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Book Club

Directions:
1. Choose your Book Club book through a book walk activity. Each student will get to
write down their top three choices of book from the book walk.
2. The teacher will create groups. In your Book Club groups you will divide your book into
6 sections. You will then complete the Pre-Reading Organizer.
3. Read the first section of your book and complete Investigating the Story Elements.
4. Read the second section of your book. Use post-it notes to mark this section of the
book. Mark where you ask questions, make connections, or experience strong feelings.
5. Complete Taking Note.
6. Read the third section of your book. Pay attention to the language that the author uses.
Put sticky notes to mark pages where you don’t know a word.
7. Complete the Word Nerd worksheet.
8. Read the fourth section of your book. Make sure to use sticky notes to mark important
parts of the story. Get started on the Making Connections Worksheet.
9. Read the fifth section of the book and put sticky notes on important parts of the story.
Start working on your Character Diary and Mapping It Out Assignment. You will not
be able to complete these assignments until you have finished the book!
10. Read the sixth and final section of your book. Work on your Dear Diary and Mapping
It Out Assignment.
11. Complete your Key Events assignment.
12. Complete your Book Recommendation.

I understand that these are my responsibilities during Book Club.

Student Signature: ________________________________

Checklist
● Pre-Reading Organizer ● Making Connections Worksheet
● Investigating the Story Elements ● Character Diary
● Taking Note ● Mapping It Out
● Word Nerd ● Key Events
● Book Recommendation

Book Club Meetings

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Title of book: __________________________________________________

Number of pages in my book:_______________

As a group you need to divide your book into six sections. The sections do not have to be
perfectly equal.
Example: If your book has 175 pages, then you would find the end of a chapter closet to page
30. You don’t want to send a weekly reading in the middle of a chapter.
Decide on sections and write them below. Mark your sections in your book with sticky notes.
**Please DO NOT read ahead. This is unfair to your group.

Week 1 START on page_____________and STOP on page______________

Week 2 START on page_____________and STOP on page______________
Week 3 START on page_____________and STOP on page______________
Week 4 START on page_____________and STOP on page______________
Week 5 START on page_____________and STOP on page______________
Week 6 START on page_____________and STOP on page______________

Group meetings will be held every Monday. Each student is expected to attend and have the
proper readings completed. A discussion question will be given every Monday to help lead a
group discussion.
Each group member of the group will assess the participation, on-topic discussion and overall
contributions of the group members each week. You will fill out a rubric for each of your
group members. You MUST include specific comments to explain why you gave them the mark
that you did. See the example below.

Week One Member Name Assessment WHY?

Ms. Aubie 1 2 3 4 WOW! She was off task and was

fooling around. She did not
share with the group.

Ms. Merk 1 2 3 4 WOW! She contributes regularly

and listens to other opinions.
She is always prepared.

Additional Comments: Mrs. Ens was absent from the group today.
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Peer Evaluations
Week One
Week One Member Name Assessment WHY?

1 2 3 4 WOW!

1 2 3 4 WOW!

1 2 3 4 WOW!

1 2 3 4 WOW!

Additional Comments:

Week Two
Week Two Member Name Assessment WHY?

1 2 3 4 WOW!

1 2 3 4 WOW!

1 2 3 4 WOW!

1 2 3 4 WOW!

Additional Comments:

Week Three
Week Three Member Name Assessment WHY?

1 2 3 4 WOW!

1 2 3 4 WOW!

1 2 3 4 WOW!

1 2 3 4 WOW!

Additional Comments:

Week Four
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Week Four Member Name Assessment WHY?

1 2 3 4 WOW!

1 2 3 4 WOW!

1 2 3 4 WOW!

1 2 3 4 WOW!

Additional Comments:

Week Five
Week Five Member Name Assessment WHY?

1 2 3 4 WOW!

1 2 3 4 WOW!

1 2 3 4 WOW!

1 2 3 4 WOW!

Additional Comments:

Week Six
Week Six Member Name Assessment WHY?

1 2 3 4 WOW!

1 2 3 4 WOW!

1 2 3 4 WOW!

1 2 3 4 WOW!

Additional Comments:
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Group Names: ___________________________

Pre-Reading Organizer

Cover Page: Look at the cover art and make a Summary: Look at the book summary and
prediction about the book make a prediction about the book

Text Features: Look at the text features (table Title: Talk about the book title and make a
of contents, chapter headings etc) and make a prediction about the book
prediction about the book
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Investigating the Story Elements

Name: ___________________
Book Title:____________________________

1. Pick a main character from the story. Choose a character quality that best
describes this character and use an example from the book that supports that
character quality.
(*Character Quality: The parts of a person's behavior that make up a
character's personality. For example, Ms. Merk is very kind. I know this because
she gave me chocolate on Valentine's Day.)

2. Where and when does the story take place? If you do not know, make an
inference (guess using clues from the book) and provide clues from the story
that led you to your inference.
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3. What is happening in the story so far? Name two key events and provide the
page numbers on which each event occurs. Remember that a key event is so
important that the story would not be the same without it!

4. What do you predict will happen next? Support your prediction with a detail
from the text.

Taking Note
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Name: ___________________
Book Title:____________________________

Part One: As you read, record your thinking by taking notes on your sticky notes.
Mark where you ask questions, make connections, or experience strong feelings.
Record two of your sticky notes below. Keep the rest of your notes in your book.

Using those notes, make a prediction about what will happen next in your book:
I predict:

Part Two: Not all chapter books have pictures on every page. Therefore, we must
create the pictures in our minds as we read. The author gives us clues so that we can
VISUALIZE the characters and the plot. Below, draw and color a character or scene
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from the second section of your book. Then complete the sentence at the bottom of
the page.

Part One Checklist:

● Illustrate a character or scene
● Color your work
● Use complete sentences

This is how I visualize:

Word Nerd
Name: ___________________
Book Title:____________________________
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Part One: Choose a word from this section that you did not know. Then, research the
word, assign the correct definition by using context clues and complete the Vocab
Trading Card.

Front: (full color illustration & vocabulary word in large black letters at the top)

Back
Vocabulary word:

Sentence containing the word in the text with the page number:

Correct dictionary definition in your own words:

My own sentence with context clues:

Part Two: Sometimes what authors say is not exactly what they mean. This is called
using figurative language, figures of speech or non-literal language. Some types of
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figurative language are similes, metaphors, onomatopoeia, hyperbole, assonance &

alliteration.

Search for figurative language in your book. Record your findings in the chart below:

What the author SAYS (Non-literal) What the author MEANS (Literal) Page #

Making Connections
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Directions: As you read, write down any text-to-text, text-to-self- and text-to-world
connections that you have for the book.

● Text-to-Text Connections: Sometimes a story will make a reader think of another

book that he/she has read or heard about.

● Text-to-Self Connections: Sometimes a story will remind a reader about something

that happened in his/her own life such as a birthday party, a vacation, etc. Sometimes,
the text-to-self connection is about an event that happened in someone else’s life such
as an aunt, a friend, etc.

● Text-to-World Connections: Sometimes a story will make a reader think about

something that is happening in the world. Maybe the book that you are reading is
talking about a class election. That may remind you that your parents have talked about
an upcoming election.

Text-to-Text
Describe below some connections that can be made from the book you are reading to another
book or movie.

Book Club Book: Other Book Title:

Text-to-Self
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Describe below some connections that can be made from the book you are reading to an
experience you or someone you know has had.

Book Club Book: Personal Experience:

Text-to-World
Describe below some connections that can be made from the book you are reading to the
world.

Book Club Book: World Connection:

Outcome: Communicates connections and inferences with texts read, viewed or heard.

4-Excellent 3-Proficient 2-Basic 1- Limited

Reader made Reader made Reader made simple Reader made no

excellent connections and connections and did connections between
connections and based them on not explain them all text and self/text/or
explained in detail background in detail. world.
how their knowledge and/or
background experiences. Reader
experiences aided in also had clear
the comprehension explanations on most
of text. connections.

Character Diary Assignment

Dear
Diary….
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Pick a main character from your novel. Put yourself “in their shoes” and imagine what
they think and how they feel about the events and other characters in the novel.

Create a Character Diary from the perspective of one of the main characters in your
novel.

Include:

● Five diary entries that relate to five major events in the novel
How were you involved in the event?:
- Did you want to be involved?
- Were you a major part of the event of a bystander?
- How did you feel about the events?
- What emotions were you experiencing?
- What are your thoughts on the other characters?
- How does the setting impact you?
- What are your hopes/dreams/secrets?

● A diary cover page that is drawn and coloured. It should reflect your chosen
character:
- Are you a boy or girl?
- Would your diary be hand-written or typed?
- Would you have a fancy diary or a plain one?
**Relate your cover to the personality of your character, the themes, mood, and
setting of the novel.

● Attach your cover to your five entries.

**Remember to write in first person!
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Outcome: Describe characters’ qualities based on what they say and do and how they
are described in oral, print, and other media texts.

4-Excellent 3-Proficient 2-Basic 1- Limited

The student created The student created The student used The student created
a thoughtful, mature, a thoughtful and some good details an incomplete
and specific specific character and had a basic character diary with
character diary. diary. understanding of the little to no
Their work shows a Their work shows a character and the understanding of the
deep understanding good understanding character’s character and the
of the character's of the character's personality traits. character’s
personality. personality. The student did not personality traits.
The student did an The student did a relate the characters The student did not
excellent job relating good job relating the thoughts and feelings attempt to relate the
the character’s character’s thoughts to major events in character’s thoughts
thoughts and feelings and feelings to major the novel. and feelings to major
to major events in events in the novel. The student created 5 events in the novel.
the novel. The student created 5 complete diary The student handed
The student created 5 complete diary entries. in incomplete diary
thorough and entries. entries.
complete diary
entries.
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Mapping It All
Out
Create a poster sized map of the town and area where
your novel takes place. (The setting of the novel).
Include:
Details and locations using your imagination and
specific details from the book. Keep in mind the time
period and location of the book.
Include a list of important events from your book in
point form somewhere on your poster. Include all
major events.
Labels of all the locations you draw.
A border
A title
A compass rose
A legend
What are the major events in the story?
**Make this look like a map as much as you can! Can
Write ayou link the for
paragraph theme
eachofimportant
the novel event
to the explaining
style of map youyou
why
think itdraw??
is important. This can be included with your map on a
seperate piece of paper.

Include a few details about the event, but make sure to explain why
each event is significant.
What impact did each event have on the outcome of the novel?
What event do you think had the most impact of the characters in
the novel? Why?
Did the setting influence the events? Relate the event to the setting
as much as possible.
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Outcome: Describe and discuss the influence of setting on the characters and events.

4-Excellent 3-Proficient 2-Basic 1- Limited

The student created The student created The student created The student created
a specific, unique and a specific and a map with some an inappropriate
detailed map. detailed map. details. map with simplistic
details.
The student did an The student did a The student did some
excellent analysis of good analysis of each analysis of some The student did no
each event. They had event. They had well events. They analysis of events.
well written written paragraphs provided basic They provided no
paragraphs and and good details about each details about events.
thorough descriptions of each event.
descriptions of each event. The students' work
event. The students' work was not clear and
The students' work was somewhat clear organized.
The students' work was clear and and organized.
was clear and well organized.
organized.
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Key Events Assignment (Part One)

1. The end of a story is where an author typically resolves the problem presented
in the beginning of the book. Choose one of the major problems and explain
how it was resolved in the end.

2. Why did the author write this book? Was it to persuade, inform, or entertain?
State your opinion and explain your reasoning with a reference to the text.
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Key Events Organizer (Part Two)

Decide the MOST important events from your book. Write them in this Key Events Organizer. Without these
events the story never would have happened the way that it did!

Climax

Falling Action & Resolution

Problem & Rising Action

Exposition
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Outcome: Identify the main problem or conflict in oral, print, and other media texts,
and explain how it is resolved.

4-Excellent 3-Proficient 2-Basic 1- Limited

The plot diagram The plot diagram The plot diagram The plot diagram
includes thorough includes adequate includes some includes vague
and well written information about information about information about
information about the conflict and the conflict and the conflict and
the conflict and solution of the solution of the solution of the
solution of the story. Most major story. The student story. Some
story. All major conflicts are was not thorough information is
conflicts are written and in explaining these missing.
written and explained. parts.
explained.
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Book Recommendation: Would you recommend this book?

Name:____________________________
Book
Title:___________________________________________________

Give a brief summary of the book below.

Would you recommend this book to a future student? Why or why not?
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How many stars do you give this book? Color in your star rating below

Not for Meh Good Great WOW

me! ! !

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