Independent Projects

INDEPENDENT READING PROJECTS          ADVANCED ENGLISH 9                   MR. DENNIS 2012-2013

Students are required to create and present projects on three titles each quarter.  One of these will be literature read as a whole-class study, and the other two titles are independent work.  (many ideas are shamelessly ripped off from http://jmurphy.gsrj.net/IRP_ProjectList_16AUG2007.pdf)

***Being advanced literature analysis, all projects must focus on THEME, STYLE, and/or MOOD.

Feeling lucky?  Shuffle a deck of playing cards and draw three.  Choose one of the three for your project!

Things to remember:

·         Discuss your project with Mr. Dennis BEFORE you do it!  I will clarify assignments and help you set a reasonable schedule for completion.

·         This list is a work-in-progress, and a rough draft.  Ideas may be added or removed. 
·         If you have a great idea not covered on the list, discuss it with me and we’ll flesh out the details.

·         Be creative, show off, and HAVE FUN!

A♠ - Create a picture book based on your novel. Use photographs, magazine pictures, drawings/etc. to represent events from the novel. Put them together in booklet form with a front and back cover. Portray at least 5 main scenes/events in the novel and use a written caption with each picture to  explain what is happening. Your picture book should tell the whole story, including the ending.

K♠ - Create a movie poster  to go with a book you read. Select current actors and actresses to play major characters. On the back of  the poster (or a separate sheet of paper), explain why you chose those particular actors and actresses for  the parts.

Q♠ - Create a collage on the themes/ideas presented in your book. Give it a title, such as “A Search for Identity,” “Growing Up”/etc. (Poster-sized)

J♠ - Create a diorama that shows a scene from  your  book. (A diorama is a model or a scene in a box—it should be 3D). The model can be literal or representational.  Think about what materials you will use and explain

10♠ - Sketch scenes from the novel.  Do at least five (unless otherwise approved).

9♠ - Design a children’s book telling a child’s version of your novel. If the theme or subject matter is inappropriate for kids, it could be a satire of a children's book. Books should have illustrations and a cover.

8♠ - Construct a model/object (or collection of objects) that reflects an important item from the literature: shield, flag, castle, log cabin, etc.  Explain the significance of the items to the theme.

7♠ - Create a monthly wall calendar with a series of memorable scenes. Each month should have an illustration/picture and a caption, in addition to the dates and days/etc. (Do all 12 months.)

6♠ - Draw a page or two from a graphic novel adaptation of your title.  Include at least 8 frames retelling one key scene.

5♠ - Design and create a “pop-up” book based on the text.

4♠ - Create and produce an alphabet book (for little kids). Show knowledge of characters and events through each letter of the alphabet. Illustrate each page, and include a cover.

3♠ - Create and construct a mobile showing different characters or scenes from the book.  Think about how the literal connections between the parts of the mobile could represent relationships or events.

2♠ - Create a puzzle/activity book based on your novel. Include such things as crosswords, search-a-words, cryptograms, mazes, word scrambles, riddles, etc. Must include at least five different puzzles (with an answer key!) and have a cover.

A♦ - Record a podcast analyzing the theme, mood, or style of your novel (should be between 5-10 minutes long).

K♦ - Start a blog featuring your novel and post at least 10 entries discussing what you are reading as you read it. Talk about how the novel relates to you, what you are enjoying (or not enjoying) about it, include links to news articles that are related in some way or links to author sites, and upload photos relevant to the story.

Q♦ -  Sign up for and develop a Facebook page for a major character.  As you read, add new status updates.  Think about other pages the character might Like, people you would want to poke, etc.

J♦ - Create an informational document about your book.  This can be a brochure, map, timeline, resume, etc. 

10♦ - (Non-prose titles only!) Rewrite a scene from your text (graphic novel, play, poem, etc) in prose paragraph format.  Include vivid and original descriptions, dialogue, and narration.

9♦ - Plan and outline a sequel or prequel to the book.  Turn in your brainstorming, events sequence, narration sequence, and a rough draft of at least one critical scene from your new story.

8♦ - Imagine what would have changed if one of the key events had happened differently.  How would it affect the rest of the story?  You may write about the changes in either a narrative or informational format.

7♦ - Think about what person or group of people might be offended by the book or want it banned from schools.  Create a persuasive essay from their point of view explaining why the book is “awful.”

6♦ - Moderate an online discussion thread about major themes in your book.  Your opinions and responses must be justified by textual examples, and the discussion must include at least two other people.

5♦ - Research contemporary events of when the work was published.  Postulate how the author’s world view may have shaped elements of the work.

4♦ - Read a literary criticism of the book (NOT just a review; that’s a different project).  Support or refute the critic’s ideas with your own, and cite supporting evidence from the text.

3♦ - Find a professionally-written review (NOT criticism; that's a different project) of the book that you disagree with.  Argue against the reviewer’s thesis, citing textual examples.

2♦ - Choose a popular TV or movie series.  Recast your book using actors from the show, and explain why each actor would be a good choice for the character.  You may use actors from no more than two different series.

A♣ - If your book involves travel from one setting to another, create a travel brochure depicting the places the main character(s) went.

K♣ - Create a board or card game based on your book. Design and build the board, as well as any playing pieces, cards, spinners or dice, or other objects needed to play. Type up a set of instructions for how to play (and win) the game.  See Mr. D for ideas - these can sometimes be professionally printed for as cheap as $7

Q♣ - Write a magazine or newspaper-type review (critiquing and discussing) of your novel. Examine reviews of other books in magazines/newspapers to give you ideas on form/etc. (Must be at least 300 words, typed.)

J♣ - Write a letter to the author of the book you read that explains your views of the novel. You might want to explain what the book taught you, why the book was particularly special to you, what you liked/didn’t like about it, suggest ideas for a sequel/etc. Use specific examples from the book to explain what you mean. (At least 300 words, typed, business letter format.)

10♣ - Create an annotated booklist. If you have read at least three similar books (i.e. books by the same author, of the same genre, from a certain time period/etc.), write a brief summary for each of the books. The summary should introduce the book, compare it to the other books of its kind, and critique it. (Each of the three summaries should be at least 100 words, typed.)

9♣ - Create a unit of study for your book. The unit should include each of the following items: a set of 10+ discussion questions with answers, a unit test, a worksheet, and a study/review game.

8♣ - Write a comparison/contrast essay comparing your novel to either a movie version of the novel or another book by the same author. (At least 350 words, typed; five-paragraph form.)

7♣ - Research the author’s life to find out what may have influenced him/her to write about the topics in the ways in which he/she did. Write a report describing your findings. Make sure to include a bibliography of sources you used for this report. (At least 350 words, typed.)

6♣ - Create a resume, cover letter, and reference list for a main character in your novel. Use correct form for each of these items.

5♣ - Didn’t like the ending of your novel? Write a new one! (Or write an epilogue: explain what happened to all of the main characters AFTER this novel is over.) Ending or epilogue must still be based on events leading up to the original ending in the real story. (At least 350 words, typed.)

4♣ - Turn your novel into a short play. Write the screenplay (script) complete with stage directions and recommend actors and actresses to play each main part.

3♣ - Design and build a web page or site (or PowerPoint) about your book; include a synopsis (don’t give the ending away!), introductions to main characters, and other information and graphics/images to “sell” your book (e.g., convince others to read it).

2♣ - Make a newspaper about your book; include feature stories for the front page (with headlines), opinion articles from the “editor,” display advertisements, classified ads, and other categories that are relevant to your story (obituaries, sports articles, entertainment calendars, etc.).

A♥ - Create a TV commercial advertising your book. Perform your commercial using any necessary props/etc. Commercial should be at least 60 seconds long. Remember—it’s a commercial—you’re trying to get the audience to go out and buy/read the book—don’t give away the ending! (You will turn in a script with your project.)

K♥ - With another “actor,” perform (an) interview(s) with the author or major characters. You will turn in a script with questions to be asked and answers to be given.

Q♥ - Perform an audio recording of a scene from your book.  Include music, sound effects, other actors to play characters, etc.

J♥ - Do a PBS/History Channel-type documentary on a character or theme from your book.

10♥ - With other “actors,” act out either an important scene from the book or a three-minute version of the entire story. You will turn in a script with your project. Use props and costumes when appropriate, or use toys (like LEGO Minifigs) to represent story elements.

9♥ - Perform a dramatic monologue. “Be” a character from your novel and use your voice and costume to create the illusion to the audience that you are that character. Speak in first person and review some of the most interesting experiences that happened to “you” in the novel.

8♥ - Write a song (music and lyrics/etc.) that tells the story of the novel.  You may perform it, or have someone else perform it.

7♥ - Write a narrative poem that tells the entire story of the novel, or a collection of shorter poems that deal with the theme and conflict.

6♥ - Write poems about each of the main characters in the book (use Edgar Lee Masters’ Spoon River Anthology poems as models).

5♥ - Create puppets (paper bags/socks/etc.) and dramatize a significant scene from the book you’ve read. You must turn in a script with this project.

4♥ - Give a booktalk--a short speech that gets the audience interested in reading your book. It's almost like a commercial for the book that gets them hooked on hearing the rest. Read an excerpt from the book that will help to “sell” your book to the audience. Tell only enough about the book to get their interest--don't ruin the story for them. Use props and visual aids to create interest.

3♥ - Design and build a web page or site (or PowerPoint) about your book; include a synopsis (don’t give the ending away!), introductions to main characters, and other information and graphics/images to “sell” your book (e.g., convince others to read it).

2♥ - Use photo editing software to create a slide show of pictures that represent people, places, and things in your novel.  Set it to music evocative of the mood.