The Book Without Words leaves a lot to the reader’s imagination. Here’s where you get to use yours to fill in a blank. You’ve been asked to write a short narrative, a story. Your story should be between 500 and 750 words. Anywhere you can, I want you to incorporate the five senses (to Show not Tell, more examples, and more examples -LoginID:student1000/Password:student).

Refer to any one (or more) of these rubrics to self-assess your story when you think it’s done: Rubric 1, Rubric 2, Rubric 3.

You must be able to show me

• (1) a rough draft that you wrote,
• (2) the fact that someone (other than yourself) proofread it
• (3) a final draft (posted below)

What does every short fiction story have?

• A plot (help on plot 1, help on plot 2, help on plot 3)
  • Exposition
  • Rising Action
  • Climax
  • Resolution
• conflict(s)
  • internal
  • external
• setting(s) [help with setting 1, help with setting 2],
  • Mood is delivered through the Setting
• character(s)[help with characters 1, help with characters 2]
  • Tone is delivered through the Characters

In class you were asked to:

Re-read the monk’s tale (in Chapter 3 Section 16) about The Book Without Words and how the book came to be in Thorston’s possession.

Where do you think Brother Wilfrid spent the intervening years? Imagine.

• Imagine . . . how he must have searched for Thorston,
• Imagine . . . where he must have gone and
• Imagine . . . what he must have had to endure.

Post your story below . . .

You do not have to post comments/discussion on this one.

THIS ASSIGNMENT IS CLOSED. IF YOU HAVE NOT POSTED THIS ON TIME, BUT WOULDLIKE TO SHARE YOUR WORK WITH THE CLASS ANYHOW, POST IT TO THE STUDY HALL.

The Final Discussion (CLOSED_CLOSED)

AVI – An Author Talk (CLOSING SOON_CLOSING SOON)

Also, Avi has been to the discussion, and he has offered some very intriguing comments for you all to consider. Remember that your questions answered generate more questions, so if you see womething that makes you go, “hmmmm . . . ,” then you may have a question brewing.

You can still post questions for Avi:  A Talk With Avi

I am asking you to address the new discussion question (Discussion Question #2) duirng the winter break if you are in the vicinity of a computer with internet access.

Please remember that when you submit comments, they are not going to post right away. All comments come to me for approval before they can be posted.

• The Next Discussion Question has been posted. To go to the discussion question, click
  • The Book Without Words: Discussion Question #2.
• You can post questions for Avi if you’d like. To post questions for Avi, click
  • A Talk With Avi

This week, you were asked to continue to follow the developing plot. We are well into the Rising Action (Diagram #1, Diagram #2, Diagram #3), and things have been getting interesting. I know you all agree, based on the reactions I saw on almost all of your faces when you finished Chapter 3.

You witnessed the characters’ true desires, motives, allegiances, and colors come to the surface. You may have found that what a character says can tell you a lot about her/his personal value system, what s/he is thinking, feeling, and may be planning. What characters say can also help uncover things about ourselves that we might not have known beforehand.

This week’s discussion question asks you to look at what some of the characters have said. You will need to put on your thinking cap, to step into their shoes (so to speak).

---

---

You have three Quotes to consider: A and/or B and/or C. You can discuss one, two or all three of the quotes.

• Quote A “It is not my death I fear . . . but my life,” says Sybil in Chapter 3 Section 9.
• Quote B “the more one sins the heavier one gets,” says Damian figuratively in Chapter 3 Section 11.
• Quote C : Alfric said that his father used to enjoy telling his children, “The shorter the sermon, the longer the truth,” in Chapter 3 section 11.

---

---

Try these ideas to begin thinking about the quotes:

• Put it in your journal, freewrite from it, fastwrite from it, think of how it may (or may not) apply to you. THEN . . .
  
• Talk with others honestly about what you think it means, they think it means, etc. Take notes in your journal during your talk, and after your talk. Think about what is meant by the statement(s) you choose again. Write about it in your journal.
• Think about what the statement means to the character who uttered it. Write about it in your journal.
  

You only have to deal with one of the quotes, but you are more than welcome to deal with more. If you have enough to say, by all means say it all.

---

---

Here’s a question you can consider about Quote A: Describe how Sybil’s attitude toward life changes throughout the book. Use details and information from the text to support your answer. HEY DISCUSSION LEADERS, THIS WOULD BE A GREAT QUESTION TO POSE FOR YOUR GROUP (hint, hint).
Here’s a question to answer about any of the quotes: Can you see any kind of connection you can make with any of the quotes? Tell us what the quote means to you, for you. How do you connect with the quote?Be inspired to post something.

---

---

Don’t forget about the StudyHall (extra credit) – if there is anything you

• don’t understand,
• do understand and want to help others with
• want help with,
• want to discuss,
• or otherwise
• . . . use the StudyHall.

You can also use the StudyHall if you are visiting from out of our area: another school, city, state, country, planet.

When you are done getting your answer together, go to your class’ discussion area, post your answer, and let the discussion go where it will.

Please see below to find out where to go for your class’ discussion:

• Period 2 click HERE 2 HERE.
• Period 3 click HERE 3 HERE.
• Period 4 click HERE 4 HERE.
• Period 5 click HERE 5 HERE.
• Period 6 click HERE 6 HERE.

Avi

It is not too often that we get the chance to ask the author of the book we’re reading a question . . . or two . . . or more.This week, you will have the opportunity to ask Avi questions. Avi is author of such wonderful novels as Nothing But the Truth, the Newbery Award (2003) book Crispin: The Cross of Lead, and the book we are reading now, The Book Without Words.

Although Avi is very busy, he has agreed to stop by to participate in our quest to understand him and his work. He will answer any questions you may have about his novels, being a writer, or anything else reading or writing related per chance.

One thing though – please check to see if your question or curiosity has already been posted. Try to avoid being redundant. Have fun.

Here’s how it works:

• You post your question in the comment box, and click submit.
• Please limit your post to one question.
• Please post focused manageable questions.
• Report back here to find the answer posted in the thread.

So, go ahead, ask him a question . . . .

This week, you were asked to explore the PLOT elements of the exposition including characters, setting, and conflict.

If you are not sure which part of the plot I’m speaking of, take a look at these PLOT DIAGRAMS (Diagram #1, Diagram #2, Diagram #3). It is in the exposition of any story that the core elements of that story are exposed (hence . . . EXPOSition): we are exposed to the characters, the main conflicts, and the setting.

Pick one of the following: A, B, or C from below.

---

A – The Setting Question
For help with understanding setting go to my page on it.
Novel Discussion Questions: Setting.

Consider the following questions:

1. How does the author establish a sense of time, place and culture in this book?
2. As you think about the different locations in the book – such as Fulworth, Thorston’s workroom, the apothecary’s shop, the churchyard – think about……
   1. the imagery you can envision
   2. the smells you imagine
   3. how the characters are dressed
      
   4. the sounds that come into your mind

QUESTION A - How does Avi deliver a crisp clear look at the world around Sybil, Odo, Alfric, and the others. Use details and information from the text to support your answer.

---

B – The Characterization Question
For help with understanding characterization go to my page on it.

Novel Discussion Questions: Characterization.

Consider the following questions:

1. How does the author create the sense that the characters in the book could really exist?
2. As you think about the different characters in the book – such as Sybil, Thorston, Odo, Alfric, and others – think about……
   1. the physical descriptions of the charcters
      1. how they’re dressed, etc.
         
   2. the speech, thoughts, and actions of characters
      

QUESTION B - How does Avi deliver a crisp clear look at the characters throughout the world in the book? I’d suggest you focus on one or two characters to explain how characters are characterized. Use details and information from the text to support your answer.

---

C – The Conflict(s) Question
For help with understanding plot and conflict go to my page on it.
Novel Discussion Questions: Plot.

Consider the following questions:

1. How does the author establish any conflicts that exist in the book?
2. As you think about the different internal and external conflicts in the book – such as those within characters, between characters, and between characters and the world around them think of . . .
   1. what loyalties are established
      
   2. trustworthiness of characters
      
   3. conflicts between characters and the environment (nature)

QUESTION C - How does Avi deliver a crisp clear look at the issues that characters wrestle with within themselves and between each other? Use details and information from the text to support your answer.

---

---

Don’t forget about the StudyHall (extra credit) – if there is anything you

• don’t understand,
• want help with,
• do understand and want to help others with
• or otherwise
• . . . use the StudyHall.

When you are done getting your answer together, go to your classes discussion area, post your answer and let the discussion go where it will.Each class will discuss the entire book in one discussion area:

• Click here, Period 2, to go to your classes discussion area.
• Click there to go to your Period 3 discussion area.
• Period 4, click here to go to your classes discussion area.
• To go to your classes discussion area, Period 5, click there .
• Your classes discussion area, Period 6, is there.

PERIOD 6 Discussion Area – In this area you are to discuss all of the Discussion Questions posted.

• Discussion Question #1 is CLOSED.
• Discussion Question #2 is OPEN.

Consider what the discussion question is. Be sure to address the question.

STEP 1 – UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION.

STEP 2 – ADDRESS THE QUESTION (50%). (Question in the answer, your answer, details to support your answer)

• Give us your entire thought process.
  • Give us details from the text to prove you know what you’re talking about. Otherwise, who knows what you’re basing your thoughts on?
• Your details do not have to be direct word-for-word quotes (mainly because you do not have the books at home).
  
  • STILL, give us a clear idea of what thing(s)from the book you are basing your answer on. You can paraphrase, in other words.
• Please address the topic of your choice in as much detail as possible. The more detail you give us, the better we will understand your thought process, AND the better we will be able to argue/discuss with you.
• You see, if you give us your entire thought, we can see if there is anything wrong with it – any faulty logic going on there. We are in this discussion to sharpen our wits and gain the ability to think better than we ever have.

STEP 3 – Post a response to classmates (50%).

• Option #1 – If you agree with someone’s answer . . .
  . . . Then explain what you agree with – be specific. And extend or expand on the thought you are agreeing with by backing your comment up with details from the text, from your own life, whatever is appropriate. You could agree with someone and support your agreement with other more, unused descriptive details from the book, other books, or your own life. Get it?
• Option #2 – If you disagree with someone’s answer . . . . . . Then justify your disagreement by taking a stance backed up by your own details from the text.

PERIOD 5 Discussion Area – In this area you are to discuss all of the Discussion Questions posted.

• Discussion Question #1 is CLOSED.
• Discussion Question #2 is OPEN.

Consider what the discussion question is. Be sure to address the question.

STEP 1 – UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION.

STEP 2 – ADDRESS THE QUESTION (50%). (Question in the answer, your answer, details to support your answer)

• Give us your entire thought process.
  • Give us details from the text to prove you know what you’re talking about. Otherwise, who knows what you’re basing your thoughts on?
• Your details do not have to be direct word-for-word quotes (mainly because you do not have the books at home).
  
  • STILL, give us a clear idea of what thing(s)from the book you are basing your answer on. You can paraphrase, in other words.
• Please address the topic of your choice in as much detail as possible. The more detail you give us, the better we will understand your thought process, AND the better we will be able to argue/discuss with you.
• You see, if you give us your entire thought, we can see if there is anything wrong with it – any faulty logic going on there. We are in this discussion to sharpen our wits and gain the ability to think better than we ever have.

STEP 3 – Post a response to classmates (50%).

• Option #1 – If you agree with someone’s answer . . .
  . . . Then explain what you agree with – be specific. And extend or expand on the thought you are agreeing with by backing your comment up with details from the text, from your own life, whatever is appropriate. You could agree with someone and support your agreement with other more, unused descriptive details from the book, other books, or your own life. Get it?
• Option #2 – If you disagree with someone’s answer . . . . . . Then justify your disagreement by taking a stance backed up by your own details from the text.

PERIOD 4 Discussion Area – In this area you are to discuss all of the Discussion Questions posted.

• Discussion Question #1 is CLOSED.
• Discussion Question #2 is OPEN.

Consider what the discussion question is. Be sure to address the question.

STEP 1 – UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION.

STEP 2 – ADDRESS THE QUESTION (50%). (Question in the answer, your answer, details to support your answer)

• Give us your entire thought process.
  • Give us details from the text to prove you know what you’re talking about. Otherwise, who knows what you’re basing your thoughts on?
• Your details do not have to be direct word-for-word quotes (mainly because you do not have the books at home).
  
  • STILL, give us a clear idea of what thing(s)from the book you are basing your answer on. You can paraphrase, in other words.
• Please address the topic of your choice in as much detail as possible. The more detail you give us, the better we will understand your thought process, AND the better we will be able to argue/discuss with you.
• You see, if you give us your entire thought, we can see if there is anything wrong with it – any faulty logic going on there. We are in this discussion to sharpen our wits and gain the ability to think better than we ever have.

STEP 3 – Post a response to classmates (50%).

• Option #1 – If you agree with someone’s answer . . .
  . . . Then explain what you agree with – be specific. And extend or expand on the thought you are agreeing with by backing your comment up with details from the text, from your own life, whatever is appropriate. You could agree with someone and support your agreement with other more, unused descriptive details from the book, other books, or your own life. Get it?
• Option #2 – If you disagree with someone’s answer . . . . . . Then justify your disagreement by taking a stance backed up by your own details from the text.

PERIOD 3 Discussion Area – In this area you are to discuss all of the Discussion Questions posted.

• Discussion Question #1 is CLOSED.
• Discussion Question #2 is OPEN.

Consider what the discussion question is. Be sure to address the question.

STEP 1 – UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION.

STEP 2 – ADDRESS THE QUESTION (50%). (Question in the answer, your answer, details to support your answer)

• Give us your entire thought process.
  • Give us details from the text to prove you know what you’re talking about. Otherwise, who knows what you’re basing your thoughts on?
• Your details do not have to be direct word-for-word quotes (mainly because you do not have the books at home).
  
  • STILL, give us a clear idea of what thing(s)from the book you are basing your answer on. You can paraphrase, in other words.
• Please address the topic of your choice in as much detail as possible. The more detail you give us, the better we will understand your thought process, AND the better we will be able to argue/discuss with you.
• You see, if you give us your entire thought, we can see if there is anything wrong with it – any faulty logic going on there. We are in this discussion to sharpen our wits and gain the ability to think better than we ever have.

STEP 3 – Post a response to classmates (50%).

• Option #1 – If you agree with someone’s answer . . .
  . . . Then explain what you agree with – be specific. And extend or expand on the thought you are agreeing with by backing your comment up with details from the text, from your own life, whatever is appropriate. You could agree with someone and support your agreement with other more, unused descriptive details from the book, other books, or your own life. Get it?
• Option #2 – If you disagree with someone’s answer . . . . . . Then justify your disagreement by taking a stance backed up by your own details from the text.