In humanities class, we have been reading Home of the Brave and practicing thinking strategies before, during, and after reading. Our focus has been characterization. Characterization is the process by which a writer reveals the personality of a character.
When readers study characters, they think about:
- Their feelings, motivations, and actions
- The way they respond to challenges
- The way they interact with others
- How they are on the inside versus how they behave on the outside
Students also learned a new discussion strategy called Save the Last Word for Me. This protocol requires all students to be active speakers and listeners. Before the book discussion, students read their book and chose a part that was emotional, thought-provoking, or a part that made them stop and think, wow! They wrote about this part in their reading journal. Afterwards, they participated in Save the Last Word for Me discussion. Please click the link if you would like a detailed description of this discussion strategy.
Next week, students will continue writing about their reading in their reading notebooks, learning about their book’s theme, and finding text evidence to support their ideas. On Thursday, students will have a SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT for reading and speaking. They will orally discuss the various themes of their books using text evidence and academic language during the discussion. 
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