end of each term. In addition, you may be required to respond to reader response questions 4 times during the school year and this assignment will be graded and factored into your overall average for Language Arts. The books you read may be borrowed from a library, a friend, or from our classroom library. You may also choose a book from the Radical Reading on

Mrs. Osborne's web site. The Read 24/7 program has been enthusiastically received by avid and reluctant readers alike. The Read 24/7 program can even help improve your grades in all classes. You will decide whether you will succeed in the Read 24/7 program and the following tips will help you make the right choice:

Tip #1: Choose a book that you will enjoy reading. Refer to the Radical Reading book list on my web site. If you choose your own book it will be much more enjoyable. You will look forward to reading everyday if you pick a book you will enjoy. Ask a friend for a recommendation.

Tip # 2: Make sure you bring your book with you to class at all times.

Tip #3: Review the READ 24/7 assignment BEFORE you start reading so that you can formulate an idea of how you want to complete the assignment as you read.

Tip # 4: Be sure to read every day for at least 30 minutes. The Read 24/7 assignment will be difficult to complete if you leave your reading to the last moments before the due date.

Tip # 5: As you read, highlight, write down, place sticky notes, or tab pages of any quotes or passages from your book that you think may help you complete the Read 24/7 assignment. Do the same with any metaphors, similes or other literary devices you may read.

Tip #6: Be aware of due dates! Your reader-response assignments should be well-thought out. Give them the time they deserve. Plan to write your Read 24/7 assignment BEFORE the night before the due date. If you leave the assignment until the night before, you risk having computer or printer issues or you may feel under pressure with all your other homework.

Tip # 7: When the assignment is completed, review the scoring rubric to be sure you included EVERYTHING into your answers that was required. Ask yourself,

·         “Do I have all the requirements in the assignment according to the rubric with NO FAT?”

·         “Did I fully integrate a quote or passage into my answer according to the way I was taught?

·         “Is my MLA formatting correct?”

Tip # 8: Make sure the assignment is turned in ON TIME. You will not receive credit for doing the assignment if it is turned in late. The resulting grade will be a zero.

(Late policy for make up work does not apply to this long term assignment)

Tip # 9: Don’t wait until you finish one book before you get another one. When you are coming to the end of one book, make arrangements to have another one ready to begin.

WARNING: DUE DATES ARE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR!

Use your time wisely! Pace yourself! Start chipping away at the questions bit by bit! Do not leave this assignment until the last minute.....otherwise you might run out of time.....become very frustrated.....or overwhelmed by all the other homework you might have on the night before it's due.

If you are absent on any of these dates, you should bring the assignment with you- typed and stapled- on the day you return to school. Having it ready means having it typed and printed. If you have printer issues, you will need to be resourceful in getting your paper printed. In fairness to all students, there will be no printing of Read 24/7 assignments in class. If something happens to your printer, you will need to find an alternative solution to printing before coming to class.

Please do not ask to print your paper in class- it is YOUR responsibility to have your paper ready to turn in when you arrive to class.

Things happen, it's true. Be prepared. Be resourceful. Be smart! Don't put off this assignment!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BECOME AN ACTIVE READER!

To get the most out of your book, you have to do more than sit back and read the words. You must think about what you read. The strategies below describe the kinds of thinking that active readers do. In your reading log reflections, record notes using these strategies.

Predict: Using what you read, try to figure out what will happen next and how the chapter or book might end. Write these predictions down in the reading log. Then read on to see how accurate your guesses were.

Visualize: Picture in your mind the characters, events, and setting to help you understand what is happening. Keep notes in the reading log on what you visualize.

Connect: Connect personally with what you are reading. Think of similarities between the characters and descriptions in the selection and what you have personally experienced, heard about, or read about. Write the connections in the reading log.

Question: While you read, question what is happening. Searching for reasons behind events and characters’ feelings and actions can help you feel closer to what you are reading. Keep track of your questions in your reading log.

Clarify: Stop occasionally to review what you understand so far. Write a one-sentence summary of what has happened in the chapter(s). Also, answer questions you had earlier. Make notes about confusing words and reread when necessary.

Evaluate: Form opinions about what you read. Develop your own ideas about the characters and events and write the ideas in the reading log. Your opinions should be clearly stated and well supported.

Thank You!