Literacy Resource Binder

Tatsikiisaapop Middle School

2016-2017
Created by Rebecca Rawlinson

Table of Contents

Book Recommendations..3
Daily 5 Materials/Keywords5
Daily 5 Foundation Lessons....6
CAFE...9
Task Cards/Book Projects..10

Book Recommendations

Most of the following book recommendations are new releases and may still be in the printing/
publishing stages. All of these books deal with different indigenous issues or are by indigenous
authors. These would be great resources to incorporate into classroom libraries and the Daily 5
centers.

In Our Own Aboriginal Voice by B.C Contributors

o Anthology
o Indigenous Issues
Passage by Gwen Benaway
o Poetry
Wenjack by Joseph Boyden
o Historical Fiction
o Residential School
The Ordena by Joseph Boyden
o Fiction
Born With a Tooth by Joseph Boyden
o Short Story Collection
o Indigenous Issues
Kwe: Standing with Our Sisters edited by Joseph Boyden
o Anthology
o Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women
#IdleNoMore: And the Remaking of Canada by Ken Coates
o Non-Fiction
o Indigenous Issues
Paint by Jennifer Dance
o Historical Fiction
Hawk by Jennifer Dance
o Realistic Fiction
o Environmental concern
A Difficult Beauty by David Groulx
o Poetry
The Missing by Melanie Florence
o Realistic Fiction
o Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women
Rez Runaway by Melanie Florence
o Realistic Fiction
o LGBTQ
o Violence
He Who Dreams by Melanie Florence
o Realistic Fiction
o Coming-of-Age
A Big Dose of Lucky by Marthe Jocelyn
o Realistic Fiction
3

o Colonialism
Those Who Run in the Sky by Aviaq Johnston
o Historical Fiction
o Coming-of-age
7 Generations Book Series by David Alexander Robertson
o Historical Fiction
o Graphic Novel
o Indigenous Issues
Will I See? By David Alexander Robertson
o Realistic Fiction
o Graphic Novel
o Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women
Fire Starters by Jennifer Storm
o Realistic Fiction

Daily 5 Keywords and Materials

The following is a brief overview of the program known as The Daily 5. I have used The Daily 5:
Fostering Literacy Independence in the Elementary Grades by Gail Boushy and Joan Moser as a
resource for creating this document. I outline most of the strategies they suggest teaching to
students but have made slight modifications that I feel may fit the secondary level better. Please
note that the following are suggestions that you could use but the program can be adapted to
better fit the needs of your students as well as your teaching style.
Daily 5 Keywords
Independence
Accountability
Stamina
Strategies
Goals
Progress
Comprehension
Accuracy
Fluency
Expanding Vocabulary
Recommended Materials
Fidget tools & sand timers (etch-a-sketch, Lego, play-doh, star breathing, I spy books,
blocks etc.)
Book boxes
Classroom library with a variety of fiction and nonfiction books
Flip paper
Variety of seating options (high counters, couches, bean bags, low table, high counters,
enclosed spaces)
Class set of notebooks
I-pads/laptops
Earphones
Word Collector chart
CAFE bulletin board
Daily 5 Check-In form
Individual whiteboards
Dry erase markers
Clay
Colored markers

Daily 5 Foundation Lessons

Each of the following are foundation lessons which are essentially focused mini-lessons that
should take no longer than 10-15 minutes. They model procedures that are necessary to promote
student autonomy during The Daily 5. It is important that referred to frequently and practiced
continually after they are introduced.
Week 1 Focus:
Read-to-Self`(Launch Read-to-self first)
Three Ways to Read a Book.
o Read the pictures by describing what you see.
o Read the words and relate them back to the pictures.
o Retell the story afterwards using pictures and key words as cues.
I PICK
o I select a book and look it over.
o Purpose: Why might I want to read it?
entertainment, research, interest.
o Interest: Does it interest me?
After reader the back/first few paragraphs do I want to continue to read?
o Comprehend: Do I understand what I am reading?
State the who and what of passages read.
o Know: Do I know most of the words?
Do I get to the end of the page without stopping often?
Choose a successful spot
o Try different areas/spots.
o Where do you find you are most focused and on-task? Why?
Work-on-Writing
Underline words you dont know
o Sound out word the best you can.
o Underline and move on.
o Come back afterwards and correct it using other resources (google, dictionaries,
classmates, teachers).
Set up a notebook
o Set aside first few pages of notebook for generating ideas.
title it Ideas.
o Write down topics that are on your mind.
Put bullet points for adding any details you can think of immediately.
o Write down ideas in this section whenever you are inspired.
6

Choose what to write about

o Use your Ideas pages to choose a topic.
o Quickly make a graphic organizer to consolidate your thoughts and add details.
o Write.

Week 2 Focus:
Read-to-Someone
Check for Understanding
o One student will read for a period of time then stops.
o Other student restates the who and what of the passage that was read.
o Students switch roles.
o Add strategy to CAFE menu.
How Partners Read
o Same book:
I read, you read. One student reads a page or two alternating when
finished.
Choral read. Partners read the same section at the same time and discuss
afterwards.
o Different Books:
I read, you read. Each student holds and reads from their own book using a
bookmark or finger to hold the place.
How to Get Started
o Manners: one partner asks if the other would like to start in which the other
partner must respond yes, thank you.
o Rock, Paper, Scissors: the winner chooses which book is read first.
o Lets Make a Deal: one partner asks to either go first or second. The next time
they do Daily 5 the other partner gets to choose.
Coaching or Time
o What is a coach? Coaches give encouragement and time in some instances while
giving clues and help in others.
o When partner comes to a word they are stuck on, silently count to three.
o Ask: Do you want coaching or time?
o Figure out what strategy would best help your partner understand the word they
are stuck on in case they need coaching.
o Coach when they ask for help.
Choosing a Partner
o Mouths closed, hands up.
o Walk to another person who had their hand up.
o Ask politely if they will be your partner.
o Partner says Yes I would, thank you.
o Ask other people who are not your friends.
Listen-to-Reading
7

Set Up the Technology

o Show students how to set up technology (depending on what type of technology
available.
o Ex. Turn on tablet, sign in, open app, choose audiobook, plug in headphones etc.
Listen and Follow Along
o Follow along with eyes/finger/bookmark.
Manage Fair Use with Limited Number of Devices
o Divide class and make list for students who share a device.
o While waiting for a device students read to self.
o When student is finished with a device they pass it onto the next person listed and
read to self.

Week 3 Focus:
Word-Work
Set Up and Clean Up Materials
o Introduce and demonstrate how to use each material at the station.
o Show how you expect the materials to be put away for the next person to use.
Choosing Materials
o Ask students to think about each material as they use them. Which one best helps
you remember the words you are practicing?
o Pick the top two ways and use them frequently.

CAFE
The CAFE system is a visual board that reminds students of different strategies to help their
reading comprehension, accuracy, fluency and expanding vocabulary. It is used in tandem with
the Daily 5 framework and is expanded gradually throughout the year. Do not introduce students
too many at once. Ensure you give students the appropriate amount of time to master each
strategy before introducing the next one. Each of the following strategies should be explained,
modelled and practiced as a class regularly.

Comprehension

Accuracy

Check for understanding

Reread
Use prior knowledge
Make predictions
Infer and support with evidence
Make a mental image
Monitor and fix up
Ask questions
Use text features
Summarize text
Determine importance
Authors purpose
Literary Elements
Cause-and-effect relationships
Compare and contrast

Fluency

Cross-checking
Use pictures
Use beginning and ending sounds
Blend sounds
Flip sounds
Chunk letters and sounds together
Skip the word
Trade a word
Recognize sight words

Expanding Vocabulary

Voracious reading
Reread text
Practice sight/high frequency words
Adjust reading rates
Use punctuation
Read like the author

Voracious reading
Use new words in speaking/writing
Use prior knowledge to predict
meaning
Use pictures, diagrams and
illustrations
Use word parts

Ask someone
Use reference materials

For an in-depth explanation of each strategy please refer to the following website:
https://www.thedailycafe.com/daily-5

Task Cards
The following task cards are literacy based activities that can also be used as
formative or summative assessments. Although there is not a center that promotes
these activities during The Daily 5, teachers can easily use these as projects to help
enhance student engagement or add it as another center during this time period.
Most task cards are designed to be post-reading projects that students can select from
and complete autonomously. Each task card is easily modified and comes with a
simple rubric that is ready to use.

10

Mixed Media Character Portrait

Create a mixed-media portrait of a character in your book using art
supplies available in your classroom.
Think about the person and choose materials that suit his or her
personality and actions. Choose at least two different kinds of materials
and at least two different different techniques. For example, use
beadwork and fabric or clay and paint.

Rubric
4
Understanding
of character
Effort in design
Creativity in

Excellent
understanding

Good
understanding

Some
understanding

Limited
understanding

Excellent effort
in design
Excellent

Good effort in
design
Good creativity

Some effort in
design
Some creativity

Limited effort in
design
Limited creativity

11

expressing
character
Neatness, artistic
quality and
technique

creativity
Very neat,
excellent artistic
quality and
technique

Neat, good artistic

quality and
technique

Adequately neat,
artistic quality and
technique

Messy, poor artistic

quality and
technique

Book Jacket
Recreate the book jacket of your book or create a new book jacket about
a related topic to your book.
Think of a title. Look at different book jackets and notice where
pictures and information are located.
Trim and fold a sheet of construction paper to get a size and shape
thats right for your book.
Sketch your design on the paper. Write information (you!) on the
back inside flap.
On the inside front flap, write a short summary of the book without
giving away the ending.
Create your jacket.
4
Understanding
of literary
elements
Effort in design
and summary of
book
Interest and
creativity

Excellent
understanding

Good
understanding

Some understanding

Limited
understanding

Excellent effort
in design and
book summary

Good effort in
design and book
summary

Some effort in
design and book
summary

Limited effort in
design and book
summary

Excellent
creativity and

Good creativity
and interest

Some creativity and

interest

Limited creativity
and interest

12

Format,
grammar,
neatness, visual
appeal

interest
Proper format,
almost no
mechanical
errors. Very
neat, excellent
visual appeal

Good format,
few mechanical
errors. Neat,
good visual
appeal

Adequate format,
less than six
mechanical errors.
Adequately neat,
adequate visual
appeal

No clear format,
many mechanical
errors. Messy and
poor visual appeal

Rubric
Author Introduction
Imagine that the author of your book will visit your classroom. Its your
job to introduce him or her.

What will you say?

How and where did the person grow up?
What are his or her past accomplishments?
Why did the person write the book?
See what you can learn about the author, and write your introduction.

Rubric
4

Excellent
Good knowledge
Some
Limited
Knowledge of
knowledge
knowledge
knowledge
basic facts of
author
Very informative Informative and
Somewhat
Not interesting
Speech
and
interesting
interesting
informative
and
or informative
content:
interesting
information
and style
Excellent effort,
Significant
Some effort,
Limited effort or
Effort and
genuine
interest
effort,
some
adequate
interest
interest
interest
interest

Format,

Proper

Good paragraph
13

Adequate

No clear format,

neatness,
mechanics

paragraph
format, very
neat, and no or
almost no
mechanical
errors

format, neat, few

mechanical
errors

paragraph
format,
adequately neat,
less than six
mechanical
errors

messy, many
mechanical
errors

New Words
Find four to six words in your book that you didnt know before. Look
them up in a dictionary.
Write down the word and definition in a notebook.
Write the meaning of each word using your own words.
Write the word in a different sentence.
Make flash cards, with a word on one side and its dictionary meaning on
the other side. Use the flashcards to teach a friend and/or quiz them.

Rubric
Care and
completeness
in following
directions
Effort in
choosing
appropriate
words
Effort and
interest
Format,
neatness and
mechanics

Excellent care
and
completeness

Good care and

completeness

Some care and

completeness

Limited
evidence of care
or completeness

Excellent choice
of appropriate
words

Good choice of
appropriate
words

Some words
appropriately
chosen

Limited
appropriate
words chosen

Excellent effort,
genuine interest

Good effort and

interest

Some effort or
interest

Limited effort or
interest

Proper
dictionary
format, very

Good dictionary
format, neat, few
mechanical

Adequate
dictionary
format,

No clear format,
messy, many
mechanical

14

neat, no or
almost no
mechanical
errors

errors

adequately neat,
less than six
mechanical
errors

errors

Plot or Setting Map

Is there a location in your book that is important to the people in it? Do
the people in your book travel somewhere or go on a journey? Create a
map of a journey or location thats important in your book. Look at
similar maps for ideas, and then create your map.

Rubric
Understandin
g of setting
and events
Effort in
design detail
Creativity in
designing and
completing
map
Neatness,
effectiveness
in
representing

Excellent
understanding

Good
understanding

Some
understanding

Limited
understanding

Excellent effort

Good effort

Some effort

Limited effort

Excellent
creativity

Good creativity

Some creativity

Limited
creativity

Very neatly
drawn, very
effective

Neatly drawn,
effective

Adequately
neat, somewhat
effective

Not neatly
drawn, not
effective

15

setting or
journey

The Butterfly Effect

Choose one event in your book and change it in a way that would alter
the outcomes.
Rewrite the scene
Create a storyboard of key events that follow

Rubric
Understandin
g of literary
elements
Use of
imagination
and creativity
in explanation
Effort and
personal
involvement
Format,
Neatness,
Mechanics

Excellent
understanding

Good
understanding

Some
understanding

Limited
understanding

Excellent use of
imagination and
creativity

Good use of
imagination and
creativity

Adequate use of
imagination and
creativity

Limited use of
creativity and
imagination

Excellent effort
and genuine
personal
involvement
Proper format,
very neat, no or
almost no
mechanical
errors

Good effort and

good personal
involvement

Adequate effort
and some
personal
involvement
Adequate
format,
adequately neat,
less than six
mechanical

Limited effort or
personal
involvement

Good format,
neat, few
mechanical
errors

16

No clear format,
messy and many
mechanical
errors

errors

Travel Brochure
What is the setting in your book? Is it set in Australia? India? Hogwarts
School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? You will create a travel brochure
that describes the setting in your book.
If you can, research the area where your book takes place. If you
cant because it is fictional, imagine what it would be like to go
there
Create a travel brochure that includes facts, things to see/do as well
as pictures or illustrations
Persuade your reader to visit that place

Understandin
g of Setting
Attention to
detail
Creativity in
design
Appearance,
effectiveness
in generating
interest, and
mechanics

Rubric
3

Excellent
understanding

Good
understanding

Some
understanding

Limited
understanding

Great attention
to detail

Good attention
to detail

Some attention
to detail

Excellent
creativity

Good creativity

Some creativity

Limited
attention to
detail
Limited
creativity

Very neatly
presented and
effective with
no or almost no
mechanical
errors

Neatly
presented,
effective with
few mechanical
errors

Somewhat
neatly
presented,
somewhat
effective with
less than six
mechanical

17

Messy,
ineffective and
many
mechanical
errors

errors

How To
Write and illustrate step-by-step instructions for doing something related
to your book. It might be preparing for a tornado, planting a garden,
pitching a fast ball, etc.
Choose your subject
o Is there a skill or activity in the book that is explained in
detail?
o Something a person learns to do in the book?
o Something related to the book that you already know how to
do well?
o Something you think a person in the book needed to learn?
Break the skill down into five steps that someone who has never
done it before could do. List any equipment or materials needed.
Write and illustrate your instructions
Rubric
4
3
Understandin
g of subject
matter
Effort in
choosing
related topic
Clarity of
instructions
and
illustrations
Format,
neatness,

Excellent
understanding

Good
understanding

Some
understanding

Limited
understanding

Excellent effort

Good effort

Some effort

Limited effort

Excellent clarity

Good clarity

Adequate clarity

Unclear

Proper
instructional
format, very

Good
instructional
format, neat,

Adequate
instructional
format,

Poor
instructional
format, messy,

18

grammar

neat, no or
almost no
mechanical
errors

few mechanical
errors

adequately neat,
less than six
mechanical
errors

many
mechanical
errors

Fiction for Nonfiction

Think up a fictional story you could write to go along with your
nonfiction book. For example, if your book is a biography of a famous
inventor, you could write about a kid who invents a new game and
becomes famous.
Give your book a title
describe what it would be about
include details on the setting/people/animals in the book

Rubric
4

Excellent
Good
Some
Limited
Understanding
understanding
understanding
understanding
understanding
of literary
elements
Very
Appropriate
Somewhat
Not appropriate
Appropriateness
appropriate
appropriate
of new concept
to book
Excellent
Good
Adequate
Limited
Imagination in
imagination
and
imagination
and
imagination
and
imagination,
choice and
explanation
explanation
explanation
poor
explanation

Format,
neatness,
mechanics

Proper
paragraph
format, very
neat no or
almost no
mechanical
errors

Good paragraph
Adequate
format, neat,
paragraph
few mechanical
format,
errors
adequately neat,
less than six
mechanical
errors
19

explanation
No clear
format, messy,
many spelling
or mechanical
errors

Main Idea Word Web

Choose a phrase or sentence from the book that represents the main idea
of the book. Draw a circle in the middle of a piece of poster board and
write the sentence inside. Draw several more circles and connect them
to the center circle. Write key topics or ideas from the book in the other
circles. Find words or phrases from your book that relate to your key
topics and write them beneath the appropriate circles.

Rubric
Understanding
of literary
elements
Effort in
identifying and
relating key
topics and
ideas
Format,
neatness and
mechanics

Excellent
understanding

Good
understanding

Some
understanding

Limited
understanding

Great effort

Good effort

Adequate effort

Limited effort

Proper web
format, very
neat, no or
almost no

Good web
format, neat,
few mechanical
errors

Adequate web
format,
adequately neat,
less than six

No clear format,
messy, many
mechanical
errors

20

mechanical
errors

mechanical
errors

Character Description
Describe the main character in your book using at least six adjectives.
Think about the main character his or her age, appearance,
personality, talents, problems, friends, and family etc. Write down
every adjective that comes to mind.
Choose six to ten adjectives that tell the most about that person.
Write a description based on those adjectives either in paragraph
form or as a poem.

Rubric
Understandin
g of character
Effort in
choosing
words
Imagination in
interpreting
and describing
character
Format,
neatness,
mechanics

Excellent
understanding

Good
understanding

Some
understanding

Limited
understanding

Excellent effort

Good effort

Some effort

Limited
imagination

Excellent
imagination

Good
imagination

Some
imagination

Limited
imagination

Proper format,
very neat, no or
almost no
mechanical
errors

Good format,
neat, few
mechanical
errors

Adequate
format,
adequately neat,
less than six
mechanical

No clear format,
messy, many
mechanical
errors

21

errors

Collage
Write the title of your book in the middle of a piece of drawing or poster
paper. Make a collage by arranging words, pictures and quotes around it
that express things about your book. Think about the setting, people,
tone, theme etc.
Start by making notes about words and images that relate to your
book
Add to your collage with your own writing and drawing, paste in
words and images from magazines, or use clip art printed from a
computer
Arrange the words and images around the title in patterns that are
visually appealing
Rubric
Understandin
g of literary
elements
Effort in
choice of
words and
images
Creativity in
representing
book
Neatness,
artistic and
visual appeal

Excellent
understanding

Good
understanding

Some
understanding

Limited
understanding

Excellent effort

Good effort

Some effort

Limited effort

Excellent
creativity

Good creativity

Adequate
creativity

Limited
creativity

Very neat,
excellent artistic
and visual
appeal

Neat, good
artistic and
visual appeal

Adequately
neat, some
artistic and
visual appeal

Messy, little
artistic or visual
appeal

22

Book Review
Pretend you are a book reviewer for your local newspaper. Write a
review of your book.
List the title and author
Tell briefly what the book is about
Explain why or why not you would recommend this to a friend

Rubric
4
Excellent
Understandin
understanding
g of literary
elements
Very accurate
Accuracy of
book
description
Genuine
Personal
personal
involvement,
involvement,
effort in
excellent effort
expressing and
defending
opinion
Proper format,
Format,
very
neat, nor or
neatness and
almost no
mechanics
mechanical
errors

Good
understanding

Some
understanding

Limited
understanding

Accurate

Somewhat
accurate

Not accurate

Good personal
involvement,
adequate effort

Some personal
involvement,
adequate effort

Limited
personal
involvement or
effort

Good format,
neat, few
mechanical
errors

Adequate
format,
adequately neat,
less than six
mechanical
errors

No clear format,
messy, many
mechanical
errors

23

Personal Journal
Pretend you are a person or animal in your book. Choose a major event
from your book and write a journal entry as if you were that person or
animal. Tell what happened and write down your thoughts and feelings
about the event. Also tell the reader what you plan to do in the future
because of what happened.

Rubric
Understandin
g of literary
elements
Care in
relating
thoughts to
book
Personal
involvement,
effectiveness
in relating
book to
human
experience
Format,
neatness,
mechanics

Excellent
understanding

Good
understanding

Some
understanding

Limited
understanding

Excellent care

Good care

Adequate care

Limited care

Genuine
personal
involvement,
very effective

Significant
personal
involvement,
effective

Some personal
involvement,
somewhat
effective

Limited
personal
involvement,
not effective

Proper journal
format, very
neat, no or
almost no
mechanical

Good journal
format, neat,
few mechanical
errors

Adequate
journal format,
adequately neat,
less than six
mechanical

No clear format,
messy, many
mechanical
errors

24

errors

errors

Advice Columnist
Choose a person in your book who faces a difficult decision or problem.
Write a letter he or she might send to an advice columnist and the
response you think the advice columnist would give.

Rubric
4

Excellent
understanding

Good
understanding

Some
understanding

Limited
understanding

Understanding
of character and
situation
Very
Appropriate
Somewhat
Not appropriate
Appropriateness
appropriate
appropriate
of character and
situation choice
Genuine
Significant
Adequate
Limited
Personal
personal
personal
personal
personal
involvement,
involvement,
involvement,
involvement,
involvement,
wisdom of
excellent
good
some
imagination or
response,
imagination and imagination and imagination and wisdom, limited
imagination,
wisdom, great
wisdom, good
wisdom, some
empathy
and empathy
empathy
empathy
empathy
Proper
letter
Good
letter
Adequate
letter
No clear
Format,
format, very
format, neat,
format,
format, messy,
neatness,
neat, no or
few mechanical adequately neat,
many
mechanics
25

almost no
mechanical
errors

errors

less than six

mechanical
errors

mechanical
errors

Personal Goal
Think about the themes in your book. Write one personal goal youd like
to set because of reading this book. It could be about something you
want to learn or do, a habit youd like to change, etc. Perhaps you are
going to try harder to recycle after reading about landfills.
Explain how your goal relates to your book and write at least four steps
youll take toward achieving your goal.

Rubric
Understanding
of theme
Appropriateness
of related goal
Personal
involvement,
quality of
reasoning
Format,
neatness,

Excellent
understanding

Good
understanding

Some
understanding

Limited
understanding

Very
appropriate

Appropriate

Somewhat
appropriate

Not appropriate

Genuine
personal
involvement,
excellent
reasoning
Good format,
very neat,
mechanical

Significant
personal
involvement,
good reasoning

Some personal
involvement,
adequate
reasoning

Limited
personal
involvement,
poor reasoning

Good format,
neat, few
mechanical

Adequate
format,
adequately neat,

No clear
format, messy,
many

26

mechanics

errors

errors

less than six

mechanical
errors

mechanical
errors

One-Person Show
Is your book about a person from history? Create a short one-person
show in which you act like the person, doing something for which he or
she is remembered. Dress up like the person and act out a scene from the
book. Write a script for a narrator to read while you act.

Rubric
Understandin
g of character
and plot
Effort in
choosing
content,
words, and
actions
Personal
involvement,
empathy,
creativity in
expressing
character

Excellent
understanding
of character and
plot
Excellent effort
in choosing
content, words,
and actions

Good
understanding
of character and
plot
Good effort in
choosing
content, words,
and actions

Some
understanding
of character and
plot
Some effort in
choosing
content, words,
and actions

Limited
understanding
of character and
plot
Limited effort in
choosing
content, words,
and actions

Genuine
personal
involvement and
empathy,
excellent
creativity of
expression

Significant
personal
involvement,
good empathy,
good creativity
of expression

Some personal
involvement,
little empathy,
little creativity
of expression

Little personal
involvement,
empathy, or
creativity of
expression

27

Preparation,
effectiveness
of
presentation

Show very
carefully
prepared, very
effectively
represents
character

Show carefully
prepared,
effectively
represents
character

Show
adequately
prepared,
somewhat
represents
character

Show not
carefully
prepared, does
not effectively
represent
character

Compare and Contrast

Compare a person you meet in the book to someone you know in your
own life using a Venn diagram.
Choose a person from your book that reminds you of someone you
know, because of qualities or experiences they have in common.
Draw two large circles on a sheet of paper that overlap in the
middle. Label each circle with the name of one of the people
youre comparing.
Write words or phrases that describe each person in his or her
circle. Write words or phrases that describe both people in the
overlapping section.

Rubric
Understandin
g of characters
Effort in
choosing
characters and
descriptive
words and
phrases
Quality of
analysis

Excellent
understanding

Good
understanding

Some
understanding

Limited
understanding

Great effort

Significant
effort

Some effort

Limited effort

Excellent
analysis

Good analysis

Adequate
analysis

Poor analysis

28

Format,
neatness,
mechanics

Proper Venn
diagram format,
very neat, no or
almost no
mechanical
errors

Good Venn
diagram format,
neat, few
mechanical
errors

Adequate Venn
diagram format,
adequately neat,
less than six
mechanical
errors

No clear format,
messy, many
mechanical
errors

Songwriters (Partner Activity)

Find a partner who read the same book. Together, create a song that
shares the main message and tone of the book.
Share ideas about the theme or main message of the book. Choose
a message and emotion you want to express in your song.
Write lyrics (words) for your song. Think about it as writing a
poem with a regular rhythm and rhymes that will fit well with a
melody.
Create a tune or melody to fit your words.
Practice your song and sing it for your class or teacher.

Rubric
4

Understanding
of theme and
tone

Excellent
understanding

Good
understanding

Some
understanding

Limited
understanding

Cooperation
with partner
Creativity in
expression

Excellent
cooperation

Good
cooperation

Adequate
cooperation

Limited
cooperation

Strong
creativity

Good creativity

Adequate
creativity

Limited
creativity

29

Preparation,
effectiveness of
performance in
expressing
book

Very carefully
prepared,
effective

Carefully
prepared,
effective

Adequately
prepared,
somewhat
effective

Poorly prepared,
not effective

Book Discussion (Small Group Activity)

Find one or more classmates who read the same book. Plan and carry out
a fifteen-minute book discussion. Each member will bring three
questions for the group to discuss. Questions might be about the setting,
content, characters, themes, or tone of the book. If possible, tape record
your book discussion and share it with your teacher.

Rubric
Understandin
g of literary
elements
Cooperation
with
classmates
Relevance of

Excellent
understanding

Good
understanding

Some
understanding

Limited
understanding

Excellent
cooperation

Good
cooperation

Adequate
cooperation

Poor
cooperation

Strongly

Relevant

Somewhat

Not relevant

30

questions
Effectiveness
of discussion
in reviewing
book

relevant
Very effective

Effective

relevant
Somewhat
effective

Not effective

Sharing Favourites (Small Group Activity)

Find classmates who read different nonfiction books. You will each
choose a short passage you like or find meaningful from your book.
Meet together and take turns explaining what your book was about,
sharing your passages, and explaining why you chose them.

Rubric
Understandin
g of literary
elements
Cooperation
with
classmates
Personal
involvement,
effort in
choosing

Excellent
understanding

Good
understanding

Some
understanding

Limited
understanding

Excellent
cooperation

Good
cooperation

Adequate
cooperation

Limited
cooperation

Genuine
personal
involvement,
excellent effort

Good personal
involvement,
good effort

Some personal
involvement,
some effort

Limited
personal
involvement or
effort

31

passage
Effectiveness
in explaining
passage

Very effective

Effective

Somewhat
effective

Not effective

Plot Time Line (Small Group Activity)

Find two or three classmates who read the same book. Assign chapters
or sections of the book so that each person has the same amount. Have
each person write a time line of important events in his or her section of
the book. Then combine your timelines (in order) into one complete time
line. Decorate it with drawings or borders.

Rubric
4

Understanding
of plot
development
Appropriateness
of events,
accuracy of
detail

Excellent
understanding

Good
understanding

Some
understanding

Limited
understanding

Very
appropriate
events, very
accurate

Appropriate
events, almost
all details are
accurate

Events not
appropriate,
few details are
accurate

Creativity of
decoration
Cooperation
with classmates

Excellent
creativity

Good creativity

Somewhat
appropriate
events, almost
all details are
accurate
Adequate
creativity

Excellent
cooperation

Good
cooperation

Adequate
cooperation

Poor
cooperation

32

Limited
creativity

Format,
neatness,
mechanics

Proper time line

format, very
neat, no or
almost no
mechanical
errors

Good time line

format, neat,
few mechanical
errors

Adequate time
line format,
adequately neat,
less than six
mechanical
errors

No clear
format, messy,
many
mechanical
errors

Book Talk in a Bag (Small Group Activity)

Find other students who read different books. Each will prepare a short
Book Talk in a Bag.
Each student should think about his or her book and gather four to
eight small items that relate to different parts of it. For example,
for a biography of a baseball player, you might choose a baseball, a
picture of his or her home province, a newspaper clipping, a model
of an award he/she won, etc.
Put the items in a bag. It could be a paper grocery bag, a gym bag,
a lunch bag, or a backpack.
Gather in your group. Tell each other about your books by pulling
out the items, one by one, and sharing what each has to do with the
book.
Rubric
Understandin
g of literary
elements
Effort in
choosing items
Creativity in
relating items
to book
Preparation
for talk,
effectiveness

Excellent
understanding

Good
understanding

Some
understanding

Limited
understanding

Excellent effort

Good effort

Some effort

Limited effort

Excellent
creativity

Good creativity

Some creativity

Limited
creativity

Very well
prepared, very
effective

Well prepared,
effective

Adequately
prepared,
somewhat
effective

Poorly prepared,
not effective

33

in
representing
the book

Trivia Game (Small Group Activity)

With others who have read the same book, make a trivia board game
based on details from your book.
Assemble your group and figure out the basic design of your game.
Gather craft materials and make your game board. Find or make
needed items like game pieces blank cards, etc.
Each student will work alone to make game cards with questions
on one side and answers on the other. Decide how many cards each
person will write. All questions must be answered with information
from the book.
Get back together, combine game cards, and play the game. Make
it available for others to play after theyve read the book.
Rubric
4

Excellent
understanding

Good
understanding

Some
understanding

Limited
understanding

Good
cooperation

Adequate
cooperation

Poor
cooperation

Questions
mostly
appropriate,
almost all
details are

Questions
adequately
appropriate,
some details
are accurate

Questions not
appropriate,
few details are
accurate

Understanding
of literary
elements
Excellent
Cooperation
cooperation
with classmates
Appropriatenes Questions very
s of questions, appropriate, all
details are
accuracy of
accurate
detail

34

accurate

Game board
design,
neatness,
mechanics

Excellent
design, very
neat, no or
almost no
mechanical
errors

Good design,
neat, few
mechanical
errors

Adequate
design,
adequately
neat, less than
six mechanical
errors

Poor design,
messy, many
mechanical
errors

Newsletter (Small Group Activity)

Newsletters inform a group of people with a shared interest about the latest
happenings. With a staff of students who read the same book, write and illustrate
a newsletter about a topic from your book. Your newsletter could be for a town,
school, club, or business.
Together, choose the subject of your newsletter.
Look at some newsletters for ideas about articles and design format. Make a
list of articles about past events, future events, editorials, member bios,
recipes, advice, sports scores, advertisements, etc.
Assign each students one or two articles. Remember to mention who, what,
when, where, why in news articles.
Get back together to design and lay out your newsletter. Create your
newsletter by hand or on a computer.

Rubric
Understandin
g of literary
elements
Cooperation
with
classmates
Variety and
creativity in
choosing and
creating

Excellent
understanding

Good
understanding

Some
understanding

Limited
understanding

Excellent
cooperation

Good
cooperation

Adequate
cooperation

Poor
cooperation

Excellent
variety and
creativity

Good variety
and creativity

Some variety
and creativity

Limited
variety and
creativity

35

articles
Effectiveness
of newsletter
in
representing
the book

Very effective

Effective

Somewhat
effective

Not effective

Skit (Small Group Activity)

With a small group of students who read the same book, rewrite a
scene from the book as a skit and perform it.
Choose a scene with a simple plot, just a few characters, and
lots of conversation and action
Read through it and rewrite it together in script form. Use the
dialog as written. Include simple production notes that
indicate character movements, sound effects, etc.
Choose or make simple props to help se the scene and define
characters
Assign parts, rehearse your skit, and perform it

Understandin
g of literary
elements
Cooperation
with
classmates
Creativity of
adaptation
Effectiveness
of
performance
at expressing
scene

Excellent
understanding

Good
understanding

Some
understanding

Limited
understanding

Excellent
cooperation

Good
cooperation

Adequate
cooperation

Poor
cooperation

Excellent
creativity

Good
creativity

Some
creativity

Limited
creativity

Very effective

Effective

Somewhat
effective

Not effective

36

Rubric