How Annotating in HOD’s High School Prepares Students for Annotating in College
In Heart of Dakota (HOD), students annotate for high school literature as part of the assigned work for their English credits. My son, Wyatt, completed all of HOD’s guides, including the four high school guides. He is now a Business Finance major senior in online college at Liberty University.
Just the other day, Wyatt and I were talking about an assignment in his required four-credit Bible class. He told me as part of his grade, he was to read the required resource and annotate, looking for certain things and noting them with symbols as he read. I could clearly see how this part of Wyatt’s earning credit for his college coursework paralleled how Wyatt earned credit for his HOD coursework! Let’s take a look at how both annotating assignments require reading, marking with symbols, reflecting, and writing personal responses!
Annotating in HOD’s High School Guides
Students annotate in HOD’s high school guides as part of earning their English credits. Annotations begin at an introductory level end at a more challenging level in U.S. History English IV. HOD’s guides train students to be successful with annotating by including detailed steps in daily plans such as Introduce, Read and Annotate, and Reflect. Then, students respond in writing to their annotations in their Literature Journal assignments. Carrie spent FOREVER writing these detailed plans. They are wonderful, and they do an excellent job of making annotating successful!
HOD’s Annotating Assignment for USI’s British Literature: Day 1
An annotation is a way to connect with the text by underlining something you want to remember, circling key words, starring an important passage, placing a question mark next to something you wonder about, and writing brief questions, comments, or notes in the margin. Your reading should include multiple annotations. Below is an example of one of HOD’s assignments for The War for Mansoul:
Introduce:
The War for Mansoul is a retelling of John Bunyan’s allegorical classic The Holy War. As you read the “Author’s Introduction” on p. vii-viii of The War for Mansoul, circle whom Mansoul represents. Then, underline whom the inhabitants of Mansoul represent. Last, consider the implications of the title The War for Mansoul.
Read and Annotate:
The War for Mansoul “Prologue” p. xi-xii and p. 1-20 (Note: As you read, refer to the “Cast of Characters” on p. ix-x.) As one annotation, on p. 5 underline Diabolus’ strategy for taking Mansoul. How does this strategy echo the serpent’s strategy in Genesis 3:1-6? What role does Ill-Pause play in Mansoul’s downfall?
Reflect:
In your Literature Journal, write today’s date. Next, copy the definition for “allegorical.” How is The War for Mansoul allegorical? Then, list the names of the three leaders of Mansoul, explain what each leader represents, and describe the power Shaddai has given each one. What causes the deaths of Resistance and Innocency?
Key Idea: Identify allegorical elements.
Liberty University’s Annotating Assignment for Bible Survey
Squares had to be placed next to general quotes in the reading and had to be followed by personal reflections. Four squares had to be annotated and reflected upon. Triangles had to be placed next to more in-depth quotes in the reading with follow-up thoughts about how that quote changed or added something new to his way of thinking. Three triangles had to be annotated and reflected upon.
Circles had to be placed next to quotes that raised questions., and follow-ups were the questions brought to mind. Two circles had to be annotated and have questions. A heart had to be placed next to a quote in the reading that was heart touching. One heart had to be annotated and personally reflected upon in a heartfelt way.
Wyatt’s Annotating for His Squares
1. “Thus, the church did not decide which books were Scripture but rather affirmed those books that were already widely accepted as Scripture” (Cartwright et al., 2019, p. 53). The idea that the official cannon for the New Testament was more about affirming books already accepted as scripture and looking for apostle authorship or affiliation is one that fits with what I already had thought on the subject.
2. By having the same Bible translation as the preacher or Sunday school teacher, it makes it much easier for Christians to follow along and better understand the message especially when the occasion is an in-depth study of one or two verses. I have found that if my Bible does not match, I can use my phone on Bible Gateway to follow the different translation.
3. “The main subject of the Bible is God’s plan to rescue, redeem, and restore his world” (Cartwright et al., 2019, p. 36). Every book is written with a goal that can vary from being educational to inspiring to intimidating. The Bible is unique in that it all at once applies to the world and applies on a personal level to individuals with the goal of bringing people to faith in Jesus Christ forefront and paramount.
4. “We can trust that the Bible is inerrant—free from errors—because it was inspired by God. It represents his character” (Cartwright et al., 2019, p. 49). 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (NIV).
Wyatt’s Annotating for His Triangles
1. “In other words, when you are reading the Gospel of Matthew, you are reading Matthew’s writing, as God through the power of the Holy Spirit was carrying him along” (Cartwright et al., 2019, p. 48). I have always considered God as the author of the Bible but found it interesting to think about God working through the Holy Spirit to carry the human authors along.
2. “Since no one can claim to be neutral in their approach to studying God’s Word, it is important that we come to an understanding of how events in our lives influence our study of a Bible passage” (Cartwright et al., 2019, p. 66). While this concept had never fully crossed my mind before, thinking about it now makes a lot of sense. Thinking of how different people approach the Bible in different ways is something I realize I have seen before but have not really thought about it this way until now.
3. Considering how before Gutenberg’s printing press all Bibles had to be hand copied, it makes me much more thankful to have easy access to a Bible either in print or online.
Wyatt’s Annotating for His Circles
1. Because everyone brings baggage with them when they study God’s word, should a Christian try to analyze what specific baggage different individuals are bringing with them when trying to share the gospel to those individuals?
2. When selecting a Bible translation, are there certain translations that are considered to have a better blend of formal and functional equivalence than other translations?
Wyatt’s Annotating for His Heart
1. “Story is the is the thing that helps us get through our days and make sense of life. It is in the story that we recognize our hopes and our dreams. Stories are the mirrors that show us our flaws and failures. They add depth and color to our human experience” (Cartwright et al., 2019, p. 35). I have always been fascinated with the concept of stories. I love how stories can be relatable, can be a warning, can teach a lesson, can be inspiring, and can make you sympathize and feel someone else’s pain or joy that without a story you could never comprehend.
Reference: Cartwright, J., Hulshof, C., & Gutierrez, B. (2019) Everyday Bible Study: Growing in the Christian Faith. (Gutierrez, B. Ed., & Etzel, G. Ed.) B&H Academic
New International Bible. (2011) BibleGateway.com
In Closing
So, you can see how annotating assignments in HOD’s high school guides prepare students for annotating in college courses! Even if your students are not planning on going to college, annotating while reading is still a wonderful skill to have! Just like my Dad and Mom, I annotate while I read my Bible and devotions. It is so special to me to look back at any annotating my Dad and Mom did! My Dad’s annotations and reflections live on in his writing, though he has passed away and is now in heaven. Annotating is a skill, but it’s also a pretty amazing reflection of a person’s heart and soul! I hope you enjoy annotating in HOD’s guides as much as we have!
In Christ,
Julie
