Personal Reading Projects
Contemporary Literature
For each quarter you will be doing personal reading for about 50 minutes of class per week. We will be handing in personal reading logs that reflect use of class time, but you will most likely read more outside of class. You will need to complete a personal reading project for at least one book each quarter. Books will need to be at your personal reading level. Some of you will easily complete this requirement, but please take advantage of the reading time to continue reading personal interest books.
Our overall concept for looking at literature is that it provides us with both a window and a mirror. Your project should link to some aspect of this. At the conclusion of a book you should complete ONE of the following projects:
***NOTE: All papers should be typed, double-spaced, regular 12 point font. J
•A personal reflection about the windows/mirrors in the novel, citing passages and page numbers– 2 page minimum (not counting the passages)
•A written abstract of the novel – not what is found on the cover, but a brief summary that hits the highlights of the book without retelling too much. Should be about one page.
•Elements of Literature Analysis Sheet with a one-page paper about the themes of the novel
•Research of the major issue/theme of the novel with a one-page paper and a works cited
•A collage of symbols or major ideas from the novel with a one-page paper explanation
•A story board of the novel with a one-page paper explanation
•A cartoon strip version of the novel with a one-page paper explanation
•A movie trailer (script or video) with a one-page paper explaining the connections
•An audition call list for each of the main characters listing the necessary qualities and a one-page explanation
Other ideas – SEE ME BEFORE YOU DO THEM, BUT I’M OPEN TO CREATIVITY.
For purposes of grading, a rubric for a quality project is provided below that covers all of the project choices. All projects must be at a proficient or advanced level in order to receive credit. If the project is not of sufficient quality, you will need to continue to work on it until it is. Projects must all be completed and handed in one week prior to the end of the semester. Personal reading is 30% of your total grade. Weekly logs and reading time will be equal to 10%, projects are the other 20%.
A = 3 projects submitted per quarter (6 for semester)
B = 2 projects submitted per quarter (4 for semester)
C = 1 project submitted per quarter (2 for semester)
Proficient/Met: Meets the requirements for the project
•Explains the connections between the novel and the project
•Cites passages and page numbers clearly, puts passages in quotation marks and page numbers in parenthesis
•Passages and examples from the text are used to explain/support the ideas in the paper
•Passages and examples come from the beginning, middle and end of the text
•Reflects knowledge of text, reflects understanding of text
•Can discuss how parts of text relate to the text as a whole
•Understanding goes beyond the literal words of the text
Advanced: meets Proficient criteria, but exceeds them
•Focus of project is on going beyond the novel, connections are clearly explained
•All passages and examples are clearly, correctly and consistently documented
•Passages and examples from the text are used to relate the parts to the whole and the whole to ‘beyond the text’
•Passages/examples represent the text as a whole (beginning, middle, end)
•References to the text and examples from the text clearly show understanding of a text
•Can discuss how parts of the text enhance and extend to the text as a whole
•Understanding is at an interpretive level