"A book, too, can be a star, 'explosive material, capable of stirring up fresh life endlessly,' a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe." - from Madeleine L'Engle's Newberry Medal Acceptance Speech

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Readers reflect on how to improve their reading lives and share with other readers.


  1. How well are you reading and annotating your independent reading books? How is your process and engagement? Do you read, stop, think, annotate, reread, and rethink?
  2. How successful are you at writing noteworthy notes? Here are some strategies for improving your notes:

                                     i.     Ready for a challenge: make connections to the world and other texts:
o      How does the text relate to currents events? To history?
o      What does the text make you realize about the world?

                                   ii.     Not enough notes? Slow down! As you read, simply underline parts in the text you feel are important, confusing, and inspiring; afterward, go back and write in the margins. Stop and note:
o      Important context (background info on characters, setting, etc.)
o      Internal or external intensity (emotion or action)
o      Complexity: a lot of internal or external confusion
o      Beautiful and inspiring language

                                  iii.    Don't know how to get started?
o      I think…
o      I love…
o      It really bothers me that…
o      This makes me feel…

Task:
  • In your notebook, write down 1 or 2 ways you would like to improve your notes. 
  • Go back into your book and add notes.
  • Give a reading partner a tour of your book and notes. 

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