Bell+1+Independent+Novel

**In-Class Response - Friday 2/18 (My brother Carson's 17th birthday!)**
__For this station, please complete the following:__
 * 1) **THEME POST:** [|Click here] to post a one-paragraph response explaining the theme of your independent novel. Don't forget to use a quote!
 * 2) **REPLY:** Read through last night's responses for [|Discussion Post #3] and reply to your classmates!



Getting started - Friday 1/28

 * 1) First, share your book title and author with your classmates.
 * 2) Below, you'll see an explanation of how to post your thoughts on your novel to our class discussion board. To practice, [|click here for our Practice Discussion Board] to get the hang of posting and replying.

Independent Novel Post Instructions

 * 1) You are responsible for three discussion posts. One discussion post is due on Friday 2/4, 2/11, and 2/18.
 * 2) Each discussion post should be **at least three strong paragraphs** (at least 6 sentences each).
 * 3) For each post, respond to one or more of the following prompts (whatever is needed to meet the length requirement). Be thoughtful, specific, and show me that you've been reading! Click below to complete your responses.


 * Discussion Post #1: Due Friday 2/4
 * Discussion Post #2: Due Friday 2/11
 * Discussion Post #3: Due Friday 2/18

Discussion Post Prompts

 * 1) Explain how and why you chose your book. Was it what you expected? Why or why not?
 * 2) Write about a memory or experience of your own that is similar to something you’ve read about in your book.
 * 3) Describe the setting (time and place) of the book you chose and explain the impact of the setting upon the characters or events. You could also discuss how the setting compares to one(s) you have grown up in or experienced at some point in time.
 * 4) What questions or points of confusion are you experiencing as you read?
 * 5) Who was your favorite character (or person, in the case of a non-fiction work)? Why? How did he/she change or develop during the course of the book? How did the character’s story influence you or make you think about your own life?
 * 6) Write a personal reaction to a memorable scene or chapter in the book. Explain why you chose it. (Don’t just summarize. Respond to it.)
 * 7) What issues in society or history did this book make you think about? Exactly what did you learn from it, and how did it influence the way you think or the way you feel about certain people or situations?
 * 8) Become one of the characters in the book and write a letter or poem from that character’s point of view.
 * 9) Write a letter or a poem of direct address (you) to one of the characters on some issue within the book.
 * 10) Write an interview between you and one of the characters in the book. Do your best to capture the voice of the character as you write his/her responses to questions.
 * 11) Comment on the author’s technique—the choice of words or the way he or she tells a story. Do you admire the way the author writes? Why or why not?
 * 12) Quote a short passage directly from the book and show how it is important to the book as a whole or how it is an example of memorable writing.
 * 13) Quote a short passage from the book which uses a distinctive style. Imitate that same style as you write a short piece that is either fictional or about real life.
 * 14) Before you have finished your book, make a prediction about how it will end. Why do you think it will end this way? After you finish the book, add a final comment which indicates how close your prediction was.
 * 15) Do you think the title of the book is a good one? Why or why not? What is the significance of the title as it pertains to the whole book? What are some good alternative titles?
 * 16) <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Imagine you are one of the characters in the story. Write a first-person diary entry that reflects your thoughts and feelings about an event in your life.
 * 17) <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Write a letter to the author beginning, “I have just finished reading your book, and...”
 * 18) <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Find and read a review of the book you are reading and discuss your reaction to it.
 * 19) <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Rate this book on a scale of 1-10 (with one being a very low rating) and give reasons for your rating. Who should read this book? Why? Who shouldn’t read it? Why?
 * 20) <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Compare or contrast a character in this book with one in another that you have read. What are the differences or similarities? How did each handle his/her situation?
 * 21) <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Normally we get inside the mind of a single character during the course of a novel. Choose a character whose mind we don’t get into, and give us that character’s first-person viewpoint about a situation in the book.
 * 22) <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Try your hand at writing some dialogue in a style that is similar to the author’s. Use characters from the novel or play, and create at least part of a new scene.
 * 23) <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Some novels or plays have rather open-ended conclusions. Write about what you think will happen later in this fictional or dramatic world.
 * 24) <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Compare or contrast a character or person in this book to one that you have seen in a television show, a movie or in real life. What are the differences or similarities? How did each handle his/her situation?
 * 25) <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">If a film adaptation of your book is available, watch it after you have finished reading the book. Comment on the quality of the adaptation. What parts of the book did the film makers handle well? What parts did they leave out? Were they true to the original concept, or did they create a whole new entity?
 * 26) <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Find a song or a poem that connects to the book in some way. Write out the words to the poem or the song and then comment on the connection you see.
 * 27) <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Take a portion of the book and make a script out of it that could be used as part of a movie, play, TV drama or radio drama. Write stage directions to go with the dialogue.