ELACC9-10RL1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the

text says explicitly as well as inferences; ELACC9-10RL3: Analyze how complex characters
develop over the course of a text; ELACC9-10RL5: Analyze how an authors choices
concerning structure, order and time create effects; ELACC9-10RL9: Analyze how an author
draws on and transforms source material like theme; ELACC9-10W9: Draw evidence from
literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research; ELACC9-10W5:
Develop and strengthen writing, focusing on addressing what is significant for a specific
audience and purpose

Thoughtful Logs
What is a thoughtful log?
The thoughtful log is a tool used in both reading and writing. It helps to
connects all subjects. There are 5 sections (which you create using sticky
tabs). The tabs are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Powerful Words and Phrases

Authors Craft
Genre Learning
My Strategies
My Thoughts

Tab #1- Powerful Words & Phrases: Learning from lessons that discuss any
kind of powerful words and/or phrases can go in this tab. This is a great spot
to store information from lessons about word choice (DICTION) or other
examples of imagery, in addition to lessons about common and proper
nouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, etc. As you read independently, you will
record any words from the text that you consider powerful.
Tab #2- Authors Craft: In this tab, we put anything that has to do with the
special things authors and writers do to make text and language extra
special or important. Author study information and lessons will be about
figurative language, alliteration, irony, similes and metaphors,
personification, etc. You will be taught to add examples as you find them on
your own and in your own reading experiences. The goal is to find examples
during independent reading to show me that you can identify those crafts
independently in text.
Tab #3- Genre Learning: In this tab we store any learning about different
genres of reading and writing. These genres will range from nonfiction/informational text, historical fiction, biography, poetry, fiction, etc. All
of our learning and thinking about the reading and writing genres goes in the
Genre Learning tab.
Tab #4- My Strategies: In this tab, you store learning about the
comprehension strategies: questioning, making connections, visualizing,

ELACC9-10RL1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the
text says explicitly as well as inferences; ELACC9-10RL3: Analyze how complex characters
develop over the course of a text; ELACC9-10RL5: Analyze how an authors choices
concerning structure, order and time create effects; ELACC9-10RL9: Analyze how an author
draws on and transforms source material like theme; ELACC9-10W9: Draw evidence from
literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research; ELACC9-10W5:
Develop and strengthen writing, focusing on addressing what is significant for a specific
audience and purpose

inferring, determining importance, and synthesizing. We will discuss and

model some strategies in class. Any notes taken will go in this section.
Tab #5: My Thoughts: This final tab allows you the freedom to put anything
else that may not fit in another tab. Obviously, if you need to write a
response about what you thought about something (in guided reading or
during any other time), it could go in this tab. This tab will encourage you to
track your own thinking as you read, and then provide a written response
later after independently reading. These thoughts should help to inspire your
responses to literature. Whenever we do literature circles/discussion groups,
your thoughts go here as well.
Why do we keep thoughtful logs?

Increase critical reading

Create confidence in being a critical reader to be a better and more
independent reader
Independence!
Learn to do close readings
Learn how to respond to literature in writing
Analyze authors choices to better understand literature
Learn about and determine various genres of World Literature
Learn to decipher and pick out significant elements in literature
Tool to track your progress
Keepsake to take to your next English class

ELACC9-10RL1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the
text says explicitly as well as inferences; ELACC9-10RL3: Analyze how complex characters
develop over the course of a text; ELACC9-10RL5: Analyze how an authors choices
concerning structure, order and time create effects; ELACC9-10RL9: Analyze how an author
draws on and transforms source material like theme; ELACC9-10W9: Draw evidence from
literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research; ELACC9-10W5:
Develop and strengthen writing, focusing on addressing what is significant for a specific
audience and purpose

You will keep

a
composition
or other hard
cover
Tabs