Sarah+Stapel

Name___Sarah Stapel___

1. Book Title (1 pt.) Blank Confession

2. Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction

3. Author (1 pt.: Pete Hautman

4. Date of Publication (1 pt.) 2010

5. Write a brief summary of the book you read without giving away the ending! (4 pts.)

Blank Confession begins with a young teen, Mikey and his mysterious new friend, Shayne Blank. The school bully is also the school’s biggest drug dealer and comes after Mike when he loses his drugs during a school locker search and demands that Mikey pay him for what he was “stashing away.” Shayne Blank, as he calls himself, keeps an eye out on Mikey and sticks up for Mikey. The story thickens when there is a mysterious death and one of the three main characters take the fall.

6. What did you like about the book? What did you dislike? (4 pts.)

I really enjoyed this type of book since it was a genre that I usually read. Each chapter was told in the perspective of the different characters. Just when you would get to know one, it would switch in the next chapter to someone else. It definitely kept you on your toes and didn’t drag on. I also enjoy books where I have to solve the mystery as well as figure out the back story behind the characters. I wish there had been a little more closure at the end. I’m sure that was the purpose that the author intended, however, it left me hanging. I also wish there had been a little more “dirt” on Shayne Blank, one of the main characters.

7. Write three essential (higher level thinking) questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book. (6 pts)

- How did Mikey change from the beginning to the end of this book? - Why did “Shayne Blank” feel the need to confess when he usually skips town anyway? - Why was it important for the author to have so many ironic connections between some of the characters (Detective Rawls and the bully’s brother )in the book?

Comprehension Activity:

Create a “FakeBook: (not Facebook) page for the main character or one of the main characters from your Contemporary Realistic Fiction Book. Use the instructions provided in a separate attachment to help you. When you’ve finished your work online, copy and paste the URL for your Fakebook page below (15 points).

http://www.classtools.net/fb/89/EaBhWD

Sarah Stapel

1. Book Title (1 pt.) Snatched

2. Genre: (Adventure-Survival or Mystery) (1 pt) Mystery

3. Author (1 pt.) Pete Hautman 4. Date of Publication (1 pt) 2006

5. What did you like about the book? What did you dislike? (5 pts.) I’m beginning to become a fan of this author. First off, he seems to have a few mysteries under his belt and I love that genre. I like the act of reading and trying to solve the problem at hand. Reading his books so far is enjoyable in that sense. The storyline is interesting and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The main character, Roni definitely had the charisma to hold her own in this story. She was strong, dynamic, bossy, and persistent on finding what happened to the abducted classmate, Alicia. I wish that I had known more of a back-story for Alicia, the snooty teen who really had it all (or so you thought). I felt that I only got her personality a little bit at the beginning. I’m sure revealing her past would have given away the ending to the story. I just felt short changed with her character.

6. Write three essential (higher level thinking) questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book. (6 pts)

- After analyzing Alicia’s story, what were some things that she could have done to solve her problem instead of what she did? - Why was Roni so determined to find out what happened to Alicia even though she didn’t like her? - Why did Brian continue to help Roni even though he would get in trouble?

Comprehension Activity: (15 pts).

Choose five artifacts that you believe represent the main character of your novel (or one of the main characters in your novel) and provide an explanation for choosing each. Avoid making all obvious choices, but instead, get creative and think outside the box!

Artifact #1 – notebook I chose this because... Roni was a “reporter” for the school newspaper, however, she really had a passion for it. Observing, taking notes, and keeping records was a huge part in her life. She couldn’t have solved the mystery or written her articles without it.

Artifact #2 –a vase filled with wilted roses I chose this because...in the story, Alicia, has it all. The boyfriend, money, huge house, and is beautiful. Her boyfriend gives her a bouquet of roses on one of the most important nights in the story. After her abduction and after she is found, the beautiful roses have been tarnished and wilted away just how Alicia is portrayed. She is beautiful on the outside but broken and tainted on the inside.

Artifact #3 –a bench I chose this because...this is how the two main characters, Brian and Roni meet. They both have been summoned to the principal’s office and both have to share “the bench.” The bench is where they first meet and it is where the story ends as well.

Artifact #4 –the Bloodwater Press newspaper I chose this because...Roni is the school reporter and obviously this would be fitting. However, she seems to use this paper as a way to challenge herself and give readers an unexpected treat. It is a way for her give her side of the story but do it with her own style and wit. It makes her apart of who she is.

Artifact #5 –a rock I chose this because...this is what Brian used to hit Alicia’s father with when he thought that he was attacking Roni. This was the reason that he fled in the woods behind there house which led to him finding Alicia. Roni also was discouraged that he was the one that found the abducted teen and not her since it was all her idea. He wouldn’t have even found Alicia if it hadn’t had been for Roni. She wanted more credit.

Name: Sarah Stapel


 * 1) Book Title (1 pt.) Claime to Fame


 * 1) Genre: Fantasy


 * 1) Author (1 pt.) Margaret Peterson Haddix

November 10, 2009
 * 1) Date of Publication (1 pt.)


 * 1) Write a brief summary of the book you read without giving away the ending! (3 pts.)

The once famous child star, Lindsay Scott, seems to disappear from everyone’s radar. She is no longer in the spotlight after claims of her having a nervous breakdown. Now, the 16 year old, she creeps back into the tabloids. They say that her dad has held her up in his house as a hostage. She doesn’t come out, she isn’t to be seen, nor has anyone spoken to her. Thankfully, the tabloids are full of gossip because Lindsay has secretly been hiding out in her father’s house because she has a strange talent of hearing voices. Whenever someone mentions her name or talks about her she can hear them…no matter where they are. People all over the world love or hate her (and her tv show) and Lindsay has to deal with it all. How does she cope? She gets kidnapped and forced to deal with things she doesn’t want to. She learns who her friends and enemies are. More importantly, she discovers the truth of her past.


 * 1) What did you like about the book? What did you dislike? (3 pts.)

First off, I like Margaret Peterson Haddix in general. She is a fan favorite in my classroom so I was excited to read this book written for young adults. I wasn’t sure at first if I liked the character of Lindsay, but once I started to learn more about her, I empathized with her and her situation. Sometimes I thought the storyline was a bit cheesy because of her “talent,” but the ending wasn’t what I was expecting. For that, I guess it surprised me when I realized the backstory on some of the characters. I wish some of them had been developed more. However, this is a young adult book. I also wish it hadn’t been so easy to figure out in the end. It kind of left you hanging.


 * 1) Write three essential (higher level thinking) questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book. (6 pts)

-Lindsay Scott felt trapped in her own house because of a “talent” that she inherited. In what ways do you identify with Lindsay feeling trapped? -Would you want the same talent that Lindsay has? Why or why not? -Lindsay took many risks in finding the truth. What was her motivation?

Comprehension Activity:

Write a newspaper article about someone or something that happened in the story. NOTE: this is NOT a book report! Review a few newspaper articles to get the "feel" of the format. What would the headline say? Was anyone interviewed for the story? Who are the sources of information? Are there quotes from characters? Be creative! (15 pts).

Great SCOTT! Child Star Kidnapped!

Sixteen year old, “Just Me and the Kids” star, Lindsay Scott, was last seen on her balcony of her house late last night. This girl has been through it all. She had a nervous breakdown at age 11 and then her father has been holding her hostage in her own house, the tabloids suggest! She might not have gone unnoticed since she rarely comes out of her house. Except…a neighbor just happened to be out and saw someone grab the teen and force her down a back staircase into a strange vehicle. "Shh! Shh! Don't make a sound!" was all that was heard before the car sped away. Was this really a kidnapping or a desperate attempt to escape her father’s tight grip?

Name: Sarah Stapel

1. Book Title: Matched

2. Genre: Science Fiction

3. Author: Ally Condie

4. Date of Publication : November 30, 2010

5. Write a brief summary of the book you read without giving away the ending! (3 pts.) Cassia Reyes is at her Match Banquet that takes place on her 17th birthday. She stands and waits for the monitor to reveal her match...it is Xander, her best friend! How perfect. Not only does her match live in the same providence, but she already knows him! Things take a turn for the worse. She goes to view Xander's profile and insead of seeing his face, it is someone else. Who is her true match? Xander or a boy she also knows, Ky Markham? Another dilema occurs when Cassia's grandfather is set to die on his 80th birthday. On the last day of his life, he shows her something secret inside of her grandmother's compact. Poems from long ago that were banished by the Society. Words she isn't supposed to see or have. Since seeing Ky's face, she can't stay away. She shows Ky her secret poems on the Hill while hiking and their romance buds from there. He teaches her to write (something else the Society does not want them to do) and spell her name. They share forbidden secrets, but will he keep hers? Cassia begins to drift apart from Xander while falling in love with Ky. She also begins to take her grandfather's advice from the secret poem..."do not go gentle." Not only does she see Ky in a new light, but she begins to view the Society as a place where she isn't so comfortable. The Officials in the Society make decisions for everyone around and Cassia isn't sure she wants this. She has to fight against the life she's always known. Her actions bring concequences. Ky is eventually taken away to another providence and she isn't sure she will ever see him again. Will her fight help her find Ky again? She has to try. She sets out on an unknown journey to find her true Match.

6. What did you like about the book? What did you dislike? (3 pts.)

I actually really enjoyed this book. One of my students bought it at our school book fair and that is when I first saw it and it intrigued me. I decided to give it a shot since I like fantasy/science fiction/love stories. It reminded me a little of Stephanie Meyer’s “The Host” because they renamed regular things to where their world was truly their own. I also now want to read the second book because I have to know what happens to the main character. The fact that the author grabbed me from the beginning was impressive and I didn’t really want to put the book down. A few things that I didn’t like were some of the characters were pretty bland except for the main few. I think it was done intentionally because the author wanted the bigger characters to stand out. It also goes along with the theme of the book…a perfect world with bland characteristics.

7. Write three essential (higher level thinking) questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book. (6 pts) - In this story, Cassia feels trapped in her world due to many circumstances. In what ways to you feel “trapped” like Cassia? - If you were Cassia, what decision would you make and why…rebel against a life you’ve always known and pick Ky or choose to stay with Xander in a comfortable place? - Do you agree with the Society and their rules? Why or why not?

Name: Sarah Stapel

1. Book Title: The Red Umbrella

2. Genre: Historical Fiction

3. Author : Christina Diaz Gonzalez

4. Date of Publication : 2010

5. Write a brief summary of the book you read without giving away the ending!

The Red Umbrella is set back in 1958 during the time of the Cuban revolution. Lucia Alvarez is a regular teenage girl living her life with her family, her mom, dad, and brother, Frankie. Things begin to change in their quiet little town. Fidal Castro’s communist ways are taking over. They have lost their freedom, their friends, and could easily loose their lives. They do not agree with Castro’s ways and this is very dangerous. Lucia’s parents decide to get her and Frankie out of the country and into the United States where it is safe. The children must go alone to this brand new country and away from everything they’ve ever known. They end up in Nebraska with a friendly couple, The Baxter’s. Here, they both struggle with this new life, new school, new friends, and new guardians. Will they ever see their parents again?

6. What did you like about the book? What did you dislike?

I realized that I didn’t know much about the revolution in Cuba before reading this. Even though this was a fiction story, there were still parts to it that made it real. I wasn’t aware that parents all over Cuba actually sent their children off to the states. I enjoyed that it was told by Lucia, the teenage girl were her emotions were constantly changing. I also enjoyed the fact that they were rebels against the revolution. This was something that was life threatening so it kept you on your toes. There were connections that I had in this story being a teenager myself at one time. However, it was so hard for me to connect to the cultural side of it. That was probably the only part that I didn’t like. It was just because I couldn’t completely feel like I’d been in that situation. I can’t imagine going through that type of situation at all. Especially being a young child. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this book. It was enlightening and yet disturbing all at once. I wasn’t sure at first if I would like it because Historical fiction is probably one of my least favorite genres. I was definitely proven wrong in this case. I would recommend this book to anyone.

7. Write three essential (higher level thinking) questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book.

- Lucia’s father does not want to join the revolution. He says he is on neither side of it. Is that even possible given the circumstances in the book? - Why is Lucia’s mother’s red umbrella such a symbol in the book? - Analyze how Lucia has changed from the beginning of the story until the end.

Sarah Stapel Book Title: Mistaken Identity Genre: Non-Fiction/Biography Author: Don and Susie Van Ryn, Newell, Colleen, and Whitney Cerak with Mark Tabb Publication: 2008


 * Book Talk Script:**

Book Talk – "Mistaken Identity"


 * Introduction:**


 * PROP**: hold up PEOPLE magazine from 2006 with breaking story involving the 2 families

What went wrong!? That is one of the biggest questions that went through the minds of the friends, families, and victims of the case involving a mistaken identity. This case made national news, including People magazine back in 2006. Many of you may remember when this happened. Oprah, CNN, and others spotlighted these tragic events throughout the summer of 2006. So many families were effected by what happened to a group of college students involved in a terrible accident. Two girls, two families, but one huge mistake! In the book, Mistaken Identity (show the book like above) we will take a look at the gripping story behind two families and were it all went wrong.


 * Some background:**

In 2006, a group of college students were riding home in their van when a semi truck struck the van tossing most of the passengers out at least 50 feet away. There was only one survivor. The rest were taken to a hospital to be identified by representatives other than family. The lone survivor was a girl named Laura Van Ryn. She was badly hurt and hanging on to life. Her family, being the devout Christians that they are, prayed for her to survive the tragic accident. They knew she would need it.


 * Middle:**

Not only does Laura's family send up their prayers but so does the Cerak family. They on the other hand were not so lucky. Their daughter, Whitney, was one of the students that did not make it. When asked to come identify the body, the family couldn't bare to see their loved one like that. They let the college handle it. If only they had checked...

The Cerak family, Newell, Colleen, Carly, and Sandra were also devout Christians. It seemed that this was something the two families had in common. They had to bury their daughter and it was all they could do to hold it together. **(Page 64 as I'm holding the book)** "As they lay on Whitney's bed mourning her death, they began sharing stories that brought her life into the room. Most of the stories left them laughing. They talked about Whitney's infectious smile and her mischievous sense of humor. Nothing would ever take those away those memories, but the realization that the memories were all they had left made them break down in tears again." They longed for their Whitney.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Laura Van Ryn begins to make small progress. She begins responding the sounds, movement, etc. Her family, boyfriend, and friends are all optimistic. They know she has a "marathon" in front of her as far as recovery goes. The family, especially Laura's sister, Lisa decide to create a blog to inform everyone of her progress. There were so many visitors each day that they couldn't keep up. The blog became an important outlet for the family to communicate to those who cared so much. With each day came more positive progress for Laura. They also wrote her letters throughout her time in the hospital so she could read them when she woke up. Laura had surgery with many procedures...this put her into a coma.
 * (Page 89 as I hold the book)** "People say we are so strong. Don't believe it! You know what a wimp I am! Being lifted up in prayer is my only explanation. My fears are many for you "little one, " but God is greater than my fears. Sleep well, sweet Laura. I love you so much-Mom. This was a note to Laura after her surgery." Not long after this surgery, Laura begins to wake up more and more. During this time, strange things come into play. She begins calling herself Whitney and her sister Carly. She thought her boyfriend's name was Hunter. None of this is right. It must be the brain injury everyone thought. Laura's sister is the one that makes the grande discovery. Her sister Laura has an uncanny similar look to Whitney Cerak, the girl that passed away in the accident. Is this really her sister that they have been caring for?


 * End: **

In this book, **"Mistaken Identity"** **(SHOW THE BOOK AGAIN)** tells the story of several months in the life of a two families coming to terms with the life and death of their daughters. Check out this book and find out what went wrong the night of April 26, 2006. The struggles and miracles in this book definitely keep you on the edge of your seat. I couldn't put this book down as I was reading. Ironically, I remember this true story of uncanny events back when it occurred in 2006. Maybe some of you remember it too. If not, then I definitely suggest you read it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Name: Sarah Stapel

The night of April 26, 2006 was one that would change the lives of many. Two girls, Whitney Cerak and Laura Van Ryn, were among several other college students riding in a van after working a banquet for the University. They were struck by a semi-truck and five people were killed. There was only one survivor. The Van Ryn’s were relieved to know that their daughter, Laura had been the one to make it out alive…only barely. She was identified based on a purse that was found next to her with a driver’s license in it. Laura makes progress along the way and after a few weeks she begins to say strange things to the family. Thinking it was from her brain injury, they think little of it. They missed the signs. The Cerak family, was not as fortunate as their daughter, Whitney, did not make it in that accident. Their lives are torn apart. After weeks of mourning their loved one, Whitney, they get a call in the middle of the night saying that she is alive. How could a mistake like this one ever be made?
 * 1) Book Title: Mistaken Identity
 * 2) Genre: Biography
 * 3) Author : Don and Susie Van Ryn, Newell, Colleen, and Whitney Cerak, with Mark Tabb
 * 4) Date of Publication : 2008
 * 5) Write a brief summary of the book you read without giving away the ending!

6. What did you like about the book? What did you dislike?

I enjoyed this book because it was a story that I always found intriguing in real life. I’ve watched documentaries on it but I hadn’t read this book until now. I liked the fact that one mistake was made that changed everyone’s life. It was such a huge mistake and I wasn’t sure how family members could make it. I finally got the whole story. It seemed unimaginable to me and I think that is what got my attention to begin with. I also liked the emotion that each of the families put into this book. They were both Christians, and devout ones at that, and seemed to stay strong in their faith even during a tragic time. I think anyone would enjoy this book no matter what religion you are. The one think I did not like is that there were so many “blog” entries and letters in the book. I know the authors did that for a reason but it was a lot of repetition and it sometimes got boring even though it was giving the reader more emotions from the characters.

7. Write three essential (higher level thinking) questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book. This week, I want you to write questions strictly //for discussion// here – not project ideas (you’ll see why below).

-How would you feel if you found out a family member that you had been caring for was mistaken with someone else? -In this story, the Cerak family was asked to identify their daughter after learning she was dead. They didn’t because they didn’t want to have that image of her in their minds. It ended up being a big mistake. Would you want to identify the body or let someone else and remember them in a happy way? -How could this unbelievable mistake have been prevented? What would you have done differently?

Comprehension Activity: Create your own project that you could assign for the book you read. Your project should be appropriate for middle or high school students. Make sure that you give specific instructions and provide whatever they might need in terms of graphic organizers, etc. Give me an idea of what you would expect from kids. You can do this by providing an example or writing a paragraph that describes what you would be looking for. I do not intend for you to spend a ton of time creating an example. If it is simple to do, provide one. If not, do the explanation.

Project: Podcast in form of an Interview (of main character)

Pretend that you are a reporter for a television news show like CNN or a talk show host like Oprah. You may choose which one you like best. You will be interviewing one of the main characters from your biography. Again, you get to choose but make sure that it is a character that will have an interesting interview like Whitney in “Mistaken Identity.” We will listen to real interviews from television and radio so you get the idea of how it is formatted. We will also listen to podcasts created by other students to get an idea of what your end product will look like. You may also choose a classmate to act out and be the main character in your interview.

Your task:
 * 1) After listening to other interviews, begin filling out your “Interesting Interview” graphic organizer. This will help you get your thoughts in place. You will need to have at least 6-10 interesting facts about this person.
 * 2) Your facts should include…
 * 3) Name and personal background and date
 * 4) Personality traits, feelings
 * 5) Significance or role of character in book
 * 6) Obstacles;conflicts
 * 7) Main events in story
 * 8) Any other interesting facts that you think are important
 * 9) Begin typing your script for your interview in Word. Remember that it needs to have 2 different parts. The main character’s and you’re the interviewer. Please make sure that the parts are separated. This can be done by labeling them, skipping lines, color coding, etc.
 * 10) Your questions and answers should include feeling, word choice, voice, personality, and be believable. They also should include many of the interesting facts and main events from your graphic organizer. Make sure that you capture the personality of the main character.
 * 11) Once your script is typed, you and your partner will practice your interview outloud to get a feel of talking together. Make sure that your voice is clear and you speak slow enough.
 * 12) In the program, Garageband, record your podcast in a “multimedia projects.” The instructions are given at each computer station. Record your interview of just your voices. You can add images and effects to your recording as well.
 * 13) Images need to reflect events, characters, objects, or symbols from the book.
 * 14) Import your podcast in ITunes.
 * 15) Present your podcast to class

.Name: Sarah Stapel >> >> >> Book Title: Bloody Hororwitz >> Genre: Short Stories >> Author: Anthony Horowitz >> Date of Publication 2010 >> >> Write a brief summary of the book you read without giving away the ending! If you are writing about a collection of stories or poems, you need to talk specifically about 2-3 of the selections in the book. >> >> Bloody Horowitz is a collection of 10 short stories all based on horrific events. It reminded me so much of the cheesy show from the 90’s “Tales from the Darkside” because of how ironic and humorous the stories seem to be. One of the stories, You Have Arrived, was about a group of gang-like teenagers in London who always caused trouble in their neighborhood. They didn’t attend school so they had all day to do as they please. Their leader mysteriously disappears one day and everyone thought that he got his act together and left the gang to live a normal life. He was last seen driving a silver BMW out of the city. Shortly after, the gang members notice a silver BMW outside of their house and decide to steal it. The GPS took them to an abandoned butcher shop in the middle of nowhere. It turns up that they see hundreds of butchered bodies, including their leader, and they realize they are next. Plugged In was about an old man that moves into a house next door to a family with a teenager. He is strange and has no color. The boy befriends him and does some odd jobs around the house to help out. In turn, the old man gives the boy an MP3 player which he never takes out of his ears. It has all of his favorite music on it. He begins to fall ill and is taken to the hospital. When the MP3 player is taken out, the old man takes it back. He puts the earphones in and begins to get his color back and turn young. He had sucked the life out of the boy. >> >> What did you like about the book? What did you dislike? (4 pts.). >> I liked the book because each story was short and sweet and they were a little scary as far as young adult books go. I didn’t mind the cheesiness of it. It wasn’t one of my favorites but it was slightly entertaining enough to read through. The author is incredibly sarcastic which makes it enjoyable as well…he has a dark side but it works. I didn’t like all of the stories in there. They were really far fetched and it seemed like they were stretched to fill the book instead of having a story that hooked you in. That was just my opinion. I’m also not sure that I would recommend this book to anyone. It wasn’t life changing. >> >> Write three essential (higher level thinking) questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book. This week, I want you to write questions strictly //for discussion// here – not project ideas (you’ll see why below). (6 pts) >> >> -Do you think the main character in the first story, The Man Who Killed Darren Shan, is really the author Anthony Horowitz? Why or why not? >> -Why did the humor that the author used change the tone of these short stories? >> -Which story do you think pushed the envelope the most for young readers (as far as death goes) >> >> How can you see this book being used in the curriculum? For what grade level would it be most appropriate? Give a specific example of how you as a teacher might use the book as part of the taught curriculum. What specifically would you use it to teach and what would you have students do with it? (7 pts.) >> >> I can see this book used in a 7th grade and up classroom for teaching short stories in language arts or even as an example of descriptive writing, word choice, and voice in a writing lesson. There are students that enjoy scary stories, but this one would have to be for ones at least 12 in my opinion. Some of my fifth graders would like a few of the stories, but others would be offended and bothered. I could see a teacher using this maybe during the month of October as a unit on scary or twisted stories where the students create their own and then present in a themed setting. Reader’s theatre is also something that I could see this being used as because the stories are so short. The students could make their own version and then act them out in costume. I did this in 6th grade to Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven during Halloween and our groups showcased our different Edgar Allen Poe poems on Halloween so it was a collection of the two ideas.