Independent Novel Study

Transcription

1 Independent Novel Study You will choose your own novel to read for the month of April. Pick a book that holds your interest, however, it must challenge you and be appropriate for school. I suggest you divide your book into chunks like we did for our literature circles to make the reading schedule easier to manage. You will be given time every day to work on your reading in class, the rest is up to you. Similar to our literature circles, each week you will be assigned a task to complete. The difference is you have more choice about what assignment you'd like to do. These tasks are outlined in this package. At the end of the 4 weeks, you will present your final project to the class. This project is something you should be thinking about as you read. Don t leave it until the last minute. To be successful you must: meet all deadlines for this assignment carefully read project instructions bring the necessary materials to class to work on your projects every day make effective and productive use of class time transfer your knowledge about your novel to your creative project NOT LOSE THIS ASSIGNMENT SHEET! Week Due Date Pages to Read One Two Three Four Final projects are due You are required to give a short 5 minute (max) presentation about your final project.

2 Week One Choose two of the questions below to answer for your first assignment. Please rewrite the questions you pick and answer them in complete sentences. You should write a paragraph (five sentences at least) for each response. (10 marks) 1. Why did you select this novel? 2. What has happened before the novel began? 3. What's going on as the story begins? 4. Who is the narrator of the story? 5. What is the setting of the novel? Is the setting important or could the novel be happening anywhere? Why? (Remember setting means time and place. Be specific!) 6. What is the first problem (or the inciting incident) faced by the main character? How does the author get you to read on or hold your interest? Week 2 Complete only one of the activities below. (20 marks) 1. Make a crossword puzzle based on vocabulary, characters, and events from your novel. is a good resource. You must have at least 20 clues. Be sure to include an answer key. 2. Write your own dictionary of 10 words you are unfamiliar with or find challenging from your book. Your dictionary entries should be formatted like this: Word (part of speech noun, verb, etc.) Definition. Sentence showing how the word is used. 3. Make a quiz for the book up to this point. Include five true or false questions, five multiple choice questions, and five fill in the blank questions. You must also submit the answer key. Week 3 Complete only one of the activities below. (20 marks) 1. Write a detailed letter to the author of the book you are reading explaining your personal response to the novel so far. Be sure to include one or two questions you had while reading the story. Your letter must follow proper letter format. 2. Pretend you are a news reporter and interview one of the major characters. You should ask this character at least five relevant open ended questions and answer them as if you were that character. 3. What movie stars would you select to portray the three most important characters in a film version of the novel? Explain the reasons for your selections (one paragraph per character).

3 Week 4 Here are your options for your final project. Please choose only one. Novel Board Game You will design and create a board game about your novel. Your board game will have a printed list of clear instructions ( how to play ) and feature questions and content specifically related to the novel. See handout for specific details. Novel Collage Create a word and picture collage representing the entire novel (main characters, major events, turning point, etc.). This must be done on a poster board. It must be neat and aesthetically pleasing. Get creative! Your work must be accompanied by a 1 page written explanation of why you selected the specific words and pictures in your collage. Graphic Novel You will rewrite your novel with illustrations using the comic book format. Your graphic novel will tell the story from beginning to end, using accurate information about key characters, events, situations, conflicts and issues from the novel. Your illustrations will be in colour, or if black and white, great detail in shading must be used (sharpies work well for this). Each illustration will be accompanied by written captions. See handout for specific details. Novel Museum You will construct a 3D mini museum filled with artifacts relevant to your novel. The museum will be a literary tour of your novel: characters, key events, setting, objects and items from the novel, etc. You can pick certain scenes from the novel to highlights as special exhibits in your museum, or you can have the museum be a general walk through the novel. You will write a two page summary of your museum and reasons for the artifacts inside. See handout for specific details. Dodecahedron Book Report You will construct a 12 sided book report about your novel that forms the dodecahedron shape. The book report will give information regarding the author, genre, characters, setting, and plot of the novel. You are also required to write an acrostic poem. Your book report must be detailed as well as colorful. See handout for specific details. Prezi Book Report Create a prezi including a minimum of 15 slides. Your slides should have clipart, animations, & sounds. The following information must be included: title, author, main characters, minor characters, protagonist(s), antagonist(s), setting, conflict, 3 major events, conflict, & resolution.

4 Dodecahedron Book Report You will construct a 12 sided book report about your novel that forms the dodecahedron shape. The book report will give information regarding the author, genre, characters, setting, and plot of the novel (instructions below). You are also required to write an acrostic poem. It is expected that your dodecahedron book report with be: 3D made out of paper, cardstock or even poster board a 12 sided shape containing the following information: o Side 1 Title, author, your name o Side 2 Genre o Side 3 Characters o Side 4 Setting o Side 5 Problem o Side 6 Solution o Side 7 What happens in the beginning? o Side 8 What happens in the middle? o Side 9 What happens at the end? o Side 10 Favorite character and why? o Side 11 Acrostic poem o Side 12 5 star rating, including what you liked, what you didn t like, and what you would change. Each side must have an illustration Each side must be fully coloured - no white!

5 Novel Museum You will construct a 3D museum (mini) filled with artifacts relevant to your novel. The museum will be a literary tour of your novel: characters, key events, setting, objects and items from the novel, etc. You will write a brief summary of your museum and reasons for the artifacts inside. It is expected that your novel museum will be: 3D made out of a shoebox or a box of similar size at least three walls a miniature representation filled with a variety of different kinds of things, like mini-portraits, books, objects from your novel, a map of your setting, exhibits and displays from your novel, etc. mostly handmade and constructed by you (in other words don t buy little figurines from the dollar store and just glue them in) fully decorated floor and walls colourful Written Summary Along with your 3D museum, you will write a two page (or more) summary explaining some of the best artifacts in your novel, why you chose them, and how they relate specifically to the novel, characters, themes, etc. You need to use the summary to show off just how much you know about your book and explain the logic for all of your choices in constructing the museum.

6 Graphic Novel You will rewrite your novel with illustrations using the comic book format. Your graphic novel will tell the story from beginning to end, using accurate information about key characters, events, situations, conflicts and issues from the novel. It is expected that your graphic novel will have: a title page with the author and illustrator s names at least 5 full pages OR 25 text/illustration boxes highly detailed, considerate, colourful drawings typed or very neatly written text written in full complete sentences and adhere to all spelling and grammar rules dialogue bubbles for the characters to speak, where appropriate dream bubbles to represent the characters silent inner thoughts It is not necessary that you include every single event from your novel s storyline in your graphic novel. You have to carefully pick and choose what events are most important in the novel and convert them into the graphic novel format. To do this, you must consider what makes a key event in a story: 1. Shows the reader more info about a character 2. Moves the storyline along 3. Creates or resolves conflict 4. Reveals theme

7 Novel Board Game You will design and create a board game about your novel. Your board game will have a printed list of clear instructions ( how to play ) and feature questions and content specifically related to the novel. It is expected that your novel board game will have: a game name that is appropriate suggested players ages a large game board that is well designed and decorated and visually appealing capacity for 2-6 players trivia questions in assorted formats board game pieces and designs that directly connect to the novel typed or very neatly written text on the trivia questions and anywhere else you have text a list of typed printed instructions for how to play the game, one page Printed Instructions The instructions should clearly explain how to play the game. The instructions should be numbered and written in full complete sentences. The instructions should be printed on white paper.