ELA Multigenre project
Who qualifies to be a Hero?
Project Description: You will be selecting a hero (sorry, a real-life person, not a cartoon character) as the topic for your research project. You will define a hero as someone who has overcome adversity to make a positive difference in the world or your world. In selecting a person to research, you should select someone you admire, someone who embodies the qualities of a hero. You should plan on becoming the class expert on this person. Instead of writing a traditional research paper, you will be doing a series of 6-8 products to showcase the information you have found and created about your hero. All of your projects will eventually be turned in the form of a scrapbook, binder, folder, or creative idea on your hero. You will be required to make a brief presentation of your research project “book” to the class or a small group, which will also be graded.
Authors Politicians PhysiciansCoach
Parent Inventors Athletes
Artists Musicians Attorneys
Teachers Business PeopleActivists
Scientists Religious LeadersExplorers
Please note once you choose your heroyou cannot changethe person. If someone else signs up for a person in your class that you wanted to research, you will have to choose someone else. Or, I will choose someone for you. I also reserve the right to veto your choice of subject if it does not meet with our definition of a hero.
You will need a scrapbook,folder, binder, or another creative way/idea to keep all of the pieces of the project in. You will choose genre 6-8 ideas from the following list to create your project. For each one you need to cite your sources. Keep a list of the sources. It will be the last page of your project. Each one also needs a small summary or explanation. I have chosen some for you…you must do.
Essay Newspaper Article Letters Blogs Biography
Billboard Book Cover Poem Story Pamphlet
Poster 2 voice poem Obituary Advertisement Cartoon
Quotes Speech Songs Books Summary
Below is a list of historical heroes for possible consideration if you cannot think of someone. You are not limited to these people; it is merely a list of suggestions. None of these people were perfect, in your research of your chosen subject you will find faults as well as strengths. However, each has effected a positive change in the world. Here is the list, in no particular order:
Mohandas GandhiChief JosephAlbert Einstein
Martin Luther King, Jr. Albert SchweitzerUlysses S. Grant
Henry David ThoreauDorothea LangeRobert E. Lee
Florence NightingaleRachel CarsonMaya Angelou
Susan B. AnthonyJackie RobinsonGalileo Galilei
Golda MeirFrederick DouglassBenjamin Franklin
Sojourner TruthNellie BlyFranklin D. Roosevelt
Clara BartonGeorge Friedrich HandelEleanor Roosevelt
Abraham LincolnC. S. LewisSacagawea
Alice PaulRaoul WallenburgJoshua L. Chamberlain
Varian FryHarriet TubmanThomas Edison
Meriwether LewisWalt DisneyHelen Keller
William ClarkAudrey HepburnLouis Armstrong
Jane AddamsCesar ChavezThurgood Marshall
Amelia EarheartJoan of ArcThomas Jefferson
Ram Mohan RoyOtto FrankGeorge Washington
Upon completing the project, you will be asked to present to the class; therefore, you will receive a content grade, audience grade, and a presentation grade.
Timeline:
Day 1–Define a hero- Define what a herois and include at least 7 traits that define a hero. Then make an
loutline (15-20 bullet
points) that gives background information on your hero. Break up the biographical information into the
following categories:
___Early life
___Becoming a hero
___Accomplishments and later life
Day 2- Autobiographical Story in 1st person:In 300-500
words use the out line and back ground information to write and briefly summarize the life of your hero
from the point of view of your hero (meaning 1stperson).
Day 3 –Events and Pictures-- Include 5-8 events with pictures in your hero’s life that prove that they are indeed
a hero. Write a brief caption for each event or picture.You can draw the pictures or find some in
books or magazines.
Day 4–Quotes-Include at least 4 quotes from your hero that support their heroic qualities. I a short paragraph explain
why you chose these quotes.
Day 5–Traits or similaritiesInclude a section that explains why or how 3 similarities that you and your hero
have in common. Or similarities that you wish to possess like your hero.
Day 6–Impact on you-Include yourself in this project with a brief description of how your hero has impacted
your life.
Day 7- 9– 4 Chosen Genres-For each day you will choose 4more genres from the genre list and complete
them.
Day 10–Put it together-Put everything together in your scrapbook or binder. Create a cover and title or
description page with title. You also need a “bibliography” or “workscited” page at the end.
Meaning, tell me where yougot your information.
Checklist
______Cover Page or Description Page with title
______ Define a hero
______ Autobiographical Story in 1st person
______Events and Pictures
______Quotes
______Traits or similarities
______Impact on you
______4 Creative Chosen Genre Products
______Put it together- Works Cited or Bibliography
Multi-Genre Hero Project Rubric
Make sure all of your created pieces, found pieces and responses are included in your project.
Possible Points Total 200
Portfolio Piece / Points Possible / Points ReceivedCover Page/Description Page / 10
Define a hero / 10
Autobiographical Story in 1st person / 20
Events and Pictures / 10
Quotes / 10
Traits or similarities / 10
Impact on you / 10
1 Creative Chosen Genre Product / 10
1 Creative Chosen Genre Product / 10
1 Creative Chosen Genre Product / 10
1 Creative Chosen Genre Product / 10
Title / 10
Put It Together (Binder or Creation) / 10
Grammar and Spelling / 20
Bibliography (books and websites magazines) / 10
Final Product (How it looks and effort) / 30
Total Points
Standards and I can statements
RI3: Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.
I can contrast the distinctions between individuals, ideas, and events within a text (including classification and analogies).
I can identify events and ideas within a text.
I can compare how individuals, ideas, and events are connected (including classification and analogies).
R.I.1: Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
I can determine strongly supporting details for what is explicitly stated and inferences made.
RI7: Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea.
R.I.2: Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.
I can determine the relationship of ideas that support the central idea.
W1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevantevidence.
I can write an argument which introduce claims and acknowledges and distinguishes claims from alternate or opposing claims and demonstrates an understanding of the topic or text.
W.2:Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
I can organize ideas, concept and information into broader categories.
I can introduce the topic previewing what is to follow.
W.4:Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
I can analyze the reason for writing a piece to decide on task, purpose and audience.
I can determine suitable idea development strategies, organization and style appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
W.5:With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed.
With some guidance and support from peers and adults, I can recognize how to plan, revise, edit, rewrite and try a new approach.
I can recognize how well to focus on audience and purpose.
W.7: Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
I can conduct short research projects that answer questions (including self-generated ones), draw on several sources and generate additional related focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
W.8: Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
I can determine the relevance of information gathered from print and digital sources.
I can draw evidence from key ideas and details as support for research.
I can identify key ideas and details which provide evidence to support conclusions about the text accessed through research.
W.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
I can draw evidence from key ideas and details as support for research.
I can analyze key ideas and details in a text as evidence for supporting the understanding of text.
Dear Parent and Student,
As part of the Eighth Grade English Language Arts curriculum, each student will demonstrate his/her knowledge of the research process. This extended project will refine the student’s ability to generate how and why questions to help clarify and refine a research topic. In order to accomplish this task, each student has selected a hero to research. Each student is expected to complete all genre checklist options and research.
All genres will be demonstrated and explained in class and students will be given time to choose their hero for the project. While the genres and expectations will be explained in class, the majority of the work on the responses and created items will be done independently on snow days.
Students will be graded using rubrics throughout the project. When items are turned in they will be graded and counted as NTI day work. All graded items are to be kept in a binder or folder that will be graded at the end of the project along with the presentation.
Please sign and have your child return the contract below signifying your awareness of these requirements. Please feel free to contact me at with any questions and/or concerns.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Shannon Jolicoeur (J)
Hero: ______
Student’s name: ______
Student’s signature ______
Parent’s signature: ______
Date: ______