Throughout the school year you will be completing independent reading assignments. The purposes of this ongoing assignment are:

ü  To become a better reading by reading more often

ü  To explore a larger range of literature than can be covered in class

ü  To be able to engage more intensely with a certain piece of literature.

Each Friday you will be given time in class to read silently (about 20 minutes) and you should also read outside of class. When you finish your book, you will choose and complete one of the attached projects. You will complete one project by the end of each nine weeks and once you use one project option, you will not be allowed to do that type of project again.

You may choose your book from home, check out a book from the library, or borrow one from the classroom library. The book you choose must be at least 100 pages long and be on your reading level. That means no Dr. Seuss or The Magic Tree house.

Projects are due on the following days: Friday, October 25th, Friday, January 10th, Friday, March 14th, and Friday, May 30th. You will need to turn in the corresponding rubric for each project.


INDEPENDENT READING ASSIGNMENT

PROJECT RUBRIC

Book Review Project

This project can be done by hand, typed or on the independent reading blog page through kidblog.org.

*Research book review writing (40 points)

In order to show that you have researched how to write a book review, you must provide documentation that you have looked at least two actual book reviews as examples for your own writing. You can find book reviews in newspapers, magazines, and online. For each review you look at, write one paragraph that describes your own reaction to the review and that lists at least 3 writing strategies the author used to persuade his/her audience of his/her opinion of the book being reviewed. You must do this for each book review you look at. You will have two paragraphs total, each worth 20 points.

____ 1-paragraph response to book review #1 (20 points)

____ 1-paragraph response to book review #2 (20 points)

*Book review of your Independent Reading Book (60 points)

Now it’s time to use your understanding of how book reviews are written with your own ideas regarding your independent reading book. Using some of the writing strategies you noted in the above research, begin crafting your own review: what did you think of the book? Why do you feel the way you do about it? Make sure you don’t just give a list of opinions about the book, but provide evidence from the book explaining your opinions. Should someone else read this book? Why or why not? These are just some of the ways you can choose to approach your review. Reviews must be at least 500 words long.

____ Student demonstrates knowledge and understanding of independent reading book (15 points).

____ Review is clear and well-written, providing evidence from the text to support opinions (15 points).

____ Review is persuasive, convincing me to either read or not read the book (20 points).

____ There are few to no grammar and spelling mistakes in the review—it is clear that the student has put time and thought into his/her project (5 points).

____ Review is at least 500 words long (5 points).

Comments for student:

Grade: ____ /100

INDEPENDENT READING ASSIGNMENT

PROJECT RUBRIC

Collage/Glog Project

*Collage/Glog (60 points)

Create your own collage or glog about your book using your artistic skills. Your collage can illustrate characters, settings, events, or themes from your independent reading book. You may use magazine pictures, your own drawings, or any other materials you choose to complete this project. Collage or montage must be created on something other than a piece of notebook paper, for example on poster board or large construction paper. Images from film versions of your book may not be used in the collage or glog. Students may create a glog on glogster.edu under their student login.

____ Collage/Montage is colorful, and neatly and carefully constructed (10 points).

____ Collage/Montage clearly uses the student’s independent reading book by showing representations of characters, settings, events, and/or themes from the novel (20 points).

____ Student uses creativity to construct a thoughtful visualization of the book (30 points).

*Reflection or summary of project (40 points)

After you complete your collage/glog, write a ½ page reflection or summary of your project. Describe what you were trying to represent in your collage/montage and why you chose to create the project you created. What were some of the challenges in making a visual representation of your book? What was fun or enjoyable about completing the project? Reflection must be written in complete sentences.

____ Reflection is clearly written and well organized (20 points).

____ Reflection thoughtfully explains the student’s purpose in creating the collage/montage and exhibits an understanding of the student’s independent reading book (20 points).

Comments for student:

Grade: ____ /100

INDEPENDENT READING ASSIGNMENT

PROJECT RUBRIC

Character Diary/Blog Project

*Diary (100 points)

Pretend you are one of the major characters from your book. To complete this project, you will pretend you are a character and write his/her diary describing important events that have happened to you, how you feel about these things, and any other reflections you think your character might have regarding his/her experiences. For this project, you must write at least 500 words, and have at least 5 diary entries. It is important in this project to work on writing as if you were your character. Pretend you are a character in your book and write like you think s/he would write. The diary you write should have your character’s “voice”—when I read this project, I should hear your character talking. You may also submit this project through a series of blog entries on the independent reading project blog site through kidblog.org.

____ Character diary has at least five entries and is at least 500 words (20 points).

____ It is clear which character from the book is writing the diary—student uses that character’s voice effectively (30 points).

____ Character diary addresses issues or events that are central or important to the book.

It is clear from the diary project that student has read and understood their independent reading book (30 points).

____ Diary is creative and neatly presented (10 points).

____ There are few to no grammar or spelling mistakes and it is evident the project was thoughtfully and carefully completed (10 points).

Comments for student:

Grade: ____ /100

INDEPENDENT READING ASSIGNMENT

PROJECT RUBRIC

Story Soundtrack Project

*Soundtrack (60 points)

Create a soundtrack for the events of your novel. Your soundtrack must have at least twelve (12) tracks in length and should represent the main events in the novel and/or the emotions of the characters in the situations. The soundtrack must be creative and show you understanding of the events and emotions of the novel. You cannot use the songs from a film version of your novel.

____ Soundtrack accurately captures the main events and character emotions of the novel (45 points).

____ Soundtrack is creative and is not a reproduction of a soundtrack of a film version of the novel (10 points).

____ Soundtrack has at least twelve tracks and is presented in physical form (CD) (5 points).

* Reflection (40 points)

Your reflection must be at least one page and describe or explain why you chose these songs to represent the events and character emotions in your novel.

____ Reflection is neat and there are few to no grammar or spelling errors (10 points).

____ Reflection clearly and effectively demonstrates an understanding of the events and character emotions of the novel through the explanation of how songs fit into the story line (25 points).

____ Reflection includes an ordered list of tracks and artists (5 points).

Comments for student:

Grade: ____ /100

INDEPENDENT READING ASSIGNMENT

PROJECT RUBRIC

Write a Song/Rap/Poem Project

*Song/Rap/Poem (70 points)

This project involves exactly what it sounds like. Pick a certain event, character, or theme from your independent reading book and compose a song, rap, or poem about your subject. You will need to incorporate at least five examples of figurative language in your song, rap, or poem. You must then present your song/rap/poem orally to the class and explain what you are trying to get across to or describe for your audience. The rap, song, or poem may be presented in Photo Story or Movie Maker.

____ Song/rap/poem deals with an important event, character, or theme from the student’s book. It is clear the subject matter was carefully chosen and demonstrates an understanding of the book read (25 points).

____ Song/rap/poem incorporates at least five examples of figurative language correctly (15 points)

____ Song/rap/poem is creative and neatly presented (10 points).

____ Song/rap/poem is clearly and effectively presented to teacher (10 points).

____ Student clearly and effectively explains the meaning of his/her project to the class, and discusses how the project represents a particular aspect of the student’s independent reading book (10 points).

*One-page reflection (30 points)

In your reflection, describe why you chose the subject you did and why your subject reveals or expresses an important aspect of your independent reading book.

____ Reflection is at least one page long and neatly written (10 points).

____ Reflection is thoughtful and well organized. There are few to no grammar or spelling mistakes (10 points).

____ Reflection successfully explains why the student chose to write about the subject s/he chose, and how that subject relates to an important aspect of the student’s book (10 points).

Comments for student:

Grade: ____ /100

INDEPENDENT READING ASSIGNMENT

PROJECT RUBRIC

Photo Story/Movie Maker Project

*Photo Story/Movie Maker Presentation (60 pts)

For this project, you will need to use either Photo Story or Movie Maker to create a slideshow presentation of your chosen book. Choose appropriate images to represent the characters, themes, and plot development of your book. Like the collage project, you will not be allowed to use images from film versions of the book. You need to show your interpretation of the novel, not a Hollywood director’s. You will need to present your project to the class as part of the assignment grade. The project may be presented verbally in front of the class or you may add a voice recording to your project. This presentation should not be a lengthy summary of the story, but should touch on the main events and character developments that occur throughout the story.

___ Presentation contains images that adequately represent the characters, plot, and theme of the chosen novel. It is clear the images were carefully chosen and demonstrate a strong understanding of the novel. (40 points)

___ Presentation is creative and neatly presented. (10 points)

___ Student demonstrates clear and informed understanding of the book. (10 points)

*One page reflections (40 points)

In your reflection, describe and explain why you chose to represent the characters, themes, and plot of your chosen book with the images in the presentation.

___ Reflection clearly describes and explains the purpose of the project and use of the images in the presentation. (20 points)

___ Reflection is neat and has no or little grammatical errors. (10 points)

___ Reflection meets one page length requirement. (10 points)

Comments for student:

Grade: ____/100