Self-Directed Book Study

You may choose any book from our classroom library or a different one that interests you. You will be given time to read in class each day and to do some book response assignments.

By the final day of class you must have done 2 of the options below and have them posted to your blog.

1. Write a letter to the main character and the character's reply.
    
2. Write a different ending for the book.
    
3. Pretend you are a talk show host and interview the main character.
    
4. Create a travel brochure for the setting of the story or scrapbook pages about key characters.
    
5. Create a book jacket, including illustrations, an enticing synopsis, author bio, and favorable reviews.
    
6. Summarize the book into a comic or story aimed for younger students or your classmates.
    
7. Write a news article about an important event from the book.
    
8. Write about the decisions you would make if you were the main character in the book.
    
9. Dramatize a scene from the story with other students or using puppets.
    
10. Post a book review on Share What You're Reading.
     
11. Chose two characters from the story and write a conversation they might have.
     
12. Write a letter or email to a close friend recommending the book you have just read.
     
13. Make a list of new, unusual, or interesting words or phrases found in your book.
     
14. Prepare a television commercial about your book. Act out the commercial for your classmates.
     
15. Write ten chat room-style questions that could be used to start an online discussion about the book. Or, write ten questions that test other students' understanding of the story. (Make sure you provide a list of answers.)
     
16. Explain why you think this book will or will not be read 100 years from now. Support your opinion by stating specific events in the story.
     
17. Discuss one particular episode in the story that you remember most. Describe why you think it remains so clear to you.
     
18. Write a letter/email to the author of your book. Address it to the publisher and mail it. Or, see if the author has a Web site and email it.
     
19. Write a ballad or song about the characters and events in your story. Set the words to the music of a popular song and sing it to the class.
     
20. Give a dramatic reading of a scene in the book to your classmates.
     
21. Describe in detail three characters from the story. List reasons why you would or wouldn't want to get to know these people.
     
22. Design a poster or new book cover depicting the climax of the story.
     
23. Write an acrostic poem about the book using the letters in the title of the book or the name of a character or author.
     
24. Draw a classroom mural depicting a major scene(s) from the book.
     
25. After reading an informational book, make a scrapbook about the topics.

EI Se Eu Te Pego

Lais teaches us a popular Brazilian dance!

Time

Thank you Lais for teaching our class on the topic of Time. My homework is below:

After having a chance to speak with my partner (Eric) about what my dreams were when I was a child, I now find myself faced with the challenge of thinking about my future. When I was younger I wanted to be a doctor. I wanted this because I wanted to help people when they needed it. Now that I think about my future, I realize that what we want out of life changes as time passes.

When I imagine where I will be 20 years from now, I see myself as the principal of a school. My two sons will be grown and attending university or college and my wife and I will be close to retirement. We will travel the world each summer together and see one continent at a time. The dreams that I hope to realize before I die are:

1) To help raise funds to find a cure for diabetes.
2) To have grand children
3) To retire from work early enough to enjoy free time with my wife and kids
4) To earn a PHd in education
5) To run a full marathon in an exotic location

Who Inspires You?

Inspire - Definition - The process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, esp. to do something creative:

In life, we all wish to be better people somehow. Often we will meet people who are a good example of what we wish to be like. These people inspire us to be better.

Someone who inspires me is Terry Fox:

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFQHJCEpnsY

Reading & Questions: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZW7joOVDrc4IzPH1yEKiQH7KrTJSM-1W1zq5IYAyxPc/edit?usp=sharing

Writing: Who inspires you? How do they inspire you? Why do they inspire you? 

Include links to pictures, video or other Internet artifacts if possible. You may also upload pictures to your posting if you like.