Purpose: This assignment provides practice in summarizing and responding to reading as well as identifying
your personal connections to the text. Practicing these skills regularly will help you develop strategies for
managing reading assignments in your other classes. The reading process section of this assignment will help
you develop your approach to understanding text and the strategies you use to manage reading challenges.
Skills: Written Communication, Problem-Solving
Before you write your RRJ, read carefully, taking notes on the text as you go. RRJs should include the
following:
A brief summary of the chapters (5-8 sentences) including major events, characters, and important information
about setting (place and time).
Your response to the reading (5-8 sentences) including your opinions about and reaction to the assigned
chapters. This section is a place to think deeply about the book and the emotions and complex ideas it brings
up for you.
An explanation of your reading process (5-8 sentences). Discuss specific parts that were confusing or that you
have questions about. Share strategies that helped you overcome reading challenges. You can use these
prompts to develop your ideas:
This reading went well for me because _ The most challenging parts were ___ because
The strategies I used to figure these out included _
This part of the text made me think of from my other class or other text/reading.
A possible topic from this section for my research project could be ______. I am considering this
topic because_________________.
A Golden Line from this section that connects to your LA story. The beginning of this section of the story
introduces some of the history, characters’ stories and neighborhoods of the complicated place we call Los
Angeles. Whether your family has been here for generations or you have been here for a few weeks, we are all
a part of this place now. Capture a phrase, sentence or passage that stood out to you as in some way
connected with your own LA story. Use MLA format (quotation marks, parenthetical citation with author’s last
name and page number) to present the line. Then share a little bit about your own LA story and how it
connects with this line. (5-8 sentences)
To receive complete credit on every RRJ (20 points), thoughtfully complete the 4 sections, look at the rubric in
Canvas to check completeness, and turn your RRJ in on time. The RRJs are a space for you to think through
the readings without worrying too much about grammar, organization, or other requirements of more formal
writing assignments. However, do your best to follow academic conventions such as capitalizing the pronoun
“I” and avoiding slang or other kinds of informal language (unless used intentionally to more fully express your thoughts).
Sample Solution
