ZULU Self-Selected Independent Reading Policy

(8th Advanced/Honors, 9th Honors)

Each nine weeks, students will be required to read one self-selected book and complete a project as the final assessment of that book. The project will count as a test grade.

  1. All books MUST be pre-approved by Mrs. Rogers! You will sign up on a sheet with the name, author, and number of pages of the book you wish to read. This information must be received by the due date, or you will lose 5 points on your project grade. The due dates for submitting book titles for approval are:

First Nine Weeks:Monday, August 18

Second Nine Weeks:Monday, October 27

Third Nine Weeks:Tuesday, January 20

Fourth Nine Weeks:Monday, March 30

  1. You may choose a book from the suggested list you will receive or you may choose a book that is not listed. There are a few requirements a book must meet in order for it to be approved:
  2. The book may NOT be lower than a 4.5 AR level (or equivalent if the book is not an AR book)
  3. The book may NOT be worth fewer than four AR points (or equivalent if the book is not an AR book)
  4. The book may NOT be less than 125 pages long
  5. The book may NOT be non-fiction (unless it meets the three requirements listed above)
  6. The book may NOT be one you have read and completed a project on before.
  7. The book may NOT be a “movie” book (this means that there is a movie version of the book). This includes, but is not limited to: Hunger Games,any Harry Potter title, any Twilight title. There will be NO exceptions to this requirement!

*NOTE: All books from the classroom library are pre-approved, but you still must submit your title to Mrs. R by the due date.

  1. After reading your approved book, you will complete a project from the list on the back. Each nine weeks, you will choose a different project to complete. This means you may NOT complete the same project twice. You must also complete an End-of-Book form and submit it with your project by the due date. You can find a copy of this form on your class website in the Zulu Self-Selected Independent Reading folder.
  1. Once per nine weeks, you will be required to complete a Reader’s Response journal for your chosen book. You will be notified of the due date three days in advance.
  1. The due dates for the four projects are listed below. Any project not COMPLETELYturned in by the due date will be late and will therefore lose ten points. No projects will be accepted after the five-day grace period. You must also turn in the appropriate rubric for your project. These are found on your class website in the Zulu Self-Selected Independent Reading folder. Print one out and turn it in with the project.

First Nine Weeks:Tuesday, September 23

Second Nine Weeks:Tuesday, December 9

Third Nine Weeks:Tuesday, March 3

Fourth Nine Weeks:Tuesday, May 12

Menu of Self-Selected Independent Reading Book Projects

Timeline:

Make a timeline for events in the story. It must have an easy-to-read title, at least 15 dates, descriptions of what happened, and be colored. You can make it by hand or electronically.

Board Game:

Create a board game that includes important aspects of your novel. You must create the box, board, pieces, cards, etc. Also write a paragraph explaining how the game relates to your novel.

Newspaper Article:

Pretend you are a reporter who just witnessed an important scene from the novel. Write an article about it. Include who, what, when, where, why, and how. 1 1/2+ pages, typed, double-spaced, 12 point, Times New Roman font with 1” margins.

Poem:

Write 2 poems (14+ lines each) about how a character feels at particular point in the story. Write a paragraph for each poem explaining why you chose this part of the story, and why the character feels the way she does.

PowerPoint/Prezi:

Make a PowerPoint or Prezi presentation about the book. Include plot, characterization, and information about the author. It must have pictures, citations, and 15 or more slides/frames.

Diary/Letter/Blog:

Pretend you are the main character. Write at least 5 diary entries of 15+ lines. Include how you feel and why. You may handwrite or type your entries. Don’t forget to use first person!

Cartoons:

Draw a cartoon that tells the entire story. It must have at least 15 frames and dialogue. Cartoon must be detailed and either colored or shaded.

Children’s book:

Turn the novel into a children’s book. It must have at least 13 pages. Each page must have an illustration that was created by you. Include ALL important events from the story! You can make it by hand or electronically. Book must be bound.

Diorama:

Create a detailed diorama depicting 1 scene from the book you read. Include a paragraph explaining the scene, and why you chose it. Diorama must be created entirely by you (no Legos).

Illustration:

Pick 5 important scenes from the novel. Illustrate each one on a separate sheet of 8 1/2 by 11” paper. You may use crayons, colored pencil, paints, or any other medium. For each picture, write a paragraph explaining why you chose this scene.

Tangible or Intangible Gifts:

Select a character from the book and figure out what five things you believe that character most needs or wants. Draw or cut out pictures to represent these “gifts” and write to that character/person an explanation of why you picked these things out for him or her. In your writing be specific, and use examples from the story to support your thinking.

Character Scrapbook:

Make a scrapbook about the story or pretend a character had made it about his/her life. This should look like a real scrapbook, complete with actual memorabilia, awards, letters, photos, mementos, ticket stubs, report cards, etc. Include the book title or the character’s name on the cover of the scrapbook. Label each item (at least 8) and explain its significance using a paragraph for each item.

(Adapted from Reese, n.d.)