Language Arts 201

Semester One – Outside Reading Assignment

CRITICAL THINKING PRESENTATIONS (CTP’s)

You have been instructed to read a FULL-LENGTH book that meets the following criteria:

Ø  Minimum of 150 pages long

Ø  One story, not a collection of short stories, etc.

**It may be fiction or non-fiction

Your grade will consist of three main components: reading the book, planning a presentation on the novel, and

finally presenting what you’ve read to the rest of the class.

Part I: Reading Points (TOTAL of 40 points)

On the designated days, you will be given class time to read your Outside Reading novel. You are expected to bring your book with you to class and use the given time for Outside Reading only. If you finish your OR novel before the semester ends, you are expected to bring another novel to read during the given class time.

Ø  If you bring your book with you to class and diligently read during class, you will receive 10 points.

Ø  If you bring your book with you to class and generally read during class, you will receive 8 points.

Ø  If you bring your book with you to class but barely read during class, you will receive between 6-2 points.

Ø  If you do not bring your book with you to class, you will receive 0 points.

Your reading points will be totaled at the end of each quarter.

Part II: Presentation Planning Checkpoints (TOTAL of 40 points)

Throughout your reading of the book, you will have checkpoints in which you will be giving a “mini – presentation” on your planning thus far. This “mini – presentation” will have a focused topic in which you will need to follow. The breakdown is as follows;

CHECKPOINT 1 (worth 10 points) DUE: October 2nd

FOCUS: Character/Setting

·  Identify the characters who have been introduced so far. Describe their personalities and actions that make them interesting/unique.

·  Describe the setting. Find TWO passages that the author uses to create a vivid image in your mind as you read. Mark the passages so you can read them to the class. Are any literary elements present within this passage? If so, please explain.

CHECKPOINT 2 (worth 10 points) DUE: October 23rd

FOCUS: Conflicts

·  What conflicts seem to be arising? Are they internal or external?

·  Identify a memorable passage – one that is funny, surprising, sad, powerful, puzzling, etc. that you can read aloud to the rest of the class. Are any literary elements present within this passage? If so, please explain.

CHECKPOINT 3 (worth 10 points) DUE: November 20th

FOCUS: Connections

·  Find a connection between some element of the novel and your life. For example, does a character remind you of someone, some song, some television show, etc.? Is the story the same plot as a movie (CANNOT USE THE MOVIE VERSION OF YOUR BOOK) you’ve seen or another book? Is a theme evolving that resembles an experience you’ve had? Share this connection through your presentation.

CHECKPOINT 4 (worth 10 points) DUE: December 22nd

FOCUS: Create

·  Construct a mind map of your novel. This may be a collage, a chart, or an illustration. During your presentation, you will explain your creation to the class.

Checkpoint Grading Rubric

Definitely!
(A) / Yes
(B) / Sure
(C) / Sort-of…
(D) / Barely/
Not at all
(F)
Presentation contains sufficient info (all elements are covered)
Presenter has a good understanding of the book he/she is reading
Presentation is clear, easy to understand, rehearsed, and presenter makes sufficient eye contact
Presenter attentively listens to his/her classmates’ presentations

Part III: Final Presentation (TOTAL of 70 points)

At the end of the semester, once all checkpoints are complete, you will be giving a formal presentation on your book. After spending so much time reading and analyzing so many different aspects of the novel, you should have no problem generating plenty of information to complete a well-organized, thought-out presentation! J

Your presentation, using some sort of visual(s), must include info on…

Ø  AUTHOR – include dates of life, where he/she was born, other novels he/she may have written, and any interesting things about this person.

Ø  PLOT (including: Characters, Setting, Conflicts, Resolutions) Here is where you summarize the basic plot of the book. Add pictures into your presentation (perhaps create Freytag’s triangle as a guide?). BE THOROUGH! You MUST convince me that you read and understood the book!

Ø  LITERARY ELEMENTS – Include in your presentation certain literary elements the author included. YOU MUST HAVE AT LEAST 2 ELEMENTS and you must discuss them with great detail. Quotes and references back to the book are essential in this section to fully explain the elements.

Ø  THEME – Every book has some type of theme, and we have discussed themes as a class quite often. Now it is your turn to discuss and convince your audience of the theme of your book. Remember…theme cannot be summed up in one sentence. It would be wise to refer back to the book to prove your theme. Here, too, pictures/illustrations (along with a sufficient explanation) would be a nice way to portray your theme.

Ø  EVALUATION OF BOOK (including Connection) – Here is your chance to play critic. This is where you will explain to your audience how you feel about the book you just finished. PLEASE avoid common words such as “It was GOOD,” or “It was BORING.” You will need to back up your statements as well! Tell us why it was the way it was! Would you recommend this book to your classmates for next semester’s outside reading assignment? Explain. Recall your earlier connection and make a comparison to better explain the overall novel.

Final Presentation Grading Rubric

Definitely!
(A) / Yes
(B) / Sure
(C) / Sort-of…
(D) / Barely/
Not at all
(F)
Presentation contains sufficient info on AUTHOR
Presentation contains sufficient info on PLOT
Presentation contains sufficient info on LITERARY ELEMENTS
Presentation contains sufficient info on THEME
Presentation contains sufficient info on EVALUATION of BOOK
Presenter aided himself or herself with a creatively done visual aid
Presenter spoke with clarity, enthusiasm and made eye contact throughout.

The final presentations will begin on January 5th. We will be randomly drawing to figure out order.

Inclusive Outside Reading Schedule

September 8th ------Check out books

September 11th ------In-class Reading Day

September 25th ------In-class Reading Day

October 2nd ------Check Point #1

October ______------In-class Reading Day

October 23rd ------Check Point #2

November ______------In-class Reading Day

November 20th ------Check Point #3

December ______------In-class Reading Day

December 22nd ------Check Point #4

January 5th ------Final Presentations Begin

*** In order to best meet these deadlines, you should divide your novel into FIVE equal sections. For Checkpoint One you should have read the first fifth of your book, etc. By the final presentation date, you must have FINISHED your book.