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Reading Response #3
The Revealers
Name_________________________________Date________________
Guidelines:
· Read hour at least four times a week
· Readthrough your reading response before beginning to read
· Carefullyread using sticky notes to mark reevant passages
· Carefullyprepare your reading response, using appropriate conventions
· Bringyour book and response to group every week
ReadingAssignments:
Week #1 pp. 1-72
Week #2 pp. 73-147
Week #3 pp. 148-end
Assignment:
This week reflecton The Revealers and write down yourthoughts, feelings, and reactions to the plot, characters, and resolution. Thisis a free choice assignment on this book. Take it as an opportunity to reviewthe book—its strengths and weaknesses incontent and writing style. Be prepared to discuss these topics with yourreading group.
You may use thespace below for a brainstorm or notes. Your response should be word-processedand must be in paragraph form. Your review should have a minimum of threeparagraphs and should clearly state your opinion of the book. As always, besure to support your statements with specific quotes from the book. You mayalso want to include personal experiences as additional support. Be sure todiscuss plot, characters, and resolution.
Reading Response #2
The Revealers
Name_____________________________________Date_________________
Guidelines:
? Read 1/2 hour at least four times a week
? Read through your reading response before beginning to read
? Carefully read using stickie notes to mark relevant passages
? Carefully prepare your reading response, using appropriate conventions
? Bring your book and response to group every week
Reading Assignments:
Week #1 pp. 1-72
Week #2 pp. 73-147
Week #3 pp. 148-end
Answer all of the following questions honestly and thoughtfully.
The Realers: Prompts for Writing and Discussion
Is Bullying a part of teen life?
Mrs. Hogeboom says that "…people assume these sorts of incidents are a fact of life at your age. We tend to say, 'Oh, well, kids will be kids.' It's almost like we assume that cruelty and violence are part of growing up. I wonder why we assume that?" (Page 108)
1. Do you think that teasing and bullying are just a "fact of life" that must be tolerated? Use Bethany and her friends as examples. How should a “victim” of one of her attacks react? How should others react?
2. What does Bethany get out of her actions against people who are not in her group?
3. What does Richie get out of his actions against Russell? Why does he do them?
4. How come Russell didn’t hate Richie at the end of the book?
Theme: Coping with bullying
Leah: "…Lots of kids didn't know these things were going on…I think this is going to make a big difference…If people can't do rotten things in secret anymore, they probably won't do them…you're changing the atmosphere…middle school kids won't do things if they're not cool to do. Right?" (Page 139)
5. Explain what the “Revealer” was and how it worked. Do you think the Revealers was a good way to deal with the type of bullying going on at the Darkland Middle School? Would the Revealers be an effective way to deal with bullying in other places? Explain why or why not.
6. How did Principal Capelli deal with reports of bullying at Darkland Middle School?
Your Own Experiences:
7. Jot down any experiences or reports of bullying you have had or know about. What did people do about them? Did that work? Where do you notice bullying? Why do you think that is?
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Reading Response #1
The Revealers
Name_____________________________________Date___________________
Guidelines:
? Read 1/2 hour at least four times a week
? Read through your reading response before beginning to read
? Carefully read using stickie notes to mark relevant passages
? Carefully prepare your reading response, using appropriate conventions
? Bring your book and response to group every week
Reading Assignments:
Week #1 pp. 1-72
Week #2 pp. 73-147
Week #3 pp. 148-end
Revealers: Prompts for Writing and Discussion.
Answer 6 of the following 12 questions. Answer at least 1 question from each section.
Theme: Feeling like an outsider/the importance of "fitting in"
"When seventh grade started I found out I was out. It was like everyone else took a secret summer course in how to act, what to say, and what groups to be in, and I never found out about it." (Page 3)
"I wanted people to say, "Hey, Russell! Sit with us!" But I'd open my mouth and what would come out would be loud and clanky and wrong. And they would give me that quick, flat, puzzled stare that is the stock weapon of the cool seventh grader and seems to ask, "What species are you, exactly?" And I would go away thinking I was hopeless." (Page 3)
1. Russell describes feeling "out" and "hopeless." Do you think he is the only seventh grader who feels this way? What feelings and experiences might Russell have in common with his peers?
2. What makes you feel awkward sometimes? What triggers the "stare" in your school that Russell talks about and that seems to ask, "What species are you?"
3. Have you ever made someone feel "out" in your efforts to feel a part of the group?
"You know how there's always one kid in school who's the dirty one, one kid who's the smelly one, one kid who throws the ball over the backstopÖand one kid who it's okay for anybody, absolutely anybody, to trash? In our school that last kid was ElliotÖI wasn't really sure why he was the one, but the fact was that in Parkland School seventh grade, no matter who you were, Elliot Gekewicz was lower on the social scale than you." (Page 17)
4. Why do you think fitting in to "tight cliques" or groups is important to people? What types of people are considered "cool" at your school?
5. Why are some people singled out for "ridicule" at school? What changes in your school community would help to lessen cliquish and "predatory" behavior?
Theme: Different Types of Bullying
6. People often think of bullying as physical harassment, but telling lies and spreading rumors can also be bullying. What other forms does bullying take? Which are most problematic at your school?
7. Do you think one form of bullying is worse than another? What do all types have in common?
Theme: Bystander Behavior
"I had known Elliot since we were in kindergarten, and I had seen a lot of stuff happen to him. I never really joined in, but I never tried to stop it either, not that I could have." (Page 17)
8. Why do you think Russell watched Elliot get bullied for years, but never did anything to help? What causes us to "not see" bullying or to "pretend it isn't happening"?
9. Are those who don't get involved partly responsible for bullying even though they are just bystanders?
10. What do you think prevents students at your school from standing up for others? What would it take to create an atmosphere of support?
[After a nasty note is delivered to Catalina] "'Come on,' I said, "Do you like to see people getting treated like you get treated?...let's just go talk to her.'" (Page 31)
"We're kind of like the plant eaters in a swamp of killer reptiles" (Page 36)
11. What motivated Russell and Elliot to reach out to Catalina?
12. Have you ever shown support to a peer who has been ridiculed or bullied? Why or why not? What happened? How did you feel?
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Reading Response Journal
Guidelines:
1. Read your assigned book with one of the 4 questions listed below in mind.
2. Use stickies to mark good examples. This will help you find examples when you are writing your response or talking about your book in group.
3. Each response should be a minimum of 2 well written paragraphs.
4. Date each journal entry.
5. Include the book’s title, author, and genre
Reading Responses: Choose one of these four response questions.
What do you notice?
Do you notice any changes in the personality of the protagonist or antagonist?
Do you notice any emphasis on an object or minor character that might later be important?
Do you notice any repeating patterns in the book?
Do you notice the significance of the chapter title or chapter (or book title)?
Is there anything unusual about the book’s beginning or ending?
What do you question?
Do you question any of the decisions that a character has made?
Do you wonder what a certain passage in the book might mean?
Do you question whether the author realistically presented a certain part of your book?
Do you question if something that happened in the author’s life might have influenced the writing of this book?
What do you feel?
Does any part of the book make you feel scared, annoyed, sad, frustrated, happy, or horrified?
Which part and why?
Do you feel differently about a character or situation in the book now than what you felt before?
If so, why have your feelings changed?
Do you want to read another book by this author?
Why or why not?
What do you relate to?
Does anything in this book remind you of something from your own experience?
Which part and why?
Does anything in this book remind you of a movie, a TV program, a song, or another book you have read?
Talk about that relationship. | |
