reading log - the new way

We have been reading Island of the Blue Dolphins together and we've talked every week about strategies that good readers use.

We are now going to focus on one of these areas for the rest of the year. We will be focusing on what is IMPORTANT in the story.  In order to do this we will use all the reader strategies that we've learned about.

So, how can you tell what is important? (You have a page in your reading binder that gives you ideas about how to tell what is important.)

For example, think of these things:

1. If it disappeared from the book, does it "crash" the story?  

2. Is it about how a character is changing? 

3. Is it about the motives of the characters? WHY they did it?

4. Is it something that inspires you? 

5. Is it something you could have a great conversation about?

6. Is it something that is a "game changer" and the story now makes a huge change?

7. Is it something that might start you thinking about a possible theme?

You should ask these same questions no matter what book you are reading.

So for Island of the Blue Dolphins important things that happened so far are:

1.  Captain Orlov and the Aleuts come to the island and force Chief Chowig to allow them to hunt for otter.

2.  Chief Chowig gives his secret name to Captain Orlov.  Oh no!

3.  Captain Orlov and the Aleuts do not keep their promise to pay for the otter. Instead they try to sneak away.

4.  When the tribe discovers they are leaving they rush to the beach to demand payment. But Captain Orlov orders the Aleuts to attack the tribe. In the battle that follows most of the men are killed, include Chief Chowig.

5. Kimki leaves the island to go find a place for the tribe to live on the mainland because everyone is so sad and scared the Aleuts will return.

6.  A ship arrives to take them to the mainland! Everyone is so excited! But when everyone is on the ship, Karana sees her brother, Ramo, on the shore. The captain refuses to go back for him so Karana jumps overboard and swims to the island to join Ramo.

7.  Now Karana and Ramo have to survive on the island all on their own.

8.  One day Ramo is killed by the wild dogs that live on the island. Karana is broken hearted, and also now is completely alone.

9.  Karana needs to make weapons to protect herself from the wild dogs. But her tribe believes woman are not allowed to make weapons. So Karana is in a lose/lose situation. She decides to make weapons.

10. One day she goes to attack the wild dogs and does succeed in shooting the leader of the dogs. She thinks he is dead but it turns out he's alive! She doesn't even know why, but she takes him home and takes care of him, even though he is her enemy.  And, miraculously, they become friends!

Sometimes something is interesting or funny. Or it creates suspense. Or it helps you feel like you are "in the story."  Or it add details that make you care and understand. These help to make the story something you want to read and makes the book much better. However, they don't count as something which is the MOST  important.

So for Island of the Blue Dolphins here are some things that are not important. They are interesting and makes the story better.  They  help create suspense. They can help you feel like you are "in the story" and makes the story something you want to read. Without all of those details the story would probably be boring.  BUT  if they disappeared, the story would not change.

Examples:

1.  Karana sees a ship arrive with red sails and is curious.

2.  The Aleuts set up camp far away and the 2 groups don't interact.

3. There is a woman in the Aleut group which surprises everyone.

4. When the tribe lucks out and finds a lot of white bass up on the beach, they don't share it with the Aleuts.

5.  A new chief is chosen, named Kimki.

6.  The tribe prepares a plan to escape if the Aleuts ever return.

7.  Ramo didn't get on the ship that arrived to take them because he wanted to go back and get his spear.

8.  The ship needs to leave right away because there is a big storm happening.

9.  Karana makes a home and uses whale ribs for a fence all around it so the wild dogs can't get inside.

10.  Karana uses tiny fish to burn which creates light for her at night.

All of these help to make the story something you want to read and makes the book much better. However, they don't count as something which is the MOST  important.

So the question is, how do you choose what is important? It's not like the second list didn't matter to the story. The point is that those events were not as important as the first list.

HERE IS THE BEST WAY TO DO IT:

For each day while we read together we will write a brief jot dot of the 2 to 5 things that stand out as being important. Don't try to make a final decision.

By Thursday you should have 8 to 15 ideas.

So the question is, how do you choose the 2 things you think are the MOST important? 

It's great if you have someone to brainstorm with - this helps a lot. On Thursday or Friday, you can discuss this with some friends.

You can start by looking at your jot dots. Then start eliminating the things that could disappear and not crash the story.  So as you discuss this, start crossing off the things that are not as important. It is like you are ranking them. If something would  crash the story if it disappeared, do NOT cross that off. 

In the end you should have 2 to 4 ideas. 

Then decide the top 2 you want to write about. You can choose the same 2 as a friend and work together. You do not have to all agree as long as you are all choosing from the items that you did not cross off.  

You will write your thinking on the Reading Log. Class time will be given on each week to do this.