Instructions

Independent Novel Study

The purpose of an individual novel study is to read a novel that you are interested in for the purpose of study. 

• Though you should enjoy reading this novel, your goal here is to get something more out of it than if you were just reading for pleasure. Ideally, you should push your reading abilities by studying a novel with a focus or a theme.
• This is a good time to read a novel that you had been planning to get to sometime.  You might look at classic literature or award-winning fiction.  You might want to explore a genre, such as science-fiction, mystery, fantasy, or historical fiction, that you have been wanting to learn more about.
• Above all, you should choose a novel that is new to you in some way and at or slightly above your reading level.  This isn't the time for re-reading a favourite or whipping through something easy. 

You will need to discuss your choice with your teacher.  Since this is individual, don't expect your teacher to have read the novel.  However, you may decide to read a novel that your teacher has read before.  Ask for suggestions.

Here is a suggested reading list for Grade 7.  Once you have chosen your novel, message your teacher and then open the Novel Study Learning Guide on the front page of the course to complete as you read your novel.

Preview

Get ready to learn by thinking about this:

Are you resilient? Do you have a strong sense of self and connection to family, community and culture?

So, what does it mean to be resilient?

Overview of Lessons:

• 1. Read a novel.
• 2. Complete the activities in the reading guide and submit.
• 3. Complete a reading project.
• 4. Take a short test to show your understanding of professional writing.
• 5. In the writer's workshop, you will go through the writing project to create your own piece of professional writing, an e-zine! An online magazine!

    Learning Targets

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• correctly punctuate and use conventions
• form, function, and genre of texts
• metacognitive strategies
• take part in the writing process to plan, draft, and revise a professional piece of writing.

5.1 Making Connections

It is important to make connections when you read.  Active reading is a process the reader uses to engage with the text being read.  This is a good reading strategy to use to better understand the text and the task being assigned to you. It is important to read text while thinking critically about the material and asking relevant questions as you read.  Active reading also involves understanding what is expected of you.

"ACTIVE" reading stands for Asking questions, Making connections, Tracking down important information, Inferring/predicting, Visualizing and Evaluating and synthesizing.

For example, consider what it means to be resilient?  To set the stage for reading your novel and connecting to a main idea, take a moment to listen to the TedTalk by Monique Gray Smith, the author of Tilly, one of the novels on your suggested reading list. She discusses what facilitates resiliency in people.  

Open your Learning Guide and complete Activity 5.1 - 4 Blankets of Resilience while you watch the video.

In this unit, you will be challenged to:                    

• use your reading strategies
• apply appropriate strategies to comprehend written, oral and visual texts, guide inquiry, and extend thinking
• think critically, creatively, reflectively to explore ideas within, between, and beyond texts
• recognize and appreciate the role of story, narrative, and oral tradition in expressing First Peoples' perspectives, values, beliefs, and points of view

5.2 Resilience

Take a moment to view a few more definitions of what it means to be resilient. Think about it with regards to your own sense of self. Do you have the tools to be resilient? Have you shown resiliency before? Are you able to identify these traits and tools in others?  Can you connect these traits to a character in your novel? Click on each of the images below to view a video.

Open your Learning Guide and complete Activity 5.2 - Tools of Resiliency while you watch the videos.

5.3 A Personal Story

Resilience

It's like being thrown into a dance,
  without even knowing the steps.
It is your one and only chance,
  so you curse all of your missteps.
Your heart beats out of your chest.
As your resilience is put to the test.

Copyright © Angel Garcia | Year Posted 2016

Once you've read through the poem, open your Learning Guide and complete Activity 5.3 - Personal Story.

5.4 Chapter Responses

As you read, you must complete 8 Chapter Reviews. You can decide when you choose to complete each of them. It should be roughly every 3-4 chapters depending on the number of chapters in your novel. The last 2 are blank templates. You get to choose which questions go in which space. Here is a list to choose from:

5.5 Character Chart

As you read through the novel, complete 5.5 - Character Chart in your Learning Guide. 

5.6 Character Comparison

Compare two characters from the story. How are they similar?  Different?  Consider the idea of resilience as you discuss your characters.  Use the template provided in your learning guide.

Open your Learning Guide and complete 5.6 - Character Comparison.

5.7 Plot Outline

Once you have read through the novel, complete 5.7 - Plot Outline in your Learning Guide. You can review the parts of plot before you complete this activity.

5.8 Identifying Conflict

Once you have read through the novel, complete 5.8 - Identifying Conflict in your Learning Guide. You can review conflict in the video below.

5.9 Discovering Theme

Once you have read through the novel, complete 5.9 - Discovering the Theme of a Literary Work in your Learning Guide. You can review theme in the video below.

Once you have finished reading the novel and have completed the questions, reading templates, character chart, character comparison, plot outline, conflict and theme worksheets, submit your learning guide to the Novel Study Learning Guide Dropbox.