Procedural Mini-Lesson: How to Keep a
Caroline Bond
Purpose:� Students choose books that appeal to them for a variety of reasons.� By recording their reading choices they will gain a better understanding of the types of literature they enjoy.� A reading journal will give them a chance to record the reasons that they enjoyed or did not enjoy a particular book.� Giving their beginning ending impressions of the book will give students to reflect on the ideas in the book.�
Objectives: Seventh Grade
Objective 5.01:� Increase fluency, comprehension, and insight through a meaningful and comprehensive reading program by:
� reading self-selected literature and other materials of individual interest.
� analyzing themes and central ideas in literature and other texts in relation to personal issues/experiences.
National Standard 2:� Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding many dimensions (e.g. philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experiences.
National Standard 12:� Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
This mini-lesson focuses on the need for students to record what they are reading.� As people who are being prepared to be life long readers, students should be given a chance to read what they enjoy.� Recording what they read will add a great deal of depth to simply what they are reading.� They will learn to discover their motivations for choosing books.� They will also pay more attention to the characters and themes that are in the book.� By noticing this in books that they choose to read, students will be more analytical when reading assigned texts.� They will also be more conscious of the way that literature can directly relate to their lives.� Through literature they can better understand themselves.� Their personal experiences also shape how they understand literature.�
Time:� 40 minutes (10 minutes for initial instruction, 30 minutes for each journal entry)
Materials:
One � inch three ring binder per student
Pre-reading journal handout
Post-reading journal handout (double-sided)
Access to a variety of books
Script:
�We will read many books over the year.� You will be able to choose many of the books on your own.� You will have a loose leaf reading journal where you will record each of the books you read.� Each book will have two entries.� The first entry is written before you start reading.� In this entry, give the title, the author, and the genre.� Explain what it was that drew you to the book.� You can describe the cover and the description of the book if appealed to you.� If it was in a display, or if it was recommended to you make sure to mention that.� Before reading, write what you expect the book to be like.� A few of the things this expectation may be based on is previous experience, the cover, or the description.� After you have finished the book write a closing reflection.� Write down a person or people and/or the type of person you would recommend this book to.� Also write if the book met your expectations, tell why it was or wasn�t what you were expecting.� You will put each journal entry in a � inch three ring binder.� At the end of the year you will have a complete record of books you chose to read.� Through this you will be able to make decisions about future books to read.� You will have a guide for recommending books to others as well.�