Reading Journal & Assessment Ideas for Novels

Hold your students accountable during independent reading (novels) and change the way you wrap up any novel unit with this reading response journal and final assessment ideas bundle.

⭐The reading journal will guide learners during the explore, connect to the text and go beyond phases of the response process. This document is the preparation booklet for the final assessment of their chosen or assigned novel.

⭐The differentiated novel project ideas encourage learners to use their analytical and critical thinking skills to produce an original piece of writing. They may choose from the following text types: critical book review (article), expository essay, letter, final chapter, character analysis, listicle, comparison essay.

⭐The resources in this bundle have been designed for advanced and intermediate/upper-intermediate ESL students. However, they may also be useful in ELA and Special Education classes or to support your struggling learners. The included evaluation grid may be used to assess the response process and/or writing skills.

⭐Each resource included in this bundle may also be purchased separately here:

• Differentiated Final Project/Assessment Ideas for Novels (Partially editable)
• The reading journal for independent reading is also part of this resource: Reading Response Journals for Informational & Literary Texts

This bundle includes:

⭐Response to Reading Journal for Independent Reading:

• This document focuses on taking notes during the explore phase. Students record their observations after every third chapter read -Chapters 1-3, 4-6, 7-10 and so on and so forth. They take notes of the setting, conflict/inner struggle, details about the characters, short summary of the main events.
• Vocabulary Log: two pages to take note of the difficult words and their definition/synonym.
• Space for recording the plot/summary of the book.
• Response process assessment rubric included

⭐Differentiated Final Project/Assessment Ideas for Novels (Partially editable)

The downloaded file includes:

• 5 differentiated Final Project Ideas for novels on a single page (project, writing guidelines, task requirements)
• 2 slightly different assessment rubrics to assess the response process and writing skills
• Teacher directions
• Graphic organizers - planning sheets (outline)
• Rough draft and final version sheets
• Editable project template to create your own. (This template is blank.)
• This resource is available in both PDF and Editable Power Point Presentation files.
• Please note that this resource is partially editable; only the "Task requirements" section of the project ideas may be edited in the PPT file.

⭐The different writing prompts require learners to produce various text types:

• Article - Critical book review
• Comparison essay
• Chapter (a new ending for the story)
• Letter
• Expository essay
• Listicle
• Character analysis essay

⭐Each final assessment idea is accompanied by:

• Writing guidelines
• Task requirements that can be edited in the included Power Point document.

⭐Assessment of the final product:

• The included rubric has been designed to assess two of the ESL competencies (Québec ESL program):
  • C2 - Reinvests understanding (participation in the response process/understanding of texts; participation in the response process/connecting with the text)
  • C3 - Writes and produces texts.
• You might simply use the part which evaluates only writing skills (content and formulation of the message) if you do not wish to assess reinvestment of understanding.
• You may also use your own assessment grids.

Good to know:

• The rubric designed to assess writing skills includes a component that you might not want/need to assess: completing the outline, rough draft and evidence of correcting, revising, editing strategies. You may use this part to offer feedback to students, but not count it in their final grade.
• If you choose to omit this part when assessing students' work, the overall score for writing skills will be simply 15 instead of 20.

Thank you for stopping by!

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⭐FILE DETAILS: Paper size: 8.5" x 11" (Standard US Letter). Documents are not editable unless otherwise stated. Resources are available either in a PDF or PPT file.

❤️SATISFACTION: Before downloading a product, read the product description and check out the preview document to determine if the resource is appropriate for your students. Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

✨TERMS OF USE: ©️ Versatile Teacher Toolkit - ESL and ELA Resources. All rights reserved.

For personal or educational use. You may make copies for your personal or classroom use. Sharing, posting, redistributing, or selling this resource or any part of it on the Internet is prohibited.