Unit Learning goal: Students will be able to create a multi-part literary project that details the following items:
The Literature Project
Rationale:
The purpose of this project is to assess your ability to read,
summarize, analyze, and connect pieces of literature as well as assess
your writing skills. This is your chance to show me everything you know
and have learned. This is your chance to dazzle, shine, dance, sing,
shout (during your presentation).
Assignment: You will read A Catcher in the Rye . This final project will consist of five parts.
1) A
reading log revealing your engagement with the literature. This part
should be very thorough and should contain all the things listed below.
2) A creative connection
3) A book summary/personal response paper
4) An
analysis focusing primarily on the development of one striking element
in the novel: symbolism, characterization, figurative language, theme,
plot and how that element contributes to the development of the novel’s
overall meaning.
5) A connection—a one page paper connecting the book to a short story or novel read last year by either symbolism or theme.
6) A
presentation (this could be creative—and has to be 3 minutes with
visual aids): this is an overview of your project and your understanding
of the novel.
POINT
VALUES: The analysis is worth 100 points each. The log, creative
connection, personal response, presentation, and connections are worth
50 points each. Therefore, the total point value is 350 points. This
is nearly your entire project grade for the semester.
EXPECTATIONS:
THE
READING LOG: The reading log reveals your engagement with
literature. Furthermore, a detailed reading log will significantly aid
you in the development of the rest of the project. After reading each
chapter, you should write in your log:
n A short synopsis of the action and character development
n Your interpretation of the significant events occurring in the chapter
n Noteworthy figurative language and other literary elements
n Vocabulary—unfamiliar words
Please
note that the copying of Cliff Notes or Internet Sites is
plagiarism. I want only your thoughts, don’t steal. Cheating will
equal a ZERO.
THE CREATIVE PART: Choose one of the three options below:
Take
a minor character and write a 1-2 page monologue / journal entry about
what they think of the situation / action / motivations in the book so
far.
Make
a newspaper story about one of the major events of the novel. How
would
a journalist take on those events and how would that story be different
than Holden's perspective.
Draw
a picture (or some sort of visual representation) drawing from the
reading. Be sure to include a written component explaining why you chose
to create your visual representation.
Book
Review/ Personal Response: Give a detailed summary of the book. What
did you like? What did you not like? Would you recommend this book to a
friend? Why or why not?
THE
LITERARY ANALYSIS: Choose one literary element of the book and develop a
thesis around it. Back up your thesis statements with proof from the
text. This paper should be at least 3 pages.
THE
CONNECTION: 1-2 pages connecting the novel to a short story read in
class. You may focus on theme, characterization (think dynamic), or
figurative language.
THE PRESENTATION: 3 minutes—this should be an overview of your project and what you learned. It should include a visual aid.
Scale/Rubric relating to learning goal:
4 – The student can create A Catcher in the Rye project that relates the novel the real world citing both textual evidence and examples from contemporary society.
3 – The student can create A Catcher in the Rye project that incorporates all sections of the project.
2 – With some direction/help from the teacher the student is able to create A Catcher in the Rye project that incorporates all sections of the project.
1 – Even with help from the teacher the student is unable to create A Catcher in the Rye project that incorporates all sections of the project. The student may be able to do some sections, but not all of them.
