SEEDFOLKS BOOK PROJECT

Name: ____________________________________________ Period: ____________
SEEDFOLKS BOOK PROJECT
100 points Language Arts
DUE: _______________________________________
Criteria for grading:
Points
Cover Page
5
Notes Packet
10
Title, picture about my story, student name
13 chapters of story response notes:
(Kim, Ana, Wendell, Gonzalo, Leona,
Sam, Virgil, Sae Young, Curtis, Nora,
Maricela, Amir, & Florence)
One Pager Activity
5
Title, author, 2 quotes, colorful picture(s), and
personal response (3 sentence minimum)
Character Report Card
5
Response to Seedfolks Quiz
5
6 graded character traits with detailed
explanations in complete sentences
Wrote about 4 characters using textual evidence
Reflection Questions
10
Neat, detailed (100+ words each question)
My Very Own Seedfolks Story
20
Character Response Paragraph
10
Title, 200+ words, organized, includes picture(s)
100+ words, with quotes & page numbers,
punctuated correctly
Response to Literature ESSAY
30
Rough Draft/Brainstorm & Final Draft,
creative title, 5 paragraphs, 500-700 words,
typed/ink, with quotes & page numbers,
punctuated correctly
TOTAL:
GRADE:
100
A
B
C
D
F
You
Teacher
Example of “Cover”:
SEEDFOLKS
By: Tina Walker
One-Pager Activity
A one-pager is a strategy for responding to a text.
On a single sheet of paper, you will include:
• Author and title of the piece
• Two or more direct quotes from the piece
(Use “quotation marks” around quotes.)
• One or more drawn pictures/symbols (related to your
quotes or to the reading as a whole)
• A written personal response: a comment, a
connection, or an interpretation (what you think the
story means) *At least 3 sentences!
• Add color and fill the entire page – no blank spots
• Your first and last name
Reflection Questions
Answer ____ questions each 100+ words.
1. Compare & Contrast: Explain how 2 (or more) characters are similar
and/or different. Think of their age, race, background, personality,
character, goals, dreams, attitudes, and voice (tone).
Ex.
How are Ana and Florence similar?
How are Tio Juan and Mr. Myles similar concerning language?
2. Predict Ending: Choose a story to predict an ending to. You can explain
how you think it might have ended or rewrite your own ending in story format.
Ex.
Do you think Lateesha takes back her ex-boyfriend, Curtis?
Does Virgil ever get her eighteen speed bike?
3. Symbolism: Choose 3 characters. Explain how the picture in the chapter
relates to the person. Then explain how it also symbolizes who they are, their
desires, etc.
Ex.
How do “binoculars” symbolize Ana’s character?
How might the “books” symbolize Florence in the last chapter?
4. Themes: Choose a theme from one of the stories to explain how it
relates to your life or what you have learned about life from it.
Ex.
What can you learn about Amir’s story about judging others?
How can you apply to your life the lesson about teamwork in Sam’s contest?
5. Characterization: Choose a character from one of the stories to explain
how you relate to that character. How are you similar and/or different from
him/her?
Ex.
Do you sometimes feel like Gonzalo whose dad speaks very little English?
Are you ever really curious, or even nosy, like Ana?
6. Dialogue: Choose 2 (or more) characters to have a conversation. Make it
up! What do you think some of the characters would say to one another or
ask one another if they happened to meet in the garden?
Ex.
What might a conversation sound like between Kim and Wendell who have
both had family members die?
How might Ana and Florence share and compare their histories as older
women?
My Very Own Seedfolks Story
Take the role of a “seedfolk” and write your own story to
add to this collection. How might you use the garden?
What would you grow in your very own garden and why?
Just like Paul Fleischman gives each of his characters a
distinct background, voice, and set of problems, try and
develop such factors in your own story. Think about possible
themes, characters, moods, or tones to incorporate into
your story, as well as imagery, similes, and metaphors to
help your story come alive! It should convey your voice in a
detailed story of more than 200 words.
Name: ____________________________________
Seedfolks - CHARACTER
Literary Response Paragraph
Choose one story from Seedfolks to write about. Describe in detail a character through
their appearance, actions, speech, thoughts/feelings, or other character’s reactions.
Use evidence (quotes) from the story as support, including your thoughts about this
example. Your paragraph must be 5 sentences or more and more than 100 words.
Topic Sentence: _______________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Concrete Detail (quote): For example, _________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Commentary (your thoughts): This shows that ________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Commentary: This also shows that_____________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Concluding Sentence: As a result, _____________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
NUMBER OF WORDS: _____________
Seedfolks - CHARACTER
INTRODUCTION Paragraph
Choose one story from Seedfolks to write about. Describe in detail a character through their
appearance, actions, speech, thoughts/feelings, or other character’s reactions.
The introduction paragraph introduces your thesis topic, the subject of your entire essay. The
thesis statement summarizes your entire essay and includes the name of the reading selection
(novel/story/poem) and the author’s name. Your introduction also includes a summary stating
the main points of your position. You may also choose to begin the paragraph with an
attention-grabber. The introduction paragraph should be at least 5 sentences and 100 words.
ATTENTION-GRABBER (a story, a question, a familiar saying, or your own insightful
thoughts about your topic):
_______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
THESIS STATEMENT (State your position and include the name of the reading
selection (novel/story/poem) and the author’s name.):
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
SUMMARY (Briefly describe the main points of reading selection in 2-3 sentences.):
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
NUMBER OF WORDS: __________
Seedfolks - CHARACTER
Body Paragraph #1
Introduce your first point of your thesis about a character in Seedfolks. Use evidence
(citation/quote) from the story as support. Explain in detail how your evidence
supports your point and sum up your point in the last sentence. Your paragraph
must be more than 5 sentences and more than 100 words.
Topic Sentence: _______________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Concrete Detail (citation/quote): For example, ________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Commentary (your thoughts): This shows that ________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Commentary: This also shows that_____________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Concluding Sentence: As a result, _____________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
NUMBER OF WORDS: _____________
Seedfolks - CHARACTER
Body Paragraph #2
Introduce your second point of your thesis about a character in Seedfolks. Use
evidence (citation/quote) from the story as support. Explain in detail how your
evidence supports your point and sum up your point in the last sentence. Your
paragraph must be more than 5 sentences and more than 100 words.
Topic Sentence: _______________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Concrete Detail (citation/quote): For example, ________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Commentary (your thoughts): This shows that ________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Commentary: This also shows that_____________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Concluding Sentence: As a result, _____________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
NUMBER OF WORDS: _____________
Seedfolks - CHARACTER
Body Paragraph #3
Introduce your third point of your thesis about a character in Seedfolks. Use evidence
(citation/quote) from the story as support. Explain in detail how your evidence
supports your point and sum up your point in the last sentence. Your paragraph
must be more than 5 sentences and more than 100 words.
Topic Sentence: _______________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Concrete Detail (citation/quote): For example, ________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Commentary (your thoughts): This shows that ________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Commentary: This also shows that_____________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Concluding Sentence: As a result, _____________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
NUMBER OF WORDS: _____________
Seedfolks - CHARACTER
CONCLUSION Paragraph
The conclusion is the LAST paragraph of your essay, which SUMS UP
what you have written about in your WHOLE essay (include all three
points that support your position). It must have at least 5 sentences and
at least 100 words. It includes ALL COMMENTARY (your thoughts).
COMMENTARY (Restate thesis statement in a new way with title/author’s name):
_______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
COMMENTARY (Summarize first point of your thesis.):
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
COMMENTARY (Summarize second point of your thesis.):
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
COMMENTARY (Summarize third point of your thesis.):
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
CONCLUDING SENTENCE (Sum up your essay with a nice, concluding sentence):
_________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
NUMBER OF WORDS: __________
Seedfolks
By:$$Paul$Fleischman$
Response'to'Literature'Theme'Essay'(2nd'essay)'
Reading$3.4$&$Writing$2.2$
'
$
DIRECTIONS:'
In$this$assignment,$you$will$read'Seedfolks!by$Paul$Fleischman$and$write$a$five@
paragraph'response'to'literature'essay$on$your$understanding$of$the$theme$(or$
meaning)$of$one$of$the$short$stories$within$the$novel.$$Your$essay$will$be$at$least$500'
to'700'words$with$an$introduction,'body,'and'conclusion$exhibiting$your'
understanding'of'the'story$and$textual'evidence$to$support$your$interpretations.$$
Your$writing$will$be$scored$on$how$well$you:$
$
$
SCORING:'
∗ Show$your$understanding$of$the$author’s$message$and$your$insight$into$the$
characters$and$ideas$presented$in$the$story;$
∗ Organize$your$essay$around$several$clear$ideas$and/or$images$from$the$story;$$
∗ Justify$your$interpretations$by$giving$examples$and$citing$evidence$from$the$text;$
and$
∗ Use$correct$grammar,$spelling,$punctuation,$and$capitalization.$
$
$
WRITING'THE'RESPONSE'TO'LITERATURE:'
'
Prompt$
Seedfolks'tells$a$story$about$a$garden$that$transforms$a$neighborhood.$$Reread$the$
story$within$the$novel$you$have$chosen$to$write$about.$$Then$write$an$essay$in$which$
you$present$your$understanding$of$the$characters$and$the$overall$theme$(meaning)$of$
the$story.$$Support$your$ideas$with$examples$and$details$from$the$text.$$Do$not$merely$
summarize$the$story.$$Remember$your$response$will$be$evaluated$in$two$ways$–$on$
your$understanding$of$the$story$and$on$the$quality$of$your$writing.$
$
$
$
STEPS'TO'WRITING'PROCESS:$
1)$Brainstorm$–$Choose$thesis$topic,$write$thesis$statement,$including$3$examples$of$topic.$
2)$Rough'Draft$–$Write$first$written$copy$of$5Wparagraph$essay$(Introduction,$Body,$Conclusion)$
3)$Editing$–$Teacher/peer$edits$Rough$Draft$for$errors$(grammar,$spelling,$mechanics,$content)$
4)$Revising$–$Revise$Rough$Draft$by$correcting$errors$and$making$necessary$changes.$
5)$Publishing'Final'Draft$–$Handwrite/Type$Final$Draft$revision$to$turn$in$for$a$final$grade.$
Themes in Seedfolks
Kim - Love and hope endure even the greatest tragedies.
Ana – Curiosity killed the cat.
Wendell – Don’t dwell on the past, but instead hope for a
better future.
Gonzalo – Don’t judge a book by its cover.
Actions speak louder than words.
Leona – One person can make a big difference.
A determined person can accomplish the unexpected.
Sam – Working together leads to success.
Virgil – Hard work and determination can help you attain your goal.
Sae Young - “Home” is not the house you live in, but often
the people around you.
Curtis – Actions speak louder than words.
You don’t know what you have until it is gone.
Nora - Friendship sometimes comes from unexpected sources.
Maricela – Only you can decide what your future will be.
Amir – Don’t judge a book by its cover.
Florence – A brave or daring person can accomplish the unexpected.