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Reading Response Journal with 52 Unique Reading Challenges for Middle School
Reading Response Journal with 52 Unique Reading Challenges for Middle School
Reading Response Journal with 52 Unique Reading Challenges for Middle School
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Reading Response Journal with 52 Unique Reading Challenges for Middle School

Embark on a transformative reading experience with this Middle School Reading Response Journal, an interactive companion for delving deeper into fiction, non-fiction, and beyond! Go beyond simply turning pages and get your students actively engaging with every book they encounter. Journal prompts guide the writing, while unique creative challenges spark imagination, transforming passive reading into an immersive adventure. If you’re looking for a way to keep track of what your students read while getting them to read more actively, this resource is perfect for you!

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This reading journal is an exceptional package of everything you’ll need to get your learners participating in what they are reading.

✅ More Than Just Logging Pages:

  • Track your students’ reading journeys: Log 52 weeks of books explored, genres conquered, and vocabulary expanded (with space for 100 new words and their meanings!).
  • Deeper understanding: Analyze characters, themes, and key points in dedicated sections, fostering critical thinking and comprehension.
  • Spark creativity: Each week presents a captivating Creative Challenge, prompting your students to express their learning through diverse activities like writing, drawing, research projects, or even debates!
  • Showcase their growth: Build a vibrant portfolio throughout the year, showcasing the reading journey and creative responses.

✅ Inclusive Learning for All:

  • Perfect for ELL/ESL students: Engaging prompts and activities encourage language development and reading comprehension.
  • Differentiation made easy: Adapt prompts and challenges to individual interests and reading levels, ensuring inclusivity and engagement.
  • Technology-friendly: Available online through Google Slides® for convenient access and digital literacy practice.

✅ Beyond the Classroom:

  • Share the included Parent Support Page: Foster collaborative learning at home and empower parents/guardians to support their child’s reading journey.
  • Journal entries as conversation starters: Discuss characters, themes, and insights with parents/guardians, deepening understanding and connection to the text.

✅ This Reading Journal is your gateway to:

  • Active learning: Go beyond passive reading and engage with texts on a deeper level.
  • Creative expression: Express your understanding and interpretation through diverse activities.
  • A love for reading: Foster a lifelong appreciation for the power of words and stories.

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HOW TO USE THIS READING JOURNAL

There are many ways this resource can help your students become more impactful readers. Some of the recommended ways you can use it for success with your learners are detailed below.

Reading Engagement and Tracking:

  • Weekly Reading Goals: Use the reading log to set weekly reading goals and track progress. Teachers can hold individual or class discussions based on the log entries.
  • Genre Exploration: Encourage students to explore different genres by tracking them in the log. Have discussions about what they enjoyed or didn’t enjoy about different genres.
  • Vocabulary Building: Track new vocabulary words in the dedicated section and encourage students to create sentences or draw pictures to solidify their understanding.
  • Data-Driven Instruction: Analyze the reading log data to identify students who might need extra support or challenge and tailor instruction accordingly.

Interactive Learning and Comprehension:

  • Creative Challenges: Use the unique weekly prompts as springboards for discussions, group projects, or independent activities. These activities could involve writing, drawing, drama, debates, or research projects.
  • Character Analysis: Encourage students to use the “what was learned” section to analyze characters, their motivations, and their roles in the story.
  • Summarization Skills: Utilize the dedicated summary section to practice summarizing key points and events from the reading.
  • Discussion Starters: Use the journal entries as a launchpad for class discussions about themes, plot points, authorial choices, etc.

Parent-Teacher Collaboration:

  • Home-School Connection: Share the parent support page to encourage parents to be involved in their child’s reading journey and assist them with the journal activities.
  • Conferencing Tool: Use the journal entries as a starting point for individual student conferences to discuss reading progress, challenges, and interests.

Additional Ideas:

  • Portfolio Building: Encourage students to use the journal as a portfolio throughout the year to showcase their reading progress and achievements.
  • Peer Review: Students can review each other’s creative challenges or “what was learned” sections for constructive feedback.
  • Differentiation: Provide differentiated prompts and challenges based on individual student needs and interests.
  • Digital Version: If students have the capability, and are able to access the online version, they can update their journals on tablets or laptops, encouraging digital literacy.

WHAT TEACHERS on TpT ARE SAYING

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Jonathan said, “Everything needed to set up the journal including guidance notes with solid pointers to the main components of creative writing (e.g character development) and bite sized exercises (interview your character), set out in a well presented journal format, with challenge cards that can be printed out / circulated online.”

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This package includes a PDF file that can be opened using your preferred PDF reader. It comes with detailed resource notes and guides that give you all the information you’ll need to use this reading journal effectively.

The reading response journal is bound in a single, 88-page PDF, and it has:

  • A vocabulary log with space for 100 different words, where students can write new vocabulary words they learn along with their definitions.
  • A reading log with space for 100 different entries. Students can enter data on the day they read, the author, title, genre, and the length of time they read for. It even has a signature section where teachers, or parents, can sign off on it.
  • Journaling pages, which include information for data logging, a section for a short summary, a section for what was learned, 10 spaces for new vocabulary words, and a section called ‘Creative Challenge’. The idea of the creative challenge is to get your learners to participate and use what they just read in some meaningful way. Each journaling page has a unique creative challenge, and there are 52 in total.

The entire reading response journal is also available on Google Slides®, which can be access upon purchase of this resource.

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About ESL Lifeline:

ESL Lifeline eliminates the need for creating separate materials for your ELL students by providing high-quality learning resources that seamlessly integrate language development with subject matter. Resources and material seamlessly blend language development with subject matter, eliminating the need for creating separate materials for ELL students and saving you valuable prep time.

 

ESL Lifeline’s materials help you unlock your ELL students’ true potential, by helping your students:

  • Master both language and content in a cohesive and engaging way.
  • Develop essential language skills while exploring new subjects.
  • Boosting confidence and empower all learners to thrive in the classroom.

 

Learn more at www.esllifeline.com

 

 

Terms of Use:

This resource was created by Landon S. Seigler of ESL Lifeline, all rights are reserved. The original purchaser is permitted to use it for a single class only. Teachers have the authorization to share this product with their students (and parents) through email, Google Classroom, or the Internet, as long as the site is password protected. Distribution to your own students is allowed, but uploading it to the Internet for public access and download is not permitted.

 

**If you wish to use this resource for multiple classrooms or share it with fellow educators, please purchase additional licenses from ESL Lifeline’s store on Tpt – they are discounted. Your adherence to these usage terms is greatly appreciated.

Additional Information

Total Pages – 88 Reading Journal Pages

Answer Key – Does not Apply

Teacher Duration – 1 Year (Full School Year)

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Frequency Asked Questions

Can I share this resource?

No. This resource is for single-classroom use only. In order to share it, you must purchase additional licenses. 

For more information, see ESL Lifeline’s Terms of use.

What do I do if my resource doesn't print correctly?

All resources are designed to be printed as they are packaged, within the PDF file.

    • PRINTING ISSUES: Though all resources have been tested and trialed prior to distribution to ensure quality, computer and printer settings can cause some resources to print as intended.
      • When experiencing printer issues, please refer to the guide below for support:
        • TRY THIS FIRST: When you open the resource in your preferred PDF viewer (Adobe, etc.) and go to print the pages, select printer setup (settings).
        • Be sure that the paper size is set to letter or A4, and check the the ‘scaling’ of the pages is set to 100% or ‘scaled to fit’.
        • For more modern printers, the printing tab on the computer screen usually offers a ‘preview window’ that shows you exactly how the resource will be printed. If your printer has this feature and software, ensure that you look at it before printing.
        • Then, try the printing again.
        • A solution that has also worked in the past is selecting & printing from the PDF only the pages you want to print, instead of printing the whole PDF document.
        • Printing issues do surface from time to time depending on the software being used, so it’s always wise to ensure that your printer drivers are up-to-date.
What level are these resources?

ESL Lifeline’s resources and material are custom built for secondary middle and high school students. Usually, this means students between the ages of 11-18. 

On the CEFR, ESL Lifeline’s resources range between B1-C1 – Intermediate to Advanced. 

Many of the resource are suitable for adult learners as well. 

Though built for secondary students, he resources can be used across multiple grade levels and age ranges. Teachers know their students the best. It is recommended that, before you purchase a resource, you read the product description carefully and take note of the specific ages and ranges that it recommends. 

How much contact time does a typical resource give me?

Teachers from all over the world have used ESL Lifeline’s resources and materials with great success. A lot of the feedback received has to do with the breadth of content and how much there is in a single lesson. Some teachers have even said they can get 1-2 week out of a single reading comprehension lesson.

While the experience of each lesson will vary depending on the teacher, class demographic and other key variables, many lessons plans ESL Lifeline provides have been written to extend past a single class session. To get the most out of all the content in each lesson plan and all the materials, always consider the pacing of your particular class and how students are responding to the lesson in the moment. For language learning, it is often beneficial to revisit certain parts of a lesson to reinforce concepts and check comprehension. Extending skill lessons into even small, more manageable chunks is also a good strategy to ensure all learners in your class are able to access the content.

Many of the lessons and activities offer extension activities for productive follow-ups that take the subject and language even further. If you are looking to extend or, even, differentiate the learning, it is recommended to use these activities.

What file types will I get?

There are usually one or two file types available for download: PDF and Zip files.

    • PDF FILE TYPES: PDF files contain the entire resource, with all resource notes, lesson plans and materials included in one file. To download and open a PDF file, your computer will need a PDF reader. Double click the PDF file you wish to use and the download will start automatically.
      • Open your ‘Download’s folder on your computer and the resource will be there after the download is complete. The file name may contain extra wording after download, but the original name remains within the document.”
  • ZIP FILE TYPES: When a single resource contains multiple file types – for example several PDFs, PowerPoints, or images – they will be available in a ‘Zipped’ file. To download and open the zipped file, double click on it and the download will begin automatically.
    • Open your ‘Download’s folder on your computer and a folder with the resource will be there after the download is complete. At times, extra wording is added to the file name as it filters through your system. This does not, however, change the resource and its original name will be contained within the text as well.
    • Double click the folder to open the resource and you will see the contents. Oftentimes, ESL Lifeline’s zipped files contain separate PDF files for easier printing and organization of resources. For instance: when there is a student booklet available for a resource, this may be separated from the teachers notes and lesson plans. In this way, all you would have to do is open that PDF and print it as is to distribute to students.
    • ESL Lifeline has many professional PowerPoint presentations included in its catalog. While these files require Microsoft PowerPoint to access and use, they will always be contained within a zipped file. This ensures that you will receive both the PowerPoint and resource notes along with it. For more information on PowerPoint, please see the separate section below.

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Get this resource and all resources and materials on ESL Lifeline for an entire year!

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