Reading Letters will take on a new format after Thanksgiving. Each week, students will be asked to write a letter in response to the book they are reading with their reading group. Each week’s letter will be different so stay tuned for the new letter choices after Thanksgiving.
ePortfolio: Response Letter Guidelines
There are three letter options. The first is a template. The second is a more advanced format. The third is a nonfiction format. Choose one or a combination of the three for your weekly reading letter.
Write in friendly letter format.
In the title block write, L#, Title and Author
Add an image of the book or an important aspect of the book to each letter.
Due Date: Please note that all letters are now due by Sunday night. You may use the guide at the bottom of the page to help you with note taking and organization related to your weekly independent reading at home and in school.
Format One - Letter Template
Date: ___________________________________
Dear Ms. Devlin,
This week I read __________________________________.
The best part of my reading was __________________________,
and the most challenging part of my reading was ________________________.
I read a total of ___ pages this week. I usually read at _(time/pace)____________________.
While reading this book, I made these connections: __________________________,
_____________________, and _______________________.
One scene I visualized well was _______________________. I imagined _______________________________. During my reading, I had these questions: _____________________ and __________________________________________.
When I was reading this week, I also thought about these big ideas: ___________________
and _______________________.
I wondered about ______________________________________ and ___________________________________________________________________.
Sincerely, ___________________________
Reading Letter - Option Two
Date:
Dear _____________________,
I read _________________________ by ___________________.
The genre of this book is ________________.
The story takes place at _______________________________________.
The main characters are _____________, _________________, and ____________________.
The big problem in the story is ______________________________________.
The big events in the story include _____________________, ______________________ and
________________________.
At the end of the story, _________________________________.
While reading the book, I visualized __________________________________________.
I made a (text-text/film, text-self, text-world) connection to _____________________________.
I had to stop and monitor for meaning when ______________________________________.
While reading I asked the following questions: ___________________________________ and
_____________________________________________________________________________.
An inference I made while reading was ________________________________________,
and the big idea in the book I thought about was ___________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________.
This book changed my thinking by _____________________________________________.
I empathized with (character name) ____________________________________________
because _______________________________________________.
The book inspired me to think about (global connection, creation of something new, a revelation
(big,new idea)) _________________________________________________________________.
Reading this book was (difficult, just right). Teachers and parents could help me make my
reading ideal by ___________________________________________________________.
Letter 3: Nonfiction
Date:
Dear _______________________<
Paragraph One:
Paragraph Two:
Paragraph Three:
Sincerely,
_____________________________
Weekly Independent Reading Guide (Use a new guide for each book you read.)
Name: _____________________________________________________________
Title and author:
____________________________________________________________________________
I chose the book because:
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Fiction Story Elements:
Genre: _____________________________________________
Setting: Time: present past future
Setting: Duration: __ hours or ___ days or ___ months ___ years
Setting(s) Name | Describe what it looked like (Also draw a picture or map if you’d like.) |
Main Characters | Physical Characteristics | Personality Traits | Image |
Story Problem: |
Story Resolution: |
Story Plot: Main Events Listed in Order
Event # | Event |
Book Notes:
Use this section to track book events, Mark the events in the following ways:
V: Visualize
M: Monitor for Meaning
C: Connection (self, text/film, world)
I: Inference (Your schema/story elements=an idea or prediction about story)
S: Synthesis (New ideas and thinking from story)
Q: Questions you’re wondering about the story.
*Try to write down three notes each night.
# | Code | Notes |
1 | ||
2 | ||
3 | ||
4 | ||
5 | ||
6 | ||
7 | ||
8 | ||
9 | ||
10 | ||
11 | ||
12 | ||
13 | ||
14 | ||
15 | ||
16 |
Vocabulary I Need to Know:
Word | Definition (add an image (optional)) |