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Writing 421 Independent Novel ActivitiesEach student in Writing 421 is required to read at least two books independently (in and out of class) this semester. At two points in the semester, to demonstrate his/her understanding and appreciation of the book, he/she must complete one of the activities below on or before the chosen due dates. RequirementsStudents may choose from a wide variety of books (either fiction or non-fiction).Students may (and are encouraged to) choose a graphic novel as one of their choices. Otherwise, students should choose books according to their interests; just ensure the books are at appropriate reading levels.Students may present/submit their independent novel activities at any time – they do not have to wait for the due dates.Activity 1: Book Discussion (may be submitted on or before any one of the due dates)The purpose of the Book Discussion is to give students opportunities to read enjoyable and informative print and to provide opportunities for students to share responses to a book; to exchange ideas with peers; and to develop personal interpretations and responses to literature by reflecting upon, discussing and evaluating selections. Here’s what each book discussion must include:First of all, students must ensure that they bring a copy of the book to display.Discussions should be accomplished with minimal need for prepared notes (bulleted cue cards are permitted).As an introduction, share the novel’s title, author, and genre (romance, mystery, documentary, etc.) and the reasons for choosing to read it.Include a two-minute summary of the plot of the book without revealing the ending (don’t paraphrase the book jacket).Include a description of the main character and his/her development in the book (fiction or non-fiction).Discuss themes presented in the novel.Read (AND explain why you chose) a favorite passage from the book (passages should be at least 150 words).Share opinions (what you liked/disliked) about the book.The presentation should be approximately 4-5 minutes long.See rubric online (under Mrs. Gordon’s Writing 421 page) for assessment criteria. It will be assessed as a Speaking and Listening activity.Activity 2: Character as Symbol (may be submitted on or before any one of the due dates)This activity is less about the plot of the novel and more about an interpretation of a central character from the novel. The objective is for students to choose a central character and think of five metaphoric symbols that could be used to represent that character and his/her situation. Students will analyze and interpret a character from the novel or play and represent that character in symbolic form and present orally in class while providing a representative visual display (using PowerPoint or some other type of presentation software) of the symbols. Here’s how:The PowerPoint’s first slide should be a photo of the cover of the book.Try to include a ‘photo’ of the character being discussed (easy for non-fiction; a little creative for a fictional work).Presentations should be accomplished with minimal need for prepared notes (bulleted cue cards permitted). As an introduction, share the title, author, genre (romance, mystery, documentary, etc.), and the context of the chosen character to the plot.Select one character and situation from the novel and think of five metaphoric symbols which might represent him/her. In approximately 100 words for each symbol, explain how the symbol describes the character by relating parts of the plot and the character’s response to them. The audience needs this explanation to make the connection between character and symbol.Using PowerPoint, create a representative presentation displaying the symbols corresponding to the character trait being explored. The PowerPoint presentation should closely follow the speech.Symbols must not be too concrete (literal); figurative symbols are the expectation. (Example: use a teddy bear for ‘innocence’).The presentation should be approximately 4-5 minutes long.See rubric online (under Gordon's Blog Writing 421 page) for assessment criteria. It will be assessed as a Reading and Viewing activity.Activity 3: Five Minute Film Adaptations (may be submitted on or before any one of the due dates)Students with an interest in film-making may enjoy this option. SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1In this activity, students create a five-minute re-telling of the main plot points of the novel on film (kind of like a book trailer). Generally, students will film the scenes and then edit the film using Windows Movie Maker or iMovie (or some other program that’s out there). This works well for either fiction or non-fiction. Remember, as a film-maker, it is the student's responsibility to choose the parts of the plot/story that do the most to propel the action and then condense these plot points into a five-minute (maximum) piece. An assessment rubric can be found online at Gordon's Blog Writing 421 page. This will be assessed as a Writing and Representing activity.Activity 4: Book Tour (may be submitted on or before any one of the due dates)The notion behind this activity is this: The student must become the author of the book who has been asked to attend a book tour to promote the book. This activity should be completed as a PowerPoint presentation or film and must include the following important elements:A brief biography of the author, giving us some insights into his/her world for context.Feel free to add instrumental music to accompany the presentation or film.There should be a minimum of fifteen representative slides/photos, showing:The author's bio (and clear photos)A brief plot summary (similar to what you might find on the back of a book jacket, but not the same); An introduction to the main characters (also brief); Significance of the book’s title; Five main events from the plot; Setting (time period, location, etc); Genre (mystery, romance, biography, etc); Two of your favorite phrases/quotes from the book; A discussion of the theme (moral or lesson or main idea) of the book; A movie poster for the book (easy if it has already been made into a movie - but make it creative nonetheless); Student's final thoughts on the novel. Presentations should be timed to advance on their own.Presentations should be approximately 4-5 minutes long.See rubric online (under Gordon's Blog Writing 421 page) for assessment criteria. It will be assessed as a Writing and Representing activity.Activity 5: Interview with Gordon (must be completed – by appointment – on or before any one of the due dates)Students will make an appointment and participate in a sit-down lunchtime interview with Mrs. Gordon to discuss the book’s plot, setting, characters, issues, themes, symbolism, etc. To prepare for this assignment, students must prepare (and write down) at least five anticipatory questions. Anticipatory questions are some of the things students think I will ask in the interview. In order to prepare effectively, write out lots of questions and be ready to answer those. This list must be given to Mrs. Gordon. I may or may not ask those exact questions, but by knowing the answers to them, students will be better prepared to answer the questions asked. You will need to make an appointment for this assignment at least two days in advance in order for myself to become familiar with the book chosen. Assessment rubrics are online under Mrs. Gordon's Writing 421 page. This will be assessed as a Speaking and Listening activity.Activity 6: Literary Analysis Paper (may be submitted on or before any one of the due dates)Write a 500-word essay analyzing a theme that may have been represented in the book, or on a literary analysis topic that is listed below. Take topics and prepare a thoughtful and analytical paper in response to it. A literary analysis asks the writer to analyze and carefully consider an important aspect(s) of the book; it does not ask the writer to summarize the book's plot. Here are some requirements and topics:Papers must follow MRHS guidelines for submission;Papers must be typed and double-spaced;Papers must adhere to MLA formatting guidelines (including References pages);An assessment rubric is online at Mrs. Gordon's Writing 421 page (this will be assessed as a Writing and Representing activity);See list of possible topics on the Writing 421 page.Oral Presentation TipsBe prepared. Take the time to plan and practice (especially the oral presentations).Ensure each category (as outlined in the rubrics) is both present and fully-developed.Ensure that sufficient information appears to fulfill the requirements, but not to go overboard on time requirements.Both activities are meant to be informal, which means that students should be relaxed and have fun with the subject matter. Do not leave either activity until the final week of classes when the novels that were read are no longer fresh in the memory.Body language is important. Standing, walking or moving about with appropriate hand gesture or facial expression is preferred to sitting down or standing still with head down and reading from a prepared speech.Do not read from notes for any extended length of time although it is quite acceptable to glance at your notes infrequently. Speak loudly and clearly. Sound confident. Do not mumble. If you made an error, correct it, and continue. No apologies.Pause. Allow yourself and your audience a little time to reflect and think. Don't race through your presentation and leave your audience, as well as yourself, feeling out of breath. Add humor whenever appropriate and possible. Keep audience interested throughout your entire presentation. Remember that an interesting speech makes time fly, but a boring speech is always too long to endure even if the presentation time is the same.Possible Literary Essay TopicsGender IssuesConsider the gender of the characters in your novel. How are male and female characters portrayed? How does the work portray their roles in society? How does gender influence the choices that are available to the characters and the decisions that they make? Write a paper that explores how gender affects the plot and character development in the novel.Alternate Topic: Compare the influence of gender on the choices and decisions that the characters make in the world of the novel to the influence that gender would have if these characters were here today.Positive/Negative CharactersIn the novel that you've read, some of the characters are given positive, sympathetic portrayals. Others have negative, perhaps even villainous portrayals. Still others may begin with negative qualities and gradually become more and more positive. Rarely does an author rely on the reader's personal sense of morality to determine which characters are positive and which are negative. Instead, there are details, actions, and characteristics that help define who is "good" and who is "bad." It's easy to know the difference in old westerns — good guys wear white hats; bad guys wear black hats. But even then, there are other details that help you know what it going on, details that even help you construct hierarchies (e.g., slightly bad to fully evil). Think about your novel. How does the author indicate which characters are positive and which are negative? In your essay, explain how you can tell the difference.Dreams & RealityTake a look at the characters in the novel that you've read. Each of the main characters in the novel is introduced to you with certain dreams, plans, and expectations. In the course of the novel, these main characters must come to terms with the difference between their dreams and the reality of the world around them. Write a paper on your novel that examines how the main characters navigate the journey from dreams to reality — What kind of course do they follow, and how are they changed for their journey?Realism and the SettingDo a close examination of the setting in your novel. What are the primary locations? How these places are made realistic — how does the author use extended description, background information, and specific detail to make the setting come alive for readers? How do the main characters fit in the settings — do they seem at home? Out of place? How do their reactions and interactions with the setting affect the realism of the locations? In your paper, discuss the way that the techniques that the novelist uses to make the setting vivid and real to readers, and the extent to which these techniques are effective.Shaped by PeriodWriters can't help but be influenced by the events and people that they see around them. The question is to what extent that influence becomes part of the works that they write and how do they communicate their feelings and beliefs about the world around them. For your essay, think about how the characters, setting, and themes in your novel relate to the period in which it was written. How is the novel an analysis of the period? How is it a reflection and how is it a criticism? And how does the writer make opinions about that world clear to the reader?Setting & CharactersConsider the relationship between the characters and the setting for your novel. Think about the way that the characters are described, their characteristics, the conflicts that they face, the actions they take, and their emotional reactions. Compare these qualities to the setting — to the way that it is described, to the particular things that are described, and to the words that are used to describe the place(s) where the novel takes place. In your paper, explain how the setting of the novel is representative (or not) of the characters.Class IssuesThink about the role that social class plays in the novel that you've read. What social classes are represented in the novel? To what extent is each class depicted? Are all the classes given equal representation? How do the classes shown in the novel relate to the classes that realistically existed in the time and place where the novel takes place? As you go through your novel, consider two important questions: how does the author feel about the different social classes, and how can you tell the author's opinion? Write a paper that explores the way that social class and class issues affect the characters and plot of your novel. ................
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