Response+Journals+&+Literature+Circles

It is important to make personal connections as you read, and to use specific strategies that will help you gain information from the text. Response journals and literature circles are two tools that can be used to support your understanding of the text and learning about the important themes in the novel.
 * Response journals encourage you to not only analyze the novel but also make text-to-self connections, text-to-text connections, and text-to-others connections.
 * Literature circles allow you to work in small groups to construct meaning and expand your comprehension of the novel.
 * Literature circles provide a discussion format that encourages both your personal interaction with the text and consideration and reflection of the perspectives of others.

Response Journal
You will be required to complete 5 journal entries by the end of our literature circle time. Do not only summarize the section that you read.

1. Text to Self: connecting with the text through personal experience, thoughts, and feelings
Ask yourself the following questions:
 * What experiences have you had that are similar to any of the characters' experiences?
 * What are some connections you may have to the text or the main message of the text?
 * Is this message important? Why? To whom?
 * What are your thoughts or feelings about this message?

2. Text to Text: connecting the main message with another text
Ask yourself the following questions:
 * Have you read another story or text with a similar message? How was the message the same? How was it different?

3. Text to World: refining thinking through sharing viewpoints, understanding the viewpoints of others, refining perspectives
Ask yourself the following questions:
 * What are some of the viewpoints or perspectives of others to the main message? In what ways are the viewpoints the same? In what ways are the viewpoints the same? different?
 * Explain how your viewpoint may have changed by hearing the viewpoints of others. What changed and why?