Honors Humanities

Going After Cacciato

Pd. 3/7: Reading Schedule

Tuesday, April 5 to pg. 48

Monday, April 18 to pg. 99

Thursday, April28to pg. 153

Tuesday, May 10 to pg. 207

Friday, May20 to pg. 254

Thursday, May26 to the end

Journal assignment

So, this is sometimes a difficult novel for students to wrap their heads around initially. It’s not that it’s difficult to READ. It’s just that it can be a little confusing at first (non-linear text, reality and fantasy intertwined, spatial ambiguities) and students tend to (I know you’ll find this hard to believe) shut down when they get even the slightest bit confused, turn their brains on music mode and shout things like “This is stupid” to anyone who will listen.

YOU are not going to do this. In fact, you’re going to prove to me that you’re not going to do this by keeping a Reader’s Response Journal as you read. But those are things you do in middle school! I don’t need that! Negative. You do need it and it’s NOT middle school. It’s definitely not middle school to have Performative Literacy. In fact, I know many adults who could stand to journal a little to have a better understanding of the world, but that’s a different story.

We are looking at reading as a process here (just like we view writing as a process.) The bottom line is you need a place to work through your confusion on the book and then actually develop ideas, find meaning, make connections…all that stuff people with functioning brains should be doing all the time.

Wow, you sure make everything sound wonderful, Mrs. S. We’ll do it! Where do we start?!?!

I love your enthusiasm, kids. Here are some details:

  • For each of the readings listed above, you will create entries in your notebook. Your entries must include the following:
  • Purpose and Focus
  • This is where you will explain the PURPOSE for each entry. Understand that you’re writing your notes for a reason. What, SPECIFICALLY, are you hoping to do by writing your notes. Your purpose can be to clarify confusions, to remember something (like different characters or stories), to deepen understanding, to analyze the text, to evaluate… The purpose of your notes is NOT to summarize. That’ the middle school version.
  • You must have at least two different purposes for each reading. (You may need to have more for your own purposes.)
  • You need to make your purpose easy for me to see in your notebook. Have a system, people.
  • Each goal/purpose should be its own page (or pages.)
  • You will be using your notes to eventually create a thesis about the book and write a paper on it, so your goals may become more focused as you get further through your reading.
  • Content
  • Use some organized format to take notes and commentary. You don’t have to use the same format throughout the whole notebook. Consider using graphs, charts, pictures/images, timelines, maps… We’ll look at some examples of note taking in class. The important thing is that you use formats that work for you.
  • You must use specific text in your notes AND have your own commentary/reactions/reflections.
  • You must use evidence from across an entire section you read. You can’t just write about the first few pages in a section or focus on only one thing that happened. I’m onto that game.
  • Your notes must match your goals/purpose.
  • I MUST be able to understand and read what you’re doing.

Your completed notebook will count as a major grade. I’m grading based on the criteria explained above. Each time you miss a deadline, you will lose 10 points on your overall grade.

Don’t disappoint.