Directions: You will be required to read two books during the summer as part of the Summer Reading Program and complete a project based on each novel. Choose one of the following activities to complete. It will be your responsibility to complete two projects.
The projects are due to your English teacher on Friday, September 16, 2011. No late projects will be accepted. OPTION 1: Letter to the Author Write a letter to the author of the book. Ask him or her any questions you might have which were not answered in the book. This letter must be typed. OPTION 2: Artwork Complete a piece of artwork related to your novel. You may wish to illustrate a scene, a character, or an event. You may make a collage, create a drawing or painting, take a photograph, or make a sculpture or piece of pottery. Use your imagination. Give a brief explanation of what the artwork represents in relation to your novel. OPTION 3: Design a new book cover Design a new front and back cover for the novel. On the back cover, include a brief overview of the book that would “sell� it to readers. You may use the computer to create the book cover. OPTION 4: Setting postcard Create a postcard based on the setting of the story. Use a 5x8 index card and draw a detailed picture accurately representing the setting. OPTION 5: Board game Create a board game based on the novel. You will need to include characters, events and conflicts as part of the game.
Letter to the Author Write a letter to the author of the novel. Ask him or her any questions you might have which were not answered in the book. For example, you may want to know if any characters were based on real-life people. Tell the author your opinion of the book. It is important that you sound sincere when writing your letter. The author wants to hear the “real� you and how you think and feel about their work. You should use proper English and no slang. The letter must contain all of the required pieces of a letter - greeting, introduction, body, closing, salutation, and signature. The letter must be typed!
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Ideas
Ideas were expressed in a clear and organized fashion.
Ideas were Ideas were The letter seemed expressed in a somewhat to be a collection organized, but of unrelated fairly clear manner, but the were not very sentences. It was organization could clear. It took more very difficult to have been better. than one reading figure out what to figure out what the letter was the letter was about. about.
Format
Complies with all the requirements for a friendly letter.
Complies with Complies with Complies with less almost all the several of the than 50% of the requirements for a requirements for a requirements for a friendly letter. friendly letter. friendly letter.
Neatness
The letter was typed and looked professional.
The letter was typed but the paper was crumpled or folded.
Conventions
Novel Concept
The letter was handwritten but looks neat.
The letter was handwritten and looks unprofessional.
No spelling or No more than 3 No more than 5 grammar errors in spelling or spelling or the letter. grammar errors in grammar errors in the letter. the letter.
More than 5 spelling or grammar errors remain in the final copy of the letter.
Character and novel information used throughout the whole letter.
The letter does not connect to the novel or the characters.
Character and novel information used through some of the letter.
Character and novel information hardly used in the letter.
Create a piece of artwork related to the novel you read. There are several options you can choose from. Your artwork cannot be larger than an 8x10 piece of paper. 1.
Illustrate a scene, character, event — this should be a full page of color - no white sections unless relevant to the scene — no stick figures THIS HAS TO BE YOUR WORK—NOT COPIED FROM THE INTERNET!!!
2. Collage
DO NOT USE LINED PAPER!!!
— a collection of images or words relating to the events and characters in the novel — NO WHITE SPACE ~ the entire page must be covered USE MAGAZINE CUTOUTS - NOT A BUNCH OF BLACK AND WHITE PICS FROM THE INTERNET
3. Photograph
— You will need to take a picture of something/someone that connects to your novel — Picture should be no larger than 4x6 TAKEN WITH YOUR CAMERA
4. Sculpture/Pottery
— create a sculpture out of clay or any material — design must be related to the novel
Explanation:
The artwork that you choose to complete will need to be submitted with an explanation of what the artwork represents in relation to the novel. The explanation should be detailed to explain the scene and the characters. You will be graded on mechanics (grammar, spelling, punctuation).
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Visual Concept x2
Visual concept (looks) is beautifully communicated.
Visual concept is neat, whole and complete.
Visual concept is evident and conveyed reasonably well.
Visual concept is uncertain or vague.
Creativity
Shows unique imagination or elegant design.
Well thought out design. Original approach.
Shows some elements of good design and personal expression.
Imagination is lacking and the design is not well thought out.
No spelling or No more than 3 No more than 5 grammar errors in spelling or spelling or the artwork grammar errors in grammar errors in explanation. the artwork the artwork explanation. explanation.
More than 5 spelling or grammar errors remain in the artwork explanation.
Conventions
Novel Concept
Artwork relates to Artwork relates to the novel and the the novel and the characters. characters but are lacking in depth.
Artwork has nothing to do with the book.
You have been hired by the author to design a new book cover to increase sales of this book. You MUST have the following requirements on each page. FRONT: Title of the book (underlined or italics) Picture relating to the novel Author’s name BACK: Summary of the story (in your own words) Publishing company name (you create one) Customer reviews (at least 2)
THIS NEEDS TO BE YOUR OWN WORK. DO NOT COPY PICTURES OR OTHER COVERS FROM THE INTERNET.
This can be computer generated or hand drawn.
DO NOT LEAVE WHITE SPACE ON THE PAPER!! 4
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Balance
Images go well with the text and there is a good balance of text and images.
Images go well Images go well Images do not go with the text, but with the text, but with the there are so there are too few, accompanying many that they and the book text. distract from the cover seems text text. heavy.
Creativity
The text and images used on the book cover reflect an exceptional degree of student creativity in their creation.
Some of the text The text and Difficult to and images used images used on visualize image or on the book cover the book cover emotion. reflect student are lacking in creacreativity in their tivity. creation.
Attractiveness
The book cover is exceptionally attractive in terms of design, layout, and neatness.
The book cover is attractive in terms of design, layout, and neatness.
The book cover is The book cover is acceptably distractingly attractive though messy or very it may be a bit poorly designed. It messy. is not attractive.
Conventions
No spelling or grammar errors in the book cover.
No more than 3 spelling or grammar errors in the book cover.
No more than 5 spelling or grammar errors in the book cover.
More than 5 spelling or grammar errors remain in the final copy of the book cover.
Novel Concept
All text and images are related to the book’s topic.
Most of the text and images are related to the book’s topic.
Either the text or the image does not relate to the book’s topic.
Neither the text or the image relates to the book’s topic.
Use a 5x8 white index card!! ON THE LINED SIDE:
A. Using a ruler, divide the page in half. B. In the upper right corner, create a postage stamp. C. On the right side, address the postcard to a friend or family member. Include the name, street address, city, state and zip code. D. Imagine that you are a tourist visiting the town in the novel at the time of the story and that you are writing to a friend or relative. On the left side, describe the setting in detail. Remember to include a greeting, a closing, and a signature.
ON THE PLAIN SIDE:
A. Draw a detailed drawing of the setting. Be sure to fill in all the white space. Use crayons, markers, or colored pencils to add detail. ** You can use a picture from a magazine but make sure it relates to the novel.
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Illustration X2
Letter
Conventions
Novel Concept
Colorful illustration that accurately shows the story’s setting
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Illustration Illustration shows accurately shows a setting but is not the setting conveyed well
1 Illustration does not show the setting from the story
Complies with all Complies with Complies with Complies with less the requirements almost all the several of the than 50% of the for a friendly requirements for a requirements for a requirements for a letter friendly letter friendly letter friendly letter
No spelling or No more than 3 No more than 5 grammar errors in spelling or spelling or the artwork grammar errors in grammar errors in explanation the artwork the artwork explanation explanation
Letter specifically describes the setting of the story
Most of the letter describes the setting of the story
More than 5 spelling or grammar errors remain in the artwork explanation
Letter has nothing to do with the setting of the book
Create a board game based on the novel. You can visit Mrs. Monroe’s website to download and print various game boards or you may search the Internet. You will need to include characters (based on the novel), events (plot), and conflicts as part of your game. WRITTEN PIECE: You will need to have detailed instructions on how to play the game. This must be a typed document. Please submit the game board, the instructions, and the game pieces.
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Practicality
Rules
Attractiveness
Novel Concept
Conventions
3
The game is very The game is fairly easy to set up and easy to set up and play in the context play, but a few it was designed glitches are for. apparent.
Rules are short, clear, and complete.
Rules are fairly short, clear and complete, but could be streamlined a bit.
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The game would take a fair bit of effort to set up and play in the chosen context.
The game would take considerable effort to set up and play...more effort than it is worth.
The rules are not Rules are unclear entirely clear or and/or too long. complete. There There are rules are rules that could that add be eliminated complexity without harming without adding to the game. playability or learning.
There is a game Everything is neatly Game board is Game board is not board but contains created and effort complete but parts no color and no complete and is evident in are a bit sloppy. there is a lack of extra effort was creativity. creativity. made at creativity. Character and novel information used throughout the game.
Character and novel information used through some of the game.
Character and novel information hardly used in the game.
The game does not connect to the novel or the characters.
No spelling or No more than 3 No more than 5 More than 5 grammar errors in spelling or spelling or spelling or the instructions or grammar errors in grammar errors in grammar errors on the game board the instructions or the instructions or remain in the on the game board on the game board instructions or on the game board