Name: __________________________

NBE3U: Novel Study Assessment:

Book Chat
INSTRUCTIONS:
Students will engage in small group discussions with other students about the class text, Waubgeshig
Rice’s Moon of the Crusted Snow. Students will be marked individually and will be evaluated on their
knowledge and understanding of the text. Students will also be evaluated on their critical, analytical, and
oral communication skills.

These discussions will unfold organically with the students working their way through the questions as a
group – the teacher will not be facilitating the discussions. Thus, students should take turns leading the
group through the discussion questions, actively commenting on others’ thoughts, and sharing original
ideas throughout the entire discussion.

Students must respectfully agree or disagree with other group members’ perspectives, but very
importantly, students must always add their own original thoughts and ideas and not repeat other
students’ responses. This is a chance for you to demonstrate your comprehension of the novel, as well as
your proficiency in oral communication.

It is strongly suggested that you prepare point form notes to actively participate in the discussion, which
you have been doing in your Group Folders. This also includes your answers to Chapter Discussion
Questions/Story Elements Worksheets you have been completing. However, the notes/answers you use
in-class for the Book Chat must be typed and handed to the teacher, along with a digital copy
uploaded to Brightspace. We want to know your honest opinions about the novel and are not interested
in what the internet says. If you use notes, you should not directly be reading from the page as this will
impact your interpersonal speaking evaluation.

Book Chats will be in-class on Tuesday, May 7 and Wednesday, May 8.

Please refer to our course policy on Academic Honesty

NBE3U1 @ MCI (2023)

Name: __________________________

Book Chat:
Rubric & Success Criteria

Indigenous Perspectives & Text Forms Rubric /15 Marks

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1 Below Level 1
Evaluation Criteria (80-100%) (70-79%) (60-69%) (50-59%) (0-49%)
High degree Considerable Moderate Limited Little to none
Demonstrates accurate and detailed knowledge of themes and strong degree and degree & degree &
relating to Indigenous identities, relationships, self- good somewhat minimally
determination, sovereignty, or self-governance
High degree Considerable Moderate Limited
Consistently uses correct naming practices for First Nations, and strong degree and degree & degree & Lacking, weak
Mètis, and Inuit communities and individuals. good somewhat minimally &/ none

Almost Mostly / Sometimes Seldom / Not at all /

Makes connections to course content by referencing specific always Usually Barely poorly
ideas, practices, and documents

Reading Strand Rubric /15 Marks

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1 Below Level 1
Evaluation Criteria (80-100%) (70-79%) (60-69%) (50-59%) (0-49%)
Strong Good Moderate Limited Little to none
Demonstrates accurate and detailed knowledge and
understanding of the entire text’s plotlines, characters, conflicts,
themes, symbols, settings, and/or narrative style
High degree Considerable Moderate Limited Lacking, weak
Demonstrates critical thinking skills in the analysis of the text’s and strong degree and degree & degree & &/ none
plotlines, characters, conflicts, themes, symbols, settings, and/or good somewhat minimally
narrative style
High degree, Considerable Moderate Limited Lacking, weak
Agrees/disagrees with others by explaining own opinion; strong, & degree, good, degree, degree, &/ none
contributes original opinions and/or new ideas without very specific & mostly somewhat minimally
specific & general & vague
repeating others’ comments; and supports responses with
specific examples from text

Oral Communication Strand Rubric /15 Marks

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1 Below Level 1
Evaluation Criteria (80-100%) (70-79%) (60-69%) (50-59%) (0-49%)
Almost Mostly/ Sometimes Seldom/ Not at all/
Constructively, consistently, and actively facilitates the group always Usually Barely poorly
discussion and/or participates in the group discussion
Strong Good Moderate Limited Poor
Effectively uses vocal strategies (i.e., volume, clarity,
articulation, fluency, tone, pacing, expression) for a small group
discussion situation
Strong Good Moderate Limited Poor
Effectively uses active listening skills (i.e., acknowledging or
building on others’ ideas, not interrupting others, not dominating
the discussion) & non-verbal communication skills (i.e., eye-
contact, gestures, posture, body language)

NBE3U1 @ MCI (2023)

Name: __________________________

General Novel Analysis Questions

Identify and explain TWO (2) strong personality traits possessed by a character you admire or dislike
from the text. Support your opinion by providing examples from different places in the text (beginning,
middle, or end) where the character demonstrates these traits. Explain why these personality traits are
significant to the plot, theme, or development of the character or text. How does this impact the
character’s motivations or actions? Does this impact the character’s relatability or authenticity?

Describe a specific part of the text’s plot (storyline) that either (a) had you, as a reader, in great suspense,
or (b) was especially difficult/unfair for a particular character to endure. Why is this moment in the plot
significant? How does it connect to the development or enhancement of the theme, plot, or character(s)?
Why would the author choose to write this particular moment in this way?

Identify a major conflict from the text. Explain how the conflict begins, how the conflict develops, and
how/if the conflict is resolved by the end of the text. How does this conflict drive, develop, or enhance the
plot and/or theme(s) of the text? Does this conflict reflect or challenge societal norms at the time of
publication? If so, what commentary might the author be making through their text?
● NOTE: person vs. person, person vs. self, person vs. society, person vs. nature, person vs.
supernatural

Describe an important setting in the text. Explain how this specific setting is critical to the development
of a plotline OR how this setting positively or negatively impacts a specific character’s life. How does the
setting impact the tone/mood of the story? How does the tone/mood then inform the reader’s
understanding of the novel?

A theme is a central idea or underlying message about human life that the author is trying to convey
through a piece of writing. A thematic concept is just a single word; a thematic message is a short
sentence about the thematic concept. Identify a major thematic message from the text and explain how
the thematic message is developed/supported throughout the text.
● Example thematic concept – Pride
● Example thematic message – Pride that is based on self-centeredness is destructive to friendships
and romantic relationships.

Make a connection. Describe an aspect of the text that reminds you of something/someone from a close
family member’s life or your own life (text-to-self); from another text that you have read or viewed (text-
to-text); and/or a real-life event/ person from the media or history (text-to-world). How does this
connection help inform your understanding of the text?

Consider the following questions on narration:

● Describe the author’s narrative structure (storytelling organization). For example, does the
timeline in the text move forward chronologically, does the time shift back and forth between the
past and the present, or is the text presented as interlocking short stories? Explain and comment

NBE3U1 @ MCI (2023)

Name: __________________________

on how this impacts the reader’s understanding of the text. Why might the author have structured
their narrative this way?
● Describe the author’s narrative voice (storyteller). For example, is there a single storyteller or
shifting multiple storytellers? Is it told in first person or third person? Why might the author have
cultivated this narrative voice? How does it impact the reader’s understanding of and experience
reading the text?
● Explain why the author might have chosen to employ this specific narrative structure in
conjunction with this specific narrative voice. What is the overall result of this combination? How
does it inform the reader’s understanding of the text?
● In your opinion, does the narrative structure and narrative voice serve to help the reader better
understand the text or serve to confuse the reader’s understanding of the text? Why? Would this
experience change depending on who the reader is?

Explain your reading experience with this book. For example, what specific aspects of the book intrigued,
amused, disturbed, alienated, irritated, or frightened you? If you were immediately drawn into the story,
explain what drew you in. If it took you a long while to get into the story, explain which part of the story
got you into the text. If you were struggling to finish the book, explain what it was specifically that posed
a challenge for you to read.

Explain your thoughts on the ending of the text. For example, did you expect the ending, were you
surprised by it, or were you satisfied/dissatisfied with the way the story concluded? Was the ending
believable or unbelievable?

Here are a few “conversational moves” that can help you navigate your discussions as a group.

Technique Sentence Starter

I hear that you said . . . and I’m thinking . . .

Listen and That makes me consider . . .
Respond I wonder if . . .
I agree with you because . . .
I shared a similar thought . . .
I don’t agree with that because . . . here’s what I think . . .
That’s interesting . . . I actually interpreted it differently though . . .

What do you mean when you say . . .

Clarify Can you explain/clarify . . .
I’m confused by . . .
I just want to make sure I understand. Did you mean . . .

I’m wondering if you also considered . . .

Question Why did you think . . .
Why does . . .
I don’t understand . . .
I have a question about . . .

Make I can relate . . .

NBE3U1 @ MCI (2023)

Name: __________________________

Connections That reminds me of . . .

This connects to . . .

I like/do not like how . . .

Evaluate I agree/disagree . . .
My favourite part . . .

Expand What do you think about . . .

I also noticed/thought/wondered . . .

Speculate What if . . .
I think that . . .

NBE3U1 @ MCI (2023)