1. Response Journal to Texts

2. A response journal requires you to demonstrate that you have read the text and are engaged with/understanding it.
You are required to ask questions, make connections, pick out key events, quotes and discuss themes that emerge

3. Questions There are three levels of questions: Recall/Comprehension
The answer is in the text; it tells you right on the page. In other words, the answer to your question is a FACT.
Analysis/Inference
You are required to arrive at a logical conclusion based on your background knowledge (connections) and what is written on the page. The answer to the question lies in your head, and it is supportable by evidence in the text.
Synthesis/Evaluation
Go beyond the text and inquire into the value, importance and application of the information presented. These questions tend to require “deeper thought” or contemplation. There is always more than one right answer. Opinions (supported by facts) are often part of these questions, and often these are the questions that you are left wondering AFTER you are finished reading the text.

4. Connections There are three types of connections you can make:
Personal
You are connecting your own personal experiences to what you are reading in the text. You may have found yourself in a similar or opposite situation, have experienced similar feelings to those of the characters etc.
Text
You are connecting to another text that you have encountered. There is something in the text that you are reading that reminds you of something else you have read, heard or seen.
World
you are connecting the events and/or feelings in the text to a current event or an event from history.

5. Key Events/Actions
An event or something a character does that triggers a reaction in you. This could be something:
you find funny
that angers you
you find interesting
that makes you consider something you hadn’t before
You need to make sure you explain and discuss your reaction in detail.

6. Key Quotes When choosing important quotes look for a quote that:
Reveals/develops a theme
Reveals/develops a character
Is a significant moment in the plot
Is a literary device (ex. Foreshadowing, metaphor etc.)

7. How to write Response Journal
Questions 2-4
Connection 1-3
Events 2-3
Quotes 2-3
Once you have collected the above work them together into a written response. Make sure to explain and discuss each thing you talk about.

8. The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig
Questions:
Do the wolves have a father?
What make the pig change his ways?
Why do people always feel that things need to be bigger and stronger?
Connections:
This reminds me of the story where it is told from the wolves perspective. It reminds us to consider things from other people’s perspectives and to consider both sides of the story.

9. Events:
I find it interesting that people just provide them with supplies to build a house. In an ideal society people would have no issue sharing with others.
It seems like the mother just lets her kids loose without much guidance. Do they already know how to build houses?
Quotes:
“But the pig wasn’t called big and bad for nothing.”
Reveals how determined the pig is and is not about to let his initial failure deter him
“He sniffed deeper and deeper until he was quite filled with the fragrant scent.”
Something beautiful can have a calming effect on people

10. Example Response
I find the story of The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig an amusing flip of the traditional story of the Three Little Pigs. The way the author has taken a well known tale and looked at the opposite situation is very effective. It reminds me of the story where it is told from the wolves perspective and his views on how the events were misinterpreted. It is an effective strategy as it not only makes for an amusing parody, but it also reminds us to remember to always consider both sides of a situation and to acknowledge other people’s perspectives. The beginning makes me wonder how the mother can just let her kids loose without much guidance? Do they already know how to build a house? Do they have a father? Maybe that is the reason why she tells them it is time for them to move on. You would hope that she would have given them more advice than just to go off and build a house. However, if we were able to live in a society like theirs where people willingly share things with each other without hesitation it wouldn’t be as big of a deal. None of the people who give them supplies ask for anything in return. The wolves keep trying to build themselves better, stronger homes, “But the pig wasn’t called big and bad for nothing.” He is a very persistent fellow and even though he initially fails every time he is not going to be deterred that easily. It is interesting that the weakest house they build ends up being the answer to their problems. It makes me wonder why we always feel that things need to be bigger and stronger? Rather than trying to solve the problem we just work on putting up a bigger barrier to try to avoid dealing with it. In the end all the pig needed was to experience something beautiful. “He sniffed deeper and deeper until he was quite filled with the fragrant scent” and he is overcome by the positive experience. This may seem to be a simple ending and not entirely realistic as most people can not be changed so easily, but we sometimes need to remember that people are capable of change.