Sustained Reading Book Projects
Students have some choice in reading materials, but it must be within the framework of English II-- World Literature. The book should be relevant to a global issue or another culture. If the book does not address these connections directly, the student is expected to pursue additional enrichment research to show how the book relates to the magnet theme.
ssr_project_rubric.docx |
Book Presentations
1. Create a book jacket. On the front and back cover, illustrate a scene, character, setting, or meaningful object from the book; include the title and author’s name. On the inside left flap, write a summary of the novel that includes the main elements of plot: exposition, climax, and resolution. On the inside right flab, write five “blurbs” about why someone should read the book. A blurb is a positive, persuasive comment; it can be about the writing style (suspenseful, creative, descriptive), the author’s purpose (to entertain or inform), the character’s relationships, or the popularity of the book. The blurbs can show WHY you liked the book and WHAT about the book you liked most. Be specific enough so that I can know you read the book.
2. Draw and color a comic strip from a scene in the book. It doesn’t have to look realistic. You can illustrate a certain chapter or the overall plot. The comic strip should have at least one dialogue bubble, one thought bubble, and one narrator box. Your grade will be improved by the neatness, color, and detail. Write half a page explaining how the comic strip reflects the book other than “what happens.” Is the tone sad? Funny? Do the characters have bold personalities or rough attitudes?
3. Make a pretend CD case of the book. Create music titles for songs that reflect each character or chapter. For example, if the main character feels confused because life is crazy, his song can be “Losin’ it” by Eminem. The CD should have at least eight songs and an explanation of why you chose those songs in a booklet that goes inside the case. The case should be illustrated to reflect the feelings of the “soundtrack.” Any lyrics or actual music on a CD should be clean and appropriate content for a school setting.
4. Write poems about the character’s thoughts, feelings, or events in their lives. You must have at least three pages. The poems don’t have to rhyme and include one illustration. Include and label one example each of alliteration, simile, metaphor, onomatopoeia, and sensory language.
5. Create a newspaper with several short articles that describe a main event in the book. Include a short interview with one of the characters. The article should have the title of the newspaper from the setting in the book and the date from the time period. There should be at least one picture. Text should be in columns. For example, you could have an article in the magazine about Harry Potter going crazy about Voldemort’s return in addition to the death of Cedric at the Triwizard Tournament.
6. Make a large puppet of a character or make popsicle people of several characters and set them up in shoe box scene to show something that happened in the book. Make sure you have a detailed background. Include a description of the scene and why you chose it to represent the rest of the plot.
7. Make a pretend photo album or scrapbook of people and events in the book. Include at least six pictures with captions and decorative pages.
8. Make a travel brochure to convince readers to visit a setting in the book. Things you might include are a list of activities to do, places to see, climate, and history of the town. For example, if you went to Two Mills, you’d want to eat pizza at Cobble’s Corner (Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli). It should have at least three pictures, possibly a map. Be sure the advertisements show connections to events or characters in the book.
9. Write an extra chapter in the book to put in the beginning, middle, or end. It can describe the character’s life before the book’s plot takes place or what the characters are doing ten years after the book happens. In a short paragraph before the chapter, summarize the book or explain the characters so I’ll know the context for your extra piece of the story. Don’t forget to include one visual. It should be at least 3 typed pages.
10. Write five or so journal entries revealing the thoughts and feelings of one of the characters concerning the events in the book. You may also write a few letters between characters in the book to show their friendship and how they deal with things that happen. For instance, the little pig with the wooden house can send a letter to his brother with the brick house that expresses sorrow because he is homeless and fear of the wolf eating him, and then he asks if he can come live with his brother for awhile until he gets his life straight. Don’t forget a visual.
11. Dramatize the book. Choose a scene and re-write it as a skit. Include props, stage directions (lighting, sound effects, actors’ movements), and of course, important dialogue between the characters. Write a short paragraph explaining why this scene is meaningful. Don’t forget a visual.
12. Movie Poster. Your movie poster (created using poster board or some equally large medium) will include the title of the novel with the author’s name as the director, your name as the producer, a major illustration as the focal point of the poster which gives the audience a good idea of the setting and a major plot element of the novel. The project should include a minimum of two quotes incorporated from the novel and which character said them. The main characters will be the cast of your movie. Cast actors and actresses into the different character roles and name them on your poster (Ex: “Starring John Boyega as Nick Carraway). It should also include a tag line that interests the audience and describes the basic plot/them of the movie. On the back of the poster, explain why you chose those actors to represent the characters.
13. Time Line. Think through and come up with a record of all the most important events in the plot from the beginning of the novel to the end. Then you can organize them in chronological order. You can create a time line using a long ribbon of butcher paper, a poster board, or something else-be creative! For each event on your time line, write a brief description of what happens and, if possible, try to distinguish the time of each event with dates, seasons, special occasions, holidays, or anything else you may come across. Add pictures, clip art, word art, and symbols to make your time line more colorful and appealing.
Content
Includes details from the novel such as character names and quotes. Shows overall understanding of the plot. ALL formats must indicate how the project fits in the context of the book.
Neatness
A lot of color that is neat and creative. Shows time and effort.
Format
Completed format meeting expectations. ALL projects contain at least one visual.
Grammar
Half a point deducted for every imperfection.
Approximate Due Dates:
SSR 1: Monday, October 22
SSR 2: Monday, January 7
HONORS: Do not expect time to read in class.
1. Create a book jacket. On the front and back cover, illustrate a scene, character, setting, or meaningful object from the book; include the title and author’s name. On the inside left flap, write a summary of the novel that includes the main elements of plot: exposition, climax, and resolution. On the inside right flab, write five “blurbs” about why someone should read the book. A blurb is a positive, persuasive comment; it can be about the writing style (suspenseful, creative, descriptive), the author’s purpose (to entertain or inform), the character’s relationships, or the popularity of the book. The blurbs can show WHY you liked the book and WHAT about the book you liked most. Be specific enough so that I can know you read the book.
2. Draw and color a comic strip from a scene in the book. It doesn’t have to look realistic. You can illustrate a certain chapter or the overall plot. The comic strip should have at least one dialogue bubble, one thought bubble, and one narrator box. Your grade will be improved by the neatness, color, and detail. Write half a page explaining how the comic strip reflects the book other than “what happens.” Is the tone sad? Funny? Do the characters have bold personalities or rough attitudes?
3. Make a pretend CD case of the book. Create music titles for songs that reflect each character or chapter. For example, if the main character feels confused because life is crazy, his song can be “Losin’ it” by Eminem. The CD should have at least eight songs and an explanation of why you chose those songs in a booklet that goes inside the case. The case should be illustrated to reflect the feelings of the “soundtrack.” Any lyrics or actual music on a CD should be clean and appropriate content for a school setting.
4. Write poems about the character’s thoughts, feelings, or events in their lives. You must have at least three pages. The poems don’t have to rhyme and include one illustration. Include and label one example each of alliteration, simile, metaphor, onomatopoeia, and sensory language.
5. Create a newspaper with several short articles that describe a main event in the book. Include a short interview with one of the characters. The article should have the title of the newspaper from the setting in the book and the date from the time period. There should be at least one picture. Text should be in columns. For example, you could have an article in the magazine about Harry Potter going crazy about Voldemort’s return in addition to the death of Cedric at the Triwizard Tournament.
6. Make a large puppet of a character or make popsicle people of several characters and set them up in shoe box scene to show something that happened in the book. Make sure you have a detailed background. Include a description of the scene and why you chose it to represent the rest of the plot.
7. Make a pretend photo album or scrapbook of people and events in the book. Include at least six pictures with captions and decorative pages.
8. Make a travel brochure to convince readers to visit a setting in the book. Things you might include are a list of activities to do, places to see, climate, and history of the town. For example, if you went to Two Mills, you’d want to eat pizza at Cobble’s Corner (Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli). It should have at least three pictures, possibly a map. Be sure the advertisements show connections to events or characters in the book.
9. Write an extra chapter in the book to put in the beginning, middle, or end. It can describe the character’s life before the book’s plot takes place or what the characters are doing ten years after the book happens. In a short paragraph before the chapter, summarize the book or explain the characters so I’ll know the context for your extra piece of the story. Don’t forget to include one visual. It should be at least 3 typed pages.
10. Write five or so journal entries revealing the thoughts and feelings of one of the characters concerning the events in the book. You may also write a few letters between characters in the book to show their friendship and how they deal with things that happen. For instance, the little pig with the wooden house can send a letter to his brother with the brick house that expresses sorrow because he is homeless and fear of the wolf eating him, and then he asks if he can come live with his brother for awhile until he gets his life straight. Don’t forget a visual.
11. Dramatize the book. Choose a scene and re-write it as a skit. Include props, stage directions (lighting, sound effects, actors’ movements), and of course, important dialogue between the characters. Write a short paragraph explaining why this scene is meaningful. Don’t forget a visual.
12. Movie Poster. Your movie poster (created using poster board or some equally large medium) will include the title of the novel with the author’s name as the director, your name as the producer, a major illustration as the focal point of the poster which gives the audience a good idea of the setting and a major plot element of the novel. The project should include a minimum of two quotes incorporated from the novel and which character said them. The main characters will be the cast of your movie. Cast actors and actresses into the different character roles and name them on your poster (Ex: “Starring John Boyega as Nick Carraway). It should also include a tag line that interests the audience and describes the basic plot/them of the movie. On the back of the poster, explain why you chose those actors to represent the characters.
13. Time Line. Think through and come up with a record of all the most important events in the plot from the beginning of the novel to the end. Then you can organize them in chronological order. You can create a time line using a long ribbon of butcher paper, a poster board, or something else-be creative! For each event on your time line, write a brief description of what happens and, if possible, try to distinguish the time of each event with dates, seasons, special occasions, holidays, or anything else you may come across. Add pictures, clip art, word art, and symbols to make your time line more colorful and appealing.
Content
Includes details from the novel such as character names and quotes. Shows overall understanding of the plot. ALL formats must indicate how the project fits in the context of the book.
Neatness
A lot of color that is neat and creative. Shows time and effort.
Format
Completed format meeting expectations. ALL projects contain at least one visual.
Grammar
Half a point deducted for every imperfection.
Approximate Due Dates:
SSR 1: Monday, October 22
SSR 2: Monday, January 7
HONORS: Do not expect time to read in class.