Independent Reading Project #1

Choices and Contract

Directions: Pick one of the projects to complete and present for your IR project on October 14, 15, 16, or 17.

1. Create a sculpture of a character from your book. Use any combination of soap, wood, clay, sticks, wire, stones, old toy pieces, or any other imaginable object. Remember this project must be 3D, so no drawings on paper will meet this requirement. Be ready to explain the details and give a description of this character’s physical AND personality traits. Be ready to tell us why you picked this character, and why you feel they are important in your book.

2. Interview a character from your book, like that of an interview from the news. Write at least ten thoughtful questions about the character and their actions shown throughout the book. You can either perform this with a friend or videotape it ahead of time. Be sure to include questions that will get the characters to describe their actions, traits, and the lessons they learned.

3. Write a book review/critique about your book. Start with an introduction. Include an attention getter and your opinion. (paragraph 1) Next give a short summary. Include the characters, plot, and theme. (paragraph 2) Then you should give your opinion with TONS of evidence from the book to support it. (paragraph 3) You will need a typed paper that is at least 3 paragraphs. Be ready to share your review with the class.

4. Construct a diorama (a three-dimensional scene which includes people, buildings, plants, and animals) of one of the main events from your book. You will need to explain the scene and why it was important in the book. Also, you will need to include a written/typed description of the scene and detail its importance.

5. Create a timeline. This timeline can be made by hand or on the computer. You will need to identify 12 important dates/times/moments from your book and create a title. For your presentation, you will need to present the timeline, your 12 events/dates and explain their importance to the book.

6. Write and perform an original song/rap/poem. In your composition, please identify the title of the book, author, two or more of the main characters, one or two setting locations, one or two of the major conflicts, and one or two themes from the book. You will need to turn your written piece to Mrs. Wilson and once again, you’ll need to read or sing your song/rap/poem to the class.

7. Create graffiti about the book on a BRICK wall. Yep, you’ll need to be creative to come up with your own brick wall via online, poster, a white sheet, etc. The graffiti can be words, sayings, names, or phrases taken from the book. You must identify 12 graffiti items on your wall and explain their importance at your presentation. Also, you will need to turn in a list of the items and their explanation as to why they are important.

8. Compare and contrast two characters in a story by creating a Venn diagram. Again, you can do this any way you want…via computer, paper, etc. You must identify 10 things that the characters have in common and 10 for each character that makes them different. Note: identifying the fact of their gender, race, hair color, etc. does not qualify as a quality comparison. You must think deeper.

9. Create a poster size map of the settings found in your book. Your map must be colored, labeled, identify 10 key places, and include a key. You will need to explain the location and the 10 places’ importance when presenting, and you will need to turn in a paper of explanation after your done presenting.

CIRCLE THE PROJECT YOU WANT TO DO. KEEP THIS WITH YOU AS A REMINDER.

IR Project Contract

I plan to read the book called ______by ______. It has ______pages.

I have not read this book before this school year. It is not too easy or too difficult.

I understand that I will bring the book to class everyday and read it to complete daily activities.

I know that I must finish this book by ______and complete a final project based on this book.

Student Signature ______

Date ______