Welcome to Junior High language arts.
At the bottom of this page you will find instructions for response logs, book
talks, and some options to consider when preparing them.
SEVENTH GRADE READING SCHEDULE FOR ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY
Jan. 5 Ch. 1
Jan. 6 Ch. 2
Jan. 9 Ch. 3
Jan. 11 Ch. 4
Jan. 13 Ch. 5
Jan. 17 Ch. 6
Jan. 19 Ch. 7
Jan. 23 Ch. 8
Jan. 24 Ch. 9
Jan. 26 Ch. 10
Jan. 31 Ch. 11
Feb. 1 Ch. 12
EIGHTH GRADE READING SCHEDULE FOR FAHRENHEIT 451
Jan. 11 pp. 3-18
Jan. 13 pp. 18-28
Jan. 17 pp. 28-48
Jan. 18 pp. 48-68
Jan. 20 pp. 71-93
Jan. 23 pp. 93-110
Jan. 24 pp. 113-130
Jan. 26 pp. 130-145
Jan. 31 pp. 145-165
Feb. 1 Coda
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE RESPONSE LOG
At the end of a novel, or after we have read a handful of stories or poems,
you will write YOUR response to the reading. This is NOT a summary of the
reading. Nor should the response be a list of what you liked and
disliked about the reading, or favorites and least favorites. Use the
response log/book talk options sheet for ideas. A key part of the response is
providing specific, thorough details and examples to support your comments. DO
NOT SUMMARIZE THE READING!
Each entry is to be 200 to 250 words long.
You are to write at least six notes for each story, poem, or chapter. The
notes should be the impressions, questions, and ideas that come to mind when
you read.
Writing mechanics (spelling, punctuation, capitalization, etc.) are 20% of the
grade.
BOOK TALK REQUIREMENTS
SUMMARY -- The summary should include the title, author, number of pages, and
a brief (about a minute) summary of the book. Do not give a detail-by-detail
retelling of the book. Do not reveal the ending, critical plot twists, etc.
REVIEW -- This is your response to the book. THE REVIEW MUST BE AT LEAST TWO
MINUTES LONG! A review that is less than two minutes long will result in a
failing grade. Use the response log/book talk options sheet for ideas.
PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE! Rehearse your book talk, preferably in front of
an audience, such as a friend or a family member. Time your book talk when
you rehearse it. I recommend that, in rehearsal, your review be well over two
minutes, because most people tend to speak faster when they present their book
talks to the class.
REMEMBER THAT THE REVIEW MUST BE AT LEAST TWO MINUTES LONG!
RESPONSE LOG/BOOK TALK OPTIONS
The following are suggestions for ideas for your response log and book talk.
If what you want to say is not on the list, however, feel free to venture new
ideas, take risks, and construct personal meaning from the reading.
Remember always to give specific details from the reading to support your
response, but DO NOT SUMMARIZE THE READING in the response log.
REACTION -- "I wonder..." "I was surprised..." "I learned..." "I disagree
with..." etc.
COMPARISON -- Explain why a character, setting or event reminds you of a read
person, setting or event. You could also compare the reading to
another book, a movie or television show.
PREDICTION -- What do you think will happen beyond the end of the reading. How
do you think a character will react to the events of the
reading? Explain and support your prediction.
CHARACTER -- Have the characters grown? If so, how have they grown? Do the
characters have more than one side? (Most people do.) What are
their strengths and weaknesses? Explain why a character acted in
a particular way, or how the character could have acted in a
different way. You could also explain how YOU might have acted
in the same situation.
CHANGING FEELINGS -- Contrast your previous feelings about a character with
your current feelings, and explain why they changed.
QUOTATION -- Copy from the reading a passage that you found particularly
noteworthy, and explain why you chose it. Remember to use
quotation marks. (Use quotation marks only when using THE EXACT
WORDS FROM THE READING.)
OTHER POSSIBILITIES -- Was this an appropriate title? Why or why not? What
might be a better title?
How would you change the ending of the book?
What did you learn from the reading? What is the theme
of the reading? (The guy doing the grading especially
likes these two.)
BOOK TALK SCHEDULE FOR SECOND TRIMESTER
Feb. 2
Molly Fitzgerald
Callie Williams
Ben LaBrosse
Sam Schleper
Allie Randall
Connor Foley
Veronica Endris
Kathleen Fox
Krista Kedrowski
Riley Wilson
Ellie Wolfe
Finn VonHaden
Ashley Cline
Maddie Wolff
Billy Fallon
Jesse Martinez
David Lund
Luke McKibbon
Andrew Medina
Kyle Kenezovich
Feb. 15
Connor Boland
Lily Byrnes
Lukas Bergstrom
Lorelei Gaertner
Hailey Sabin
Mari Swanson
Katie Nichols
Amanda Schmitz
Bella Johnson
Tony Cooper
Mitchell Hurley
Kaitlin Jansen
Mariah Tuvey
Linzy Odalen
Michael Warkel
Tommy Pope
John Wolff
Jacob Englin
Ryan Jowett-Wiles
Cecilia Kulhanek
Feb. 17
Grace Gaertner
John Pursley
Ellie Salmen
Logan Smith
Kulani Taylor
Robbie Casper
Kenny MacDonald
Jim Nicklawske
Max Miller
Alex Natanzon
John Kocourek
Eddie Whebbe
Eric Mueller
Mike Hawkins
Andrew Allen
Nick Wegleitner
Matt Pike
Nick Kuefler
Wade Welter
Bridget Callaghan
