8th Grade Pandora Book Box Project
In Greek mythology, Pandora (Greek for "gift", "the all-gifted" or, "the all-giving") was the first human woman created by the gods. Zeus ordered Pandora to be molded out of the earth as part of the punishment to humanity for Prometheus' theft of fire, and all the gods joined in creating her. Before they sent her to meet Prometheus, they also provided her with a box that she was not supposed to open, but was instead supposed to give to Prometheus.
According to the myth, Pandora opened the box because her curiosity got the better of her. Thus, she released all the evils of humanity, leaving only hope inside once she had closed it again. Pandora did eventually let hope out as well, to help overcome all the evil she had released. It is important to note, she opened the box out of simple curiosity and not as a malicious act. In doing so, she released both good and bad on the word, as well as knowledge. You will be treating a book that you read as “Pandora’s Box.” Your box will need to include the following:
*A polished, eye-catching container or box that represents the novel. I have said box, but feel free to be creative. You must decorate the outside and are encouraged to decorate the inside if you wish.
*The outside of the box must have the title and author prominently displayed. Remember, you are trying to get your classmates interested in reading your book, and the first bite is always with the eye!
The following items need to be made into info cards to go inside the box:
1. Plot summary- be sure to include the main idea of the story, but do NOT give away the ending. The plot summary should be short, no more than a paragraph. To help you keep it short, remember the “Somebody wanted, but, so, then” strategy.
2. Genre of the book- explain how your novel fits into a specific genre, using evidence from the text.
3. Setting- time period, location, etc.
4. Protagonist of the book- give both mental and physical descriptions.
5. Describe at least three other major characters in the book- brief descriptions and how they relate to the protagonist of the book.
6. Antagonist of the book- Remember, this is not always a person!
7. A quote from the novel that illustrates a theme found in it. Explain what the theme is and how this quote embodies it. Please remember, a theme is NEVER just one word, it is a message the author is trying to teach.
8. Your favorite quote from the novel and an explanation of why it is your favorite.
9. Five tangible artifacts from the book that you can put in your box. Be sure that you write down on a card why each of these is important and how it relates to the novel.
* You will be graded on your presentation of this project to the class, as well as the overall quality of work.
This project is worth 1 test grade and 1 class grade. It will be due 10/24 Green -10/25 Orange!