Interpretation Book ClubsFinding Theme and Meaning

Name ____________________________________________________ # ______________

Book Club Book title:

__________________________________________________________________________________

Author: _______________________________________________________________

Group members:

1 st Group Task:

Determine how many pages are in your book: _____________________

Does your book have chapters or sections that can be divided? If so, how many?

_________________

You will have 14 assigned reading days to read your book. Decide if you would like to divide up the reading by pages or chapters or sections. Next, divide the total number of pages or chapters or sections by 14 to determine how many pages or chapters or sections you will read each reading day. If you have a remainder, you may need to read an extra chapter or extra pages one day.

Book Club Reading Log

Date Pages or chapters or sections to be read Reading completed

Monday 11/27/17Tuesday 11/28/17Wednesday 11/29/17Thursday 11/30/17Friday 12/1/17Monday 12/4/17Tuesday 12/5/17Wednesday 12/6/17Thursday 12/7/17Friday 12/8/17Monday 12/11/17Tuesday 12/12/17Wednesday 12/13/17Thursday 12/14/17

Genre

What is the genre of your book? __________________________________________

If you having trouble determining if the book genre is realistic fiction or historical fiction, please read the below section to help you:

Realistic Fiction is realistic in the sense that the setting, characters, and events seem real. Yet these stories are fiction because the characters and events didn't really happen.

Historical Fiction tells the story of history. It not only presents facts or researches a time and place, but also weaves the facts into a fictional story. It is different from Realistic Fiction in that the stories in historical fiction are set in the past rather than the present.

Realistic fiction and historical fiction have striking similarities. They both have plots that are a believable problem solved in realistic, culturally grounded ways. They both have settings that are vivid and realistic, and that support the events of the story. They both have characters that seem real and change and develop over time. They both have themes that are applicable to our lives.

So what really is the difference between Historical Fiction and Realistic Fiction? Well, it all has to do with the timing of when the book was written. For example, the book Bud, Not Buddy is written about a boy growing up during the Great Depression in 1939 in Flint, Michigan. Now, if the book had been written during this time period, it would be considered Realistic Fiction, because it was in the present. But now the Great Depression is considered history because it happened so long ago, so this story is now considered Historical Fiction.

So when deciphering the difference between Historical Fiction and Realistic Fiction, just think about the time in which the story is set.

Point of ViewWhat point of view is the story being told? ______________________________________

Point of view refers to who is telling a story, or who is narrating it. The narration of a story can be told in three main ways: first person, second person, and third person. To determine point of view, ask, 'Who is doing the talking?' If the narrator refers to him or herself as I or me, you'll know the story is being told from a first person point of view. First person narrators are characters inside the story. If the narrator speaks directly to the reader as 'you,' the story is in the second person point of view. If the narrator refers to all characters in the story as 'he' or 'she' and knows their thoughts and sees their actions even when they're alone, the story is in the third person point of view.

Setting When does the story take place? _________________________________________How do you know? Give examples from the text:

Where does the story take place?If there are multiple settings, please list the major places the story takes place.

Describe the setting or settings.Try to also include what the mood is like. How does it make you feel?

CharactersWho are the characters in the story?

Now prepare to write a 4 C paragraph, in which you will claim a character trait for one of the characters in your book club book and support your claim with context, a citation, and commentary.

4 C Paragraph Worksheet – Character Trait Claim for a character in your book

After you have completed your worksheet, use it to type a final draft paragraph in a Google doc and submit to Google Classroom. Be sure to head your paper and title the paragraph.

CLAIM (Be sure to include the book title and author in this part)

CONTEXT

CITATION (Be sure to include quotation marks, exact spelling & capitalization + page number)

COMMENTARY

ConflictIdentify the conflict or conflicts in the story. Provide text evidence.

Remember there are two types of conflict:I

INTERNAL CONFLICT Character vs. SelfEXTERNAL CONFLICT Character vs. Character

Character vs. NatureCharacter vs. Society

Conflict: _________________________________________________

Text Evidence:

Conflict: _________________________________________________

Text Evidence:

Character Response to Conflict – Reflect on the conflict or conflicts in the book. Then, pick one of the conflicts to compare how two characters respond to this conflict. Do they respond in the same way? Or do they respond differently? For example, does one character respond with optimism while the other responds with pessimism? Does one character respond with courage while the other responds with fear? Complete a 4 C paragraph graphic organizer for each character to claim how he/she responds to one of the conflicts in the book.

Character name_____________________& response to conflictCLAIM (Be sure to include the book title and author in this part; also introduce the character and claim of how he/she responds to a conflict in the book.

CONTEXT

CITATION (Be sure to include quotation marks, exact spelling & capitalization + page number)

COMMENTARY

Character name_____________________& response to conflict

CLAIM (Be sure to include the book title and author in this part; also introduce the character and claim of how he/she responds to a conflict in the book.

CONTEXT

CITATION (Be sure to include quotation marks, exact spelling & capitalization + page number)

COMMENTARY

Character Response to Conflict Comparison Essay Graphic Organizer You will now merge the two 4 C paragraph organizers you just completed into the graphic organizer below. This will support you in writing a 4 paragraph essay that compares how two characters respond to a conflict in the book. Use your graphic organizers to help you write your 4 paragraph essay in a Google doc and then submit to Google Classroom.

Paragraph 1 – IntroductionIntroduce the title and author of your book. Introduce the two characters you will be writing about. Then state the conflict in the book and provide context. Lastly, in a clear sentence, state the conflict and how each character responds. This last, clear claim statement is also known as a thesis statement.Ex) Kek responds to the concern about the whereabouts of his mother with optimism while his cousin Ganwar responds with pessimism.

Paragraph 2 – a 4 C paragraph about how one of the characters responds to the conflict. This must match your claim / thesis statement in your first paragraph.Ex) Kek responds to the concern about the whereabouts of his mother with optimism.

You can use your 4 C paragraph organizer previously completed for this section.

Paragraph 3 – a 4 C paragraph about how the other character responds to the conflict. This must match your claim / thesis statement in your first paragraph. You need to start the paragraph with a transition statement.Ex) Although Kek responds to conflict with optimism, his cousin Ganwar responds to the concern about Kek’s mom with pessimism.

You can use your 4 C paragraph organizer previously completed for this section.

Paragraph 4 – ConclusionThe conclusion basically restates your introduction. Begin your paragraph with a transition, and then restate your claim. Then, end with a closing thought or question for your reader.Ex) In conclusion, it is interesting how Kek responds to the conflict with optimism, while Ganwar responds with pessimism. I hope for Ganwar and those like him that they can try to get past their bad memories and pain and look on the bright side of life. Sometimes miracles happen.

PlotPlot is the sequence of events that occur in a story.

Plot is the sequence of events that occur in a story. Write what takes place in each part of the plot below. Fill in each box below and provide text evidence that supports what happens.

Exposition/Beginning

Rising Action

Climax

Falling Action

Resolution

Complete the Plot Diagram:

Theme – The theme of the book is a life lesson we take with us after reading the book. A book can have more than one theme. To best determine the theme or themes of a book, we first look at the development of a character to see if the character developed and changed because he/she learned something. It is often this same lesson the character learned that is relatable to our life, and therefore, we too can benefit from this life lesson.

Pick a character that you think has developed and changed throughout the book and complete the chart below.

ThE MEssage

When determining the theme or themes in your book, remember that a theme is a MESSAGE or life lesson you can apply to your own life.

Together in your group, discuss a message or life lesson you learned in your book.

Some themes in Home of the Brave and the books club books are listed below. Note the difference between a theme TOPIC and a theme statement. When identifying a theme in your book, state it as a lesson or message; it can’t be one word.

Theme TOPIC THE MEssageImmigration / relocation

We have the ability to adapt to different environments and cultures.

survival We can be resourceful and find ways to survive if we want to.

hope Always have hope or never give up hope or don’t let anyone take away your hope

optimism Always look on the bright side.courage We are stronger than you think or courage is when you

are scared and brave at the same time and keep goingperseverance Never give up, even when facing difficult time or we

can overcome obstacles if we set our mind to it or we can overcome adversity if we keep on trying

Strength We are stronger than we think we are or sometimes we don’t know how strong we really are until we get tested in life

Compassion Sometimes what matters most is having compassion for others

Family Love always comes first in a family or it is important that we always love and support our family or a family is what you make it to be or always cherish your family

Identity Sometimes we must look deep inside to know who we really are or no matter where we are we are still the same deep inside

Abandonment We can overcome abandonment or sometimes we cherish things more after it’s gone

Tradition/Customs It’s important to try to hold on to your traditions.

A sandstorm passes; the stars remain. African Proverb. - Katherine Applegate, Home of the Brave, Pg. 243. THE MEssage -- Always look on the bright side.

ThE MEssage or messages in your book club book

When determining the theme or themes in your book, remember that a theme is a MESSAGE or life lesson you can apply to your own life.

Together in your group, list themes found in your book club book. 1 st list the topic. Then list the theme statement or message next to it. and then provide a citation or citations (and page number(s) that give text evidence of your themem claim.discuss a message or life lesson you learned in your book.

Some themes in Home of the Brave and the books club books are listed below. Please note the difference between a theme TOPIC and a theme statement. When identifying a theme in your book, state it as a lesson or message; it can’t be just one word.

Theme TOPIC

THE MEssage = theme statement

Text Evidence (citation & page #)

Pick a theme in your book that speaks to you the most. Then, make a claim about this theme in the 4 C paragraph organizer below. Use this graphic organizer

to type a 4 C paragraph making this theme claim and supporting the claim with context, a citation, and commentary.

Theme ClaimCLAIM (Be sure to include the book title and author in this part; clearly state your theme claim as a message / statement.)

CONTEXT

CITATION (Be sure to include quotation marks, exact spelling & capitalization + page number)

COMMENTARY

Theme Comparisons – Compare a theme in your book club book to a similar theme in another book you have read in the same genre.