OVER THE COURSE OF THE TRIMESTER, YOU WILL NEED TO READ SIX BOOKS, ONE OUT OF EACH GENRE (SEE GENRE LIST FOR DESCRIPTONS). EACH GENRE HAS ITS OWN WRITING PROJECT WHICH NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED ON THEIR DUE DATES.
FOR
ALL ASSIGNMENTS:
1) Your work must be
typed (double-spaced and 12-point, non-script font) and thoroughly proofed for
grammar, usage, and mechanics. Remember some basics: titles of books get
capitalized and italicized.
2) Include a paragraph
of 50 words (this does NOT count toward your 500!) that identifies which
project you’re doing, mentions author’s full name and the book title, and
provides a brief overview of the book.
THE BOOK PROJECTS:
A. REALISTIC CONTEMPORARY. Do BOTH parts (500 words total) . . .
A. Describe/explain the plot of your novel by addressing each of the plot elements (LABEL EACH PART CLEARLY!): 1) basic situation: what’s going on at the start of the novel before the complications and conflicts begin? 2) Rising action: discuss the obstacles and problems the protagonist must face. This is typically the majority of the book, so it should make up the majority of your words; 3) Climax: the high point, how the main conflict is resolved; 4) the resolution: how do things conclude after the climax? [350+ words]
B. Discuss a central theme of your book. Use specific examples and detail from the book to support your assertions. [150+ words]
Your work must be typed (double-spaced and 12-point, non-script font) and thoroughly proofed for grammar, usage, and mechanics. Include title and author SOMEWHERE in your writing.
Don't forget the 50-word overview! (That's in ADDITION to the 500 word project).
B. SPECULATIVE FICTION. Choose TWO of the following writing activities (250 words min per activity; 500 words total):
Current
Events. Select several news stories
from TV or print media that you think your character would be interested
in. Then explain how and
why your character would
respond to each of the stories and the opinions your character might have
towards them.
Childhood
Memories. Choose two or three characters
from your story and then write a short narrative (something they experienced)
from their childhood for each that explains why they are the way they are
today. Be sure to include these connections in your writing, don't assume
that I will know what the connection means. Explain it.
Extend
the story. Choose two or three
characters from your story and write a short narrative of their life after the ending of the novel.
(Example: if you were reading The
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn you
could write about Huck late in life and meeting up with Jim again after slavery
has been abolished).
Journal
Entries. Choose a major character
from your book and write journal entires (5 minimum) that cover the most
important events of the novel. Attempt to capture the "voice"
of the character as well as the ideas, opinions that the character is likely to
have.
Your
work must be typed (double-spaced and 12-point, non-script font) and thoroughly
proofed for grammar, usage, and mechanics. Include title and author SOMEWHERE
in your writing.
Don't forget the 50-word
overview! (That's in ADDITION to the 500 word project).
C. DYSTOPIAN / ALTERNATE HISTORY.
A.
Dystopian… These
novels are often centered on conflict between an oppressive power and the individual,
but for this assignment you will need to discuss your book in terms of ALL the
types of conflict that are present in your selection: man vs. man
(other individuals, the authority/gov’t), man vs. nature, man vs.
himself. (500 words min.)
Don't forget the 50-word overview! (That's in ADDITION to the 500 word project).
Your work must be typed (double-spaced and 12-point, non-script font) and thoroughly proofed for grammar, usage, and mechanics. Include title and author SOMEWHERE in your writing.
Don't forget the 50-word overview! (That's in ADDITION to the 500 word project).
B.
Alternate history… Discuss
what areas of life your author chose to focus on. For example, if a book
explores what America might be like if we had lost World War II, the author may
choose to focus on the politics or government structure under a German regime,
or what it might be like to have Japanese neighbors after they invade and take
over. What choices did your author make about where to focus the book’s new
historical reality? (500 words
min.)
Your
work must be typed (double-spaced and 12-point, non-script font) and thoroughly
proofed for grammar, usage, and mechanics. Include title and author SOMEWHERE
in your writing.
Don't forget the 50-word overview! (That's in ADDITION to the 500 word project).
D. MISCELLANEOUS GENRE. Do BOTH parts (500
words total) . . .
A.
Describe/explain the plot of your novel by addressing each of the plot
elements (LABEL EACH PART CLEARLY!): 1) basic situation: what’s going on at the start of the novel
before the complications and conflicts begin? 2) Rising action: discuss
the obstacles and problems the protagonist must face. This is typically the
majority of the book, so it should make up the majority of your words; 3)
Climax: the high point, how the main conflict is resolved; 4) the
resolution: how do things conclude after the climax? [350+ words]
B.
Discuss a central theme of your book. Use specific examples and detail from the
book to support your assertions. [150+ words]
Your
work must be typed (double-spaced and 12-point, non-script font) and thoroughly
proofed for grammar, usage, and mechanics. Include title and author
SOMEWHERE in your writing.
Don't forget the 50-word overview! (That's in ADDITION to the 500 word project).
E. NON-FICTION BIO. Biography / Autobiography / Memoir (about a person)...
Tell
the story of the person in your biography from the perspective of someone else
in the book. For example, if you were reading a biography on John F.
Kennedy, you could tell his story from the perspectives of his brother Bobby
Kennedy, his wife Jackie, or his VP Lyndon Johnson. BE CAREFUL HERE - you
are to tell JFK's story not someone else's; but you are
writing it from someone else's point of view. Be sure to include the same
range of experience that is covered by the book (i.e. if the book covers the
person's life from birth to death, make sure your paper does as well). I should
be able to hear the subject’s story AND hear the voice of the one telling it. (500 words total)
Your
work must be typed (double-spaced and 12-point, non-script font) and thoroughly
proofed for grammar, usage, and mechanics. Remember some basics: Include title
and author SOMEWHERE in your writing. Titles of books get capitalized and italicized.
Don't forget the 50-word overview! (That's in ADDITION to the 500 word project).
F. NON-FICTION TOPICAL. (your book is on a subject - football, , the Civil War,
etc.)...
L.A.R.C. Write a four part paper in which you 1) tell me what
you've LEARNED, 2) ANALYZE what you've learned, 3) REFLECT on what you've
learned, and 4) CONNECT what you've learned to something outside the book.
LEARN. In this section you will
describe in general terms what you've learned. For example, if you are
reading about the US Civil War, you might describe the battles that marked
turning points in the war, who won and lost, and how these influenced the
outcome of the war.
ANALYZE. Here you are going to go into
detail on what you've introduced in the LEARN section. Using our example,
choose two or three of the most important battles and go into detail - names,
times, casualty numbers, (the battle of Gettysburg was made up of many smaller
battles - write about those). Analyze means breaking your subject down
into its smallest parts. THIS
SHOULD BE THE LONGEST SECTION OF THE L.A.R.C.
REFLECT. Here is where you can insert
your own opinion. Reflect meaNs to think deeply or to ponder over
something. Some things to consider: Did the learning come easily or
with difficulty? Why? Did you enjoy learning about the
subject? Why do you think that is? You will need to tell me
something about your own styles or preferences for learning to do this section
completely. Going back to our example, you might write that you've been
interested in wars and warfare before reading it so the learning came easily.
CONNECT. Now you need to connect what you've learned to
something outside the book. You may have studied the information in a
different format (class, book, movie, etc.). You might know someone who
has experienced first hand what you've read about. Back to the example: a
Vietnam vet would have similar experiences to the Civil War veterans in your
book. You may have been to Gettysburg or another battlefield. Any
connection will do so long as it is clear and reasonable.
500 WORDS TOTAL.
Your
work must be typed (double-spaced and 12-point, non-script font) and thoroughly
proofed for grammar, usage, and mechanics. Remember some basics: titles of
books get capitalized and italicized. Mention the author’s full name in the
LEARN section.
Don't forget the 50-word overview! (That's in ADDITION to the 500 word project).
