Margaret+C-Sum+Reading

Home Summer Reading Assignment Students

Given the nature of the 2011 summer reading program, you had significant autonomy in selecting the books you would read. While you were responsible for completing a proposal, you were not given other assignments to complete over the summer. As indicated on your proposal form, you are required to write a letter to your 2011-12 Language Arts teacher that demonstrates your thoughtful reading of your book. We have chosen to break this down further into three focused "Power Paragraphs" for two reasons, one, to introduce you to the idea of a power paragraph, and two, to assist you in covering all aspects of the assignment.

__ Prompt for Paragraph One - A Reflection of Your Choice __
 * *Must be posted to the WIKI by midnight on Wednesday, 8/24 **

I was given such positive review before reading //Water for Elephants// by Sara Gruen, and I was skeptical if a book could truly be so amazing, but I was proven incorrect after finishing the book between four plane rides. My mother encouraged me to read the book after she “explained how great of a book it was, so I wanted to read it”(Callaghan reading proposal). The idea of a forbidden love story between two people and the fight to keep them together seem unimaginative. The setting which takes place during the Great Depression and on a traveling circus separates the book from the rest. On the last page, Jacob claims “So what if I’m ninety-three? So what is I’m ancient and cranky and my body’s a wreck? If they’re willing to accept me and my guilty conscience, why the hell shouldn’t I run away with the circus?” (Jacob 331). This quote captures the spirit of the book and how age is not a factor. All of these examples prove //Water for Elephants// to be an undeniably addicting and one of my favorite books.

Gruen, Sara. //Water for Elephants//. Chapel hill, North Carolina: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2006. Print

Good use of textual evidence to support your choice in this book. Focus on content and then use more varied, complex sentence structures when you have the content secure. Be sure to get to the point in the topic sentence to begin with a strong focus.

__ Prompt for Paragraph Two - A Discussion of What You Gained by Reading Your Book __
 * *Must be posted to the WIKI by midnight on Thursday, 8/25 **

In //Water for Elephants// Sara Gruen, the main character Jacob Jankowski reminisces on his days back in the circus and his life story has taught me the importance of regrets. The idea of a short life haunted me because I was scared of looking back and wishing I had accomplished more or chosen something differently. The book showed me to stop stressing about my future and focus on loving the present. As Jacob said “But it all zipped by. One minute Marlena and I were in it up to our eye balls, and the next thing we knew the kids were borrowing the car…And now, here I am. In my nineties and alone.”(Jacob 327). Jacob's life was as incredible as anybody else and none of it was planned out or thought about. He just went with the flow like the way the circus train just follows the tracks. This book has truly “opened [my] heart and [my] mind…”(reading proposal) to the idea of just relaxing and going where ever life takes me. If I just follow my life's tracks than there can be no regrets.

Gruen, Sara. //Water for Elephants//. Chapel hill, North Carolina: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2006. Print You could really start with your third sentence; it is the first one that clearly addresses the prompt.

__ Prompt for Paragraph Three - What to do With it... __
 * *Must be posted to the WIKI by midnight on Sunday, 8/28 **

It may seem as though only girls should read //Water for Elephants// by Sara Gruen but characters such as Walter and Camel make the book enjoyable for men as well. Men would be able to relate Walter and Camel because of their honesty and tough attitudes. The action and hard ships of the train such as the worries of being “chucked off the train…” (Camel 11) would appeal to an older generation over a younger generation that might get bored with some scenes. This book is for women as well. I believe women love realistic romances because the story makes the relationship seem possible for a reader and there is no difference in //Water for Elephants.// Teenagers and up would be able to relate to the story easier than a girl under twelve because of some of the romantic scenes. The book would also not be appropriate for a girl under twelve due to some racy characters. If you enjoy romance, action, and drama then //Water for Elephants// by Sara Gruen might be the perfect combination. You do answer the prompt, but your sentences seem a bit disconnected. It reads almost like you were tacking on ideas that were afterthoughts. Use the topic sentence to establish a clear focus and flow.

Gruen, Sara. //Water for Elephants//. Chapel hill, North Carolina: Algonquin Books

of Chapel Hill, 2006. Print

Good job addressing all prompts. You do need to work on focus and structure a bit.
 * Scoring: Your three paragraphs will be given one overall grade, and the timeliness of your posts will be reflected in your "timeliness" grade. **

// An outstanding response to the prompts will include the following: //
 * A strong topic sentence that clearly establishes the focus on the prompt
 * Evidence that clearly supports the topic sentence
 * Correct use of internal citations and a properly formatted MLA citation for your book (put this citation at the end of paragraph one)
 * Strict adherence to the Power Paragraph format
 * Mechanics are clean and do not detract from meaning