Name: _____________________________________________ Block: _______

Reading Journal: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (Mastery Work #1)

Overview: We will be reading Things Fall Apart as part of a novel study over the next several weeks. You will be keeping
a reading journal as you read and the purpose of this journal is to think critically about the novel. We will be having
reviews and discussions of the chapters during class each week, and this journal will allow you to prepare for these in
class activities.
This assignment is meant to help you analyze the text – similar to textual annotation AND prepare you so that you are
able to talk about your selected passages in class. When these are graded, I will be looking for detail. The best way to
guarantee earning full credit for this assignment is to comment fully on your passages.

Guidelines: Each journal MUST include all of the following three parts…

1. A Proper Heading 2. Example of Igbo Folklore or Culture 3. A Reflection

 Your name An example of the folkloric/cultural from  Reflection should be your reaction
 The number of the the novel and an explanation as to what to the chapter/reading.
journal the example suggests about Igbo people  Check the reading journal
 The date and their values. Consider: prompts and guidelines for ideas
 The chapter  Proverbs or sayings. on how to complete your
 A fable, myth, or legend. reflection!
 Ceremonies, traditions, beliefs,  You reflection should be at LEAST
agriculture, gender roles, and/or 5-8 sentences long.
cultural artifacts.

 All required information for each entry should be complete and accurate.
 All quotes must be cited correctly with author's last name and page number in a parenthetical.
 Complete the journal entries for at least 10 different chapters.
 You may type or write your journals by hand your journals to complete the assignment. They will be checked
periodically as well as submitted all together for a final, mastery grade.

4 3 2 1
-Follows directions closely. - Follows directions closely. - Not be following directions - Directions clearly not
- Relevant text evidence - Relevant text evidence closely. followed.
always provided & cited always provided, may be - Text evidence not always - Missing/incomplete text
Folkloric

correctly.
-Analysis well developed,
shows an understanding of
the text.
-Follows directions closely.
Reflection
issues with citations.
- Analysis may not be well-
developed, may be too
broad.
-Follows directions closely.
provided, multiple issues
with citations.
- Analysis attempted but
poorly developed.
- Partially incomplete
- May not be following
evidence, several issues
with citations.
- No analysis attempted.
- Wholly or partially
incomplete.
- Directions clearly not

-Reflections provided have - Reflection provided shows directions closely. followed

insight and depth.
-Shows deep engagement
with the novel.
-Includes 10 complete entries
Comple -
engagement with the novel,
but is too broad/vague.
- May be missing ONE
- Reflections are poorly
developed, do not show
engagement.
- Partially incomplete
- Includes less than 10
- Reflection does not show
engagement, is incomplete
or missing entirely.
- Includes less than 10

on 10 different chapters. journal entry. complete entries OR complete entries

tion

- Work is thoughtful + - Work otherwise complete - Overall quality of journals - Overall quality is very
detailed + satisfactory. is weak/incomplete. weak, lacks time + effort.
 READING JOURNAL PROMPTS & GUIDELINES
Use the prompts below to help guide the reflection part of your Reading Journals. You may choose to do one
or more of the types of responses. These are great starting points, but feel free to come up with some of your
own. Remember! Reflections must be at least 5-8 sentences long, so be detailed!

USE THE SIGNPOSTS! USE BOOK, HEAD, HEART (BHH)

Contrasts & Contraditions In the BOOK…

A character behaves or thinks in a  What is this about?
way we don’t expect, or an element  Who's telling the story?
of a setting is something we would  What does the author want
not expect. me to know?
 Why would the character act
(feel) this way? In your HEAD…
 What surprised me?
Words of the Wiser
 What changed,
The advice or insight a wiser
challenged or confirmed
character (usually older) offers
my thinking?
about life to the main character.
 What did I notice?
 What’s the life lesson and how
In your HEART…
might it affect the character?
 What did I learn about
me?
Aha! Moment
 What did the text help

!
A character’s realization of
me learn about others?
something that shifts his actions or
 How has this text
understanding of himself, others, or
the world around him. changed my thinking
about the world?
 How might this change things?

Again and Again BACK TO BASICS…

Events, images, or particular words

…
that recur over a portion of the o Discuss the use of a literary element or
novel.
 Why might the author keep literary technique (metaphor, simile,
bringing this up? characterization, conflict, imagery,
Memory Moment setting, etc.)
A recollection by a character that
interrupts the action and forward o Make text connections (text to world,
progress of the story.
 Why might this memory be
text to self, text to text)
important? o Ask questions about the text.
Tough Questions o Make predictions about what may

?
Questions a character raises that
reveal his/her inner struggles. happen next.
 What does this question make
me wonder about? ** Plagiarism will result in
automatic failure.