Wow!! What a Great Book
Mr. Belasco/Room B-5
Honors English
Book Review Options
All right, so you have read your book; so now what am I supposed to do with it? Well instead of the typical format: “I read ________. Written by __________-. It is about __________. I enjoyed it very much. The End.”, we will do something different ( actually a few things different.) You will have choices regarding your presentation. Please remember that once you make a choice, you have crossed that one off the list. You will read a total of three outside readings and can use each option only once.
Your presentation must be between three (3) and five (5) minutes. If this seems like a problem see me well before hand.
OPTIONS:
CD Cover
Imagine you are making your book into a major motion picture. It is your job
to compose the soundtrack for the movie. I ask that you design the cover for
the CD. Remember a soundtrack can be between 12 and 18 songs. Be prepared to
explain why you choose the songs and how they represent aspects in the story.
For example, you can represent characterization, conflict, mood, tone, a specific
scene, or songs to cover the entire book.
Judging a Book by its Cover
Design a book jacket for your novel. Include the title, author, appropriate
artwork, a brief author biography, and an interesting blurb about the story
to get the reader interested in your book. The artwork must be neat –
you may draw it yourself, or you may cut pictures out from magazines. Keep in
mind the important events, characters, themes, and images. The front and back
covers must measure at least eight by ten inches with the two flaps measuring
four by ten.
Book3
Design a cube that contains scenes from the novel you just read. One side should
have the title, author, copyright date, and publisher. One side must have a
paragraph about the story. On the other four sides illustrate exciting scenes
or major characters from the novel. These may be drawn (pen, pencil or crayon),
painted, or created collage style from magazine photos. Artistic expression
and neatness will be considered.
Novels, Novels, Novels !!
Hurry, Hurry, Hurry before supplies run out. This is your last chance to show
off your sales skills. You will have two to four minutes to present a commercial
for your book. The commercial may be acted out live or taped on a video cassette
– either way the class will see it. Use props and costumes as appropriate.
Your goal is to convince the audience that they must read your book.
Talk Show I
Two people are required for this to work. One of you is a talk show host and
the other is the author of the novel. You will have four to seven minutes to
discuss the novel and its characters in an “oprah”, “Rosie
”, or even a “Jerry Springer” format. You must be ready to
answer questions from the audience.
Talk Show II
Two or more people are required for this to work. One is a talk show host and
the others play characters from the novel. Directions for production are listed
under Talk Show I.
Character costuming is required.
It’s Alive Part I
Choose a character from your novel and portray him or her for the class (costuming
is required). You should discuss your life and experiences as the reader would
find them. (3-5 minutes) Become the character and use the first person point
of view; remember, you cannot know anything the character doesn’t know.
At the end of your presentation, you may take questions from the audience.
It’s Alive Part II
Act out one or two exciting, interesting, or pivotal scenes from the novel.
You should have appropriate costumes and props. One day prior to the presentation
you will need to submit an outline script that includes relevant page numbers
from the novel. You must follow the events of the novel in you skit as closely
as possible, but you are not required to memorize the lines word for word. One
to four people may participate but all should have major roles.
Kid’s Story
Adapt your novel into a child’s book. Use appropriate language and illustrations.
Your book should be faithful to the story line of the novel, but you may condense
or leave out certain scenes or events if they are not imperative to the story.
Your book should have a cover, title page, and at least sixteen pages of story.
If you prefer you may use photographs or pictures clipped from magazines for
your illustrations, as long as they convey the events in the text. Keep in mind
the reading ability, vocabulary and attention span of children. You may gear
your book for kids in preschool through sixth grade.
Author, Author
Write a chapter for your book that includes at least one of the character’s
present in the final chapter. This could be a continuation of the novel’s
events or could bring in new plot lines, events, characters, or themes. This
chapter does not have to solve its own problems since very few books have chapters
that resolve themselves. However, you must leave the chapter knowing how you
would carry through the plot. Write a brief statement of how you would wrap
things up. Your chapter must be at least four pages long.
Comic Strip
Draw a series of panel cartoons that summarize the novel. You must draw at least
fifteen panels showing the essential parts of the novel from beginning through
the end.
Book Gallery
Sketch ten important scenes from the novel. Each drawing should measure eight
by ten and should be based on characters, scenes, and events from the novel.
Correspondence Course I
Write a series of letters to the characters in the novel asking them about their
lives, their situations, other characters, and so on. Have the characters write
back to you. Write a minimum of six letters each in correct letterform (textbook
pages 916 – 919) and three quarters of a page long, excluding the salutation
and closing.
Correspondence Course II
Write a series of letters among the novel’s characters. Write a minimum
of six letters each in correct letterform (textbook pages 916 – 919) and
three quarters of a page long, excluding the salutation and closing.
It’s a Test
Take a generic test on the novel. You will be asked to point out the plot, conflict,
main characters (protagonist, antagonist, and the entire supporting cast), theme,
and denouement. I will throw in additional information depending on the genre
of the novel. Mostly short answer and long essay. This test will be LONG
and HARD
Creative Control
Compose a project of your own. It must be the academic equivalent of the above-mentioned
projects, and then submitted to me for approval. I must have a description of
your project in writing at least five (5) days prior to the project being due.
I must be notified of the evaluation process you will be choosing prior to your
handing it in to me. I suggest about 1 week earlier. The entire project is due
on _________________ (#1),
________________(#2), and ___________________(#3). I expect any writing to be
typed. See me about a pass to the computer lab, and ask your personal keyboarding
teacher.
Have fun reading – Most of all enjoy your book.
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