Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Tech Roles

Discussion Coordinator

Name: Chelsea Lucius
Book: The Secret Garden
Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett
Reading Assignment: Chapter 1

Assignment:
Your job is to develop a list of questions that your group might want to discuss about this book, or part of book. Your task is to help people talk over the big ideas in the reading and share the other members’ reactions.  Usually the best questions come from your own thoughts, feelings, and concerns that occur as you read. You can list these ideas below during or after your reading. If you want, you may use some of the example questions below to help you develop the topics for your group. Part of your job is also to make sure that each group member contributes to the session.

Possible discussion questions or topics for today:
1 Have you ever felt as alone or unwanted as young Mary must feel?
2 Have you ever neglected someone in your life, perhaps not to the extremes but similarly, as Mary’s mother?
3 How would you feel to lose the one person who has always cared for you?
4 What would your plan be if you realized you were alone and had no one to help you or care for you?


Sample Questions:
What went through your mind while you read this book/passage?
How did you feel while reading this part of the book?
How would someone summarize this section?
What was the main point discussed in this book/section?
At what point did today’s reading remind you of any real-life experiences?
What questions did you have when you finished this section?
Did anything in this book/section surprise you?
Describe one or two of the most important ideas presented in the text.
Predict some things you think will be talked about next.






Vocabulary Elaborator

Name: Chelsea Lucius
Book: The Secret Garden
Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett
Reading Assignment: Chapter 1

Assignment:
Your job is to develop a list of words for your group to define in the context of this book, or part of book. Your task is to help define these words from the reading and share with the other members.  The words you should select to define should be words that you or other members of your group cannot pronounce, define, or understand in the way they are presented. To find your words:
1. First, point to the unexplained word and then underline or highlight it. 
2. Next, read the sentence containing the unexplained word. 
a. If you cannot comprehend the meaning of the word, read the preceding sentence to try to figure out the definition. 
b. If you still don’t have a definition for the marked word, then read the next sentence after the marked word. 
3. Lastly, use a dictionary to check the definition of the word.
Usually dictionaries will have several meanings and it is important to look at each numbered definition and decide which one coincides with the marked word.

Words I have never heard before:
Words I don’t know what they mean:
Words I have seen before, but never used this way:

Word               Page/Paragraph/Line   Definition
1Tyrannical                 | page. 1// definition: unjustly cruel, harsh, or severe; arbitrary or oppressive; despotic                      |
2 Governess                | page: 1 // definition: a woman who is employed to take charge of a child's upbringing, education, etc.                    |
3 Bewilderment           | page: 4 // definition: a confusing maze or tangle, as of objects or conditions                         |
4 Desolation                | page: 6 // definition: dreariness; barrenness; deprivation of companionship; loneliness; sorrow; grief; woe.                        






Connector

Name: Chelsea Lucius
Book: The Secret Garden
Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett
Reading Assignment: Chapter 1

Assignment:
Your job as the connector is to make connections from the reading to other experiences: to other texts, to yourself, or to any other things you have heard about or seen. Your task is to make statements that explain connections between what you are reading and something you have read in the past, some of your own personal experiences, or anything else in the world (for example: the news, movies, television programs, people, etc.). As you read consider what you are reading and try to make the connections. You can create your own connections or use the examples below. Record the page/location of the sentence you are connecting, then rewrite or summarize the sentence, and then explain about the connection.

Connection starters:
·               This book reminds me of ________ (another text) because…
·               I remember reading another book, ___________, that also talked about …
·               This part of the reading reminds me of ___________ …
·               I felt like ______ (story character) when I …
·               If this had happened to me, I would have…
·               Something similar happened to me when…
·               The reading relates to my life by…
·               This reading reminds me of a news report I saw on television about …
·               This book reminds me of ____________ (a movie) that was about …
Connections:
                                   
1 Chapter 1 //  Theme: Feeling unwanted
Connection: Mary feels a desperation in wanting to be loved as she feels and knows that her mother never wanted her as she fancies herself with parties and other people are prioritized before her daughter. It reminds me of current TV shows that show the desperation to be loved and wanted through finding love, going on wild adventures and, most obviously, storylines of characters who were never wanted by their parents (i.e.: Meredith Grey, Grey’s Anatomy).
2 Chapter 1 // Loneliness         |
Connection: Hearing that her parents are gone and her caretaker has already passed and realizing she is completely alone. This reminds me of the Left Behind series or even shows like Lost or Last Man on Earth when they realize they are alone and are facing the challenges of what to do next and how to take care of themselves. I can’t imagine the fear that a young child would experience in this situation.


Tech Enhanced Lit Circle


I think it would be great to incorporate a Tech Enhanced Lit Circle for any small book study or even Biblical/devotional studies. The idea of everyone having a part to play and something to contribute to the discussion instead of just one person doing all of the work is great. While some of the roles do seem to require a bit more work, every role is important and has a valid place for discussing any text. It would be great if every week (or every session) roles changed so everyone was able to experience different parts and research/engage in different parts of the story/book. I guess that some of this would depend, though, on the size of the group you are reading with. However, you could really play these roles even as an individual reading a book in order to more fully engage and learn about the book you are reading. Of course, doing a book study individually would not involve conversation, but just doing the research would be a great way to learn more about whatever you are reading.

Book fold

This is my attempt at the book fold.. I was able to print the four pages on one page but I was not able to get certain pages to "flip" so they would all read the correct way without turning the page...


Book Emails


I have struggled a lot with the short readings that have been emailed to me.. I find it hard to read on my phone and have had to (several times) go to the website to have installments re-sent to me because they never came. 

I think the idea is great -- a snippet a few times a week to read a full-length book -- but for me personally, it has not been a good experience. 

I chose a book I have never read to make it a little more exciting and to force myself to really read and engage instead of just skim.. In the first couple of weeks, when it was consistently working, I really was enjoying it (once I got over reading on my phone). It was nice to know the readings weren't going to be TOO long but that I was going to eventually cover the entire story. 



Audio Book

I have enjoyed listening to my audio book.. I've been listening while in the car on my way to work. I think it's a great way for people who "don't have time" to be able to read. The book I chose is one I have read in hard copy previously so what I think I really like is hearing the way the reader expresses the words/emotions/characters differently than what I had previously done silently. I also really enjoy the voice of the reader. If I didn't, I'm not sure I could continue to enjoy listening to the book.

Pros:
--Easy
--Fun to listen to
--Animated reader

Cons:
--If I didn't enjoy the voice, I would give up on the book -- even if it was something I really was interested in
--Can only listen in short increments (personal preference)