Benjamin Zephaniah – Weekly Reading Response Blog

Gangsta Rap

i have finished reading the book Gangsta Rap. the book is about three boys Rap, Prem, and Tyrone who want to be a famous rap group. in the beginning of the book the three boys arent doing so well. ray has his own troubles at home and gets expelled from his school permantly. tyrone and… Continue reading Gangsta Rap

Gangsta Rap

11. Write about anything else that you may think of that deals with the book. the book escaltes really quikly. at the beginning of the book the boys are like nobodies and only rap with themselves. they didnt even have a name for themselves. not even at the middle of the book they are already signed… Continue reading Gangsta Rap

Gangsta Rap

4. Write about something in the book that surprised you or that you found interesting. what surprised me in the book so far is that when a fight break outs backstage at there concert rays sister starts to say stuff back at western alliance (another rap group who started the fight). before that part in… Continue reading Gangsta Rap

Gangsta Rap

3. Tell what you noticed about the characters, such as what made them act as they did or how they changed. I noticed that the three main characters Ray, Tyrone and Prem have hard life. Rays life is hard because of his parents and the fact that his education is not the greatest. Tyrone’s life… Continue reading Gangsta Rap

Reading Response Prompts

1. Tell what like or dislike about the book and why.

2. Tell about parts of your book that puzzled you or made you ask a question.

3. Tell what you noticed about the characters, such as what made them act as they did or how they changed.

4. Write about something in the book that surprised you or that you found interesting.

5. Write your predictions and about whether your predictions were right.

6. Ask for help in figuring out meaning of your book.

7. Tell about the connections that you made while reading the book. Tell how it reminds you of yourself, of people you know, or of something that happened in your life. It might remind you of other books, especially the characters, the events, or the setting.

8. Write about the author’s style and how it makes you feel.

9. Write about the language the author used and why you think the author wrote this way.

10. Write about the author’s craft – what was effective about the way the author wrote.

11. Write about anything else that you may think of that deals with the book.

12. Do you relate to any of the characters in the book? Explain how and why.

13. If you abanded the book, why did you?

14. Name 3 examples of signals that went off in your head while you were reading and explain them.

15. Explain what happened at the climax and explain why you think that is the climax.

16. Tell what you think could be changed in the book to make it better for readers.

Reading Response Rubric

Level 3 (B Range)
In your response you:
- have written at least one post a week
- demonstrate that you have read a variety of fiction and non-fiction materials
- reflect on the books you read effectively- relate to the books you read
- retell only the most important information in your responses
- explain your interpretation of a written work clearly, supporting it with evidence from the work and from your own knowledge and experiences clearly.
- demonstrate that you are a critical thinker that examines characters, plot, setting and literary - devices effectively

Level 4 (A Range)
In your response you:
- have written more than one post a week
- demonstrate that you have read a good variety of fiction and non-fiction materials
- reflect on the books you read very effectively
- relate to the books you read very effectively
- retell only the most important information in your responses
- explain your interpretation of a written work clearly, supporting it with evidence from the work and from your own knowledge and experiences clearly and concisely.
- demonstrate that you are a highly critical thinker that examines characters, plot, setting and literary devices effectively