Reading Response Journal Questions
Chapter 1 – A Ship Without a Sail:
Visualize: Describe what you were able to see.
Clarify: Summarize the main idea.
Chapter 8 - Revenge:
Predict: What do you think “Revenge” will be?
Predict: Where is Unferth?
Clarify: Summarize the main idea of chapter 8 in 3
sentences.
Question: Ask the author a question.
Chapter 2 – A Hall Full of Blood
Visualize: Pick a scene and draw a picture of what
we read.
Connect: How do you relate to any of the characters
or events so far? (Ex: personal, heard about, read
prior to this)
Evaluate: What do you think of King Hrothgar?
Chapter 3 – Ten Against Grendel
Evaluate: What do you think of Grendel?
Evaluate: What do you think of Unferth?
Predict: What do you think will happen next?
Chapter 4 - Beowulf
Predict: What do you think will happen to Beowulf
and his men in the coming chapters?
Visualize: Describe and draw Beowulf .
Connect: What connection can you make with
Beowulf (how do you relate to him? Ex: adventurous,
wits, man, eyesight, etc.)
Question: Write down any questions you may have
so far. Ask a question to the author.
Clarify: What is the main idea of this chapter?
Evaluate: What do you think of Beowulf? Do you
think he is going to be able to help? Why do you
think that?
Chapter 5 – Nine Sea-Monsters
Evaluate: Why do you think Unferth is not
participating or enjoying the great feast?
Clarify: What is the importance of Beowulf telling
the story of Breca?
Visualize: How does the author paint/describe
Unferth at the end of this chapter?
Chapter 6 – Beowulf Against Grendel:
Clarify: What is the meaning of hullabaloo, sinews,
mucid, and putrid
Evaluate: Why do you think the author chose to be
so graphic in his explanation of Grendel’s visit?
Visualize: Draw Grendel at the end of the chapter.
Chapter 7 - Celebrations:
Predict: Grendel lost his arm, hall Heorot is partying,
what do you think happened to Grendel?
Clarify: Define: askance, impish
Clarify: Summarize the main idea of the chapter in 3
sentences.
Clarify: What is the importance of telling the story of
Sigemund and the fire dragon?
Chapter 9 – Into the Fen:
Clarify: Summarize the main ideas of the chapter.
Clarify: What is the significance of Beowulf’s horse
being white with a black mane?
Chapter 10 – Beowulf Against Grendel’s
Mother:
Clarify: Summarize the main ideas of the chapter.
Clarify: What does “That man is truly brave who,
feeling fear, yet puts his fear to use and plucks new
courage from fear itself”(69) mean?
Chapter 11 – Grendel’s Head
Clarify: Summarize the main ideas of the chapter.
Chapter 12 – Beowulf Goes Home
Clarify: Summarize the main ideas of the chapter.
Clarify: Why do black and white birds follow
Beowulf home?
Chapter 13 – King Beowulf
Clarify: Summarize the main ideas of the chapter.
Chapter 14 – The Firedrake
Clarify: Summarize the main ideas of the chapter.
Chapter 15 – Beowulf Against the Firedrake
Clarify: Summarize the main ideas of the chapter.
Chapter 16 - Bees
Clarify: Summarize the main ideas of the chapter.
Clarify: How did Beowulf and Wiglaf defeat the
firedrake?
Clarify: How is this defeat similar or different to
Beowulf’s fight with Grendel and his mother?
Clarify: How does Beowulf die? Who is the new
King?
Infer: What does “Beowulf was Beowulf” mean?