Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

Why do I have you annotate? Because annotation makes you slow down and really think about what you are reading and think about the writer’s craft. Lots of research shows that annotating significantly improves ones understanding and recall of what we read. Remember annotating has the word NOTE in the middle of it. Annotating is NOT HIGHLIGHTING. Annotating is making notes on the text.

Reading Schedule

  1. Week 8 - read 1/5 of the book

    • Annotate paying attention to

      • topics and possible themes - The easiest way to figure out themes is to mark topics and then ask yourself- what is the author saying about this topic?

      • character development

    • Write four good discussion questions. Answer 1-2.

  2. Week 9 - read 2/5 - of the book

    • Annotate paying attention to

      • topics and possible themes - The easiest way to figure out themes is to mark topics and then ask yourself- what is the author saying about this topic?

      • character development

    • Write 2 good discussion questions. Answer 1

    • Characterization chart: As you read choose one character on which to focus. How does the author reveal what that character is like? Look for the following ways the author reveals their character traits and mark these passages. Here are the five ways an author reveals character:

    • Narrator’s words about the character

    • Other characters words or thoughts about the character

    • Character’s own words (can be thoughts or dialogue)

    • Character’s own actions

    • Other characters actions or reactions to that character

    In class we will add the passages you’ve found to our CHARACTERIZATION CHART which I’ll hand out in class, but if you prefer to work directly on it now, you may use the link to the MS Word Document.

  3. Week 10 - read 3/5 - of the book

    • Annotate paying attention to theme. The easiest way to figure out themes is to mark topics and then ask yourself- what is the author saying about this topic?

    • Write four good discussion questions. Answer 1-2.

  4. Week 11 - read 4/5 of the book

    • Annotate paying attention to theme and character.

    • Add to your characterization chart.

    • Start your topics and themes chart: PDF version here or a longer version in MS Word here: TOPICS and THEMES chart

  5. Week 12 - finish the book.

    • complete the Topics and Themes chart: PDF version here or a longer version in MS Word here: TOPICS and THEMES chart

    • Book mark passages that you could use as evidence for what the theme of the book is in an essay. We will write an in-class essay.

Annotations

What should I annotate for this book?

Focus on THEMES. You will write an in-class essay about a theme of this book. Also look for:

  • important plot developments

  • character traits and how characters change

  • literary devices such as: similes, metaphors, personification, parallelism.

  • connections-of what does this passage remind you?

  • your reaction

Hamburger Paragraph Format

  • Bun = topic sentences with TAG and thesis. Include a road map listing the 1-2 ways the main character has changed over the novel. Students got feed back on their timed characterization paragraph in hamburger or quotation sandwich format.

  • Cheese = introduce the quotation by providing context- what is happening in the novel when when this passage occurs.

  • Meat/Protein = the quotation or summary (evidence). Use parenthetical citations correctly like this: “Blah, blah, blah, blah,” (Sophocles 37). If you’ve already mentioned the author’s last name, you don’t need to use it in the citation.

  • Lettuce = explain how the quotation supports your thesis/claim. Use verbs that show the connection beteween the evidence and your thesis. Example: This passage reveals/ demonstrates/ shows/ illustrates/ that Buck no longer….

  • Bottom bun = conclusion which restates your thesis/claim in a fresh way and if possible includes a so-what (why this matters). Note, try to avoid the phrase “in conclusion” if you can as it feels stiff.

AP Literature Essay Prompt for Steelheart— incomplete

Your essay should

  • Respond to the prompt with a thesis that presents a defensible interpretation.

  • Provide evidence to support your line of reasoning (the claims you make in your thesis)

  • Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning (your claims)

  • Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.

 

VALUES:   It has often been said that what we value can be determined only by what we sacrifice. Consider how this statement applies to a character from a novel or play. Select a character that has deliberately sacrificed, surrendered, or forfeited something in a way that highlights that character’s values. Then write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how the particular sacrifice illuminates the character’s values and provides a deeper understanding of the meaning of the work as a whole.  (Source:  2014 AP® ENGLISH LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION FREE-RESPONSE QUESTIONS)