Name __________________________________ Period _____
Anchor Book Dodecahedron
Instructions:
1. Cut out 12 equal circles from your choice of colored paper. The circle is the same size as a CD.
2. Each circle contains a response to a critical thinking question and must fit within the pentagon you will
pencil in from the pentagon pattern. The pentagon sides are fold lines for assembling your dodecahedron.
o
Circle 1 – (Knowledge)
Book title, author’s name, publication location, publisher, and date of publication
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Circle 2 – (Knowledge)
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Circle 3 – (Comprehension)
What details from the story are clues to the setting of the story (historical time and place)?
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Circle 4 – (Comprehension)
Write a brief summary of the major conflict and how the problem was resolved.
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Circle 5 – (Application)
Choose a situation/event from the story involving a major character. If it were YOU in that
situation, would you have acted the same way? Why or why not? [Be sure to tell what the situation is.]
o
Circle 6 – (Analysis)
What message does the author want readers to get from the book? (Theme)
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Circle 7 – (Analysis)
Compare and contrast the main character in this book to a person you know or with a similar character in
another book.
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Who is the protagonist? Describe him/her using 5 specific adjectives + an illustration
Circle 8 – (Analysis)
How does the main character change from the beginning of the story to the end? [Hint: Think about what
the character learned from dealing with the conflict.]
o
Circle 9 – (Synthesis)
Predict what might have happened if the conflict had not been solved.
o
Circle 10 – (Synthesis)
Write a cinquain about this book. [This could be about a character, the setting, an event, the theme...]
o
o
Circle 11 – (Evaluation)
Is the title a good one or a poor one? Explain your choice using 3 reasons.
Circle 12 – (Evaluation)
Which character in the book would you choose as a friend? Why?
3. Turn in your completed circles and this assignment sheet/grading rubric by Thursday, April 27.
4. Your graded circles will be returned on Wednesday, May 3 to assemble in class. The assembled
Dodecahedron is due at the end of class on Wednesday, May 3.
GRADING RUBRIC
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Circles are labeled 1-12.
Responses are thoughtful, expressed clearly, and indicate comprehension of text.
Answers include specific, appropriate supporting details from the text.
The complete dodecahedron reflects the entire story, not just part of it.
Answers are complete sentences unless otherwise indicated.
Circles are neat, words are PRINTED legibly, and spelling/punctuation is correct.
Assignment was completed and turned in ON TIME.
Score
7 checks =
5
6 checks =
4
5 checks = 3.5
4 checks =
3
1-3 checks = 2.5
A
B
C
D
F
Examples of Strong & Weak Responses using Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick
Note: Both responses are COMPLETE and CORRECT answers to the questions!
Circle
#
Question
Strong Response
2
Book title, author’s name, publication location, publisher,
and date of publication
Who is the protagonist? Describe him/her using 5 specific
adjectives + an illustration
3
What details from the story are clues to the setting of the
story (historical time and place)?
4
Write a brief summary of the major conflict and how the
problem was resolved.
5
Choose a situation/event from the story involving a major
character. If it were YOU in that situation, would you
have acted the same way? Why or why not? [Be sure to
tell what the situation is.]
Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick
New York: Scholastic Inc., 2001
Maxwell Kane is the protagonist. Max is quiet,
Illustration
curious, observant, polite, and respectful.
The story takes place in modern times because small children go to
daycare. Max and Kevin go to eighth grade in a school that has many
students in the cafeteria at lunch time. Max and Kevin live in an older
neighborhood, since Gram & Grim have lived in their house their whole
lives, but it is a house, not apartments like the testaments. .
Max's dad, Kenny Kane, was paroled from prison and kidnaps Max from
his grandparent's home. He intends to take Max away and use him to
help him con people as a preacher. With the help of Loretta and Kevin,
Max escapes and the police capture Kenny, sending him back to prison
for good.
If Tony D and his gang had tried to start a fight with me, I would have
used my cell phone to call my dad to come and pick me up FAST! I
would not have tried to run away, especially into a stinky pond the way
Max and Kevin did to get away.
6
What message does the author want readers to get from
the book? (Theme)
One of the messages the author wants to share is that even though
people are different, like Max and Kevin, they can become good friends.
Don't judge a book by its cover.
7
Compare and contrast the main character in this book to a
person you know or with a similar character in another
book.
Both Cap (“The Cremation of Sam McGee”) and Kevin (Freak the
Mighty) fight through the natural elements for their friend. Cap battles
the severity of a Yukon winter to keep his promise to cremate Sam’s
remains. Kevin battles the winter storm to find Max and rescue him from
his father.
In Freak the Mighty, Max's best friend, Kevin, died, and in
“The Cremation of Sam McGee,” Cap’s pal, Sam, died.
8
How does the main character change from the beginning
of the story to the end? [Hint: Think about what the
character learned from dealing with the conflict.]
In the beginning of the story, Max is unsure of himself and thinks he is
stupid, but at the end, he knows he can learn and that he is not the kind
of person his dad is.
Max changes from someone who hides alone under his bed
to someone who has a friend.
9
Predict what might have happened if the conflict had not
been solved.
10
Write a cinquain about this book. [This could be about a
character, the setting, an event, the theme...]
A cinquain = noun, 2 adjectives, 3 verbs, phrase, noun
11
Is the title a good one or a poor one? Explain your
choice.
12
Which character in the book would you choose as a
friend? Why?
Max would have gone with Kenny until he got over being in shock. He
would get his father to trust him and find a time that he could get away.
Max's gift
Unusual, witty
Captivating, stretching, teaching
Filled with funny puns
Freak's dictionary
The title is a good one because it is what Max and Kevin became
together. Each one was important in the creation of Freak the Mighty.
I would choose Kevin as a friend, because he is so smart and he really
knows how to insult people without them even knowing they are being
trashed.
1
Weak Response
Freak the mighty by Rodman philbrick
new york: scholastic 2001
Max is the protagonist. He is big, dumb,
strong, slow, and nice.
Illustration
The story takes place in modern times because Freak has a
computer. Their houses have big yards and they walk
everywhere.
Kenny Kane is Max's convict father. He grabs Max and tries
to run away with him. Kevin sprays soap in his eyes and Max
runs away.
I would not have gone to Loretta's house to take the purse
back. It was dirty and empty anyways..
Kenny Kane would have gotten away in the car Iggy was
getting for him
Max
Big, burly
Running, lifting, carrying
Guided by Freak's brain
Steed
Freak the Mighty is weird because it does not tell you what
the book is about, but after you read it, it is a good title.
I would choose Max as a friend because he is so big and if he
was beside me, no one would think of bothering me.
Patterns for the 12 Circles and the Inner Pentagon
(Actual Size)
This is the circle and pentagon pattern in the correct size for this assignment.
If you have a CD, you can use it to draw your circles.
Then cut out the pentagon from this page and use it to draw the inner pentagon in each circle.