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Mrs. Matheny's Humanities Home Page

Outside Reading Program

Overview: In an effort to promote the enjoyment of life-long reading while improving comprehension and writing skills, all 8^th graders will participate in the Outside Reading Program. Part of the goal of 8^th grade is to prepare your student for the rigors of high school. We believe that reading for pleasure broadens their perspectives and contributes to life-long learning. Our Outside Reading Program is both pleasurable as well as educational. Students will read for pleasure both in and out of school.

To receive 100% for Outside Reading, a student needs to read 600 pages each Trimester (10% of their grade). In order for the program to be successful, parents/guardians will need to be involved in the selection of an appropriate book, making sure the student is reading on a regular basis, and discussing each book with the student upon completion. We are excited to bring students, teachers, and parents/guardians together in this endeavor.

Here’s how the program works:

You read books of your choice that need to equal 600 pages total each trimester.

Books must be at least 8^th grade level. If you think a book may be below your grade level, ask the librarian or your teacher for help to determine this. You will not receive credit for books below 8^th grade level.

These 600 pages are independent from any reading assigned in class.

You should be reading on a regular basis throughout the trimester to meet this objective.

You cannot “reread” a book you read in the past (the past is Sept 3^th 2008!!!).

Once you finish a book you will need to complete the Outside Reading write-up and have a book talk with your parent or guardian within the week that you finish the book. If you do not turn in the write-up within a week your book will not count towards your outside reading total.

Once you have completed the book talk with your parent/guardian he/she must sign the Book Talk Sheet.

Completed Outside Reading write-ups will be collected on Wednesdays. Incomplete or unsigned Outside Reading write-ups will not receive credit. You may only turn in ONE write up per week.

Class time will be provided each week for Outside Reading. You must bring your Outside Reading book AND signed parent reading log to class on these days. If you forget your signed reading log or are not reading during this time, or if you forget your book your Outside Reading Grade will be affected. (See each teacher’s policy)

EXTRA CREDIT:

You can read a historical-fiction/non-fiction book and receive 20% of the total pages of the book for extra credit. Here’s an example of this formula: A 200 page historical fiction novel would give you an extra 40 pages.

Student's Responsibility:

Students will complete 600 pages per Trimester (10% of grade).
Students must bring Outside Reading book EVERY DAY!
On Wednesdays students must also bring their signed reading or risk loss of points/pages.
Outside Reading Write-ups must be completed within a week of a book being finished. Any write-up’s not finished within a week will not be counted.
Each student is responsible for tracking the number of pages they have completed. This is not tracked by the teacher until the mid and end of each trimester.

Parent or Guardian:

Step 1 We encourage you to be involved in selecting your student’s Outside Reading book.

Step 2 Each week you will sign off on your student’s reading log and it will be checked by the teacher each Wednesday in class. This will allow us to keep track of your students reading progress.

Step 3 Once a student has completed a book, they will give you the Book Talk Sheet and you will use this to have a meaningful discussion about the book with your student. This allows you and your student an opportunity to discuss the novel that they have read.

Step 4 When your student has completed the book-talk with you and has completed the Outside Reading write-up, please sign the bottom of the Book Talk Sheet. Students will only receive credit for their pages with your signature which validates they have read this book.

Outside Reading Write-Up Format

The following must be typed on a separate sheet of paper

Your Name:________________________

Title of Book_______________________________________

Number of Pages:_________________

1. Is your book U.S. historical fictions/non-fiction? Yes______ No______

2. Please reference your book in bibliography MLA format

* refer to www.citationmachine.net or the How-To-Cite sheet in the Library

3. Describe the setting (setting is when and where.) Minimum of two sentences.

4. What are the primary issues/ conflicts? How are they resolved? Minimum of five sentences.

5. List three major themes that are in your book.

_________________ __________________ ________________

6. Choose ONE of your themes and incorporate this theme into a Thesis Sentence (TS) that has a subject and opinion that you can support with literary analysis. A TS is always a work in progress, but will get you started. Make sure you include the author and the title of the book in your TS.

Theme: ______________________

7. Find three supporting quotes/passages from your book. These will be your supporting facts or Concrete Details (CDs). You must write down the page number of each quote. Each quote will be one sentence in length.

Fact #1 (Concrete Detail): Quote

Pg. #:

Fact #2 (Concrete Detail): Quote

Pg. #:

Fact #3 (Concrete Detail): Quote

Pg. #:

8. You will now write a body paragraph to support your Thesis Sentence. First, write a Body Thesis Sentence that supports your TS and three supporting CDs (quotes). Next, write your quotes in TLCD format (Transitions, Lead-in’s and Concrete Details). Next, following each TLCD write two supporting commentary sentences (CM) to explain your quotes. Finish the paragraph with a Concluding Sentence that restates your Body Thesis Sentence in different words. Finally, remember that you are to assume that the person you are writing this paragraph for (me) has not read this book so be clear and detailed and prove your Body Thesis Sentence using the TLCD’s and Commentary Sentences.

The final paragraph should have eleven sentences.

1. Body Thesis Sentence – (Indent five spaces)

2. Transition, Lead-in, Concrete Detail sentence

3. Commentary Sentence

4. Commentary Sentence

5. Transition, Lead-in, Concrete Detail sentence

6. Commentary Sentence

7. Commentary Sentence

8. Transition, Lead-in, Concrete Detail sentence

9. Commentary Sentence

10. Commentary Sentence

11. Concluding Sentence

Book Talk Format

To The Parent or Guardian: This sheet will be used to guide your discussion with your child. This sheet will allow you to determine whether he/she read and understood the novel. Students don’t need to write up their answers.

1. Who is the author?

2. What genre is the book?

Science-Fiction Fiction Fantasy Mystery

Historical Fiction (U.S. Only!!!) Historical non-fiction (U.S. Only!!!)

3. Describe the setting of the book (setting is place, time, small town, big city, etc, and other descriptors the story takes place)

4. Describe the protagonist (main character- physically, age, behavior, personality, is he/she likable, spoiled, kind, etc)? What is the best thing that happens to her/him? What is the worst thing that happens to him/her?

5. Describe the antagonist (character or struggle the protagonist has to deal with, this could be someone/something that challenges, aggravates, causes protagonist stress in some way)-

6. Describe the climax of the book (the main-event, pivotal event that the book built up to)-

7. What do you think the “lesson” of the book or “moral” of the story was (examples: working hard pays off, cheaters never prosper, sometimes dishonest people get away with things, love conquers all, love hurts, family is important, etc)-

8. Should I recommend this book? Why or why not?

9. To additionally check for comprehension, choose a passage from the book, read it aloud and have the student explain the significance of it.

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After reviewing the above questions with your child, please complete the following:

_____________________ (Student Name) started reading their book on:_______________________ (date) and finished reading their book on:____________________ (date)

Book Title: _______________________________

Book Talk date:____________________________

“My child was able to discuss the questions on this Outside Reading sheet with me. It is clear that they have read and understood the book.”

If the above statement is true, please sign at the bottom and have them turn this in with their Outside Reading write-up. If you do not feel your child thoroughly read the novel you can suggest they read it again, see the teacher for assistance or find a new book that might suit them better.

_____________________________________ Parent Signature _____________________________________ Print Parent Name