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Project - Creating A Reading Journal - Student Guide

The assignment involves selecting a text for personal enjoyment and maintaining a reading journal to document connections to oneself, other texts, and society. Students are guided through a series of steps to prepare for their reading, including establishing a purpose, generating questions, and making connections. The project culminates in submitting the reading journal and responses to connecting questions to the teacher.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
13 views3 pages

Project - Creating A Reading Journal - Student Guide

The assignment involves selecting a text for personal enjoyment and maintaining a reading journal to document connections to oneself, other texts, and society. Students are guided through a series of steps to prepare for their reading, including establishing a purpose, generating questions, and making connections. The project culminates in submitting the reading journal and responses to connecting questions to the teacher.

Uploaded by

alexandra.dundas
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Creating a Reading Journal

Student Guide

Assignment Summary
For this assignment, you will self-select a text and keep a reading journal. You will begin the process by
describing the reason why you picked your selection. As you read the text, you will answer questions to
make personal connections, connections to other texts, and connections to society. You also will keep a
separate reading journal to record any other thoughts or feelings you have about the text as you explore
your selection.

Background Information
When choosing a text, the first step is to consider your purpose for reading. In this case, your purpose is
enjoyment. Second, look for a text on a topic that interests you. If you’re interested in nonfiction, choose a
source that is credible and that offers evidence for the information it presents. If you’re interested in
fiction, look for ideas and characters that are complex. Consider books that explore perspectives and
cultures different from your own, and find a writing style you will enjoy reading. Choose a book that
matches your reading ability and provides an appropriate challenge for you.
When reading, it is important to make connections with a text. These connections include personal
connections, connections to other texts, and how the text connects to society. You can use your
background knowledge to make personal connections. Your background knowledge is what you already
know about a topic and your experiences. Then, think of other texts you have read that have similarities in
genre, character, structure, or topic. For connections to society, think about history and current issues or
events that are explored in the text.

Materials
▪ Self-selected fiction text ▪ Student guide
▪ Word-processing software or notebook

Assignment Instructions
For this project, you are expected to submit one thing:
1. Answers to the comprehension questions at the end of this document, as well as your reading
journal.
Step 1: Prepare for the project.
a) Read through the guide before you begin so you know the expectations for this project.
b) If there is anything that is not clear to you, be sure to ask your teacher.
Step 2: Choose a text and establish a purpose for reading.
a) Choose a text to read. List your title and author by answering question 1 in the Connecting
Questions section of this document.
b) Establish a purpose for reading and answer question 2 in the Connecting Questions section of
this document.

Copyright © Edgenuity Inc.


Student Guide (continued)

c) Generate and include in your Reading Journal questions you have about the text before your
reading to deepen understanding and gain information.
d) Generate and include in your Reading Journal questions you have about the text during your
reading to deepen understanding and gain information.
e) Generate and include in your Reading Journal questions you may still have about the text after
reading that would help to deepen understanding and gain information.
Step 3: Describe and make connections to the text.
a) Make and describe personal connections by answering question 3 in the Connecting Questions
section of this document.
b) Make and describe connections to other texts by answering question 4 in the Connecting
Questions section of this document.
c) Make and describe connections to society by answering question 5 in the Connecting
Questions section of this document.
Step 4: Keep a separate reading journal.
a) Use a notebook or a computer to keep a journal as you read.
b) Continue to make connections to the text. Write any additional thoughts or feelings you have
about your selection.
Step 5: Evaluate your project using this checklist.
If you can check each box below, you are ready to submit your project.

 Did you use the steps you studied to self-select a text?


 Did you identify a purpose for reading?
 Did you create connections to the text by answering the Connecting Questions at the end of
this document?
Step 6: Revise and submit your project.
a) If you were unable to check off all of the requirements on the checklist, go back and make
sure that your project is complete. Save your project before submitting it.
b) Turn in your reading journal and your Connecting Questions to your teacher. Be sure that
your name is on it.
c) Congratulations! You have completed your project.

Copyright © Edgenuity Inc.


Student Guide (continued)

Connecting Questions
Create connections to your text by answering the questions below.

1. What is the title of your selection? Who is the author?

2. What is your purpose for reading?

3. Personal Connections
How does this text connect to your life experiences? Are there similarities between you and one
of the characters? Have you ever visited a similar setting?

4. Connections to Other Texts


How does this text relate to another text you’ve read? List similarities and differences.

5. Connections to Society
What does this text tell you about society or the world around you? Connect events in the text to
events in history, or connect issues in the text to issues we face today.

Copyright © Edgenuity Inc.

Common questions

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Making connections to societal issues allows readers to understand how literature reflects, critiques, or contributes to broader social contexts and histories. By connecting events in the text to historical or current issues, readers can explore the implications of themes such as power, justice, and human rights, leading to a more profound appreciation of the text's relevance and impact .

Personal connections deepen understanding by relating the text to the reader’s own life experiences, thereby making the material more relatable and memorable. This type of engagement allows the reader to better empathize with characters and comprehend contexts, leading to richer interpretations of the themes and messages within the text .

Connections to other texts can enhance comprehension by allowing the reader to compare themes, characters, and structures, thus identifying new insights and perspectives. Analyzing how different texts approach similar topics or problems helps deepen critical thinking and promotes a more nuanced understanding of the current text’s themes and messages .

A separate reading journal facilitates ongoing engagement by allowing continual reflection, documentation of evolving thoughts, and tracking of personal and thematic connections as the reader progresses through the text. It acts as a tool for articulating and organizing ideas, prompting deeper insights and sustained critical engagement with the material .

To choose a suitable text, one should first establish their purpose for reading, such as enjoyment, and then select a text on a topic of interest, ensuring its complexity matches the reader's ability. It's important to choose a credible source that offers evidence if it's nonfiction, or one with complex ideas and characters if it's fiction. These steps are important because they ensure that the reader is both challenged and engaged, leading to a more effective and enjoyable reading experience .

Establishing a purpose for reading is necessary because it guides the reading process, influences the scope of engagement, and helps shape the insights drawn from the text. It helps set specific goals, whether for enjoyment, information, or critical analysis, which affects how actively and critically the reader interacts with the text, thus enhancing comprehension and retention .

Revising and evaluating the reading journal project ensures that all components are complete and consistent with the assignment's objectives. It enables the identification of gaps in analysis, the refinement of connections made, and the improvement of insights gained, thus ensuring a more thorough and comprehensive understanding of the text .

Keeping a reading journal enhances understanding and engagement by allowing readers to track their thoughts, question the material, and record connections with the text, whether personal, textual, or societal. It facilitates a deeper exploration of themes and encourages critical thinking as the reader evaluates their responses to different sections of the text .

Considering different cultures and perspectives in text selection broadens the reader's understanding of diverse worldviews and social dynamics. It fosters empathy, challenges preconceived notions, and enriches the reading experience by exposing readers to varied narratives and themes, ultimately enhancing cultural literacy and critical thinking .

Relating current issues to themes in literature in a reading journal assignment benefits readers by making the literature more relevant and meaningful. It enables the exploration of timeless human concerns and societal dynamics, allowing for a critical examination of how literary works can offer insights into contemporary challenges and inspire discourse and reflection .

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